First off – congratulations! Tracing your family’s roots is one of the most rewarding journeys you will ever take. Thousands of people with relatives in Ireland find a home away from home here each year – here’s how you can join them.
Finding your roots is sometimes a complicated task, but in Ireland, it’s usually pretty straightforward. And there’s more good news: you can get started at home. Check out the
Ireland Family History Facebook page, where you can get to know other people searching for their roots, glean tips, get help from experts directly and maybe even find relatives you never knew.
For some deeper research,
IrishGeneaology.ie is a fantastic resource: it beings together church and civil records in one handy online database. And it’s free, too!
When you arrive in Dublin, there are lots of places you can check out to further your search. The
National Archives should be your first stop: here, you can avail of free personal consultations with professional genealogists – a huge help when you’re getting started. The archives are also home to lots of records that are available for you to peruse.
Head to the
National Library next: their genealogy workshops are invaluable for picking up tips and they house hundreds of Roman Catholic parish registers. These are ideal if you can’t access a census from the year you’re researching.
For a very different but equally informative experience, visit
EPIC Ireland. This interactive museum honours the millions of people who emigrated from Ireland over the years. It’s a fascinating place to spend an afternoon and it’s also home to the Irish Family History Centre, where you can get some help tracking down any missing ancestors.
Happy history hunting, and good luck!