Season 7

In todays special Christmas episode, we share a selection of old Irish Christmas carols, songs and tunes. They include: The Bells of Dublin/Christmas Eve - performed by The Chieftains Christmas in Killarney - performed by Bin...

In today's episode we share some old Irish names - quite beautiful ones - that are just some of our favourites for boys and girls. Perhaps you already have one or two in your own family? We also share the …

This week we look at one of the most Irish of cities outside Ireland - the city of Liverpool on the western shores of Britain. It's a place that has seen over a million Irish pass through its port to …

This week we look at the fact that there are many, many more people of Irish descent OUTSIDE the island of Ireland than on the island of Ireland. Many Irish immigrants brought their Irish placenames with them when they settle...

Welcome to this special musical edition of the Letter from Ireland podcast. We take a tour around the five counties - Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim and Roscommon - of the Irish province of Connaught. We have chosen two songs/p...

In this episode we look at two types of storyteller. First, we have the "bard" who composes songs to honour the deeds and exploits of the great (and not so great) among us. In this case, a certain gentleman called …

In this episode, we look at the time of the Brehon laws of Ireland and take an example of just some of these Gaelic common laws that held our society together. We also chat about the Brehon families and some …

Join us on this episode of the Letter from Ireland show as we tell some surprising stories from an Irish Halloween! Did you know that many of the rituals and traditions associated with Halloween came from the Celtic Festival ...

In this episode, we feature two Irish Pub stories that are bound together. In the first, we chat about the book McCarthy's Bar - which gives a comical view of both the Irish Pub and the Irish by Pete McCarthy. …

Today we feature two Irish movie stars from the golden age of Hollywood - Grace Kelly and Maureen O'Hara. In one story we chat about the "Two Graces of County Mayo" and then we take a trip up Maureen O'Hara's …

In this extended musical edition of the Letter from Ireland podcast, we share 15 songs performed by 15 Irish artists. Each song has a connection with the song that went before it - and the one that goes after it. …

In this episode we look at the journey a branch of the Vikings took and established a Dukedom in what became known as "Normandy" in northern France. We look at their culture and traditions - traditions that they brought with …

In this week's episode we look at the way that unmarried mothers - and other "social undesirables" were treated in Ireland, especially in the period from the 1940s to the 1960s. Carina reads out two letters - one on the …

In today's episode, we explore the different sort of Irish music that was coming onto the scene from the mid-1970s. We first look at the story of that great London-Irish band - The Pogues - and then onto the more …

In this episode we take a musical trip around the nine counties of Ulster: Derry (Londonderry), Antrim, Down, Armagh, Tyrone, Fermanagh, Cavan, Donegal and Monaghan. Alongside the immortal "Danny Boy", we feature at least one...

In this episode we look at the many ways the Great Irish Famine was reported outside of Ireland - and the reaction from some of the groups that were exposed to that reporting. In one case, Mike's own ancestors were …

We look at the stories of two different Irish pioneers in early north America - in what is now the country of Canada. The first is the story of Denis O'Donovan - who had the opportunity to choose his final …

In this episode we look at the story of two men born seventy years apart on the west coast of Ireland - who went on to make a substantial mark on naval history. William Brown was born into poverty in …

Did you know that Ireland was an uninhabited, ice-covered piece of ground up to about 10,000 years ago? Since then, many waves of immigrants have arrived in Ireland and made it more of a "melting Pot" than many of us …

In this very special episode we take a trip around Inishmore - the largest of the Aran Islands - in the company of Cyril O'Flaherty. Cyril is a well known local historian and artist and gives a special insight into …

What have all these words got in common? Have a listen to today's show and find out. We look at two of Ireland's minority religions - the Methodists and the Quakers. We tell stories, share music and make a surprising …

The 12th of July is a holiday across the 6 counties of Northern Ireland. It is the day that many celebrate by participating in marching bands, having barbecues and enjoying the holiday with their families in different ways. I...

In today's episode we chat about all things Irish - the Irish language that is! The first letter looks at Irish sayings and proverbs in their original Irish, how to pronounce them and what they mean in English. We then …

In this episode, Carina and Mike chat about Irish Spirits - Irish Whiskey and other fine Irish concoctions that is! They look at the the story of Irish whiskey - share some Irish drinking songs along the way - and …

In todays extended musical episode - called "The Evolution of Irish Music in 12 Tracks" - we bring you a very personal selection of Irish music from Mike. As he works (enjoys!) his way through a very personal selection of …

Have you ever wondered how the Irish surnames in your family tree came about? Understanding just HOW your Irish surnames developed is KEY to understanding more about your Irish origins and likely locations in Ireland. In this...

In this episode we take a trip inside the "Hedge Schools" of Ireland - places of learning that were dotted around Ireland right up to the mid-1800s. We also look at the prevalence of so many biblical/latin first names in …

What do Laurel & Hardy, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Mary Black and Carina Collins all have in common? They all feature in this episode of the Letter from Ireland podcast where we focus on two recent movies and look at …

Welcome to Series 7, Episode 20 of The Letter from Ireland Show. In this episode, Carina talks with a very unique individual that we discovered in the wilds of West Cork! Cormac Lally originally comes from Tullamore in County...

Today we tell the story of two Irish men who ended up fighting on the opposite sides of the American Civil War. One was Patrick Cleburne - also known as "Stonewall of the West" - who was born in the …

In this episode of the Letter from Ireland podcast we take a literary turn! First off we have a look at that literary masterpiece of Jane Austen - Pride and Prejudice - having fun with some of the Irish versions …

Do you have ancestors who originated in the counties of Ulster? In this episode we interview Janet Hancock who is the Deputy Head of Public Services at PRONI (The Public Records Office of Northern Ireland). We chat about: Jan...

We start this episode by hitting the high seas in the company of Saint Brendan the Navigator - a man who roamed the known (and unknown) world using the simple boats of his day. We then come back onto dry …

As we approach Easter here in Ireland, the thoughts of many Irish people turn to the historic events around the Easter Rising of 1916. In this episode we talk about that time as well as another Irish leader who was …

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 …

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 re...

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...

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 com...

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 …

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, …

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 …

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 …

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 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...

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 cal...

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 Sc...

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 …

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.