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Down Under Series Places and Ethnicities Ireland

Irish Ancestors – 5 More Essential Websites You Need to Know About

Natalie Bodle
Jul 2, 2025
998 views
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Syllabus
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Content

Play. Playing.
Welcome
1m 46s
Play. Playing.
Speaker's Introduction
1m 01s
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Introduction
3m 13s
Play. Playing.
The National Archives- Kew
14m 09s
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Griffith's Valuation
23m 04s
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Registry of Deeds
13m 04s
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Roots Ireland
10m 21s
Play. Playing.
British Newspaper Archive
7m 32s
Play. Playing.
Announcements / prizes
2m 41s
Play. Playing.
Questions / answers
6m 43s

About this webinar

Following on from the ‘Irish Ancestors – Top 5 Websites You Need To Know About’ webinar delivered in January 2024, this talk examines five more key websites. These websites, most of which are free to access, hold a wealth of information that can help to build your family tree and build a picture of their lives. We will examine the type of records held on each site and will include search hints and tips to get the most out of your research on the following websites: The National Archives, Griffith’s Valuation, The Registry of Deeds, Roots Ireland, The British Newspaper Archive.

About the speaker

About the speaker

Natalie Bodle
Natalie is a full-time professional genealogist, educator and tour guide and a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG).  A native of County Antrim, her company Roots Revealed is based in Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Irel
Learn more...

Key points and insights

In this insightful webinar presented by Natalie Bodle through Legacy Family Tree Webinars, genealogists are guided on a virtual journey through five indispensable websites that offer powerful tools for researching Irish ancestry. Building on a prior presentation that covered foundational resources, this session introduces additional online archives and platforms that are essential for anyone delving into Irish genealogical research. With a strong focus on maximizing access to free or lesser-known databases, Natalie’s expertise provides both beginner and advanced researchers with practical methods for uncovering elusive Irish family records.

Key Takeaways:

  • Strategic Use of the National Archives (UK)
    While based in England, The National Archives (TNA) holds a surprising wealth of Irish records, including wills, military service files, and church court probate documents. Researchers can benefit from the Discovery Catalogue and digitized collections, such as the British Army Medal Index Cards and pre-1858 wills, many of which are freely accessible with a free account.

  • Griffith’s Valuation: More Than Just Names and Maps
    The Ask About Ireland website hosts this essential mid-19th-century property survey, which serves as a vital census substitute. Natalie explains how to navigate it effectively—including interpreting by-names, understanding land plot coding, and using townland indexes—and demonstrates how to cross-reference with estate records or use modern tools like Irish Townlands and Google Earth to locate ancestral properties.

  • Uncovering Legal and Land Transactions Through the Registry of Deeds
    Though often underutilized due to complexity, the Registry of Deeds contains millions of legal documents such as wills, leases, and marriage settlements. Natalie showcases multiple access points, including FamilySearch Labs’ experimental full-text AI search, the Registry of Deeds Index Project, and Ireland’s Virtual Record Treasury, where color digitizations and searchable abstracts expand access to this rich archive.

To truly unlock the potential of these digital resources, viewing the full webinar is highly recommended. Natalie’s live demonstrations and expert tips make it easier to navigate each platform confidently, potentially uncovering details that were previously out of reach.

For those passionate about tracing Irish roots, the accompanying syllabus is packed with direct links, advanced research strategies, and further reading to deepen your knowledge. Explore the Legacy Family Tree Webinar Library to access this session and related Irish genealogy content—an invaluable toolkit for building your family history with clarity and confidence.

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  1. KK
    Kathleen Kelley
    1 week ago

    Wonderful Webinar! The live demonstrations were extremely helpful.

    Reply
  2. GD
    Georgia Draper
    1 week ago

    Excellent talk, very well presented. Each website was thoroughly explained

    Reply
  3. AF
    Ann Fitz-Gerald
    1 week ago

    A great reminder of how many sites are available to search, and excellent instructions on which records are available and how to search for them.

    Reply
  4. MB
    Michael Balog
    1 week ago

    A very nice webinar from Natalie. She went into each website and showed us how to navigate even when things got sketchy.

    Reply
  5. KM
    Kendra Marasco
    1 week ago

    Great coverage and detail of the information provided! Very helpful! Great presentation! Thank you

    Reply
  6. PG
    Pamela Gardner
    1 week ago

    Teacher obviously well versed in various resources and their respective nuances

    Reply
  7. AM
    Ann Marie LYNCH
    1 week ago

    Lots of good resources demonstrated! Looks like hours ahead of me at the computer! Thank you!

    Reply
  8. GD
    Georgia Draper
    1 week ago

    Excellent presentation, clear explanation of how to use each website

    Reply
Show all comments

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