May 22nd has been celebrated as International Sherlock Holmes Day since 2013 when fans celebrated the 125th anniversary of the novel in which Arthur Conan Doyle introduced his famous sleuth. The date was chosen as it is the birthday of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who was born on May 22, 1859, to an Irish family in Edinburgh, Scotland. Sherlock Holmes — who celebrates his 125th … [Read more...] about Arthur Conan Doyle’s Irish Mystery
Ancestry
Roots: The Bold O’Briens
The O’Briens are an illustrious and prominent clan that has shaped the history of Ireland. The name, also spelled O’Bryan or O’Brian, means “of Brian” indicating descendance from Brian Borumha mac Cennetig, or Brian Boru, the celebrated High King of Ireland. Brian Boru (925-1014) received the throne of Thomond (an area which covers much of modern day County Clare as well as … [Read more...] about Roots: The Bold O’Briens
Roots: Keeping Up With the Joneses
The surname Jones, a holdover from the patronymic naming convention, means “son of John.” Celtic Welsh in origin, it emerged in the years following the Norman conquest of England in 1066, as the practice of using surnames was introduced into society. The first documentation of the name Jones is found in the 1279 Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire, which lists a Matilda Jones in … [Read more...] about Roots: Keeping Up With the Joneses
Roots: The Fantastic Flanagans
The surname Flanagan and its variants, which include O’Flanagan, Flanigan, Flannigan, and the less common Flenigen, number among the most popular in Ireland. All derive from the surname’s original Irish form, O’Flannagain, likely stemming from the Irish word flann, meaning “reddish” or “ruddy.” The O’Flannagain clan originated in Connacht, from the same line as the royal … [Read more...] about Roots: The Fantastic Flanagans
Certificate of Irish Heritage for Obama
During his St. Patrick’s Day visit to the White House, Taoiseach Enda Kenny presented President Obama with an official Certificate of Irish Heritage. These certificates, which all members of the Irish diaspora with at least one relative born in Ireland are welcome to apply for, recognize the recipients’ Irish ancestors – in this case, Obama’s maternal … [Read more...] about Certificate of Irish Heritage for Obama