Tag Archives for " Scanlan "
From the High King of Ireland to South Australia
Did any of your Irish ancestors descend from a High King of Ireland? Many Irish surnames have an association with the family groupings around Ireland’s ancient High Kings – here is the story of just one of them in a reader’s letter. Céad Míle Fáilte – and you are very welcome to this week’s Letter […]
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 readingSaint Brendan’s Voyage
Many centuries before the Spanish and Dutch explorers were settling and trading in the New World, a humble Irish monk was making the voyage across the wild Atlantic seas in a tiny currach. In this letter we recount how a modern Irish sailor attempted a similar voyage in the duplicate craft, following the path of […]
Continue readingTralee to Kilkee on the Wild Atlantic Way
On the last leg of our journey along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, we traveled around the Dingle Peninsula to the town of Tralee. On this leg, we leave Tralee and head into North Kerry, before crossing on the ferry to County Clare, around the Loop Head peninsula and finishing up in the town of Kilkee. I […]
Continue readingThe Tribes of Ireland – Ireland at the Birth of Your Irish Surname.
In last week’s newsletter we introduced Turlough O’Connor – High King of Ireland up to 1156. If Turlough was in the habit of reading maps back at that time, he might look at his kingdoms through the lens of this map – showing the major Tribes of Ireland at his time. Now, let’s take a […]
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