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
Earlier this week we had the start of Lent – which remains quite a big deal in Ireland. This was a time of year that affected our shared Irish ancestors in many ways. It was a lean time in the larder as the food from the previous harvests thinned out. It was also a time…
Last week, we spoke about the “Start of an Irish Spring” – how the ancient Celtic festival of “Imbolc”/Saint Brigid’s day celebrates the start of spring here in Ireland. For the the rest of this letter we’ll have a look at one ancient Irish tribe that gave us a number of Irish surnames – and…
This coming week sees the “official” start of spring in Ireland – kicking off with the old Celtic festival of Imbolc which has developed into Saint Brigid’s day since Christian times. And that is the subject of our letter today! A Celtic Festival To Celebrate. The old Irish word “Imbolc” refers to the “belly of…
Today, we’re going to meet a man whose organisation is at the forefront of sharing Irish history and heritage among so many people of Irish descent around the world. The organisation is Cork University Press – a prolific publisher of books like “The Atlas of the Irish Famine“ and “The Atlas of the Irish Revolution“ and their…
Let’s start by chatting about one of the most-visited landmarks in Ireland – Saint Colman’s Cathedral in the pretty port town of Cobh in County Cork. Maybe one of your ancestors departed from this port (also known as Queenstown) as they left Ireland to start a new life in a new world? The construction of…
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!