Episodes

In today's episode of the Letter from Ireland podcast, we take a trip up along the St. Lawrence River in Canada with two stories linked to that part of the world. First, we stop off at Grosse Île just outside Quebec City and then we hear the story of two musical sisters and their Irish-descended family who were brought up not too far from the city of Montrèal in Quebec. Along with lots of chat and music along the way!

Here in Ireland we are getting ready to fill in the population census for 2022. We use this opportunity to chat about the census down through the years and it's usefulness to genealogists and family historians. Carina also reads a letter all about an unusual question that the population were asked before the 1911 census and we dig a little deeper into the census records for her own homeplace at that time. All along with lots of music of course.

This is a musical episode (with a running commentary) of the Letter from Ireland show. Over 10 tracks, Mike takes you through an Irish musical journey that shaped his growing awareness and appreciation of the Irish music that surrounded him. As he plays the tracks, he chats about Irish history, surname, culture and much more. You will hear references to the Green Room members as this episode was previously released inside the Green Room. However, I think everyone enjoys a little Irish music. Wha...

In this special episode we celebrate St. Patrick's Day! The parades and celebrations are returning in Ireland after a 2 year absence. Along with some very appropriate music, we chat about the first and sur-names that have come into being in honour of the Saint. We then go on to ask you "what do you enjoy most about your Irish heritage" - and then go on to share replies from our readers and listeners. Enjoy and Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

In this episode of the Letter from Ireland podcast we visit the beautiful islands off the west coast of Ireland. For many centuries, these islands grew in population as the natives of Ireland were forced off good land on the mainland wandering even further westwards until they arrived at the sea. The islands offshore were the only option left. The islanders had an isolated and hard life, but this isolation also brought about a unique sense of community and many islands became places that preserv...

Today we take to the streets of the city of Edinburgh in Scotland. Edinburgh was the home to Seán Connery, the actor who played James Bond for many years. We also examine another native of Edinburgh - Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of the immortal detective Sherlock Holmes. We chat about their Irish roots - and share lots of great music along the way.

In this episode we cover two infamous real life murder cases in the west of Ireland during the 1800s. The first murder was as a result of mass evictions from an Irish estate during the famine - and the second involved a travesty of justice where the accused were tried in a language they did not understand. We've selected three pieces of music to accompany these letters: "The Great Hunger" - performed by The Wolfe Tones. "The Fields of Athenry" - performed by Paddy Reilly. "The West's Awake" - pe...

In this episode of the Letter from Ireland podcast we look at the place the humble Irish club called the "shillelagh" has in Irish history and tradition. Also, did you know that Shillelagh is also a place?The ancestors of a very special singer came from those parts - or did they? Lots of LOVELY Irish music also...

In this special St. Valentine's episode of the Letter from Ireland podcast we share the story of Saint Valentine's association with the city of Dublin - and the tale of love and loss of a young couple who were married in Kilmainham jail shortly before he was executed for partaking in the Easter rising of 1916. Lots of LOVELY Irish music also...

In this special musical episode of the Letter from Ireland Podcast we celebrate the music of the Irish traditional group known as The Chieftains. Following the death of their leader late last year, Paddy Moloney, we have come to the end of a musical career that has seen The Chieftains popularise Irish music around the globe and mix it magnificently with so many other musical genres. Their music, however, will live on!

In this episode of the Letter from Ireland Podcast we celebrate the upcoming season of Celtic spring here in Ireland - known as Imbolc. We choose music and stories to understand more of this significant time in the celtic calendar - a time that has been supplanted by the festival of Saint Brigid over time.

In this episode of the Letter from Ireland Podcast we look at the overlap culturally between Ireland and Scotland. This is especially relevant as we approach the annual Robbie Burns night - what has effectively turned into Scotland's national day. Join us for plenty of chat, music, entertainment and a bit of education along the way!

In this episode of the Letter from Ireland Podcast, we look at the life and works of two of Ireland's most famous literary giants - George Bernard Shaw and James Joyce. We take an unusual angle on the stories of both and throw in some music to help set the mood for the time through which these iconic authors lived.

In this first episode of the Letter from Ireland Show for 2022 we share stories and music that highlight the esteemed place that animals have in Irish mythology and folklore, music and family surnames.

In this episode, Mike Collins chats with Jayne McGarvey (our Green Room genealogist) about what drives a genealogist crazy about how some people use ancestry.com. We talk through the strengths and weaknesses of ancestry.com, problems specific to Irish ancestry research and how people can improve the way they use ancestry.com. Lots of nuggets from a practising Irish ancestry genealogist.

Join Mike and Carina as they chat about just one reader story from the Irish Land Wars of the late 1800s. Our reader shares an amazing story of immigration and now understands the reasons why her family were so reticent about talking of their Irish family history.

Join Mike and our head genealogist in The Green Room, Jayne McGarvey, as we chat about the usefulness of the Irish "Tithe Applotment Books" when discovering more about the location and lives of your Irish ancestors during the early 1800s.

Join Mike and Carina as we take around Inishmore - the largest of the Aran Islands which lies at the mouth of Galway Bay to the west of Ireland. It's a magical part of the world - and we travel around in the company of a very special tour guide.

We are (hopefully) at the closing stages of a pandemic as I write. However, our ancestors had to endure many pandemics and famines through the centuries - and all without the same access to medicines we enjoy today. Today's show is all about one famous Irish author whose mother had to endure a pandemic in her native Sligo town before heading off for a new life in Dublin.

Did you ever wonder how the Irish surnames in your family tree originated and evolved? This handy guide talks you through many Irish first names - and how they eventually led to Irish surnames - with plenty of examples along the way!

Would you like to join us on a tour of County Cork as we emerge from Covid restrictions here in Ireland? We take you on a circuit of a part of County Cork - stopping in 6 different places full of Castles, Stone Circles, Villages and Market Towns.

Join Mike and our Green Room Genealogist - Jayne McGarvey - on a walk through the ancient Irish monastic graveyard of Monasterboice in County Louth. They discuss the various types of burial sites, Celtic High Crosses and the ancient Round Tower on this very special Irish Heritage Site.

Our readers are very keen to trace their Irish ancestors back to a specific part of Ireland, and that is very understandable. However, it's often a better idea to dig up more leads and clues in the ancestors place of immigration BEFORE attempting to make the leap back to Ireland. In this episode of the Letter from Ireland show, Mike takes 2 reader case-studies to illustrate how this approach might work.

In this episode of the Letter from Ireland Podcast show, we travel to the city of Glasgow in Scotland to meet two proud Glasgow natives of Irish ancestry. Come with us as we get a unique perspective on this city that saw the arrival of so many Irish immigrants from the 1800s onwards.