Irish Culture & Customs Resources
In this section I share articles on Irish music, dancing, poetry, writing, story-telling and history. Many of the topics that we consider to be quite unique in our shared Irish heritage.
Browse the features 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 and podcasts.
Irish Culture & Customs Letters
Carina and myself were settling down in front of the TV last night – and up came the story of one Ernest Shackleton, in this case played by Kenneth Branagh. About 30 minutes into the movie, we are introduced to the Irishman who accompanied Shackleton on his South Pole voyage in 1914 – one Tom…
We were at a funeral/wake yesterday, and is the convention at such occasions in Ireland – a “drop” of Irish Whiskey was poured for the mourners and well-wishers as they entered the house. Have you ever had a “drop” of Irish Whiskey yourself? I just saw a interesting item on the newswire this morning –…
I was inside O’Flynn’s butcher shop yesterday, and something happened to trigger a memory long forgotten – three memories in fact. It seems they’re a bit like busses – they often come in groups of three! The first of those memories brought me all the way back to my early school days in the seaside…
He has sent on the above message especially for our readers and members on this Saint Patrick’s Day. For those of you who do not know President Higgins, he is held in high esteem by the vast majority of the people on this island. He is a scholar, a poet – and was a political…
Do you have any school teachers in your family tree? Perhaps they have fond memories of the hallowed halls in which they taught, the ordered classrooms, fully stocked with the supplies of a good education. In this letter, we will visit a humbler school setting, that was the only option for many Irish schoolteachers during lean times.
Irish Culture & Customs Podcasts
Discover eight standout Irish male singers in today’s episode. Did we miss any of your favourites? Tune in and be swept away by Ireland’s melodic charm!
This episode spotlights two Irish families from Bantry, West Cork: Francis O’Neill, who preserved Irish music in Chicago, and the Keohanes, ancestors of Broadway composer George M. Cohan.
Join us as we toast to the birthday of the Letter from Ireland, celebrating a decade of connecting with 60,000+ global Irish descendants through our letters and podcasts – thank you for being part of our journey!
Listen to the origins of the iconic Steeplechase in Irish racing history and unravel the surprising Irish roots of the famed ‘British Racing Green’ in a thrilling 1903 motorcar race
Listen to the story of Viking-era water sources, the Franciscans’ art of brewing Irish beer, and the captivating tale of alcohol, social chaos, and the rise of the Irish temperance movement!