Dia dhuit mo chara,

I want to start by saying a massive heartfelt thank you to everyone who replied Yes, YES, YEEEES about the book last week. Your emails, your memories, and your pure grá for all things Irish left me feeling very humbled

We’re building something special here – not just a book, not just a newsletter, but a global family of Irish hearts beating in sync. From Dublin to Dunedin, Mayo to Manhattan, you're keeping the spirit of Éire alive and dancing. 💃🕺

So let’s dive into this week’s full feast of Irish joy:

 If you missed last week's email, I shared the first exciting news about the Irish Around The World book!

It’s packed with Irish humour, fascinating facts, quotes, blessings, and history – all your favourites in one place.

We’re nearly ready to announce pre-orders (and maybe even offer signed copies for the early birds!).

So stay tuned – next week’s email might include a sneak peek at the cover… 👀📘

😂 Irish Joke of the Week – A Proper Classic

A young girl came to the late Father Healy of Cork, and sadly made her confession: "Father, I fear I've committed the sin of vanity," she announced. "What makes you think that?" asked her father-confessor. "Because every morning, when I look in the mirror, I cannot help but think how beautiful I am." "Never fear, Colleen," was the reassuring reply. "That isn't a sin; it's only a mistake."

Bonus: Little Sean & the Whale

The teacher was explaining different types of whales to her class of seven-year-olds when little Sean raised his hand.

"Yes, Sean?" she asked.

"Miss, Jonah was swallowed by a whale."

The teacher smiled gently. "Well Sean, that’s just a story. A whale’s throat isn’t big enough to swallow a man."

"But it happened – the Bible says so!"

The teacher replied, "I’m sorry Sean, I just can’t believe that."

Sean thought for a second and said, "Well, when I get to heaven, I’ll ask Jonah."

The teacher raised an eyebrow.

"And what if Jonah isn’t in heaven?"

Sean shrugged and replied,

"Then you can ask him."

🏰 Did You Know? – Ireland’s Tower Houses: Ghosts in the Stone

When most people think of Irish castles, they picture the big hitters: Blarney, with its upside-down kissing antics… Bunratty, with medieval banquets and costumed musicians… or Ashford, where you half expect a film crew to jump out from behind the hedges.

But look a little closer – off the beaten track, down a twisty boreen or across a cow-pat-sprinkled field – and you’ll find something even more special:

tower houses.

Thousands of them. Scattered across the Irish landscape like forgotten watchmen, rising from the earth in silent defiance of time.

These were not palaces of pomp – they were fortified homes, built mainly between the 1400s and 1600s, during a time when cattle raids, clan rivalries, and English encroachment made strong walls a necessity. They usually rose 3 to 5 stories high, with narrow staircases, murder holes, and thick stone walls that could turn back blades, bullets, and bad weather.

Let me take you to two favourites:

🌀 Ballinalacken Castle, County Clare:

It stands proud above the Atlantic coast, just north of Doolin, watching the waves and whispering secrets to the Burren. The name means “the place of the little stones,” but there’s nothing little about its history. It once stood as a lookout for the powerful O’Brien clan, constantly on edge as their neighbours, the Burkes, schemed just beyond the hills.

Today, you can still walk beneath its ivy-clad walls and feel the salt in the air, and if you're staying in the nearby manor house (now a hotel), you might even spot a ghost or two peering from a crumbling window.

🛡️ Aughnanure Castle, County Galway:

A name that trips off the tongue like a reel: Ach-na-newr. This beauty sits beside the Drimneen River outside Oughterard, a proper O’Flaherty fortress. The O’Flahertys were a fiery bunch – outlaws to some, heroes to others, and certainly not fans of English rule.

When Queen Elizabeth I tried to extend her control into Connacht, the O’Flahertys replied with something like:

"Here rule the O’Flahertys – by the strong hand, and with no apologies."

They built escape tunnels beneath their walls, and legends say their bards could curse a man’s entire bloodline with just three verses.

Today, Aughnanure stands restored, with its spiral staircases, murder holes, and thick stone towers ready to transport you to another time.

🪶 But tower houses weren’t just fortresses.

They were places of music and poetry, of family life, of diplomacy and dinner feasts – the heart of Gaelic aristocratic life.

One floor might’ve held livestock, the next a smoky kitchen, and above that? A family sleeping under furs, with dreams of land, honour, and the occasional raiding party.

And in some, bards would perform verses that hadn’t yet been written down, while chieftains plotted alliances over sour ale and roasted boar.

So next time you’re wandering a back road and spot a crooked ruin in the distance, do yourself a favour:

Pull over. Walk toward it. Step inside.

Let your hand touch the stone.

Close your eyes.

You’re not just visiting a ruin –

You’re standing in a story.

📜 On This Day in Irish History – July 21st

1921 – The Truce holds in the Irish War of Independence

By July 21st, 1921, the Anglo-Irish Truce had been in place for just over a week. Guns had fallen silent after two years of brutal guerrilla warfare. Towns that once echoed with rifle fire now buzzed with cautious hope.

Behind the scenes? Intense back-and-forth between Irish and British leaders, including Michael Collins, who would soon become a key figure in negotiating the Anglo-Irish Treaty.

It was a moment of breath – before the storm of Civil War would come the following year.

☘️ A reminder that peace is never perfect – but it’s precious.

🧠 Irish Quiz Time

Question: In what year did the Great Famine officially begin in Ireland?

A) 1832

B) 1845

C) 1851

D) 1867

(Put the kettle on while you think – the answer’s at the bottom!)

💬 Irish Quote of the Week – Reflect and Feel

"May the road rise up to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back..."

Ah, the old Irish blessing – one of the most beloved phrases of the diaspora. It’s more than just a farewell; it’s a wish for ease, support, and soft landings wherever life takes you.

It’s the kind of phrase we whisper at weddings, funerals, emigration gates, and even just when parting ways in the rain. Because Irish hearts always leave a light on.

📚 Book Update – We’re Nearly There!

You asked, and I promised – so here’s the scoop:

✅ Title is chosen (more on that soon!)

✅ Manuscript is in its final tweaks

✅ Cover design underway – and let me tell you, it’s gorgeous

✅ Launch date coming in August

The book will be jam-packed with:

• Your favourite Irish jokes (and a few cheeky new ones)
• Fascinating “Did You Know?” history bits
• The best Irish quotes and blessings
• Little-known legends and stories passed down through generations

It’s not just a book – it’s a love letter to Ireland.

🎉 And YES – there will be pre-orders, and maybe even a wee surprise gift for the first 100 orders. 😉

Keep reading these Weekly Doses – you’ll be the first to know when it drops.

✅ Quiz Answer:

B) 1845 – The first signs of the Great Famine appeared in 1845 when the potato crop was devastated by blight.

Over the next 6 years, it would change the face of Ireland forever, leading to the death or emigration of over 2 million people. A tragedy, yes – but one that birthed the Irish diaspora and spread our spirit across the globe.

✨ Final Thoughts

This week, take a moment to look around you – whether you’re in a cottage in Connemara or a flat in Philadelphia. The Irish spirit lives not just in Ireland, but in the stories we share, the jokes we tell, and the kindness we give.

As always – I’ll be here next week with more of it all. The jokes, the facts, the history, the grá.

*"The grá" (pronounced graw) is an Irish word that simply means "love" – but like many things in Irish, it carries more depth than a single translation.

Slán go fóill,

Stephen Palmer☘️

Irish Around The World