This week, we are going to feature a reader’s letter – one that takes you from a small village in County Kerry to the big port of Hoboken in the USA. Along the way, we’ll chat about Irish surnames, nicknames and tricky Irish pronunciations. But mostly this is the story of just one of the…

From the Mouths of Babes – A Wonderful Irish Ancestry Resource (#304)

There is a wonderful Irish Ancestry Resource that many of us overlook when we are “scouring” the records for the smallest hint or connection. It also has the benefit of being very entertaining. See if you have used this resource in the past – or plan to in the future!

The Elementary Truth Behind Some Irish Surnames

There is so much talk of immigrants in the news around the world today – so I thought it would be useful to examine an Irish view of “immigrants” in ancient times through the names, nicknames and surnames that were often labelled on these immigrants. Names were given according to appearances – and one word…

Do You Like this Irish Folklore collection?

Have you ever wondered what life was like in Ireland at the time your ancestors lived here? Well, this week’s letter is based around just one reader’s recent letter – but towards the end I direct her towards a very unique source that tells us a lot about Irish life in the olden days through…

Irish Surnames and Their Counties

Do you have Irish surnames in your family tree? If the answer is yes, then read on – and discover more about the surnames of Ireland, where they come from – and see if you can spot some of your Irish surnames.