Irish Genealogy & Family History Resources

Are you interested in discovering more on your Irish family history? In this section, I have included letters (and podcasts) that include stories, explanations and approaches to help you investigate your own Irish family history. You may even receive a little inspiration to break down one or two family history brick walls!

 

Browse the features listed on this page and jump to one that interests you, or enter a placename, surname or other item in the search box below to see related letters and podcasts.

Irish Genealogy & Family History Letters

Black Velvet Band jpg - Did Your Irish Australian Ancestor Follow the Black Velvet Band?

Did Your Irish Australian Ancestor Follow the Black Velvet Band?

2.1 Million Australian citizens who identified themselves as being of Irish ancestry in the 2011 census. When I hear from our Australian readers, there is often at least one story of “transportation to a penal colony” in their ancestry.

Irish road signs

Have you Unpacked Your Irish Family Tree?

We see a lot of Irish family trees both here and in the Green Room. Do you have an Irish family tree of your own? Perhaps handwritten in a sketchbook, or carefully constructed and annotated on Ancestry.com? What’s your biggest challenge/wish with the information on this tree? Do leave a comment below and let me know.…

Ulster Scots Migration jpg - Ulster Scots and the First Great Migration

Ulster Scots and the First Great Migration

Do you own a piece of Linen? How about Irish Linen? Maybe a nice tablecloth or even a cool dress or nice shirt? A few weeks back, I received the following email from Joan Adams: My ancestor, William Irwin, was born in County Antrim about 1703 and immigrated about 1741. I have long wanted to find…

Scotland Slider jpg - A Vote for Scottish Independence

A Vote for Scottish Independence

A couple of days ago I was having lunch with one Ian Armstrong (Ian designed the cover of A Letter from Ireland). His family has been in Cork for generations – but his ancestors came from County Antrim in Ulster – and before that they arrived in Ireland from the Scottish border counties in the…

Irish Canadian Slider jpg - Is this the First Irish Canadian?

Is this the First Irish Canadian?

In last week’s letter from Ireland, we talked about the “Irish Diaspora” and I asked what part of the diaspora you came from. Well – the response was second to none (that’s very good in Irish parlance!). I spent until last Thursday reading replies that traced the tracks of many of your Irish ancestors. So…

Irish Genealogy & Family History Podcasts

Irish Ancestral Homeland

Finding Your Irish Ancestral Homeland in Ireland (#838)

In this special Irish family history episode we take two letters from our Green Room members. We chat about the approach they should take to uncover more about their respective Irish ancestral homelands.

Irish genealogy trip- Cathy and Mike in County Cork

An Irish Genealogy Trip Back to County Cork (#837)

On our latest episode, join us on an Irish genealogy trip as we embark with Boston-native Cathy Abraham back to County Cork. Unraveling the romantic tale of her great-grandparents’ elopement to America, we uncover hidden truths and visit ancestral lands connected to the O’Callaghan and Richardson families. Prepare for some fascinating discoveries!

The Great Hunger - An old Irish ruin.

Living Conditions at the time of The Great Hunger (#836)

In this episode, we look at a very difficult time in Ireland – one that triggered a time of death across the population of the island as well as emigration for many generations afterwards.

Cup of tea stories - What Happens when an Irish Bard Reads Your Family History (#821)

What Happens when an Irish Bard Reads Your Family History (#821)

In this episode we look at two different styles of story-telling. First, Carina reads out “Which County did your Irish Ancestor Come from?”. In the second feature we ask an Irish Poet/Bard to look at the family history of one of our Green Room members and then to put the entire saga into verse.

blogcobh2 - 7 Irish Characters - 7 Tales of Emigration (#812)

7 Irish Characters – 7 Tales of Emigration (#812)

In a follow-up to our recent episode about traveling from Cobh to Ellis Island – we head back to the Cobh Heritage Centre in County Cork and hear 7 stories of emigration from this very spot to many places around the world. Many thanks to Jack Walsh and all the team at the Cobh Heritage…