County Kilkenny

blog 14 - Is your Surname Buried in an Irish Placename?

Is your Surname Buried in an Irish Placename?

We’re just back from a great trip to Tipperary. Yesterday was a typical Irish summers day – composed equally of squally showers, warm sunshine and more! The reason we headed to County Tipperary was to track down the stories and places around the ancestors of one of our Green Room members – Lorraine Hannan from…

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Santa Claus - Saint Nicholas of Kilkenny

Saint Nicholas of Kilkenny

Do you remember being a child in the run up to Christmas? For most of us it was a wondrous time – and maybe you are still lucky to see that wonder in the eyes of your own children or grandchildren? In our house, among the very many preparations for Christmas, there was a focus…

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Irish hounds

Irish Hounds and Irish Surnames

Have you ever had difficulty figuring out the meaning of those Irish surnames in your family tree? Where on earth did those “Os” and “Macs” come from? How could “English” be an Irish surname? These are varieties of the many questions we receive on a weekly basis. Just this week, I was chatting with one…

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Kilkenny Castle, County Kilkenny

The Life, Plays and Wisdom of George Bernard Shaw

In a recent letter from Ireland, we chatted about our recent visit to the city of Armagh – but also about the marching bands of the Orange order who spring into action this time of year. That prompted many shared stories in reply – lots of memories and opinions! Well, today we will hang on…

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Blog 4 - The Arrival and Leaving of Liverpool

The Arrival and Leaving of Liverpool

We’re just back from a great trip to Tipperary. Yesterday was a typical Irish summers day – composed equally of squally showers, warm sunshine and more! The reason we headed to County Tipperary was to track down the stories and places around the ancestors of one of our Green Room members – Lorraine Hannan from…

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