Letter Archive
Welcome to the letter archive page for the weekly "Letter from Ireland". We started to write these letters in 2013 covering Irish Genealogy & Family History, Irish Surnames, Irish Culture & Customs and Ireland Travel, here you'll find a link to all of them.
Browse the letters listed on this page and jump to one that interests you, or enter a placename, surname or other item in the search box below to see related letters.
All of our weekly letters to date
This morning we’ll start with a place far away from all of us – but a place that all of us can see each day. In fact, over the coming days – November 14th to be precise, the moon will come closer to earth than it has since 1948 – a phenomenon known as a…
Nowadays, we’re used to seeing famine and war reported on the TV – the images helping us to understand the real misery of some people in unlucky or unfortunate parts of the world. However, our story today goes back to a time before such pictures were available to people, most times the reports never moved…
Did you know that Wicklow comes from the Norse “Vykyngelo” – meaning a “Viking meadow”? Let’s stay on that subject of Vikings for the rest of today’s letter. One of the most frequent enquiries I receive goes something like: “I just got my DNA tested and it turned up as 12% Scandinavian. I wonder if…
The clocks went back here in Ireland last night – so we are now officially heading into the winter months. Next week sees the Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced Sow-en – Sow as in pig) – more commonly called Halloween these days. Where’s the year going? It’s still good and settled at the moment –…
We coming to the end of Autumn here, but Halloween is just around the corner. The festival of Halloween has been known as “Samhain” (pronounced Sow-en) for many centuries in the Celtic world. It marked the time to bring the animals down from higher pastures. We entered into the darker half of the year –…
As I write, I can hear the Autumn winds giving the trees their first real shake of the season. An “Indian” summer may be ahead of us, but there is no sight of it at the moment! How is the weather behaving in your own part of the world today? An Irish Warrior Name. Do…
In a recent letter from Ireland, we chatted about our recent visit to the city of Armagh – but also about the marching bands of the Orange order who spring into action this time of year. That prompted many shared stories in reply – lots of memories and opinions! Well, today we will hang on…
Have you ever seen the tri-colour flag of the Irish Republic? It has three sections – green, white and orange. It was designed in the mid-1800s, and is meant to signify peace (white) between the republican (green) and unionist (orange) traditions on this island. Just three weeks ago, Carina and myself headed to County Armagh…
Well, we’re just getting over Saint Patrick’s Day in this part of the world. There were parades all over the place last Thursday – as it is a holiday across the country, most people are off for the day. The weather was a bit nippy – but dry and cheerful – a nice relaxing day…
A very important occasion has just occurred here in Ireland – the first of the early potatoes have just been harvested. They have a taste like no other – and, as you probably realise, it is a vegetable that has special significance in Irish history. I wrote in an earlier letter about the link between…