Irish Genealogy

robably the most common misconception about Irish research (and usually the first thing you hear if you want to do Irish research) is that all the records burned in the Four Courts Fire in 1922. That is not quite true for, while almost all records at the Four Courts did burn, in many cases more than one copy of a record existed. The Fire wasn't the only calamity awaiting Irish records though; many "useless" documents (such as census records from the 1800s) were destroyed periodically by the government.

Irish research is difficult; that's not meant to discourage you from doing Irish research, it's meant to prepare you for what's ahead. What causes the difficulty is records are scarce for the whole of Ireland. Some records are difficult to access while many records suffer from the fact that the details are lacking. Our poorer ancestors (the vast majority of the Catholic Irish) didn't create an awful lot of records. Other than the parish records, their name listed on a lease may have been the only records generated in their lifetime.

Now, while there aren't a lot of records that survive for ALL of Ireland, there are many that survive for smaller geographical areas. This one fact alone is what makes knowing your ancestors townland in Ireland so important.

Researching Irish Ancestors who Emigrated

1. Find out all you can about your family tree from your older relatives.
2. Fill out your understanding of these ancestors by searching through papers in their local towns or searching through immigrant lists.
3. Find the townland in Ireland your immigrant ancestor came from.

Researching Irish Ancestors who Lived in Ireland
Once you've discovered the townland of your Irish ancestor, you have the following options:

• You can begin your Irish research. The social class of the ancestor you're searching for will define where you start (as your search progresses, you should look at both categories, however):
  • General .
  • Middle to Upper Class
    • Estate Records
    • Directories for cities and towns.
  • You can take the expensive way out and get help from Irish genealogy researchers:
    • Irish Family History Foundation
    • Irish Heritage Centers
    • General Register Office (GRO)

Hints for Genealogists:

• Check repeat sources. Someone may include what another has missed
• Don't go under the assumption that Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland records are exclusive to their own country. A large number of the Irish moved from one area to the other because of economic or social reasons (i.e. famine, religious persecution, etc.) Overlapping records occur because of the way some families were spread out over the island.
• Be Thorough. Leave No Stone Unturned. Information turns up in the most unlikely places.
• Be Aware of Your Sources. Things aren't always what they seem.
• Study your history:
  • Locality and Area History - What went on while they were alive in their townlands?
  • Social History - What lifestyle did or could they have lead?
  • Relational History - Family, Immediate relations, Allied or Collateral families, Associated Families, Non- Related families. Knowing who, what, when, and where will help you locate and identify particular families -- especially in common names such as Kelly, Burns, Maguire, O'Reilly, etc.
• Learn Social Customs and Government Practices. Occupation or Social Status such as spinster, widow, gentry, esquire, carries with it a load of information with just the one word.
• Date or Place association. Very important in Irish research.
• Find out what records were created when particular transactions took place -- such as marriage contracts, land deeds, wills, heraldic grants, marriage bonds, court proceedings.
• Check Surname books for general location of name in Ireland. Use only as a guide, not as a source in and of itself.
• Take Good Notes -- Note any and all information: Surname and Christian Names, Nicknames, Use-names, Locality, Event and circumstances surrounding event, Date (be as precise as possible), Occupation or Status, Religion ALL information is 'Vital Statistics' when it refers to an individual or group of individuals linking them to a place, date, or other people.
• Check all resources before taking NO or YOU CAN'T or YOU NEED as the final say so.

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