irish traveller ama

• PHOTOGRAPHY

Life With the Irish Travellers Reveals a Bygone World

One photographer spent four years gaining unprecedented access to this close-knit community.

When Birte Kaufmann first encountered Irish Travellers, she was on a trip with friends in the Irish countryside and saw a girl and her little brother running toward a roadside camp. The caravans and horses reminded Kaufmannn, who is German, of the Romany camps she had seen elsewhere in Europe, but the people looked intriguingly different.

Who were they, she wondered, and how could she delve deeper into their culture?

"People said, You'll never get an insight into that community—forget about it," Kaufmann recalls of sharing with Irish friends her burgeoning plans to photograph the close-knit Travellers.

An ethnic minority in Ireland , the Travellers have lived on the margins of mainstream Irish society for centuries. Efforts have been made to incorporate the nomadic group into mainstream culture by settling them into government housing and enforcing school attendance. But even living among "settled people," they face ongoing discrimination.

Kaufmann describes theirs as a parallel world, where deeply-rooted gender roles and an itinerant lifestyle have kept them apart from the broader Irish community even as their freedom to roam has become increasingly curtailed.

To gain access to the community, Kaufmann first attempted to engage through human rights groups that work with them—to no avail. So she decided to do it "the hard way," she says. She had heard about a “halting site”—walled areas on the outskirts of large towns that contain houses as well as spaces for caravan parking—and on her next trip to Ireland, she simply showed up.

She was met by barking dogs, one of which bit her. A young woman approached, speaking English with an accent so thick that Kaufmann had trouble comprehending. Undeterred, she decided to lay her cards on the table. "I was really honest. I told [her] I was coming from Germany , where we don't have our own traveling community, [that] I knew who they were and was interested in how [they live]," Kaufmann recalls.

The young woman "was totally surprised, but finally they invited me for a cup of tea. I was sitting in a caravan with her grandfather. I asked them if I could come back and stay with them." Kaufmann says they chortled, as if to say, Yeah, right.

When she next returned from Germany, it was with a camper van of her own, so that she could stay alongside the extended family clan that would become the focus of her project. "I knew it was a high risk," she says, “but I gave them some pictures I had taken in the caravan of the grandfather. And they said, 'Ok. Now you're here. We have the images. One cup of tea. Now go. We are busy.'"

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As a photographer, and especially as a woman, Kaufmann was something of a novelty given the strictly defined gender roles of the Traveller community—men tend to the horses and livestock, women to home and family. Girls marry young and only with the blessing of their parents. Men don’t typically speak to women in public.

She slowly gained their trust to the point that one of the family members—a young mother who took a particular shine to her and was perhaps even amused at her struggle to understand what they were saying—began teaching her Gammon, their unwritten language.

"She tried to teach me words to say if the guys are being rude," she says. "And then the father started telling me what I should say. [They] tried to make me feel more comfortable." Her knowledge of words selectively and seldom shared with outsiders demonstrated to other Travellers that one of their own had trusted her enough to share.

And in turn, understanding how they communicate with each other helped her get past the sense of feeling unwelcome and deepened her appreciation of their differences. "At first [the talk] sounds really rough," she says. "Then there was this point at which I realized it was their language. They don't really call anyone by name. It's 'the woman over there,' 'the man over there,' 'the child,'" she explains. "It's not personal, [but] at first it sounds very rude.”

Kaufmann made multiple visits to the family over the course of four years, eventually living with them. The men gradually accepted her and allowed her to photograph them hunting and trading horses at a fair. She was able to blend into the background and photograph them as an unobtrusive observer of their everyday lives—lives, she says, that are filled with a lot of idle time. As Ireland becomes less agrarian, the Travellers’ traditional work as horse traders, farm laborers, tinsmiths, and entertainers has become more scarce.

"The older generations can't read or write," Kaufmann says, "but they have their own intelligence. On the one hand life was so sad and boring because everything their lives were stemming from wasn't there anymore. On the other hand there was this freedom—they live their lives in their own way."

And then, she says, she found herself taking no photographs at all. "One of the boys who really didn't like to be photographed said, 'Do you know what's really strange with Birte now? She's here and she's not really photographing anymore.'"

And that's when she knew her project was done.

Birte Kaufmann's project on the Travellers is now available as a book . You may also see more of Birte Kaufmann's photographs on her website .

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Celtic Junction Arts Center

Best cultural center in north america, – irishcentral, a 501(c)(3) organization, 836 prior avenue,, st. paul, mn, 55104, celtic junction arts review, irish travellers work to define the road ahead in contemporary times.

Jane Kennedy

Over the past half century, many ethnic groups have experienced social advances that improved their quality of life. Irish Travellers are no exception to this in some ways. Modernization since the 1960s has brought a sea change to the Irish ethnic group that has existed for centuries. But, to borrow a line from past U.S. presidential campaigns, are Travellers better off today than they were say 50 years ago (or longer)?

The history of Irish Travellers goes back centuries. Their itinerant nature came about when the demand for their skills waned, and they were unable to make a living in their typically small towns. This led them to an itinerant existence; eventually, they developed an ethnic identity as Travellers.

“There is a lot of ignorance about Travellers as an ethnic group,” notes Fergal O’Brien of Armagh, No. Ireland, a licensed social worker who has researched Irish Travellers and today performs musically with them. “You have to be born a Traveller,” he recalls telling singer Sinead O’Connor who once inquired if she could become a Traveller simply by pulling up her trailer alongside a Traveller community.

Travellers have their own shared culture that includes a separate language, matched marriages, the trades they practice, and more. In 1997, the No. Ireland Race Relations Order recognized Irish Travellers as a racial group within the meaning of the law. This was a momentous acknowledgment considering how long Travellers existed in Ireland. It took yet another 20 years before the Republic of Ireland gave such recognition to Travellers.

Making a living

Aside from the term Travellers, research refers to this community as “tinkers” “Gypsies” or “itinerants.” They prefer to be called Travellers and find the phrase “tinkers” to be pejorative. Gypsies refer to Roma people who are an Indo-Aryan group.

The name “tinkers” originated from their trade as tinsmiths. The sound of a hammer hitting metal was called tinkering and therefore the name became synonymous with Travellers because not only was tin smithing a popular trade among the men, but it was also one of the more highly regarded types of work. Using new sheets of tin or empty biscuit containers, tinsmiths made cups, kettles, milk pails, lanterns, buckets, and more.

Travellers also were knowledgeable horsemen and adept at horse and donkey trading. This skill earned them a good income when they would ply their trade at country fairs. Travellers were known to drive horses from the west coast of Ireland and bring them to Dublin and surrounding areas where the animals were sold at a good price.

Travellers also took on work as chimney sweeps, peddlers, and fortune tellers. It was typically the women Travellers who would peddle the merchandise created by their husbands, going into the Irish settled communities and earning money. Many describe the rural farm families and Travellers as having a symbiotic relationship – the farmers needed the wares the Travellers sold, and the Travellers needed an income.

Typically, Traveller families would go from one rural community to the next in groups of three families. Once they had called on the residents of one area, they would pull up stakes and move to the next. Travellers did not wander aimlessly; instead, they planned their routes and moved from one location to another in an ordered manner.

Wagons: a place to call home

Almost a century earlier, Travellers roamed throughout Ireland in colorful covered wagons. They resided in tents in the early years but that changed after World War I when Gypsies in England were threatened with conscription, and they fled to Ireland. Irish Travellers were intrigued by this type of transportation/ home on wheels; after purchasing some covered wagons, it didn’t take long for Travellers to begin constructing their own. By the mid-1930s, about half of the Irish Traveller population owned covered wagons. As recent as 1960, some 61% of the then 6.5 thousand Travellers still lived in wagons. 1

The covered wagons were but one symbol of the Traveller culture. Irish Travellers were also considered gifted musicians and storytellers, two aspects that, unlike covered wagons, allow their culture to be preserved and sustained.

Volunteers with the Irish Folklore Commission in the 1930s ventured into the countryside to capture local storytellers using a heavy and bulky recording device, the Edison Ediphone. One individual, Páidraig Mac Gréine, is estimated to have transcribed 10,000 pages of folklore material in the course of his work .2  After the folktales were recorded, Mac Greine and other field workers transcribed the recordings in the exact words of the recorder.

Many of the folk tales of that era were published in Bealoideas , a journal of folklore that began in 1927. Today, folktales recorded by Irish Travellers in the 1930s are available in Bealoideas accessible through JSTOR, a digital library that includes journals in the social sciences and humanities.

In describing Bealoideas in the early- to mid-1930s, author Bairbre Ni Fhloinn writes, “Certainly, no other body was then engaging with Travellers in an attempt to document their history, their life experience and their wealth of oral tradition.” 3

Music continues to be an important aspect of Traveller culture. After a long day of working at their craft and services, and selling their wares, Travellers would gather around campfires in the evening and engage in storytelling and music. The songs also served to preserve the history of this itinerant community.

Today there are a number of musicians influenced by Irish Travellers of the past. Some well-known contemporary Irish Traveller musicians include Paddy Keenan who was born in Co. Meath. He hails from a line of musicians who are steeped in traditional music. Keenan has even performed several times at the Celtic Junction, the last time being June 18 of 2022.

Sharyn Ward is another successful Traveller singer and songwriter. Born in Longford and the mother of two children, she made it to the “Ireland’s Got Talent” final with her rendition of “One Starry Night.” She notes that “the song makes me proud to be a Traveller.” 4

Keenan and Ward are but two of successful singers/musicians. Others include Michael O’Connell, Co. Clare; Pat Broderick, East Galway; and Martin Nolan, Dublin, (pipes).

Contemporary Irish Traveller music tends to focus on the hardships experienced in the past and the discrimination and isolation felt by Travellers today. In the stirring song, “Move Along,” written by Finbar Magee, singer William Dundon laments,

While this song speaks to how Travellers have been treated both in the past and presently, singer Dundon displays a positive outlook for his family. “I’m settled now,” says Dundon. “My kids are settled. They’re going to school to have a good education to have all the means to survive and have a happy life.”

A personal ambition for Dundon, who works in security, is to own his security company. But he says if that doesn’t work out, “I’m going to go into music.” According to Dundon, when it comes to music, being a Traveller doesn’t really matter. He notes, “When you’re a musician, everyone wants you.”

One of his greatest accomplishments was a trip to China a few years ago when his musical group was invited by Simon Coveney, the deputy leader of Fine Gael since 2017, to perform in Beijing. Dundon said it was incredible enough to play in China, but then he was given the opportunity to play music on the Great Wall of China – something less than 100 musicians have ever been allowed to do. It’s opportunities like these that give Dundon hope for a brighter future for Travellers as they make their way into the 21 st century.

But yet there are many hurdles to deal with in contemporary times. Irish Travellers have undergone a major shift in their lifestyle within the past half century. While “modernization” is generally a positive concept that brings with it a more prosperous and enlightened society, for Travellers, the change hasn’t necessarily been positive.

A recent article in the Irish Times 5 points to a report published in February 2023 that shows how suicide is impacting Travellers in South County Dublin and Ballyfermot:

• Travellers have a suicide rate six times that of the general population 
• Over two-thirds of Travellers have lost a loved one to suicide
• Almost 90 percent of Travellers are worried about suicide in their community

These shocking statistics go hand in hand with the reality that a large percentage of Irish Travellers cannot find employment and are then forced to live in government-funded housing. To add to this, their children tend to leave school early for a variety of complex reasons.

Some countries struggle with itinerants who come from ‘outside.’ But in Ireland, “the itinerants are their own people with Irish names,” notes Aimee L’Amie, editor of The Irish Travelling People: A Resource Collection.

Discrimination, the feeling of not fitting in with the “settled” Irish population, and poverty may seem like insurmountable problems facing today’s Irish Travellers. But one needs only look at their many contributions over centuries to recognize how vital this ethnic community is to the Republic of Ireland and No. Ireland. People like musician Dundon can see a brighter life ahead. While it’s true the itinerant lifestyle may be coming to an end for many Irish Travellers, their past will always remain a vital piece of Irish history.

1 George Gmelch. Shorten the Road, (Dublin: The O’Brien Press, 19xx) p. 18 2 The Irish Times, “Folklore Collector Who Specialised in Traditions of Travelling Community,” March 3, 2007.  3 “On the Edge: Portrayals of Travellers and Others in Irish Popular Tradition, Bairbre Ni Fhloinn, Bealoideas , Iml. 83, p. 5. 4 Traveller Collection website, https://travellercollection.ie/items/628370a5be5aff4ed2883074 5 “The Irish Times View on Suicide in the Traveller Community,” Editorial, The Irish Times , Feb. 23, 2023 6 “ The Irish Traveling People: A Resource Collection,” Aileen L’Amie, Volume 2: The Republic of Ireland 1951-81. Part F: Galway 1967-70 . 1984. JSTOR , https://jstor.org/stable/community.

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Past Issues

'Distinct identity': Irish Travellers celebrate day they were recognized as ethnic minority

This day six years ago, the Irish Traveller community was recognized by the Irish State as an ethnic group

• 16:45, 1 MAR 2023
• Updated 16:49, 1 MAR 2023

In Ireland, today marks Irish Traveller Ethnicity Day: a celebration of the moment Irish Travellers were officially recognized as an ethnic group in the Irish state.

On March 1, 2017, Taoiseach Enda Kenny made a statement in the Dáil formally recognizing the ethnic status of the Traveller community in Ireland. After a campaign spanning multiple decades, the date meant that the contributions made and challenges faced by the Traveller community would now be recognized at state level.

"The Traveller community has for many years campaigned to have their unique heritage, culture and identity formally recognized by the Irish state," the Taoiseach said at the time. "And in this state, they make their contribution as gardaí, doctors, members of the Defence Forces, prison officers."

Read more: Old footage shows New York's historic Gaelic Park in the 1960s

The Taoiseach continued: "So there should be no surprise that a person can identify as Irish and as Traveller. This is a deep and personal issue for many Travellers."

The Irish Traveller community has long faced discrimination in Ireland , with the group largely excluded from settled society over generations. The life expectancy of Irish Travellers is lower than their settled peers, and the community's suicide rate is six times the national average.

Being recognized as an ethnic minority means Irish Travellers (who are separate from but often confused with the Romani people due to similarities in their historically nomadic cultures) are now included in Ireland's anti-racism and integration policies. It also recognizes the unique culture and history of the Traveller community, who have, according to scientists, been genetically distinct from settled Irish people for at least 1,000 years.

The day doesn't just celebrate Irish Travellers based in Ireland, but their international diaspora. The community spans the UK, where they are also recognized as an ethnic minority, as well as Canada and the US .

It's difficult to guess how large the diaspora of the Irish Traveller community is in the US, as the US Census does not recognize them as an ethnic group. Estimations range their US population to be anywhere between 10,000 and 40,000.

The vast majority of this population is thought to have arrived in the US between 1845 and 1860 as a result of the Great Famine. Here, Irish Traveller communities mostly reside in Ohio, Georgia, Texas, Tennessee, Mississippi, and South Carolina. The largest is around 2,500 people, who live in Murphy Village, SC.

Like Irish Travellers in Ireland, Irish Travellers in the US have a unique cultural identity. This includes practicing devout Catholicism, a strong emphasis on family and community, and some usage of Cant, a language of mixed Irish and English origin spoken by Travellers.

"Our Traveller community is an integral part of our society for over a millennium, with their own distinct identity – a people within our people," the Taoiseach said this day six years ago. "...It is a historic day for our Travellers and a proud day for Ireland."

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Our Key Achievements

A Strong, Traveller-led Movement ITM’s most important success has been the emergence of an increased number and stronger Traveller organisations that are able to represent and advocate for Travellers’ rights at a local level and then feed that experience into the development of evidence-based analysis to shape policy development and service delivery.

ITM as a national representative organisation The State recognises ITM as a national representative body. On this platform, ITM has been able to effectively influence national policies on a range of issues including equality, accommodation and education, such as the Task Force for the Traveller Community (1995), Traveller Accommodation Act (1997), the Equal Status Act (2000 and 2004), and the the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy 2017-2022.

The Yellow Flag Programme ITM has developed the innovative Yellow Flag Programme, an intercultural education programme that builds inclusive school environments. This programme which was established in 2009, has worked with 93 schools, and reached over 37,000 students, and 2,900 teachers.

CENA Culturally Appropriate Homes ITM was the innovator of CENA, the voluntary Traveller Accommodation Association. Cena as an initiative came directly from discussions in the ITM accommodation working group on how Traveller groups would have knowledge on how to develop best practice processes in building Traveller specific accommodation.

Traveller Pride ITM developed the Traveller Pride Awards as a specific response to the erosion of Pride in Traveller identity. It has since grown into a full week of national, regional and local events to celebrate Traveller culture and identity, supported by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability and Youth. ITM is a proud member of the Traveller pride Steering Committee involving all national Traveller groups.

Traveller Ethnicity ITM formed to campaign for Traveller ethnicity recognition- it was one of the central aims and reasons for our formation. ITM drove an innovative Traveller-led campaign, moving Traveller ethnicity to the Government agenda, creating cross political party visibility, enhanced international attention and endorsement by Joint Oireachtas Committees of both the Dail and the Seanad.

The work of thousands of Travellers, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally was finally successful on Wednesday 1 st March 2017 as Traveller ethnicity was formally recognised by the Irish State. The campaign for Traveller ethnicity recognition was successful- the challenge for ITM and others is to build on that success and lobby for real equality and participation of Travellers in Irish Society.

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The Picture Show

Daily picture show, documenting the irish travellers: a nomadic culture of yore.

Lauren Rock

Throughout my life I have regularly traveled to my mother's home city of Dublin. During these trips I would regularly see groups of people living in caravans on the sides of the road, and I always wondered who they were and what their lives were like.

I later found out they belonged to a small ethnic minority called "Travellers" — nomads who spend most of their life, literally on the road. While their history has been hard to document — they have no written records — they are thought to have separated from the settled Irish community at least 1,000 years ago.

The Travellers (until recently also called "tinkers" or "gypsies") often live in ad hoc encampments, in direct contrast to "settled" people in Ireland. They are thought to be descended from a group of nomadic craftsman, with the name "tinker" a reference to the sound of a hammer hitting an anvil. (The reference is now considered derogatory.)

In 1965 Dublin-born photographer Alen MacWeeney stumbled across a Travellers' encampment and became fascinated with their way of life. He spent the next six years making photographs and recording their stories and music. Despite shooting the photos in the late '60s, it wasn't until 2007 that he found a publisher for his work.

Bernie Ward, Cherry Orchard Courtesy of Alen MacWeeney hide caption

Bernie Ward, Cherry Orchard

In his book, Irish Travellers: Tinkers No More — which also comes with a CD of Traveller music recordings — MacWeeny shows us a gritty, intimate portrait of the people he eventually came to call friends. He compares the Travellers to the migrant farmers of the American Depression: "poor, white, and dispossessed."

"Theirs was a bigger way of life than mine, with its daily struggle for survival, compared to my struggle to find images symbolic and representative of that life," he said in his book.

MacWeeney got his start at age 20 as an assistant for Richard Avedon in Paris and has since made a career as a portrait and fashion photographer. But his images of the Travellers reveal a raw and intimate side to his work.

"Traveller families have always been very close-knit, held together in a tight unspoken knot, with lifelong bonds and sometimes varying a lifelong set of troubles," he said.

Today, however, the Traveller lifestyle has changed dramatically from even a few decades ago. Many have embraced modern culture and become "settled," no longer living apart from the mainstream. There is even a reality TV show, My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding , which showcases Traveller girls and their theatrical, over-the-top weddings.

But MacWeeney believes that the Travellers are "reluctant as settled and envy the other life of travelling." His book stands as a document of an era, and a way of life that is slowly fading into the past.

Travel to Russia from Ireland with e-visa

Russia e-visa for irish citizens.

As an Irish passport holder, you need a visa to travel to Russia . This includes for short stays.

Irish passport holders are eligible for the electronic visa for Russia. You can get your visa online using the e-visa system.

To apply, you must meet Russia’s e-visa requirements for Irish nationals explained on this page.

Russia e-visa: an Easier Way for Irish Tourists to Visit Russia

The Russia e-visa streamlines the immigration process for travelers visiting the country.

Before, there were 3 types of eVisas to travel to different parts of Russia. Now, there is a unified e-visa valid for the entire country .

Ireland passport holders need to submit one online visa application to travel anywhere in Russia . The e-visa gives Irish nationals and other eligible travelers the flexibility to explore different parts of the country.

The e-visa application process is fast and straightforward. Submit electronic copies of your documents and receive your e-visa by email.

Travel from Ireland to Russia for business and tourism

The Russian e-visa is valid for several travel purposes. With your approved e-visa you can travel from Russia to Ireland for:

• Visiting family and friends
• Business trips
• Cultural, academic, and socio-political reasons
• Sports events

As an Irish passport holder, the e-visa is the best option if you’re visiting Russia for any of the listed reasons short-term. You can stay for up to 16 days.

Russia e-visa Requirements for Irish Applicants

There are just a few basic requirements to apply for a Russian e-visa from Ireland.

Irish passport

To apply for a Russian e-visa with an Irish passport , your passport must be valid for at least 6 months. It should have blank pages for stamps.

Ensure that your passport is in good condition, as damaged passports might not be accepted. You need to upload a digital copy of the passport photo page when applying for your e-visa.

Applicant’s photograph

All e-visa applicants need to provide a recent , passport-style photograph. Your face should be clearly visible and you must be facing forward. Make sure it’s a high-quality, color photo.

Add the digital photo to your Russia e-visa application.

Email address

You must have an email address to apply for a Russian e-visa from Ireland . You’ll receive any correspondence about your application, and the approved e-visa directly to your email inbox.

If you do not have an email account, you should create one before getting started with the visa application.

Payment method

You can pay for your Russian visa online by credit or debit card . Online payments are safe and secure — this website has the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certification.

e-visa Application Form From Ireland

You can complete the Russia e-visa application form for Irish nationals from anywhere in the world. You do not have to be in Ireland at the time of application.

Access the form from your smartphone, laptop, or another device with internet access.

Sections of the Russia e-visa application form

Irish travelers need to complete the Russian e-visa form with the following information:

1. Personal and passport details

Add your name, nationality, and other details including place and date of birth. You must provide your Irish passport number and the dates of issue and expiry.

2. Visit details

Select your purpose of travel such as tourism or business and your arrival date. Next, provide the contact details for your accommodation in Russia.

3. Additional information

Other required information includes your parents’ basic details and whether you have any relatives in Russia. You also need to provide current employment details.

4. Add supporting documents

After you’ve filled out the e-visa application form, you need to upload your documentation. Upload a copy of your passport photo page and a digital photograph.

What happens after Irish passport holders submit their Russia e-visa application?

After submitting your form, your application will be sent for processing. You must wait for your visa to be processed and approved before traveling to Russia.

Successful applicants receive the approved e-visa by email in 4 to 7 days . Allow extra time for any unexpected delays.

You must print your e-visa and carry it with your Irish passport when traveling to Russia .

Long-Stay Russian Visas for Irish Nationals

If you’re an Irish passport holder and wish to stay longer than 16 days , you need to apply for a different Russian visa. The e-visa is a short-stay permit for specified travel purposes.

Long-stay visas for Russia include Work Visas, Student Visas, and Private Visas . You need additional supporting documents and applications are made in person . Details of the Russian embassy and consulates in Ireland are provided below.

Russian Embassies and Consulates in Ireland

You do not need to contact the Russian embassy to apply for an e-visa from Ireland. Other visa types require an in-person application.

Embassy of the Russian Federation in Dublin, Ireland

• Address: 184-186 Orwell Road, Rathgar, Dublin 14
• Fax: +353 14923525
• E-mail: [email protected]
• Working Hours: Monday-Thursday 8:30-12.30/13:45-18:00, Friday 8:30-12:30/13:45-16:45

Consular Section of the Russian Federation in Dublin, Ireland

• Fax: +353 14926938
• E-mail: [email protected]
• Working hours: Monday to Friday 9.00-11.45

Russian Honorary Consulate in Limerick, Ireland

• Address: 8, Ashbrook Drive, Ennis Road, Limerick, Ireland
• Fax: +353 61453358
• E-mail: [email protected]

Russian Honorary Consulate in Thurles, Ireland

• Address: Teach an Chuinne, Parnell Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, Ireland

Irish Mule Recipe: A Whiskey And Ginger Beer Mix That’s Easy, Tasty + Zingy

By Author Keith O'Hara

Posted on Last updated: January 2, 2024

If you’re looking for an easy-to-follow Irish Mule recipe, you’ve found it.

Now, you can make an Irish Mule with whiskey (preferred) or you can make it with vodka and give it an Irish twist (see below).

In the guide below, we’ll present you with two straightforward recipes to help you mix up this classic Irish cocktail at home.

Table of Contents

Some quick need-to-knows before making the Irish Mule

The Irish Mule or the Irish Whiskey Mule is, quite literally, a Moscow Mule with whiskey.

It’s easy to make and beautifully refreshing and zingy on the palate. Here’s some info to get you up-to-speed quickly:

1. A couple of variations to choose from

Most Irish Mule recipes use whiskey as the base drink. However, you  can  also use vodka and then give the drink a kick with some grapefruit bitters. Personally, I prefer it with Irish whiskey , but the vodka variation is OK  if you haven’t whiskey on hand.

2. Pick your ginger carefully (it’s 3/4 of the drink)

So, while you  can  just grab any old ingredients, if you want to make a proper Irish Mule, it’s worth buying a good Irish whiskey brand . Also, as the ginger beer makes up a good chunk of the drink, try and get a premium brand (your tastebuds will thank you!). 

3. Strength

This Whiskey Mule recipe creates a refreshing and easy-to-drink cocktail that’s pretty easy to knock-back. Just keep in mind there’s a strong shot of vodka in your glass and always drink responsibly.

Our Irish Whiskey Mule ingredients

Photos via Shutterstock

One of the advantages of this Irish Mule recipe is its simplicity.

Here’s what you’ll need on hand to make it (the whiskey vs the vodka variation):

• 35.5ml whiskey (we like Dingle)
• Premium Ginger Beer​
• A HiBall glass (if you have one)
• 35.5ml Vodka​
• Grapefruit Bitters​

How to make an Irish Mule

In the video above you’ll find an overview of how to make an Irish Mule with vodka and grapefruit bitters. Below, I’ll take you through the traditional Whiskey Mule below. Dive on in!

Step 1: Chill your glass with some ice

Our first step is optional, but it’s a quick and handy way to keep your drink chilled for longer. Simply pop some ice in your glass, stick your hand over the top of it and swirl the ice around the glass.

Keep on going for around 15 – 20 seconds and your glass will be nice and chilly. Pour out the ice and any water left behind in the glass.

Step 2: Add the ice, whiskey and two squeezes of lime

Now it’s times to assemble your Whiskey Mule. Fill your glass with ice and add 35.5ml whiskey to the glass. The take a fresh lime and roll it between your palm and a hard surface to release its juices.

Cut out two slices of lime and squeeze them into the glass. You can add an additional slice of lime to the side of the glass to garnish your Irish Mule, if you like.

Step 3: Introduce the ginger beer  slowly

Here’s a tip for you – when you’re making any ginger beer cocktails, always gently tip the ginger beer into the glass with the glass at an angle. This helps keep more of the fizz in the ginger beer.

Add your ginger beer to your glass and then add two dashes of grapefruit bitters​ and  gently  stir. And that’s it!

Discover more handy Irish cocktails

Looking to sip away on some other cocktails like the Whiskey Mule? Here’s some of our most popular drink guides to hop into:

• Best St Patrick’s Day Drinks : 17 Easy + Tasty St Patrick’s Day Cocktails
• 18 Traditional Irish Cocktails That Are Easy To Make (And Very Tasty)
• 14 Delicious Jameson Cocktails To Try This Weekend
• 15 Irish Whiskey Cocktails That’ll Tantalise Your Tastebuds
• 17 Of The Tastiest Irish Drinks (From Irish Beers To Irish Gins)

FAQs about making a Whiskey Mule

We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘Which ginger beer and whiskey mix is the tastiest?’ to ‘What Irish Mule recipe is the handiest to make?’.

In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.

What is the best tasting Irish Mule recipe?

Personally, I like to add whiskey, fresh lime, ginger beer and some grapefruit bitters to ice, and leave it at that.

How do you make a Whiskey Mule?

Get your favourite whiskey and pop it in a glass with a premium ginger beer and some fresh lime. Stir and you’re ready to rock.

Irish Mule Recipe

The Irish Mule is an Irish take on the popular Moscow Mule. It's light, refreshing and it's nice and easy to whip up, with only a handful of ingredients needed.

Ingredients

Instructions.

Our first step is optional, but it’s a quick and handy way to keep your drink chilled for longer. Simply pop some ice in your glass, stick your hand over the top of it and swirl the ice around the glass. Keep on going for around 15 – 20 seconds and your glass will be nice and chilly. Pour out the ice and any water left behind in the glass. Step 2: Add the ice, whiskey and two squeezes of lime

Now it’s times to assemble your Whiskey Mule. Fill your glass with ice and add 35.5ml whiskey to the glass. The take a fresh lime and roll it between your palm and a hard surface to release its juices. Cut out two slices of lime and squeeze them into the glass. You can add an additional slice of lime to the side of the glass to garnish your Irish Mule, if you like. Step 3: Introduce the ginger beer slowly

Here’s a tip for you – when you’re making any ginger beer cocktails, always gently tip the ginger beer into the glass with the glass at an angle. This helps keep more of the fizz in the ginger beer. Add your ginger beer to your glass and then add two dashes of grapefruit bitters​ and gently stir. And that’s it!

Nutrition Information:

Serving size:.

Keith O’Hara has lived in Ireland for 35 years and has spent most of the last 10 creating what is now The Irish Road Trip guide. Over the years, the website has published thousands of meticulously researched Ireland travel guides, welcoming 30 million+ visitors along the way. In 2022, the Irish Road Trip team published the world’s largest collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries . Keith lives in Dublin with his dog Toby and finds writing in the 3rd person minus craic altogether.

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Ukraine-Russia war: Moscow could target countries supplying weapons to Kyiv, Putin says

Western nations allowing use of long-range missiles to attack inside russia a ‘dangerous step’, russian leader warns.

A Nato-provided Leopard tank fires in a training exercise before moving to the frontline in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine. Photograph: David Guttenfelder/The New York Times

President Vladimir Putin of Russia warned Wednesday that western nations supplying Ukraine with long-range missiles and allowing them to be used to attack inside Russia was a “dangerous step” that could prompt Moscow to reciprocate against western targets.

“If someone thinks it possible to send such weapons to a war zone to strike our territory and create problems for us,” Mr Putin said at a news conference, “then why do we not have the right to send our weapons of the same class to those regions of the world where strikes can be made on sensitive facilities of the countries that do this against Russia?”

The Russian leader singled out Germany, saying that its supply of battle tanks to Ukraine had been an initial blow to Russian-German relations, but its permission to use missiles in Russia was even worse.

“Now, when they say that some missiles will appear that will strike targets on Russian territory, this, of course, is ultimately destroying Russo-German relations,” he said.

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Mr Putin was speaking to senior editors from at least 15 news agencies from around the world that were invited to meet him on the sidelines of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Mr Putin had skipped the tradition since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, but this year the invitation was extended to western outlets such as the Associated Press, Reuters and various European agencies including Agence France-Press, DPA from Germany, ANSA from Italy and EFE from Spain.

Mr Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters that representatives from “unfriendly countries” were included because “it is very important for them to get to know Mr Putin and understand Russia first-hand,” according to Russia’s official news agency, Tass.

Mr Putin answered questions on a wide range of topics, but many of the queries focused on the war in Ukraine. Although Russia invaded Ukraine after it had begun destabilising the eastern regions in 2014 by supporting separatists, Mr Putin again portrayed the war as the fault of Ukraine and its western allies.

Countries that are supplying weapons to Ukraine risked being dragged into a war with Russia, he said.

It was not clear where Mr Putin possibly planned to position Russian weapons in other regions. Troops and armaments have been deployed in Belarus, possibly including nuclear missiles, during the war. Belarus borders Europe more closely than Russia, as does the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea.

Russia also has forces in Syria near bases where the United States operates.

In terms of relations with Washington, Mr Putin said that he did not think the looming presidential election would change much as long as the United States continued to pursue “greatness”.

Asked about the recent conviction of former president Donald Trump, Mr Putin said that the United States was burning itself from within.

“It is obvious all over the world that the prosecution of Trump, especially in court on charges that were formed on the basis of events that happened years ago, without direct proof, is simply using the judicial system in an internal political struggle,” he said.

On the subject of Evan Gershkovich, the American reporter from The Wall Street Journal who has been imprisoned in Russia on espionage charges for more than a year, Mr Putin said that the United States was taking “vigorous steps” toward his release. Mr Gershkovich, the Journal and the US government have all denied the charges.

Such issues “should only be resolved on the basis of reciprocity,” Mr Putin added. “The relevant US and Russian agencies are in contact with each other on this issue.”

This article originally appeared in The New York Times .

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