A holy well, Irish placenames, and Irish women’s stories

Céad míle fáilte, welcome to your Letter from Ireland “Shorts”.  Each Tuesday we’ll bring you a quick-read of some of our favourite and interesting Irish things for this week.

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FAVOURITE PLACES IN IRELAND
St. Brigid’s Holy Well, County Kildare. (See it on a map here.)

Now you might be wondering, “Why am I looking at a picture of rags hanging from a branch instead of a well?” This tree is beside what’s known as a “clootie well”. People hang pieces of cloth that are dipped in well-water as part of a healing ritual going back to the time of the Celts and this particular well is dedicated to St. Brigid. Listen to our podcast episode discussing St. Brigid and Imbolc here, or learn how to make your own St. Brigid’s Cross with this helpful video.

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FEATURED IRISH SURNAMES – Irish Placenames

Did you know that plenty of Irish placenames came from the surnames of the leading family of the area? Read more about the connection between placenames and surnames here  – and see if you can spot your own surname in the mix!

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BOOK I’M READING NOW
“Irish Women Speak: Clonakilty Women of the 20th Century” by Alison Wickham

This week, we have another recommendation from a Green Room member, Karen. Here’s what she has to say about the book: “It was a quick, easy read, short stories about women’s lives.  Many describe the backbreaking work of housewives, and there were also teachers’ and nurses’ experiences described as well as a tale about a horrific lightning strike.” Check out the book on Amazon.

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IRISH WORD OR PROVERB

“Lá Fhéile Bríde”

Which translates to “St. Brigid’s Day.”

Click here to listen to how a native Irish speaker would say it.

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IRISH CRAFT/PRODUCT WE LOVE

Eva Lynch is a talented designer and smith of all things metalware, from jewelry to tableware. These beautiful, avant-garde pieces are sure to be some interesting additions to your jewelry box or home decor. We especially love these stud earrings inspired by sunlight on the Irish sea. They even offer classes for anyone wanting to try a hand at metalworking and making their own creations! Check out their shop here.

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RIDDLE OF THE WEEK

“Why is a coachman compared to a cloud?”

Click here to see the answer.

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That’s it for this week. Send us an email with any of your own favourites for inclusion in future emails, or if you’re a plus member leave a comment below.

Slán for now,
Mike & Carina.

*Note: The above article may contain some affiliate links (for example Amazon) which means we get paid a small amount should you choose to purchase, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep the show on the road!