 |
| Have you ever been across the sea to Ireland?
|
|
|
|
Information provided by Celia Kavanagh Boylan, Chief of Clann Chaomhanach and former secretary of the Irish Ancestry Group, LFHHS .
|
|
|
|
My family were Irish.
|
|
Good statement but how far back, lots were famine emigrants as far back as the 1840s. The best advice to anyone in this situation is to track the family back in this country first to the ancestors who were born in Ireland. This search could lead you a merry dance all around England and even Scotland before you find the very first sightings in this country. Check the baptism and marriage certificates then if you get far enough back check all the census records working backwards as in some they may have said they were from Ireland but in another area the census recorder may have been more meticulous and asked for at least the county. When you have found the earliest census record check the parish registers for that area for relatives as it is easier to look for a group of people than just one and much more accurate. Check the baptismal sponsors in the registers too on the census records as they may have given their place of origin if your ancestor hasn't.
|
|
|
My great granddad came from for example Mayo
|
|
Much better chance of finding them here. Do you know which townland? If not check the index of Griffiths Valuation, you may even find your ancestor there but if a definite record isn't around check for the occurrence of your name and make a note of the parishes where your name is common. Check for your ancestor's in-laws and the baptismal sponsor's names and where the two are both common you are in with a big chance of getting the correct parish records to check.
|
|
|
My ancestor was born after 1864 in Ireland.
|
|
Check for Civil registrations, unfortunately there are few before this year as it wasn't compulsory to register baptisms or marriages before 1864 but some did. This is a great short cut to the parish records which will take you much further back.
|
|
|
I have run out of parish records
|
|
However, some parish records only start in the 1830s or even later. This usually means that the church in that area hadn't been built and you need to spread out to the next nearest old church or check the diocese for baptisms and marriages by the roadside which were performed in remote country districts.
|
|
|
Found the parish record but there is no address
|
|
Don't expect to see street names and numbers, you could be looking for a farm. If your family were farming the land there is every reason to expect to see something like this.
John son of John Murphy and Bridget Connelly, Gortroe, sponsors Mary Murphy and John Concannon. Gortroe in this example is the address ask the locals they will take you to it but you would be extremely lucky to find it on a map.
|
|
|
My family were tradesmen, professionals or landowners
|
|
If they were in business there is every possibility they may have advertised in a Trade Directory. Check Wilsons 1823 or Slaters 1886.
If they were in the Police force there will be a record of their service which you can check at any Mormon family history centre. Records are also available in some areas for payments to school masters. (Consult IAG) The very wealthy were landowners and there are records. Those leasing land would have paid tithes, there are records of tithe payments 1820s but watch out they could have been dissenters not paying and as such there wouldn't be a record of the payment..
Newspaper articles can give a lot of information if you know exactly when your ancestors were in Ireland but it is a long and very laborious search to see if they ever drew the attention of the press or placed an obituary in the local paper.
Abstracts of Wills are available but many distrusted wills and everything was left to the next of kin by word of mouth, but the wills which do exist will give marvelous revelations of Aunt Sally and third cousin twice removed Jim who lived in the next county.
|
|
|
I just can't find anything
|
|
If you are at a total loss, check to see if there is an Irish Clann for your name. These people are volunteers who will only charge you membership and you will become one of many international people looking for your roots who keep in touch with each other and form international friendships.
Many families all over the world are being reunited by the Clanns and lots of information can be gleaned by attending Clann gatherings in Ireland, not just genealogical data but the complete history of the name and the people of Ireland, incorporating geographical information and trips to remote areas where members of the family lived. The Clanns are a far less expensive and enjoyable way of finding information than the many professional genealogists offering their services.
Now a word to the wise, you can check most of these records here in England or for that matter any part of the world. Most parish records have been filmed by the LDS and can be ordered at your local centre. The IAG have Griffiths Valuation and you can check through the county indices and the actual valuation records for the area for similar names. Most of St Catherines Index of Ireland again is available at the Mormon Family History centres. More parish registers not previously available on film or microfiche are available as Vital Records on CD. The IGI of Ireland is available through the IAG and can sometimes be a short cut but check the source, if it is from a parish register or a civil registration it is a much more reliable record.
|
|
|
I am going to go and see for myself
|
|
Now about going to Ireland, if you do go across the sea to Ireland in search of your ancestors or relatives, do as much as you can in this country first as the place is far too beautiful and enjoyable to spend all your time collecting dust in the reference libraries. You will encounter far less queues and delays in the Irish County Reference Libraries (if you know the county of origin), usually in the county town or city, than you would in Dublin and most probably you will get far more help from the local librarians as they usually live locally. Consider the difference here between Kew and the Lancashire records office in Preston.
Remember that public transport in the country districts is not always regular and you will probably need your own transport either by taking your car over on the ferry or hiring a car at the airport, the cost is very similar. Summer is very expensive when it comes to the price of taking a car on the ferry so try and avoid June to September. Pre-booked packages of travel, car hire and hotel work out far cheaper than trying to get a car and a hotel when you get there.
If you are touring around, out of season, the B and Bs are not expensive and in most areas you would not need to pre-book, the Irish Tourist Board offices will fix you up with somewhere to stay by just making a phone call or two or you can just watch out for the Shamrock sign, much better than hotels for price and local information as you will be staying with the locals who are usually extremely helpful.
Allow plenty time for your land journeys as the Irish roads are generally a lot slower than our motorways, especially if there is a local funeral when everyone in town turns out to walk behind the hearse! The speed limit on most out of town roads is 55 mph and the drink driving laws are much more severe than they are here. Ireland is an experience worth having. If you have Irish roots it will explain everything you have ever wondered about yourself.
Speak to the local people about your search, they will tell you where others of your surname still live and most importantly make it soon, as the Celtic Tiger has improved the Irish economy so much that the kids are no longer leaving home, Europeans are buying moving to Ireland to retire and building is rife especially in the west of the country and the old places will soon be gone and forgotten.
Explore Ireland and enjoy it, it is one of the most beautiful and interesting countries in the world and well worth a visit.
|
|
.
|
UK: 01254 239919