Patricia Killeen

Jan 22, 2025 | irishcentral.com | Patricia Killeen

People at home in Ireland have a long weekend on the horizon. Saint Brigid’s Day, 1 February, will be celebrated by the now-annual national holiday, which falls this year on Monday, 3 February. The long weekend is a gift - the whole weekend for craic and Monday for renewal and rebirth in the spirit of Imbolc, the Pagan feast that also falls on 1 February and celebrates the beginning of spring.

Dec 19, 2024 | irishcentral.com | Patricia Killeen

Working in Paris and living on its close outskirts, I have plenty to occupy my mind. Yet, hardly a day goes by without me thinking about Dublin, the city I left when I was 21. I’m clinging to an outdated map of my hometown, reluctant to relinquish it. Last week, on a perfect, blue-skied, freezing day that would make even the most weary feel alive, I was shopping on a Parisian market street.

Nov 5, 2024 | irishcentral.com | Patricia Killeen

“The Irish are known for being natural-born storytellers, from our rich folklore to our ability to retell a tale and make everyone in the room feel like they were there with us.”Since I started to write for IrishCentral in 2019, I have come into contact with the crème de la crème of Irish storytellers.

Oct 8, 2024 | irishcentral.com | Patricia Killeen

There are so many fantastic restaurants in Paris, but when it comes to pubs, expats, tourists, and even Parisians generally opt for an Irish one. However, although the craic is mighty, food is not always at brasserie level. At the end of April this year, Thomas Saint John and the O’Sullivans Group cracked the code when they launched O’Sullivans Bar and Grill Bastille. Situated on the Place de la Bastille, the establishment offers the welcome and buzz of an Irish pub combined with a gastro-pub menu.

Sep 18, 2024 | irishcentral.com | Manchán Magan |Patricia Killeen

I’m a procrastinator and tend to leave aside the more tedious, administrative part of my week’s work until Friday. Although it can be a bit overwhelming, I generally plod through my Fridays using my weekend projects as the carrot, ensuring a reasonably clean slate for the following Monday. I felt particularly submerged this Friday, but instead of trying a few minutes of mindfulness, I foraged my personal emails, looking for friend/family comfort amid the plethora of unwanted marketing emails.