Letter Archive
Welcome to the letter archive page for the weekly "Letter from Ireland". We started to write these letters in 2013 covering Irish Genealogy & Family History, Irish Surnames, Irish Culture & Customs and Ireland Travel, here you'll find a link to all of them.
Browse the letters 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.
All of our weekly letters to date
In this letter, we explore the rich history of a renowned Irish beverage—Guinness Extra Stout Porter, commonly known as ‘Guinness’. Learn how this pint of Guinness evolved into a symbol of Ireland celebrated worldwide
In this letter – we look at the journey of an ancient Irish Royal family around the north half of Ireland over many centuries. This “journey” was typical of many Irish families following the arrival of the Normans and the later plantations.
In the heart of Ireland lies Rathcroghan, an ancient site steeped in myth and legend and an Irish fairy mound.
Which county did your Irish ancestors come from? When we think of Ireland, we often think of places like County Kerry, County Galway, County Louth and so on – all the way through the 32 historical counties on the island of Ireland. In fact, if your ancestor was asked their county of origin – they would probably include the county name as well as “Ireland” in their answer.
Have you ever thought of trying to learn the Irish language? I know that many of our readers and Green Room members often wish to learn a few words of Irish before visiting this island. And learning some words of Irish is the subject of today’s letter.
Céad Míle Fáilte and welcome to your Letter from Ireland. I’m writing this letter on the day most associated with Ireland and the Irish all over the world – March 17th – St. Patrick’s Day.
Today we’re going to chat about a staple of the Irish diet and the impact this food had on Irish culture and history – the humble Irish potato.
Now, you might think it would be wonderful to have a surname that enters into the English language based on your deeds and is used by millions of people. Then again, your name might be Captain Charles Boycott. I think you might see where this is going!
Do you have an Irish “Colleen” in your family tree? How about an “Erin” or a “Kelly” – or maybe a “Kerry”?
I have noticed that when we assemble an Irish family tree by gathering the essential ancestors, places and dates – we eventually ask: “I wonder what life in Ireland was like for my Irish ancestor and their family?”