Irish-American Catholic Genealogy

Information about our Irish ancestors is exploding on the internet. The best websites for Irish research are explored and analyzed. Recent, landmark additions of vital records and census information are presented. Finding aids for further Irish research are assessed and critiqued in this exciting lecture on all that has happened…

For many of us who have Irish ancestry, the major question is 'but where in Ireland?' Like millions of other descendants of Irish emigrants, Michelle Leonard has Irish ancestors who left Ireland in the 1840s-60s and on nearly all documents she can find for them their birthplaces were given simply as 'Ireland'. In many cases traditional research is not able to narrow down exactly where in Ireland our ancestors lived and trying to trace them across the seas is often a 'needle in a haystack' endeavour. In this personal case study, Michelle will outline how she managed to identify exact locations in Ireland for her Irish lines using the power of DNA testing and will provide strategies and top tips that could help you do the same.

This webinar is a romp through the top 5 websites where you will find information on your Irish ancestors. Best of all most of them are free! This is ideal if you are at the start of your Irish ancestral research and will give you a good grounding before delving into the more obscure record sets.

The Registry of Deeds based in Dublin has been in existence since 1704 and manages the legal registration of property. Less well known is that it is also a repository for genealogical treasures such as wills, property leases and marriage agreements. People named in these records include the principal parties and also wider family members and witnesses. It is also possible to find records by location. These records are available as microfilms on the Family Search website although they are not indexed there. This webinar will cover different methods of searching within and accessing these valuable records.

There are many examples of Unknown Parentage cases in Ireland - illegal adoptees, a foundling grandparent, or simply an Irish Brick Wall. This talk explores the approach to solving these cases, the challenges faced with Irish records, and some hints & tips to overcome them using DNA.

Identify push factors to emigration (internal issues influencing emigration): Identify pull factors to emigration (external forces encouraging emigration) • Discuss factors and resources for each time period • Emigration pre-1717 • Scots-Irish (1717 - 1783) • Revolutionary War to the Famine (1783-1845) • Famine years and after • How to use to find places of origin

Known in their homeland as Ulster-Scots, these mainly Lowland Scots left their homeland and settled in Ulster during the Plantation, sometimes staying only for a few generations and then many made their way to the New World. Why did these Scots come to Ulster and why did they then subsequently leave? What were the push and pull factors? Why did Presbyterian ministers have such sway over these people? We will look at the perils they faced on their transatlantic journey and what they found when they arrived in the new world. We will examine the range of records and sources where you may find your Ulster-Scots ancestors and that can tell you more about this pioneering ethnic group that produced a number of US Presidents and millions of descendants worldwide today.

The Tithe records, the Townland Valuation and Griffith’s Primary Valuation records are used as Census substitutes for 19th century Ireland. Griffith’s Valuation was also updated on a regular basis up to the 1930’s and we’ll look at those records too. This webinar will cover the key elements of each record, teasing out valuable information, along with where you can access these records. We’ll include search tips and techniques and use a case study to trace a family home from the early 19th century up to the present day, including how to pinpoint your ancestors house on a map and discover if it is still standing today.

When many start their Irish family history research they often head straight for the larger national repositories and their collections. Census records and parish registers are a great starting point for our research but don’t always help you in breaking through those brick walls. What many overlook when researching their Irish family history is the treasure trove of local repositories and the records they contain. These include street directories, cemetery registers, maps, school rolls, workhouse records and even personal family archives. The majority of Irish counties on both sides of the border have their own dedicated county library and archive which are run by local councils. This webinar will examine some of the records contained in local repositories and how best to use them for genealogical research.