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
Today we’re going to put a focus on the Top 10 Irish Surnames among our readers – perhaps your Irish surname is among them? When people sign up for the Letter for the first time, we ask them to share the Irish surnames in their family tree – and the county they believe they came…
Later this week, Carina and myself are heading off to London to visit the places associated with Irish immigration and to meet up with some of our Green Room members. Now, to say that Ireland and England have had a “complicated” relationship down through the years would be an understatement! However, it’s also amazing to…
The island of Omey lies off the coast of Connemara – an area to the west of Ireland that covers parts of Counties Mayo and Galway in the province of Connaught. This was the region that Cromwell referred to in the 1600s when he “invited” leading Gaelic families to leave more fertile areas of the…
Last week, I started by wishing all our US readers a very happy Independence Day weekend (and I do hope it went well for you). But, then I was reminded just how many Canadian readers we have! Of course, July 1st was Canada Day – which I did not mention – and I do wish…
Have you ever had a “strong woman” in your life? Someone who said what needed to be said, took a stand and lead by example – perhaps your friends and family see YOU that way! Around the end of the 19th century, there seemed to emerge in Ireland a number of such women. They were…
We have a lot of readers whose ancestors ARRIVED in Ireland before they emigrated again a few generations later. I’m often asked questions about when an ancestor may have arrived in Ireland – and the reasons that caused their family to leave again. Just last week, I received the following from Corey Shier: “My Name…
Most of our readers have ancestors and relatives who left Ireland. However, let’s not forget that there were many migrants who came into Ireland – usually seeking a fortune or living of some sort. Often to the displeasure and annoyance of the local natives! They were soldiers, adventurers, farmers and so on. Then, there were…
If you’re interested in how your Irish surnames came about – and the strands of Irish story and heritage wrapped up in them, well then – you’ve come to the right place. I’m having a cup of Barry’s tea as we start today’s letter – I do hope you’ll join me now with a cup…
Last March, we headed up to the beautiful county of Fermanagh for a trip – it’s a wonderful county full of rolling hillsides, lakes, small villages and ancient structures. Have you ever been to Fermanagh? Perhaps your Irish ancestry came from those parts? Do leave your comments below and let me know. Now although your…
Do you have Irish surnames in your family tree? If the answer is yes, then read on – and discover more about the surnames of Ireland, where they come from – and see if you can spot some of your Irish surnames.