Heritage & Ancestry

Ireland’s coastlines, boglands, forests, and mountains each offer something completely different. This guide breaks down what to expect from each landscape and where to go.

Visit Cobh Heritage Centre in County Cork to trace your Irish emigrant ancestors. The Queenstown Story covers 2.5 million Irish emigrants who left through this harbour. Get weekly Ireland stories free in our newsletter.

The meaning, origin and story behind the Irish girl name Aoife. How to pronounce it, where it comes from, and why Ireland loves it.

Draw a straight line across Ireland from coast to coast and you’ll cross mountains, bogs, the River Shannon, and centuries of history. Here’s what really sits in the middle of the island.

Ireland hosts some of Europe’s finest cultural festivals, from the Galway International Arts Festival to the Fleadh Cheoil and Wexford Opera Festival. Here is what to know before you book.

Discover the Morrigan — Ireland’s fierce triple goddess of war, fate and sovereignty. Her stories shaped Irish mythology and live on in the landscape today.

From the Cliffs of Moher to Slieve League, these are Ireland’s most spectacular stretches of coastline — with practical advice on where to go, what to expect, and how to make the most of each visit.

The meaning, origin and story behind the Irish girl name Étaín. How to pronounce it, where it comes from, and why Ireland loves it.

Trace your Irish roots back to County Clare — from Ellis Island records to the Cliffs of Moher, Corofin Heritage Centre, and the townland your ancestors called home.

Temple House, a 17th-century estate outside Ballymote in County Sligo, has been in the Perceval family since 1665 — a Georgian country house, a Knights Templar castle ruin and a 70-acre lake. A quiet corner of Yeats Country in Ireland’s northwest.