A temple, your name in Irish, and yew tree jewellery….

Céad míle fáilte, welcome to your Letter from Ireland “Shorts”.  Each Tuesday we’ll bring you a quick-read of some of our favourite and interesting Irish things for this week.

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FAVOURITE PLACES IN IRELAND
Musseden Temple, County Derry. (See it on a map here.)

Musseden Temple is part of the ‘demesne’ of Downhill, which also contains Downhill House, both now in ruins. The house and its neighboring temple were built by the Earl Bishop in the 18th century, who was quite the eccentric character, if the accounts of him are to be believed! Check out this video about some restoration efforts made to the demesne’s surrounding grassland.

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FEATURED IRISH SURNAMES – What’s Your Name in Irish?

Do you know your name in Irish? Many popular names have an Irish equivalent – names like Seán for John, Máire for Mary and so on. See if your name has an Irish equivalent here.

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BOOK I’M READING NOW
“Irish Crossings: Caitlin & Paddy’s Story” by Terence O’Leary

“Irish Crossings” follows Caitlin and Paddy’s journey from famine-ravaged Ireland to New York’s harsh slums in the 1840s. Part of a trilogy by the same author, these are relatively short reads but are deeply profound, heartbreaking, and rooted in the realities of the time. Check out the book on Amazon. 

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IRISH WORD OR PROVERB

“Éire go brách”

Which translates to “Ireland forever”

Click here to listen to how a native Irish speaker would say it.

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IRISH CRAFT/PRODUCT WE LOVE

Rowena Sheen creates modern Irish jewelry crafted by hand using local Irish timber, pure sterling silver, and natural beeswax from Burren wildflowers. Crafted straight from her studio in Ennistymon, County Clare, these distinctive treasures include wooden earrings, pendants, and necklaces – like this beautiful necklace made of native Irish yew.

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RIDDLE OF THE WEEK

“What is the best key for unlocking the tongue?”

Click here to see the answer.

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That’s it for this week. Send us an email with any of your own favourites for inclusion in future emails, or if you’re a plus member leave a comment below.

Slán for now,
Mike & Carina.

*Note: The above article may contain some affiliate links (for example Amazon) which means we get paid a small amount should you choose to purchase, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep the show on the road!