Tag Archives for " Donoghue "
Irish Sayings, Two Paddys and One Yank
Are you familiar with any Irish Sayings? Maybe you have a grandparent, or older family member, who was the keeper of family stories? In this letter, we will share the importance of the Irish oral tradition of keeping such ancestral histories alive, whether as a teller of tales and sayings, or as a receiver of […]
Continue readingThe Yew Tree of Ireland
Do you have a favourite tree? Maybe the majestic oak, or graceful willow? In Ireland, the most ancient and revered is the mighty Yew tree, used to guard entrances to homes and cemeteries. In this letter we talk about how a tree came to name both the sons and townlands of Ireland. Céad Míle Fáilte […]
Continue readingThe Hedge School Teachers of Ireland
Do you have any school teachers in your family tree? Perhaps they have fond memories of the hallowed halls in which they taught, the ordered classrooms, fully stocked with the supplies of a good education. In this letter, we will visit a humbler school setting, that was the only option for many Irish schoolteachers during […]
Continue readingHave you Unpacked Your Irish Family Tree?
Céad Míle Fáilte – and welcome to your Letter from Ireland for this very fine Autumn week (at least here in County Cork!). We’re seeing our first mentions of “Halloween” – a sure sign that the summer is in the rear-view mirror. I hope you are doing well wherever this letter finds you in the world […]
Continue readingAn Irish Christmas
What is an Irish Christmas? I think that it’s an occasion that stands for the same things in many parts of the world. But, back to our own Irish Christmas. It’s really feeling like Christmas around here at the moment! People are smiling more and starting to connect again with old friends and family members […]
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