Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Genealogy
Original poster

Anyone else tracing Irish ancestors?

22 replies

somewherewest · 27/04/2013 15:45

I've just started on this and was wondering if anyone else wanted to compare notes. So far I've just trawled through free online resources (1901/1911 censuses, Griffith's Valuation, Tithe applotments) and talked to my grandparents, although I do have an exciting day's gravestone viewing booked in next time I'm home in Ireland (I sure know how to have fun Grin). I've just forked out for an ancestry.com subscription but am vaguely terrified by the amount of records on offer.

I've also got a PhD in early 20th Irish history, so might be able to answer any questions about the wider Irish context.

OP posts:
happychappy · 02/12/2013 01:55

My family are Irish, it's been an interesting trip so far.

AnythingNotEverything · 02/12/2013 02:57

I have family ancestry in Galway and Laois but was under the impression there were very few records, particularly in Galway. Is that true?

happychappy · 02/12/2013 12:50

There are just generally less records available and harder and more costly to access

Moln · 05/02/2014 19:14

I'm a bit late replying to this but I came in to here to start my own post and saw this!!

A lot of the records were destroyed sadly. Anything prior to 1901 which is a great pity.

One thing to bear in mind is the ages are frequently wrong on the census (especially the 1911 one for the older generation!)

Also there are a good few grave yards that have been recorded online!!! I can find my great grandparents headstone on the internet - and there's a picture!!! I can also find my great great grandfather's and grand uncles from the other branch of a treat and a totally different county

AnAdventureInCakeAndWine · 05/02/2014 19:17

I'm completely failing to trace Irish ancestors, if that's any help? Grin

Moln · 05/02/2014 19:24

It's difficult to start!!! You really do need to know names of siblings and there whereabouts to start off!!!!

If you have a frequently occurring surname it's practically impossible!!!

JennySense · 19/02/2014 22:58

I've found this tough. My ancestor family migrated to Lancashire between 1841-1870 to work on the reservoir creation.

They have quite an unusual name but it took until the 1911 census to find out my GG grandmother was born in Newry. Her brother was born in Belfast.

And now I'm stuck!

TheFnozwhowasmirage · 12/02/2015 14:06

I'm struggling a bit. My maternal great grandad and his family came from Black Head Co Clare,but we behave no idea whereabouts. My mum remembers him talking about living near the Burren,which makes sense.Their name was Moore and they dealt in horses,mainly bringing horses over from Ireland for the British Army. GT grandad was still bringing horses over in the 1950's as my mum used to break them in,so I'm assuming some of the family were still in Ireland at that time.GT grandad and some of his brothers settled in Leicester around the 1900's,and they were protestant as far as I know.
I'm going over to Clare in July,and am hoping to see the area he came from.

Chilliplantbox · 20/02/2015 23:15

I'm struggling to make headway with my Lally and Coyle ancestors from Galway. They seem to have moved sometime after 1911 to Lancashire but the records are scanty...and there's so many New York passenger list mentions which are really confusing and hard to verify.

whatsagoodusername · 03/03/2015 13:16

Does anyone know if you can manage to get a birth certificate off the Irish GRO if you don't have parents' names?

I'm trying to trace DH's grandfather. I've found him on familysearch.org, but it's an index record so no parent names. MIL doesn't remember any siblings, so that's out, and she doesn't know his parents' names, just that they were from Londonderry.

I live in London, so can't get to the GRO myself anytime soon so can't do the search myself and I'm not seeing an obvious hire-a-person or helpful search offers.

BrogalaBridie · 05/03/2015 17:51

If you need a copy of a certificate from the GRO in Dublin just for research purposes you can order a photo copy of the entry in the registration book.

You can try here www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Apply-for-Certificates.aspx - not sure if it will come out as a clicky link. I think it costs 4 euro for a copy rather than 20 euro for a certificate. You should be able to use the references on the familysearch website to order it. I think you need to either post or fax the request with payment but you should be able to have the photocopy emailed to you.

I haven't used the site for a copy certificate yet - currently using findmypast, rootsireland and familysearch, which for Irish research are fairly good.

cdtaylornats · 13/03/2015 16:05

The Irish Genealogical Research Society has added a database of articles from there magazine published since 1937. Their free names index now directly links to the articles where the names are mentioned.

honeyrider · 12/03/2017 01:52

I'm struggling to make headway with my Lally and Coyle ancestors from Galway.

Chilliplantbox, I'm from Galway and there are Lallys in my parish - Oranmore if you're still looking for info.

hollyisalovelyname · 26/03/2017 21:21

Because of Irish Independence records for Irish people in the North can be difficult to trace. Would the birth be pre or post independence.

SestraClone · 31/03/2017 08:04

Mine emigrated to Scotland between 1830 and 1870, from the north (mostly Annaclone) but I can find very little about them.

I have one brick wall, an ancestor who only lists "Ireland" as her place of birth, and was also fatherless, so is impossible to trace :(

whataboutbob · 09/03/2018 16:21

Just resurrecting this. Like sestraclone, I have ancestors from Ireland but I suspect they were in Ulster and of Scottish origin, the surname is MacIntyre and the census finds them in Renfrewshire, the birthplace is just listed as “ Ireland”. I read somewhere that the archives in Belfast were destroyed ( or it could be in Dublin). Does anyone know what the likelihood is of extending the family tree further back From the 19th century, by using the public record office in Belfast? Thank you.

eloisesparkle · 10/03/2018 09:21

During the Irish Civil War of 1922 the building where the records were held was destroyed so records were lost but you might get something from Belfast.

whataboutbob · 10/03/2018 16:00

Thanks Eloise, I remembered it was conflict related loss of documents, but misremembered it as caused by WW2 .
Might have to go to Belfast! I like the place so it’ll be an excuse to go.

YesAnotherChangeOfName · 30/07/2018 22:12

I've been trying for years to trace ancestors Carey/Kerry who came from Tipperary to Wales in 1840s but with only husband,wife and son I've got nowhere. Frustrating

beanaseireann · 31/07/2018 09:51

What part of Tipperary ?
Would a church have records

Rumboogie · 31/12/2018 21:00

One frustration I have found is that, unlike the British GRO it is not possible to order and pay for certificates on line. I have mostly asked for copies by post. The one copy I requested to be sent on line was very poorly reproduced and difficult to read.

Moondancer73 · 23/01/2019 19:51

Irish family history is something I've really struggled with. I understand that a lot of the records were destroyed and that probably explains a lot but it's disappointing because the Irish part of the family appear to have been quite well to do

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread