Have you ever wondered if you have an Irish Saint in your family tree? Here is one Irish family that had both a Saint AND a Martyr in their family tree – and I know that many of our readers are descended from this one Irish family.

Come Down to the Irish Pub

Here is a Family History revolving around an Irish Pub. There is a lot of literature on the plight of the people who had to leave Ireland for various reasons, and not as much on the peoples who migrated to Ireland. In this letter, we will focus on one town in Cork, and look at the names and histories of the different groups that settled there.

Would You Like to Hear the Tale of an Irish Knight?

I’m having a cup of Barry’s tea this morning as we chat and I hope you’ll have a drop of whatever you fancy as you join me for today’s Letter. In fact, the Barrys of Cork have a small part to play in today’s letter. Over in The Green Room, I received a note from…

The Irish Traffic Lights of Syracuse

It’s Easter Sunday morning as I write this letter and as we say in Ireland on such a day: “The sun in dancing in the sky!” Happy Easter to you and your family! We’re still on our Irish/UK roadtrip at the moment – travelling between the cities of Liverpool and Bristol. Over the next two…

The ruins of Ballincollig Castle - Home of the Barretts.

One Irish Castle and Many Irish Names

Earlier this week I saw the best TV episode of “Who do you think you Are” that I have seen so far. It featured the singer “Boy George” (full name George O’Dowd – son of Jeremiah O’Dowd and Dinah Glynn) as he explored the Irish roots of his mother and grandmother. It was shocking, sad, entertaining…