Irish Genealogy & Family History Resources

Are you interested in discovering more on your Irish family history? In this section, I have included letters (and podcasts) that include stories, explanations and approaches to help you investigate your own Irish family history. You may even receive a little inspiration to break down one or two family history brick walls!

 

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 Genealogy & Family History Letters

A letter from Ireland podcast

A Letter from Australia to Ireland

One of our readers – Jennifer Connolly – wrote to us from Melbourne in Australia early last year and we decided to write a number of replies to her questions in the form of a letter. I think it illustrates the shared themes that we notice from all of our readers from Australia – maybe you…

Potato Blight - Daniel McDonald - Painting Ireland During the Famine

Daniel McDonald – Painting Ireland During the Famine

This week, we’re going to have a look at one particular name that is found all over Ireland and Scotland – perhaps you have it in your family? Seeing as we now have so many readers from all over the world, today’s choice of word and name seems very appropriate. You see, the Irish word…

Mrs Brown - Do You Have an Irish Mammy in Your Life?

Do You Have an Irish Mammy in Your Life?

I was talking to Carina a couple of days back about last week’s letter. In it, we mentioned how hard it is to come up with stories and examples of strong women from Ireland’s past and present. It seems that the tales and accomplishments of Irish women down through the years have been underplayed, unreported…

Sunset Skibbereen - How Many Generations Back to Your First Irish Ancestor?

How Many Generations Back to Your First Irish Ancestor?

Have you ever wondered when the first Irish ancestor to hold your Irish surname lived? How many generations does it go back from yourself? It’s a vexing question for many of us, mostly due to the absence of records here in Ireland from the early 1800s back. I’m settling into a cup of Lyon’s tea as…

Moon and stars - Let us Gaze at the Moon and Stars: Agnes Mary Clerke

Let us Gaze at the Moon and Stars: Agnes Mary Clerke

This morning we’ll start with a place far away from all of us – but a place that all of us can see each day. In fact, over the coming days – November 14th to be precise, the moon will come closer to earth than it has since 1948 – a phenomenon known as a…

Irish Genealogy & Family History Podcasts

Irish Ancestral Homeland

Finding Your Irish Ancestral Homeland in Ireland (#838)

In this special Irish family history episode we take two letters from our Green Room members. We chat about the approach they should take to uncover more about their respective Irish ancestral homelands.

Irish genealogy trip- Cathy and Mike in County Cork

An Irish Genealogy Trip Back to County Cork (#837)

On our latest episode, join us on an Irish genealogy trip as we embark with Boston-native Cathy Abraham back to County Cork. Unraveling the romantic tale of her great-grandparents’ elopement to America, we uncover hidden truths and visit ancestral lands connected to the O’Callaghan and Richardson families. Prepare for some fascinating discoveries!

The Great Hunger - An old Irish ruin.

Living Conditions at the time of The Great Hunger (#836)

In this episode, we look at a very difficult time in Ireland – one that triggered a time of death across the population of the island as well as emigration for many generations afterwards.

Cup of tea stories - What Happens when an Irish Bard Reads Your Family History (#821)

What Happens when an Irish Bard Reads Your Family History (#821)

In this episode we look at two different styles of story-telling. First, Carina reads out “Which County did your Irish Ancestor Come from?”. In the second feature we ask an Irish Poet/Bard to look at the family history of one of our Green Room members and then to put the entire saga into verse.

blogcobh2 - 7 Irish Characters - 7 Tales of Emigration (#812)

7 Irish Characters – 7 Tales of Emigration (#812)

In a follow-up to our recent episode about traveling from Cobh to Ellis Island – we head back to the Cobh Heritage Centre in County Cork and hear 7 stories of emigration from this very spot to many places around the world. Many thanks to Jack Walsh and all the team at the Cobh Heritage…