Some Queen’s County farmers in 1821 and a tale of a hound
Small Sources 69: Estate papers are an intriguing mix of the myriad documents generated by a family and their staff in the management of their estate and its tenants, and in their own daily lives, often over several generations. The contents typically comprise rentals, deeds, personal and business correspondence, staff records, maps and wills. While […]
Tenants on the DeVesci Estate, Queen’s County 1786-1800
Small Sources 68: This is a list of 102 tenants and tradesmen employed by the DeVesci Estate in the Civil Parish of Abbeyleix, Queen’s County (Co. Laois) between 1786 and 1800. The names listed are all from the index to an account book which is among the DeVesci Papers in the National Library of Ireland […]
Workshop: Tracing your Ulster Ancestors
If you would like to find out how you can trace your Ulster Ancestors, why not join us for a live Zoom Workshop with renown Ulster genealogist Michael Rooney on March 12th for a presentation and a Q&A. Michael will take you on a journey through Ulster records and how you can access them, from […]
How early loss shaped the remarkable life of Philomena Lee.
The recently published report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes has shocked Ireland with the testimonies of hundreds of women who were victims of an unspeakably callous and judgmental society. Yet, it is not really surprising; the story of Ireland’s mother and baby homes has been told by several brave individuals […]
Know your Place – Irish places and their names
1. Introduction Finding the home place of your ancestor is central to finding the records they left behind. However, those new to Irish family research often find the nature of the land-divisions used, and their names, very confusing. Even those who are experienced in Irish research often find difficulty in locating places identified in old […]
Tenants of New Ross, Co. Wexford in 1768.
Small Sources 67: This is a rental containing 119 tenants of Arthur Lord Viscount Valentia’s estate in New Ross and Old Ross, Co. Wexford compiled in 1768. The original document is in the National Library of Ireland (NLI Ms 8470 (9)). The detail provides, for each tenant, the rent due; and the lease details (see […]
Tenants in Strokestown area of Roscommon 1810-15
Small Sources No. 66. This is a list of 94 tenants of the Pakenham-Mahon estate in Roscommon in the period 1810-1815. All tenants have properties in Strokestown and neighbouring townlands, and particularly in Cloonslannor, a neighbouring townland. The original document is in the National Library of Ireland (NLI Ms. 5501). It is one small item […]
How comprehensive are early Irish Civil records?
Registration of births, deaths and marriages in Ireland started in 1864 except for non-Catholic marriages which start in 1845. There are over 15.5 million records available on-line and they are a major resource for family history research. A separate blog provides the details of the records that are available and how to access them. However, […]
Civil Registration of Birth, Marriage and Death in Ireland
Civil records of birth, marriage or death are the gold standard in proof of an event in an ancestor’s life, and certificates make a nice artefact in your collection. In Ireland, civil registration of births, deaths and marriages started in 1864, except for non-Catholic marriages which start in 1845. Within the Republic of Ireland, the […]
The Irish Ancestry of Joe Biden
This piece of work was researched and written by expert genealogist, Ita O’ Boyle. The Irish Ancestry of Joe Biden Joe Biden’s ancestry traces back to the famine years in Ireland when hunger, despair and destitution propelled many of the Irish population to cross the Atlantic in search of a better future. Born on 20 […]
