Episodes

In this episode of the Letter from Ireland Show we head to County Cavan and meet plenty of characters, visit some beautiful places and pick up the stories of this little-visited part of Ireland. Join us as we have the "Life of Riley" in County Cavan!

In this episode of the Letter from Ireland Show we head to County Limerick and a townland by the name of "Patrick's Well". This place has been named after the Holy Well within it's borders - and we chat to the lady whose family has looked after this unique place for generations sharing stories, traditions and a cure or two! The Letter from Ireland Show is a weekly podcast that goes out each Thursday from our cottage in County Cork. Tune in to this episode - and dive straight in to a bit of Irish...

As we reach the end of series 4 of the Letter from Ireland Podcast show, we'd thought we would share just 7 of our favourite Irish Ancestry moments. It was a tough choice and we hope you enjoy them!

In this episode of the Letter from Ireland Show, we interview Jayne McGarvey - an Irish-based genealogist. Drawing on her expensive experience, we ask her to share 3 signs that you are making progress with your Irish family History research and she make made some very interesting suggestions that may surprise both those beginning their Irish family history and the more experienced researchers. See what you think!

In the late 1800s, hundreds of thousands of Irish people moved into the Tenement Buildings of Dublin and New York. In this Podcast, we travel to the Tenement Museums of both Dublin and New York to get an insight into what life was like in these buildings for our Irish ancestors.

Would you like to take a trip with us from Queenstown to Ellis Island? Join us on a journey as we first travel to Queenstown (Cobh) in County Cork before touring around Ellis Island in the USA - meeting some very interesting people along the way!

In this episode of the Letter from Ireland Show we chat with Pam Guye Holland - a genealogist based in Boston, Mass. In the interview we discuss how critical it is to gather all the local information you can on your Irish ancestors before attempting to trace their origins back to Ireland. And - we ask Pam to share some of her best hints and tips!

In this episode of the Letter from Ireland Show we celebrate the 5th birthday of The Green Room (our member area) and the 6th birthday of the letter from Ireland. Over that time we have received and answered over 90,000 Irish-related questions. Carina and Mike discuss the 12 most surprising things they noticed over that time.

Do you know where to start with your Irish Family History Research? Irish Genealogy has it's quirks as you may have discovered! In this episode we bring you around our new Green Room Research Wheel that we have recently launched for our Green Room members. Join us on this episode of the Letter from Ireland show as we look at the brand new Essential Green Room Guide to Irish Family History Research. This is a very different, interactive way to progress your Irish family history research. While yo...

Join us on this episode of the Letter from Ireland show as we look at a Celtic Festival that celebrates the arrival of Spring. Maybe you even celebrate it yourself? Our shared Irish ancestors had a lot of traditions around this festival – and the Saint who became associated with this time of year in Christian times. The Letter from Ireland Show is a weekly podcast that goes out each Thursday from our cottage in County Cork. Tune in to this episode - and dive straight in to a bit of Irish caint, ...

Join us on this episode of the Letter from Ireland show as we look at the influence of the Normans on Irish surnames and families - we then take off for Wales where we visit just some of the castles where many of the originators of various Irish surnames in Ireland were born and bred. If you have any of the following Irish names in your family tree, then you will be really interested in this episode: Archdeacon/Cody, Aylward, Barrett, Barron, Barry, Bermingham, Blake, Bluitt, Bonds, Bourke, Bran...

Join us on this episode of the Letter from Ireland show as we travel to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania in Australia) and visit some really interesting locations associated with Ireland's convict and emigrant association with the area! So, come on in - sit down and have a listen to stories, people and places of this most beautiful part of the world!

In this episode of the Letter from Ireland show, Carina goes on a voyage of discovery (in more ways than one) as she uncovers the hidden history of her paternal grandfather: Bartholomew Cronin. Join Carina as she begins at the shop where her grandfather worked and lived - and then she heads back to his home-place before journeying even further back to one very special place associated with an Irish saint in the beautiful wilds of West Cork. So, do come along - we know you'll enjoy the trip!

Carina never knew the surname that her paternal grandmother was born with - she only knew to call her "Granny"! So, we decided to find out a little more. What did we discover? Well, join us in this episode of the Letter from Ireland show as we go on a voyage of discovery - starting in a small shop in the Irish countryside - then on to a cottage on the fringes of Cork City - before finishing up at a grand castle. There are lots of surprises along the way - and lots of mysteries solved also! This ...

The City of Liverpool in England has had very strong links with Ireland down through the centuries. In this Podcast, Carina takes you on a trip around Liverpool - through a gate that could tell a million stories, into "Paddy's Wigwam and then introduces you to four very famous sons of Liverpool - three of whom have direct Irish Roots!

In this episode of the Letter from Ireland Show we follow the trail of an Irish Emigrant family all the way from County Kerry to Chicago and Illinois in the USA. Join us as we start in the family homestead just outside Listowel in County Kerry.

In this episode of the Letter from Ireland Show Carina introduces you to five very different heroes of Irish Culture and Heritage. She visits a man who restarted a Whiskey distillery that was in his family for hundreds of years, a woman who oversees the visitors to one of the best known books in the world, another man who discovered a hidden town on his property, an ex-political prisoner who brings people on political tours around his home town and finally a farmer who decided to refurbish the c...

In this episode of the Letter from Ireland Show Carina introduces 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. It's called the Irish Schools Collection and I think you will enjoy what you hear - and find it very useful!

In this episode of the Letter from Ireland Show we preview the 2019 Green Room Hooley - by sharing memories, poems and some wonderful stories based around the areas where we are holding our Green Room gatherings .

In this episode of the Letter from Ireland Show we go on a tour around the Ulster American Folk Park near Omagh, County Tyrone - meeting some fascinating people and learning all about what life was like back in the early 1800s for the local population.

Have you visited the National Irish Famine Museum in Stokestown Park, County Roscommon? Why not come along with us now as we take you on a tour of this fascinating place. You may even hear about one of your own ancestors.

In this episode of the Letter from Ireland Show Carina looks back on our visit in March 2018 to Australia following the Irish Ancestral trail. We met some fascinating people along the way, all eager to share the story of their Irish roots - as well as visiting some sites associated with Irish heritage across the states of New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.

Have you ever heard of the Celtic festival of Bealtaine - marking the start of an Irish summer? In this podcast, Carina shares some of her special travels and memories at this wonderful time of year.

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 9 of the Letter from Ireland Show. In this episode of the Letter from Ireland Show Carina, Courtney and Mike discuss their own experiences (and opinions!) of DNA testing for Irish Family History research.