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
We’re having a birthday celebration here in Cork, and not just any birthday – it’s the 10th anniversary of this Letter from Ireland!
I’m sipping on my regular cup of Barry’s Tea, do join me with a cup of whatever you fancy yourself, as I share the story of how this little Letter from Ireland came to be.
Did the Irish Temperance Movement impact your ancestors? Join us as we unveil the influential story of Fr. Mathew and his monumental efforts to combat Ireland’s alcohol crisis in the 1800s. Was your family among the many who took the pledge?
Curious about the Irish roots of the world-renowned steeplechase? Journey with us from North County Cork to Liverpool, as we unravel a tale woven with gentlemen’s wagers, iconic surnames, and a race that changed horse-racing forever. Dive in and discover the legacy behind the gallop.
Journey with us as we uncover the surprising Irish roots of the iconic “British Racing Green.” From the bustling roads of early 20th-century France to the picturesque lanes of Counties Kildare and Carlow, discover how a shade of green, closely tied to the isles, became an emblematic hue for British automotive giants. Is it time to rechristen it “Irish Racing Green”?
Did you know that Mr. Yankee Doodle Dandy himself – George M. Cohan – has deep Irish roots? Read on to find out more about his Irish family origins and more.
Irish Culture & Customs Podcasts
In this episode, we feature two Irish Pub stories- intriguingly connected together. In the first story, we chat about the book McCarthy’s Bar – which gives a comical view of both the Irish Pub and the Irish by Pete McCarthy. We then travel to the pub featured on the cover of that book – McCarthy’s Bar…
Today we feature two Irish movie stars from the golden age of Hollywood – Grace Kelly and Maureen O’Hara. In one story we chat about the “Two Graces of County Mayo” and then we take a trip up Maureen O’Hara’s ancestry tree. We even manage to uncover songs on which they feature. Not to be…
In this extended musical edition of the Letter from Ireland podcast, we share 15 songs performed by 15 Irish artists. Each song has a connection with the song that went before it – and the one that goes after it. Hence the title! We feature artists you may already be familiar with – Van Morrison,…
In this episode we look at the journey taken by a branch of Vikings and their establishment of a Dukedom in what became known as “Normandy” in northern France. We look at their culture and traditions – traditions that they brought with them to England in 1066 and then onto Ireland in the late part…
In this week’s episode we look at the way that unmarried mothers – and other “social undesirables” were treated in Ireland, especially in the period from the 1940s to the 1960s. Carina reads out two letters – one on the Magdalene Laundries and the other shares the story of one mother who never gave up…