Dear friends,
Welcome to the sixth issue of RELATED☘️, arriving in March—the month when Irishness is on display across the globe.
For many of us in this community of now near-112,000, Ireland is both close and far. We feel something in us stir when we hear the word “Irish.” Many of us weren’t born on the island, and we may not speak Irish. We might have met Ireland first through films, fiddle tunes, or the stories of a grandparent who left long ago. In this season of four-leaf clovers, leprechaun hats, and green beer, we’ve all heard the phrase “plastic Paddy.” Does it ever make you quietly wonder: Where do we truly fit?
Our answer: We belong—with humility, respect, and a willingness to keep learning.
Especially in March, RELATED☘️ is here to celebrate Irishness without costume or caricature. That means listening when people in Ireland and the Irish diaspora share their lived experience. It means looking beyond Hollywood tropes to a culture shaped by language, land, colonization, famine, faith and doubt, creativity, emigration, and resilience.
We honor our ancestry, not by hijacking Irish culture, but by tending our own small branch of the same ancient tree. We do that when we pursue and share the real stories behind our families’ departures and arrivals. Support Irish and Irish‑diaspora writers, artists, musicians, and makers. Look through this one day in March to understand Ireland as it is now, not just as it was—or never was.
We share our pride in ways that amplify, rather than drown out, Irish voices.
Our families carried Ireland with them—through songs, recipes, traditions, and stubborn humor that crossed oceans and generations. RELATED☘️ is in their honor, and for us, a space where Irish people and those of Irish ancestry can meet in honest conversation and mutual respect.
May this March issue deepen our connection—to Ireland, to each other, and to the stories that made us feel Irish in the first place.
Some of the articles you’ll find in this month’s issue:
A step-by-step path to getting to know your first Irish ancestor, with our on-staff genealogist, Karlee Twiner
A peek into some of the extraordinary spots our destination expert and personal guide, Jonathan Beaumont loves to show off
A look at some of the foods considered “Irish” around the world, but are only so in spirit
A celebration of the top St. Patrick’s Day parties around the world
And more! Pour a cuppa and read with me for a while. As always, may you be blessed by the ancestors you seek.
Slán,
Your admin,
Shelagh
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