Tracing Your Roots: Genealogy in Ireland

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Many of those who come to Ireland each year are not planning only to relax and enjoy themselves. Due to past necessity, most notably the potato famine, Ireland has seen a large diaspora of residents. Some of them travelled to England but many went to Australia and North America to look for a place to live and work, and now their descendants are returning, coming back to Ireland to trace their family’s past, possibly even to find distant relatives they never knew about. Those wishing to trace their genealogy make up a large percentage of Ireland’s annual tourists, and if you number among them, there are certain places where you may want to begin your search.

One place you may want to start is Dungarvan, in County Waterford. The Dungarvan Museum Society is dedicated to the preservation of the area’s past, and offers visitors information on the Famine and genealogy, among other things. Also of interest may be the Borough of Ballymoney, which contains records of its own old families and the branches thereof. The City of Derry also has an extensive genealogy centre, as so many Irish cities and boroughs.

As you can see, Ireland is not without resources to offer those who wish to trace their roots and perhaps fill in the names on the farther branches of their family tree. However, in order to expedite your search, you will probably find it best if you first have some idea of where your ancestors originated. With such large numbers leaving in mass exodus, you will find it extremely difficult to trace your own family if you don’t have at least some hint of where to start. Many small boroughs contain records of those who left the area, but not many contain records of those who left other areas, so in order to get the most out of your search, you must first have some idea of where you need to begin.

If you are planning to tour around Ireland tracing your roots, Thrifty Car Hire would be pleased to supply you with a car rental vehicle suitable to your needs.