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

Life in Ireland 1800s

Life in Ireland during the 1800s: See more by looking through this lens

I have noticed that when we assemble an Irish family tree by gathering the essential ancestors, places and dates – we eventually ask: “I wonder what life in Ireland was like for my Irish ancestor and their family?”

The Great Hunger Memorial Statues with flowers

Did your Irish Ancestor Live Through this terrible time?

Ever wondered about the stories and trials your Irish ancestor might have faced during the great famine? As I delved into the resilience and hardships of my own O’Regan lineage, it made me reflect on the untold tales each of our ancestors might hold.

The Irish Famine - Cottier Class

How the Irish Famine Wiped out a Whole Group of People

The Irish famine had a profound effect on a large group of people in Ireland who often went unrecorded. While some records of Irish ancestors are lost due to incidents like fires, many times no records were made in the first place.

Letter From ireland

10th Anniversary of the Letter from Ireland

We’re having a birthday celebration here in Cork, and not just any birthday – it’s the 10th anniversary of this Letter from Ireland!

I’m sipping on my regular cup of Barry’s Tea, do join me with a cup of whatever you fancy yourself, as I share the story of how this little Letter from Ireland came to be.

Greetings from the City of Belfast - The City of Belfast

The City of Belfast

explore the city of Belfast’s unique history and its divergence from other Irish cities. Through a conversation between Colleen and our Belfast-born genealogist, Jayne McGarvey, we’ll delve into the lives of ancestors, the events that moulded them, and the reasons behind their migrations.

Irish Genealogy & Family History Podcasts

Rowan Gillespie Hobart

The Convict Irish in Australia – A Trip to Van Diemen’s Land (#401)

Were any of your Irish ancestors shipped to Australia as convicts? Join us as we travel around Tasmania off the south coast of Australia – a place known to many of our Irish ancestors as “Van Diemen’s Land”.

Initial Meetup - An Irish American Story - From County Kerry to Illinois (#306)

An Irish American Story – From County Kerry to Illinois (#306)

In this episode of the Letter from Ireland Show we follow the trail of one Irish Emigrant family all the way from County Kerry to Chicago and Illinois in the USA. Join us as we start in the family homestead just outside Listowel in County Kerry.

48645121 s - From the Mouths of Babes - A Wonderful Irish Ancestry Resource (#304)

From the Mouths of Babes – A Wonderful Irish Ancestry Resource (#304)

There is a wonderful Irish Ancestry Resource that many of us overlook when we are “scouring” the records for the smallest hint or connection. It also has the benefit of being very entertaining. See if you have used this resource in the past – or plan to in the future!

A letter from Ireland podcast

Voices from Australia – A Trip Along the Irish Ancestral Trail (#212)

Would you like to hear some Irish Voices from Australia? Last March we headed to Australia on the Irish Ancestry Trail – and this podcast features just some of the people we met along the way.

DNA Podcast - DNA Testing - Our Experiences with Irish Ancestry DNA (#209)

DNA Testing – Our Experiences with Irish Ancestry DNA (#209)

What have your experiences with DNA testing for Irish Family History been like? Successful? Frustrating? Or somewhere in between? In this episode of the Letter from Ireland show, we share our own recent experiences.