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
Most our ancestors were honoured with a gravestone following their death. However, for a select few they also received a song composed in their honour – and in this case, a song that has lasted for many decades after one mans death. “There’s no sign of him – but come over here, I’ve something interesting…
Carina and myself are later heading off for a week-long holiday in Spain – getting a good dose of sunshine to last us all the way through until Christmas. We enjoy a visit to Spain – and have always noticed common ground between the people of Spain (especially to the north) and the people of…
We have just arrived back from a very successful visit to Chicago and Milwaukee – and took full advantage of the movies on offer in the airplane. One in particular caught my attention – it was a new film by Steven Spielberg. The director of Jaws and Schindler’s list always offers some great entertainment. In…
Have you ever wondered if you have an Irish Saint in your family tree? Here is one Irish family that had both a Saint AND a Martyr in their family tree – and I know that many of our readers are descended from this one Irish family.
How important is your name to you? That may seem like a ridiculous question given the fact that a name is so fundamental to our identity and how we interact with all the people around us. In this week’s letter, we meet just one of the many Irish women who had her name “removed” as…
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!