Tracing your Irish Ancestors: A Three-step Guide

That is fantastic news, Brian! Thanks so much for sharing this information with us here. I am sure it will be super helpful for many people researching their Irish roots. :)

Brian
many thanks for this 

Hello -  I am searching for my GrandMother birth certificate.  I also want to learn more about Ireland and its history.  I have some info already.  My Grandmother was born September 8, 1869 in Lettermullen, Ireland.   I also have her parents information and they both were born in Lettermullen, Ireland in 1842 and 1849 .   Does anyone  have suggestions on where to start to obtain her birth certificate ? 
I am also trying to understand the wording or the nomenclature of how the counties or parishes are named.   As an example, I have old handwritten records that show place of birth as  Lettermullen, Ireland  and also as Lettermullen, Galway, Ireland.    I believe Galway is a city, and that Lettermullen is an island.  Any and All help is greatly appreciated.  I plan to visit Ireland when it becomes possible in the hopefully near future.  Thanks.  Bob

Hi Bob, what were the name of your grandmother and her parents?

grandmother -  Mary Gertrude McDonough - 8 Sep 1869 - Lettermullen, Galway, ireland
her father - Laurence Stephan McDonough - 10 Aug 1842 - Lettermullen, Galway, ireland
her mother - Bridget Lee  - 1 Feb 1849 - Lettermullen, Galway, ireland

Hi Bob, 

It's great to see that you're interested in finding out more about your family history, and I'd love to see what I can do to help! 

First off, it's wonderful to hear you have ancestry from Lettermullan, which is a small island and village on the coast of Connemara in County Galway. From Lettermullan, it is about 36 miles west to Galway City. 

So there are a few things to keep in mind when searching through Irish records and archives. Before 1864 records were kept in the form of church and parish records, and all of the surviving records have been sorted into county-based genealogical centres. For County Galway, you have the Galway Family History Society (West) and the East Galway Family History Society. 

In 1864 civil registration was introduced in Ireland, which is when we started seeing the formal registration of births, marriages, adoptions and deaths. These records have been kept at the General Register Office of Ireland (GRO), to this day.

As Mary Gertrude McDonough was born in 1869, you'd reach out to GRO, but for her father and mother, Laurence Stephan McDonough and Bridget Lee, who were born before 1864, you would contact the genealogy centres in Galway. Feel free to send a message to these organisations with this information to ask if there are birth certificates available for your ancestors. 

It would be wonderful if we get to welcome you to the area your ancestors were from when the time is right, and hopefully, you'll receive more tips from the Community here. :) 

Wishing you the best of luck on your search, 

Melin

Hi Melin --
Thanks very much for that explanation.  I will reach out to the  GRO and the genealogy centres in Galway.
Have a GREAT Day !
Bob

That's great, Bob! I hope you're able to find the birth certificate via GRO, and we're here if you need more help! :) 

Wishing you a great weekend, 

Melin

Hi Bob, you should be able to find Mary's birth record on www.irishgenealogy.ie which Melin mentioned in his message. The registration district for Lettermullen was Oughterard which will help narrow down the number of individuals of that name born in 1869.

Best wishes for your research

Ulster Historical Foundation

Thanks so much.  I was able to find the register entry.  Again, Thanks  a lot for your help.