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 …

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.

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, ...

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 …

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...

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 …

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 s...

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 …

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 …

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 ...

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 …

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 …