Your Guide to Finding Irish Family Records

Essential Steps Before Traveling to Ireland

Before you embark on your journey to Ireland for genealogical research, ensure you've completed your due diligence with online records. It's important to avoid spending substantial amounts of money chasing records that you could have located from the comfort of your home. Your travel should primarily focus on finding the records that aren't available online.

Getting Started with Your Family Search

If you are eager to trace your ancestry, start by identifying the original immigrant from Ireland. Even if you cannot determine which county your ancestor came from, focus on that individual. Simply knowing that your last name is Irish or that your family fled during the Famine does not yet justify planning a research trip to Ireland. However, don’t let that deter you from visiting this beautiful country!

Understanding your family history can require patience and thoroughness. I'll provide insights in future posts on how to trace these individuals across various countries and time periods.

Leverage the Power of DNA Testing

If you’re comfortable, consider taking a DNA test. This can significantly help in pinpointing your ancestral roots in Ireland, especially if you're struggling to trace back through traditional records. Note that these DNA tests have the potential to connect you with living relatives still in Ireland. However, do not expect an immediate invitation into their homes—though some may be welcoming!

Utilize Online Resources Wisely

There are several excellent websites to help you uncover your family history. Check out:

• Ancestry

• FindMyPast

• FamilySearch

• irishgenealogy.ie

• rootsireland.ie

• British Newspaper Archive

  
  

These platforms are invaluable for accessing records about your Irish family before they emigrated. I will also create a future post that details additional tools to help sort through similar names and streamline your research process.

Understanding Name Distribution in Ireland

Another useful resource is johngrenham.com. This site specializes in helping you locate where last names were most prevalent based on Griffith's Valuation. It provides insights into the geographical distribution of surnames in Ireland. Just keep in mind that some names, such as Kelly or Fitzpatrick, are so widespread that they appear across the entire map.

What Records to Look For

-Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials

This applies to both Catholic and Protestant ancestors. Baptisms are a great birth record substitute. Some of them even include the day the child was born. Keep in mind most Catholic records were not kept before 1790 due to the Penal Laws. This can cause a lot of frustration, but unfortunately there's nothing to due except curse at the British Administration in Ireland. Similarly, Church of Ireland records are hard to find sometimes due to them being kept at Four Courts, which famously blew up in 1922.

When looking at families, keep record of the witnesses/sponsors as they can lead you to more family or even help you sort through families with the same names. It is important to soak in as much information as possible.

-Griffiths Valuation

Pre-1900 censuses are not available for Ireland due to various reasons of record loss. You can, on occasion, find forms from people who requested information from a certain census for various reasons. However, those are few and far between. Griffiths Valuation is a census substitute that is used in Irish research. It is a compilation of properties, the people who owned them, and the people who actually lived on them. It does only include the head of households, but it is an invaluable tool. It can help you see when someone left Ireland as they would disappear from where they lived or find other family members, who may have let from them or just lived nearby.

-Newspapers

Something that many people overlook are newspapers. These are treasure troves of information, especially since there is rampant record loss. You can find mentions of births, marriages, and deaths. Your ancestors might end up in the petty sessions for slapping someone or being slapped by someone, among other offenses. They may have been mentioned by name when they emigrated. Newspapers can be great substitutes for records that are no longer available.

-Workhouses and Gaols (Jails)

Don't shy away from checking these institutions for your ancestors. Most people in Ireland were poor and living on the bread line. They may have resorted to the workhouse or were arrested for petty theft or even begging on the street. These records include name, age, when they were admitted, and when they left. They may also include a good physical description of the person, allowing you to imagine what this person looked like if you don't have pictures OR evaluate the record by comparing the description to a picture you do have. Keep in mind that some of these records are lost (shocker), but again, you can check the newspapers as substitutes.

When to Seek Professional Help

If you find yourself stuck in your research and can't trace your family back across the waters, consider booking a consultation with a professional genealogist like myself. Additionally, you can set up a meeting at the Irish Family History Centre. While we are equipped to help you break through various challenges, it's crucial to remember that even seasoned genealogists have limits to what can be accomplished.

Planning Your Visit to Archives

Once you’ve maximized your remote research efforts, it’s time to hop on a plane and head to Ireland. However, be sure to identify which repositories you want to visit before you travel. This preparation will save you time and enhance the efficiency of your visit. I’ll provide more information on this in future updates.

It is also important to know the opening times for the repositories you want to visit. Some even require you to book an appointment beforehand. I've included a table that I put together for myself.

Place	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday & Sunday	Notes
NLI	9:30-5	9:30-7	9:30-7	9:30-5	9:30-5	CLOSED
Valuation Office	9:15-4:30	9:15-4:30	9:15-4:30	9:15-4:30	9:15-4:30	CLOSED
Registry of Deeds	10-12,2-4	10-12,2-4	10-12,2-4	10-12,2-4	10-12,2-4	CLOSED	By appointment ONLY
General Record Office	CLOSED	9:30-12:30, 2-4:30	CLOSED	CLOSED	CLOSED	CLOSED

Your research also doesn't have to take up all of your time. In fact, most repositories close by 5pm. This gives you time to go and explore Dublin and enjoy a nice meal at a pub. Saturdays and Sundays are also free for travel if you do want to spend as much time as possible in the archives. For history/culture buffs, I recommend EPIC: The Irish Emigration Museum, The Jeanie Johnston Famine Ship, Kilmainham Gaol, and the General Post Office Museum. These are great museums to go to in order to get a better understanding of Irish history and culture. Learning about the general history of the Irish people will also give you a better understanding of your ancestors and the lives they lived.

Things to Remember

Record loss doesn't mean that you can't find your ancestors, you just have to get creative sometimes.

Women are especially hard to find given that they were rarely head of households and are less likely to be named in the newspapers. However, you can still find your female ancestors through your dedication.

Ireland may be small, but most people didn't travel very far from where they were born, except when they emigrated or moved to a bigger city. It is very unlikely that someone born in Dublin would move to a place like Tynagh, County Galway.

Be aware of the history of Ireland as it shaped which records were kept. This will also tell you when and why records may have been destroyed (spoiler: it wasn't all lost in the Four Courts Fire).

Not every Patrick Connell is YOUR Patrick Connell. See my post about sorting through same name research to help with this.

Pre-Planned Trips

If you're worried about traveling to the archives by yourself, want to have someone help you along the way, or just wanting an experience with other people, check out our Dublin Research Trips. We book your hotel, consultation at the Irish Family History Centre, and provide onsite research help. You have the opportunity to visit all the main repositories in Dublin, and you get to make friends along the way. This is a fantastic way to find your family and experience the culture of Ireland. It is good craic! Find out more here.

Conclusion

Embarking on a journey to uncover your Irish roots can be an enriching experience. By taking the right steps and conducting thorough preliminary research, you can make your trip more productive and enjoyable. Remember, your adventure is just beginning, and with determination and the right resources, you can piece together your family history.

Happy searching!