Irish research info.
Many archives were destroyed in the 1922 Public Record Office fire. Fortunately for some, Catholic registers were kept in individual parishes and in most cases were not deposited in national repositories, so have survived. This makes them one of the most comprehensive records available.
As with all research, work the generations back from yourself, linking each person through documentation where possible.
Start with family papers and family stories. Write, and if you can, record older family members. Oral tradition is a valuable source of information but while family stories and traditions can be a useful source of information, you should try and confirm the veracity of the stories through reference to official records or other independent sources. Family papers and photographs are the foundation on which to build your research.
Having gathered information from family sources, the next step is to locate public documents. These may include birth, marriage or death certificates and other related information.
Wills, newspaper obituaries, local histories, pension and military records are all potential sources of information that can help provide information. This information is also of value in itself of course, insofar as it can give background and colour to your ancestor.
Where your ancestor emigrated from Ireland, there may be passenger arrival or naturalisation records providing vital pieces of information.
What you need to know to begin your search
Civil registration began in Ireland in 1864.
If you have any of the following information it would help in your research:
The name of the ancestor whose details may be contained in Irish records
Their approximate date of birth
The names of your ancestor’s parents or spouse
The county of your ancestor’s origin
There are 32 counties in Ireland, six of these in Northern Ireland. Within each county there are various sub-divisions; one of the most commonly used is the parish, which can incorporate a number of townlands. It would greatly help if you have information on the parish or townland your ancestor came from
Their religious denomination
Details of their trade or employment
For post-1864 records the best place to start is the Ireland Civil Registration Indexes of births, marriages and deaths (BMD), some of which may be available on-line on FamilySearch (LDS). If you're able, visit your local LDS family history centre. If you know the approximate year, you can order the film needed to direct you to another film with a volume and page number. This second film will give you the birth date, townland and parents' names, including the mother's maiden name. The LDS centre should be able to make a copy of the specific entry from the film where you find the information required. Should you need a certified copy, the LDS people will advise what information you need to get it.
Bear in mind the BMD indexes covered the whole of Ireland as Northern Ireland (as such) didn't come into existence till 1922. Death registrations give age at time of death which gives some estimation of date of birth.
Finding marriage partners in Ireland (using the Ancestry ($) site)
Here's a hint on how to find a marriage partner in Ireland, if you know where and when they married but not who, and the marriage was registered in the statutory records.
1. Find one partner in the marriage on the FamilySearch index.
2. Note the year, district and page number.
3. Go to Ancestry "Irish Civil Registration Marriages Index, 1845-1958".
4. Type the year and location in the appropriate boxes and put the page number in the Keyword box (leave the name fields blank).
5. Click Search and tick match all terms exactly.
You will get a list of all the people on that page.
There can be up to eight people, i.e. four marriages. Still, it helps narrow down the possibilities.
What you can find in Dublin
A wide range of archives, including census returns. They also provide a free 'Ask the genealogist' service.
National Archives, Bishop Street, Dublin 8
Tel: 01 4072300
Contains many Roman Catholic registers.
The National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2
Tel: 01 6030200
Fax: 01 6612523
Contains civil registers of births, deaths & marriages.
3rd Floor, Block 7, Irish Life Centre, Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1
Tel: 01 6354000. Fax: 01 6354001
Contains details of property transactions.
Henrietta Street, Dublin 1
Tel: 01 8048429
Representative Church Body Library
Contains records of the Church of Ireland.
Braemor Park, Dublin 14
Tel: 01 492 3979
Religious Society of Friends Library
Contains Quaker records.
Stocking Lane, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16
Tel: 495 6890
Contains records of Ireland's Jewish community.
3-4 Walworth Street, South Circular Road, Dublin 8
Tel: 490 1857
What you can find in Belfast
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland
A source of genealogical material including church records, census returns, property details and national school records.
66 Balmoral Avenue, Belfast BT9 6NY
Tel: (04890) 255905
Presbyterian Historical Society
Contains historical information about the Presyterian Church in Ireland.
Church House, Fisherwick Place, Belfast BT1 6WD
Tel: (048 90) 322284
Other records locations
The General Register Office, Roscommon
The central civil repository for records relating to Irish births, deaths and marriages. It is concerned with civil registration matters only.
Records of marriages other than Roman Catholic marriages date back to 1 April 1845.
Records of births, deaths and Roman Catholic marriages date back to 1st January 1864.
Government Offices, Convent Road, Roscommon
Tel: +353 (0) 90 6632900
LoCall: 1890 252076
Fax: +353 (0) 90 6632999
Finding marriage partners in Ireland (using the Ancestry site) ($)
Here's a hint on how to find a marriage partner in Ireland, if you know where and when they married but not who, and the marriage was registered in the statutory records.
1. Find one partner in the marriage on the FamilySearch index.
2. Note the year, district and page number.
3. Go to Ancestry "Irish Civil Registration Marriages Index, 1845-1958".
4. Type the year and location in the appropriate boxes and put the page number in the Keyword box (leave the name fields blank).
5. Click Search and tick match all terms exactly.
You will get a list of all the people on that page. There can be up to eight people, i.e. four marriages. Still, it helps narrow down the possibilities.
Recommended reading
Irish libraries, archives, museums and genealogical centres: a visitors’ guide by Robert K O’Neill (UHF, 2007)
(This book introduces readers to printed and manuscript resources available in Irish libraries, archives and heritage centres)
Tracing Irish ancestors, a practical guide to Irish genealogy by Máire Mac Conghail and Paul Gorry (Collins, 1997)
Irish records: sources for family & local history by James G Ryan (revised edition, Salt Lake City, 1997)
Tracing your Irish ancestors, the complete guide by John Grenham (3rd edition, Dublin, 2006)
Your Irish ancestors, a guide for family historians by Ian Maxwell (Barnsley, 2008)
How to trace your Irish ancestors: an essential guide to researching and documenting the family histories of Ireland’s people by Ian Maxwell (Begbroke, 2008)
Tracing your ancestors in Northern Ireland by Ian Maxwell (SO, 1997)
Researching Scots-Irish ancestors: the essential genealogical guide to early modern Ulster, 1600-1800 byWilliam Roulston (UHF, 2005)
Genealogical sources can also be viewed at www.irishroots.com
Other publications
Publications by county
Researching Armagh ancestors by Ian Maxwell (Belfast, 2000)
My roots – tracing your Belfast ancestors by William Roulston (UHF, 2008)
Tracing your Cork ancestors by Tony McCarthy & Tim Cadogan (Dublin, 2011)
Tracing your Donegal ancestors by Helen Meehan and Godfrey E Duffy (Dublin, 2008)
Researching Down ancestors by Ian Maxwell (UHF, 2004)
Tracing your Dublin ancestors by James Ryan & Brian Smith (3rd edition, Dublin, 2009)
Tracing your Sligo ancestors by James Ryan (Dublin 2012)
Tracing your Westmeath ancestors by Gretta Connell (Dublin 2012)
Tracing your Galway ancestors by Peadar O’Dowd (Dublin, 2010)
Tracing your Kerry ancestors by Michael H O’Connor (Dublin, 1994)
Tracing your ancestors in Co. Kildare by Karel Kiely ([Newbridge], 1992)
Tracing your Limerick ancestors by Margaret Franklin (Dublin, 2003)
Tracing your Mayo ancestors by Brian Smith (2nd edition, Dublin, 2010)
Meath Ancestors, a guide to sources for tracing your ancestors by Noel E French (Trim, 1993)
Tracing your Roscommon ancestors by John Hamrock (Dublin, 2007)
Sources for family history in Waterford County by the Waterford County Council (2005)
For information on the origin and history of Irish surnames
Irish Families by E MacLysaght (3rd edition, Dublin, 1972)
Supplement to Irish Families (Dublin, 1964)
The Surnames of Ireland (3rd edition, Dublin, 1978)
Sources for church records
A Guide to Church Records in Ireland (PDF format)
A Table of Church of Ireland Parochial Records and copies edited by Noel Reid (Naas, 1994)
An Irish Genealogical Source: Guide to Church Records (PRONI, 1994)
Irish Church Records by James G Ryan (Dublin, 1992)
Detailed information on congregations and records of all Dublinnon-conformist (or dissenting) denominations will be found in Dictionary of Dublin Dissent: Dublin’s Protestant dissenting meeting houses, 1660-1920 by Steven C ffeary-Smyrl (Dublin, 2009).
Sources on the holdings at National Archives
The Short Guide to the Public Record Office of Ireland (out of print)
The 55th–59th Reports of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records in Ireland
The Council of Irish Genealogical Organisations
A series of booklets has been produced by the Council of Irish Genealogical Organisations and the first two in the Exploring Irish Genealogy series are:
Irish Civil Registration – where do I start? by Eileen Ó Dúill and Steven C ffeary-Smyrl (Dublin, 2000)
Irish Methodists – where do I start? by Steven C ffeary-Smyrl (Dublin, 2000)
Other genealogical sources
Useful articles on genealogy are contained in Aspects of Irish Genealogy 1, 2 and 3 which are papers from the proceedings of the First, Second and Third Irish Genealogical Congresses – available for purchase at www.cigo.ie/bookstore.html