As a descendant of Joshua Doyle (b. 1775, Dublin, Ireland), I have a strong interest in Irish culture and history, which is the primary focus of this site. I am employed as a Network Engineer in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. I am a member of the Irish Cultural Society of Arkansas, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (2010-Present, President 2011-2017) and a commissioner on the City of Little Rock’s Public Safety Commission (2024-Present). I previously served as a commissioner on the City of Little Rock’s Arts and Culture Commission (2015-2020, 2021-2024, Chairman 2017-2018).
seamus dubhghaill 
June 25, 2017 at 10:33 PM
Hi Jim
I wanted to talk with you about Christy Ring – could you send me an email I could writ to you at please.
Thank you.
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July 13, 2017 at 6:31 AM
Good morning, Jim
My name is Ann Quinlan. I am native Irish from Co Meath (Boyne Valley) I live in Portland, Maine and am founder/owner (c. 1988) of Spiral Journeys, LLC a small land tour company focused exclusively on Ireland. I came across your blog this morning while doing some research on Brehon Law. I use some of this history when I offer my presentations on Hidden Ireland. All of this to say, if you ever wanted to put a group together for a land tour of Ireland I can arrange it for you. I offer a very broad spectrum on my homeland from ancient history, Megalithic to Solar energy. I just do the land portion and my groups are limited to 12 travelers (max 14) We stay in less traditional lodgings or Manor House Hotels…these tend to be off the main roads and offer land walking, bird/wildlife sanctuaries and more.
Kindest regards.
Ann V Quinlan
Spiral Journeys, LLC
16 Wilson Street
Portland, Maine 04101
http://www.spiraljourneys.com
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June 21, 2019 at 12:21 PM
Dear Seamus. I am looking for a hi-res digital image of Sir Henry Lucius O’Brien for reproduction in a book on Henrietta Street, DUblin, Ireland, called The Best Address in Town, by Dr Melanie Hayes. I would be grateful for the source of the image you have. Regards, Charles
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June 23, 2019 at 8:44 AM
All of the photos I use are located on the internet, primarily Wikipedia, and are credited whenever possible. To be honest, I am not sure exactly where I found that photo. A Google search returns only one instance of that photo – the one on this site.
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July 17, 2019 at 11:23 AM
Dia do bheatha! I’m also very interested in Irish history. I live in Las Vegas Nevada. I was born in Co. Cork, but have been out of Ireland for most of my life. Keep up the good work! Gene Sullivan
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May 25, 2020 at 8:16 AM
Dear Jim, Can you tell me where you got the date – 23 June 1919 – for Collins becoming President of the IRB? John
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September 11, 2020 at 8:23 AM
He Seamus, my name is Jans Bock-Schroeder. I represent the photographic archive of German Photo Journalist. Peter Bock-Schroeder. My father was in Ireland in 1956 where he took photos. Here is the link to the pictures and the story. Greetings, JBS
https://bock-schroeder.com/ireland
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October 20, 2020 at 5:20 AM
I am the author of The Buttevant Blog on Facebook and would like your permission to reproduce the article on Major Geoffrey Lee Compton-Smith on the blog ( fully credited). Regards, Liam Foley
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October 20, 2020 at 6:28 AM
Absolutely! I have no copyright on any of this material. In fact, most is just a rehash of Wikipedia posts timed to appear on the anniversary date of the event. I look forward to checking out your blog! Best wishes, Liam, and stay safe!
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December 6, 2020 at 3:47 PM
Hi Jim, love your site and your writings. My ancestors date back to arriving in the 1760s! I can’t help but notice just one article about a woman! Would love to read about the women who’ve also played major roles in making Ireland so great.
Humbly,
Janet
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January 12, 2021 at 11:09 AM
Dear Jim, I am doing research for a book on our old family home, Cahermoyle House, Ardagh, County Limerick, where my father grew up. You have an article about Charlotte Grace OBrien, my great great aunt, including an oval portrait photo of her, which I would love to include. Can you please tell me where you found that image.
Thank you,
Kind regards,
Anthony OBrien
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January 13, 2021 at 6:27 AM
I had to have found it on the Internet…that’s where I get everything (primarily Wikipedia). Searching images for Charlotte Grace O’Brien, I now only find the instance posted on this site. I always strive to give proper credit if an image is copyrighted so, apparently, this one was in the public domain. I have no ownership of the image so, as far as I am concerned, feel free to use it. Best wishes on the book!
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May 28, 2021 at 11:52 AM
I just wish to inform you that your banner / header image of the charming old town with the stone bridge is most certainly not located in Ireland. The buildings are not in anyway similar to vernacular Irish architecture, and unfortunately, no Irish town is as pristine, protected, or maintained as the one in your image. Irish heritage and vernacular architecture is not protected as well as on the European Continent or Britain, and most towns and villages are seriously degraded spaces with market places taken over by car parks, old bridges widened for traffic, poor design and incongruous unsympathetic modern buildings often replacing demolished older architecture. I wish Irish-America would focus more on promoting a realistic view of Ireland and it’s problems, and also in doing more to promote a more enlightened view towards conservation of our heritage, since much of our most scenic countryside and historic towns and villages are destroyed by developments such as B&Bs, hotels, golf clubs, and other such business trying to capitalize on the Irish-American Tourist market.
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May 28, 2021 at 12:37 PM
Thank you for your comment! All I can say is that the image came from a website of Irish desktop wallpapers. Anyway, I try to change out the header image on a fairly regular basis and this one is past due for changing. Perhaps a little project for this weekend! Best wishes!
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October 22, 2023 at 2:25 AM
Greetings from Tallaght. Amazing blog. I keep a handwritten database of interesting Irish figures, but you have outdone me. Looking forward to reading through all of your wonderful work!
Interestingly, a friend whose grandfather emigrated from Wexford to the U.S. many years ago said the Ozarks, more than anywhere in the U.S., reminded him of Ireland.
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October 22, 2023 at 6:21 AM
Hello and thank you for visiting my blog! Regarding the Ozarks, I have heard some of my friends who emigrated from Ireland years ago make that very same comment. Sláinte!
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May 30, 2021 at 4:15 PM
I am a relative of Seamus O Dubhghaill who was involved in the Easter Week Rising. He was my grandmother’s brother. Her name was Mary Doyle and she married John Doyle. They immigrated to Canada in 1912 we believe. While searching for information on this side of the Doyle family it was interesting to come across someone with almost exactly the same name.
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July 27, 2021 at 11:25 AM
Hello Jim and his followers,
I am a film historian and I am currently conducting a research project on the silent film director Herbert Brenon.
The project is in its early stages, with the information gathered so far relating largely to his early life in London before he travelled to the United States. I have also the pleasure of reading the limited work on Brenon that exists out there, including Ian Graham’s book.
I would be very interested in making a connection with anyone out there who has any interest in or knowledge of this important director from Hollywood’s history. I would love to share any information I have with them in the hope of learning more.
You can contract me at : alexander.sergeant@port.ac.uk
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February 21, 2022 at 10:14 PM
Hi Jim,
Could you contact me via email?
re: Theobald Wolfe Tone genetic research project
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April 27, 2022 at 7:24 AM
Hi from Dublin, Jim!
Thanks for the follow – appreciated!
GRMA!
Sharon,
11sixtynine,
Dublin,
🇮🇪!
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May 31, 2023 at 5:24 AM
Dear Seamus,
Could I send you a private email?
Kind regards,
Brigid
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August 23, 2023 at 10:38 PM
Hello Jim and Seamus: My mother was a Crampton and related to a lord Crampton I was told. I would love to know more about the Crampton’s more recent family tree. Do you have any sites I should explore?
The information from an ancestry site indicates that we are related to some of the original colonists in Connecticut and 2 of King Henry’s wives… We have lineage in Ireland , Scotland and England.
Thank you Alicia
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August 24, 2023 at 6:41 AM
Hello, Alicia,
Thank you for visiting my site! Unfortunately, I have no additional information on the Crampton family at this time. Should I come across any information, I will gladly pass it along! Best wishes!
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September 1, 2023 at 6:46 AM
Hi Seamus,
I recently discovered your blog & certainly impressed by your knowledge of Irish history and writing skills. I manage a non-profit Irish photo site where my late uncle Brendan Doyle contributed his 1960’s photographs of the Aran Islands https://irelandposters.com/oldphotos/inismaan_aran_islands_pictures.html
I worked on the Michael Collins film set during filming in 1995 and there are some photos of it with historical information included at https://irelandposters.com/irish_movies/
Hope the above is of interest.
Regards,
Al
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September 3, 2023 at 6:15 AM
Hello, Al,
Thank you for visiting my site and thank you for the information! I look forward to visiting both of the links you provided! Best wishes!
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October 2, 2023 at 1:22 PM
Noel Lemass,
Ernie O’Malley notebooks record an interview 76/100 p21 with Paddy O’Connor The notebooks are in the UCD archives
On 28 June 1922 during the Fourcourts battle a staff car was ambushed at Leeson Street Bridge in Dublin. Col Mandeville and Capt Vaughan were killed by a grenade and the driver Spud Murphy wounded. As he was being stretchered away he said “Hello Noel” to one of the bystanders and Noel Lemass emptied his revolver into the injured man.
Surgeon Banville saved him and used show visitors a jar with six bullets and 50 grenade splinters taken from Murphy.
Noel Lemass was wanted for this foul deed and paid the price when he was captured.
The full story behind many incidents of The War Of independence and civil war deserves to be followed up and i have tried to assemble details of infiltration and spies in “Murder by the Throat” covering the war of Independence.
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October 2, 2023 at 2:12 PM
That is fascinating! Is “Murder by the Throat” still in print? I see it was initially published in March 2020. I do not see it listed on Amazon. I would love to buy a copy! Thank you for visiting the site and for the information! Best wishes!
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October 2, 2023 at 2:21 PM
kennys galway and teh bookshop.ie do it on mailorder
amazon had become both impossible and greedy
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October 2, 2023 at 2:48 PM
Thanks so much! I just ordered a copy from thebookshop.ie. I can’t wait to read it! Best wishes!
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October 2, 2023 at 2:25 PM
There is an equally interesting antidote to teh Republican narrative of Ballyseedy
the republican irregulars planted the mine according to an account in notebooks which was always the Free state position but denied by two kerry officers who had a spleen with their CO O’Daly
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October 2, 2023 at 3:39 PM
if you email me directly i can send the ballyseedy story
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November 20, 2023 at 6:21 PM
It is regretfully late to come across a writer on Irish History and more so the recent decades of Irish disfunction. The Darkley piece is well researched and leaves no bones about the basic destructive violence Irish on Irish I’ve detested all my life. I will explore your writings further and the words at a distance reverberate here in Belfast where I live. Best regards John Graham
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November 22, 2023 at 6:14 AM
Hello, John! Thank you for the kind words and for visiting my site!
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February 11, 2024 at 11:47 AM
Hello Seamus, just stumbled on this whilst looking for info re: the Loftus family. I am in Arkansas and my mother’s side are Loftis….Loftus….Lofthus going way back. I see a direct line to the first provost of Trinity!
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February 19, 2024 at 1:34 PM
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February 24, 2024 at 2:42 PM
Hi Jim. I too just discovered your site. Thank you for doing what you do.
I have to suspect that you may be interested in a story I just put to writing. On one hand it has to do with the families of three Furlong sisters (one being my second great grandmother) from the far southeast of County Wexford, Ire that had to basically sneak out of Ireland after the 1848 uprising – each family taking a different route – with the hope of rendezvousing in Dubuque, Iowa. On the other hand the story tells how they were influenced in real time by an ongoing search by Mount Melleray monks for a new site in America AND also by their first cousin, Fr. Thomas Hore, who led more than 1100 followers to New Orleans, Little Rock, Fort Smith, St. Louis, and finally northeast Iowa – where he established a new settlement that they named Wexford. The husbands of the three sisters checked out potential farms around both New Melleray Monastery in Dubuque County and around the new Wexford settlement in NE Iowa – and chose the monastery area, where they bought farms just over a mile from the monks. Because Fr. Hore, the monks, and all three of my ancestral families ended up in Iowa, the title begins ‘From Ireland to Iowa’.
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February 25, 2024 at 6:10 AM
Hello, Bernie!
Thank you for visiting my site! Your story sound fascinating! I would love to read it when you have completed it! Best wishes!
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February 25, 2024 at 12:11 PM
That’s great, Jim – I’m delighted to hear of your interest! I’m afraid, though, that the story is some 22 pages long – so see how far you get. Note that because this was prepared for my extended family, I didn’t cite sources as thoroughly as I otherwise would have. Here’s a link…
My best- Bernie
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/8q4yy8cp823sq0083vs4u/From-Ireland-to-Iowa-story_v2-Jan2024.pdf?rlkey=s2035uo1d2m03qfmeuzgbs9k8&dl=0
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February 24, 2024 at 2:50 PM
…In a related but separate story, the son of one of those Furlong sisters, Capt. John J Lambert, is a story by himself… His father died when he was 14 so he supported the family by getting a job at the Dubuque Herald newspaper (he would later own his own successful newspaper in Colorado), served during the Civil War and then out on the western frontier, would be knighted by Pope Pius X in 1911, etc. He apparently was a boyhood friend of Capt. Myles Keogh – and the two of them were delighted when, by chance, they crossed paths at Fort Reynolds, Colorado. I know about this thanks to Capt. Lambert years later sharing his stories with a priest that paid Lambert a remarkably detailed published tribute after Lambert died in 1916. Anyway, I have an idea of where Lambert and Keogh may have met in Ireland, and if correct, would speak to where Keogh went to school. I’m trying to look into that. I bring this up because I saw that you wrote about Keogh in June 2021.
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February 24, 2024 at 4:07 PM
Wonderful website, Jim! So much interesting history. John Edward Pigot was my great-grandfather’s older brother. I enjoyed reading about him. Thank you.
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February 25, 2024 at 6:15 AM
Hello, Trish!
Thank you for visiting my site. I always love to hear from people who knew (or know) or are related to a subject of a post, or experienced or know of someone who experienced an event. Best wishes!
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March 1, 2024 at 7:13 AM
Hi Jim, I love you’re work here, it’s is great to have a blog dedicated to Irish history and culture. I myself also write a blog about Irish history which you may like. I focus on the Irish experience during the Age of Revolutions – so people and events c. 1770-1850. Here is the link: https://aorireland.substack.com/
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March 1, 2024 at 4:42 PM
Hello, Ruairí! Thank you for visiting my site and for providing me with the link to your Irish history blog. I have subscribed and look forward to reading it. Sláinte!
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