Episodes

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 …