Have you ever had something in your possession that you are minding for future generations? Perhaps a ring, a piece of jewellery a book or a piece of furniture? Here, in Ireland, we often tend to pass down baby christening robes through several generations. Our grandson was recently christened in a robe that was also used by his father and his grandmother – both standing proudly beside him!

Walking among the stones - Kealkil Stone Circle, County Cork

Celtic Druids and Irish Surnames – Do You See Your Family Name Here?

Explore the Druidic families of Ireland and their professions in this week’s letter. Some Irish surnames are associated with professions, such as “Hickey” for “Healer” and “Ward” for “son of the Bard”. Who knows, your family might have inherited a trait from these ancient times!

When Did Your Ancestor ARRIVE in Ireland (#730)

Did you know that Ireland was an uninhabited, ice-covered piece of ground up to about 10,000 years ago? Since then, many waves of immigrants have arrived in Ireland and made it more of a “melting Pot” than many of us might imagine. In this episode we look at the arrival in Ireland of two of…

The Evolution of Irish Surnames – Where your Irish Surname fits

In this article, we look at Irish Surnames – their origins and evolution. See if you can find the Irish surnames in your family tree in one of the sections below.

County Fermanagh Surnames and Families

Have you ever been to the lovely County Donegal? Perhaps some of your ancestors came from that county? A few years back, Carina and myself visited the beautiful sandy beach of Portnoo, County Donegal. We could see the nearby coastal islands – some of which could be reached at low tide. One of these islands…