In this week's episode we look a little closer at how our Irish ancestors lived and worked through the 40 days leading up to Easter Sunday each year. This was a time known as "Lent". It was treated very seriously by the Roman Catholic church - who were very specific in their directions to the flock as to how they should live their lives over this time of penance, fasting and piety.

We start with a letter that looks at something called "The Skellig List" and then focus on a Lenten letter that was read out from the pulpits across County Wicklow in the late 1800s.

The music starts with a tune of celebration - "Chasing the Fox" (celebration/carnivale) - then moves onto a suitable religious song, the "Our Father" sung in Irish, before celebrating Easter (and the end of Lent) with "Easter Snow".

We do hope you enjoy.

Music featured in this episode:

"Chasing the Fox" performed by The Chieftains.

"Ar nAthair" performed by Michael Nash.

"Easter Snow" performed by Matt Molloy and Martin Carthy.

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