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
Wondering why you don’t have an Irish DNA match yet? Here’s why fewer people test in Ireland and how to track down your ancestors anyway.
Do you know what happened to your Irish relatives who stayed behind? You may still find some living cousins that have stayed on the same farm in Ireland.
Along Ireland’s west coast, small graveyards perch above beaches and headlands. Discover why so many Irish graveyards face the sea.
Meet the Irish man United States history forgot. Born in Cork, he was the first to write the nation’s name. Where were your ancestors in 1776?
A simple weather alert can reveal a much deeper history. Learn how the potato blight shaped Ireland, family stories, and the Great Famine.
Irish Genealogy & Family History Podcasts
Today we tell the story of two Irish men who ended up fighting on the opposite sides of the American Civil War. One was Patrick Cleburne – also known as “Stonewall of the West” – who was born in the same village as Carina. The other was Thomas Francis Meagher – who came from Waterford…
In this episode of the Letter from Ireland podcast we take a literary turn! First off we have a look at that literary masterpiece of Jane Austen – Pride and Prejudice – having fun with some of the Irish versions of the character’s surnames. Then, we trace our way from County Down to Yorkshire in…
Do you have ancestors who originated in the counties of Ulster? In this episode we interview Janet Hancock – the Deputy Head of Public Services at PRONI (The Public Records Office of Northern Ireland). We chat about: Janet’s role at PRONI and her own background. How and why was PRONI set up? How useful is…
In this episode, Mike Collins chats with Jayne McGarvey (our Green Room genealogist) about what drives a genealogist crazy about how some people use ancestry.com. We talk through the strengths and weaknesses of ancestry.com, problems specific to Irish ancestry research and how people can improve the way they use ancestry.com. Lots of nuggets from a practising Irish ancestry genealogist.
Join Mike and our head genealogist in The Green Room, Jayne McGarvey, as we chat about the usefulness of the Irish “Tithe Applotment Books” when discovering more about the location and lives of your Irish ancestors during the early 1800s.