Ireland is difficult because of the number of records destroyed in the 1912 Uprising.
For people who left after the Potato Famine in the 1840s you can get some information from UK records. The 1911 Census is the first to tell you where in Ireland someone was born (previously just the country was given).
A marriage certificate will give you the name and profession of father.
In Ireland itself, try Griffiths Land Valuation. It can be searched free at:
http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuationIt will just give you the head of the household and the land that he owned or occupied.
From 1828 there are Tithe Applotment Books which give similar details.
You may get lucky with Parish records but they don’t give a lot of information. Often just X son of Y in Baptism records.
If you’re looking for stories, try the British Newspaper Archives. It’s a paying site but you get a few free searches. I found a few brawls recorded and advertisements from a shopkeeper. If it’s a common Irish name (and there are loads of them!), it’s obviously more difficult.
Other items can be searched for free this weekend (until Sunday Jan 15) at findmypast.com.