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
Discover how the rhythms of Irish life and the season of Lent shaped your ancestors’ world, from wedding patterns to the unique records they left behind.
Irish Matchmaker Tomás O’Brien had the power to shape family trees. We dive into the hidden world of 1880s matchmaking and how it shaped your Irish ancestors.
The hills, bogs, valleys, and coastlines we see in Ireland today weren’t shaped slowly over millions of years like many other parts of the world. Much of Ireland, as our Irish ancestors knew it, was carved into existence in a geological blink of an eye that happened just 12,000 years ago.
Brigid once dominated Irish birth records but has nearly vanished today. Explore the history of this powerful name from goddess to emigrant.
Why does Ireland feel empty despite 8,000 years of settlement? From 8.2 million in 1841 to today, Ireland’s population tells a story of survival and diaspora.
Dublin and Belfast. Two cities, one island, two different stories about Ireland’s past. Do your ancestors come from these two historic cities?
Does your Irish ancestor’s birthday seem to change across different records? You’re not the only one with this problem! Discover why your ancestors’ birthdays ‘drift’ and how to narrow it down.
Are there genetic connections between Ireland and Iceland? Though they might seem quite distant, they are connected through fascinating threads of history, culture, and even genetics
The winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year, and it’s a day that has held profound meaning in Ireland for thousands of years. Find out how your ancestors celebrated Ireland’s Ancient Solstice.
With “Storm Bram” named after one of Ireland’s great literary figures, it feels like the perfect moment to reflect on his most enduring creation – and on the remarkable Irish mother whose stories helped shape his imagination and his writing.