Tag Archives for " County Monaghan "
Where Did Kavanaugh Come From?
Here is the unusual story of an Irish surname – Kavanagh (or Kavanaugh) – that never had an “O” or a “Mac” before it. It was born at a very troublesome time in Irish history – when the various chieftains were only looking after their own self-interests and one of them “invited” the Norman English […]
Continue readingThe One-Armed Wonderboy of Oriel
From the region of Ireland once known as “Airgialla” – later know as “Oriel”, there emerged a soccer player whose skill and prowess at the game was not diminished by the fact that he had only one arm. Céad Míle Fáilte – and welcome to this week’s Letter from Ireland. How are things in your […]
Continue readingIrish Surname Evolution.
Have you ever wondered about Irish Surname Evolution? Irish surnames’ spellings have long been the victim of change when being converted from the spoken Irish to the phonetic English. In this letter, we will use two surnames as examples of how this practice of transcribing changed the look of countless surnames. Céad Míle Fáilte – […]
Continue readingThe Arrival and Leaving of Liverpool
Across the sea from Ireland lies the city of Liverpool, a busy port that has long been a departure point for the Irish immigrant. In this letter we will meet some Irish that did not leave from Liverpool, but rather settled and raised descendants that you may know well. Céad Míle Fáilte – and you […]
Continue readingUlster Scots and the First Great Migration
Céad Míle Fáilte – and welcome to your Letter from Ireland. We’ve just come out the other end of a “soft” week (in Ireland, “soft” is often used as a replacement word for “wet”). Things are brightening up for the morning here in Cork and we might even get out and about a little later […]
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