The Pick of the Irish Research Sites

 

With St Patrick’s Day coming up next week, it’s the perfect time to have a look at some great free online Irish family history resources.  Here are just a few to start with.

☘ Irishgenealogy.ie is a government-owned website with access to church and civil records.  It boasts a searchable index and images for many of the records, as well as a section offering research help.  One of the best aspects of the service is 2016 Family History, an excellent resource for learning to do Irish genealogy.  It includes a workbook, case studies, record guides, and fun tasks to complete. 

☘ Context is crucial when exploring the history of your family. The Great Irish Famine website delves into many aspects of this key time period in the history of Ireland and its people, including a map that shows the spread of the potato blight that triggered the tragic events of what became known as the Great Hunger. It will give you some insight into what prompted so many Irish people to emigrate, perhaps including your family.

Famine, Customs House Quay, Dublin

☘ From March 11^th-18^th this year, MyHeritage is opening all their Irish records to everyone, so make good use of this offer!

☘ If you know your ancestors lived in Dublin in the mid-nineteenth century, this online city directory may help you pinpoint their location more precisely. 

☘ Did your great-grandfather serve in the Irish Merchant Navy between the two World Wars? You may find a record of the voyages he made in this searchable index at Irish Mariners.

☘ Belfast City Council has created an index to burials in three of their graveyards: Roselawn, Dundonald, and Belfast City, from 1869 onwards.  You can order images of records that are more than 75 years old for a small fee. 

☘ One of the best websites for Irish research is run by veteran genealogist John Grenham.  It contains a multitude of genealogical resources, including a surname search which allows you to combine two names that appear in proximity to each other in the Griffith’s Valuation records of the 19th century.  This handy tool was recommended to me by professional researcher Claire Bradley and it has revolutionised my decades-long hunt for the birthplace of my third great-grandfather, who was only ever recorded as being born in “Ireland”.

☘ And to keep you out of trouble on the day itself, FamilySearch are hosting an all-day Irish research seminar starting at 9am MST (4pm GMT). There are twelve classes on offer, each lasting 20 minutes followed by a 10-minute question and answer session. They cover different record types and research strategies as well as historical background.  You can dip in and out of the classes throughout the day, but advance registration is required. 

☘☘  Happy St Patrick’s Day!  ☘☘