Podcast Archive

Welcome to the podcast archive page for "The Letter from Ireland Podcast". Here you'll find a link to all of our podcast episodes covering Irish Genealogy & Family History, Irish Surnames, Irish Culture & Customs, Ireland Travel and much more.

 

Browse the podcast episodes 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 podcasts.

All of our podcasts to date

Irish Proverbs and Irish Accents (#726)

We chat about Irish sayings and proverbs in their original Irish, how to pronounce them and what they mean in English. Also, three very beautiful Irish songs in their original Irish. Hope you enjoy!

Enjoy the High Spirits of the Irish (#725)

Carina and Mike chat about Irish Whiskey and other fine Irish concoctions! They share some Irish drinking songs along the way with lots of Irish history, surnames, genealogy, chat and craic along the way.

Irish music

The Evolution of Irish Music in 12 Tracks (#724)

In todays extended Irish Musical episode – called “The Evolution of Irish Music in 12 Tracks” – we bring you a very personal selection of Irish music from Mike. As he works (enjoys!) his way through a very personal selection of music, he chats about Irish history, culture and just why he selected each track…

Solving The Mystery of Irish Surnames – Two Examples (#723)

Have you ever wondered how the Irish surnames in your family tree came about? Understanding just HOW your Irish surnames developed is KEY to understanding more about your Irish origins and likely locations in Ireland. In this episode we take two very different Irish surnames and use them to illustrate the sometimes simple – and…

Inside the Hedge Schools of Ireland (#722)

In this episode we take a trip inside the “Hedge Schools” of Ireland – places of learning that were dotted around Ireland right up to the mid-1800s. We also look at the prevalence of so many biblical/latin first names in Ireland – names such as Jeremiah or Cornelius – and explain just why they were…

Laurel & Hardy and An Irish American Hero (#721)

This episode of the Letter from Ireland podcast has a Hollywood theme! Not just Hollywood however, we tell two stories behind recently released movies with a strong connection to Ireland. So, what do Laurel & Hardy, Steven Spielburg, Tom Hanks, Mary Black and Carina Collins all have in common? They all feature in this week’s…

On Opposite Sides – The Story of 2 Irish Civil War Generals (#719)

Today we tell the story of two Irish men who ended up fighting on the opposite sides of the American Civil War. One was Patrick Cleburne – also known as “Stonewall of the West” – who was born in the same village as Carina. The other was Thomas Francis Meagher – who came from Waterford…

Pride, Prejudice & The Irish Origins of a Great Literary Family (#718)

In this episode of the Letter from Ireland podcast we take a literary turn! First off we have a look at that literary masterpiece of Jane Austen – Pride and Prejudice – having fun with some of the Irish versions of the character’s surnames. Then, we trace our way from County Down to Yorkshire in…

PRONI – Past, Present & Future (#717)

Do you have ancestors who originated in the counties of Ulster? In this episode we interview Janet Hancock – the Deputy Head of Public Services at PRONI (The Public Records Office of Northern Ireland). We chat about: Janet’s role at PRONI and her own background. How and why was PRONI set up? How useful is…

Near the top of Mount Brandon, Dingle.

Will You Travel With This Irish Saint? (#716)

We start this episode by hitting the high seas in the company of Saint Brendan the Navigator – a man who roamed the known (and unknown) world using the simple boats of his day. We then come back onto dry land and embark on a pilgrim trail towards Mount Brandon (named after the earlier mentioned…