Finding our Irish roots

Conducting genealogical research when traveling to Ireland

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Irish Ancestral Holidays helped Jane and Andrew locate their family's roots in Wicklow.

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For many Irish Americans traveling to the Emerald Isle, the chance to track down family histories and conduct genealogical research is one of the largest draws. Failte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority, recommends first gathering as much information as possible on ancestors, including names, dates of birth, marriage and death, county and parish of origin, and religious denomination. The most often used sources are birth and death certificates and church records, land/property valuation records, and census returns. Once in Ireland with collected information, there are several stops an amateur historian should make. One is the National Library of Ireland, which offers a free genealogical advisory service. The National Archives of Ireland houses a service staffed by a genealogist that locates records such as wills and census records. The Public Records Office of Northern Ireland can help those with roots in Ulster. The Valuation Office in Dublin and the Registry of Deeds offer a great deal of genealogical information that can be found in maps, deeds and property transactions.

Some companies provide an entire genealogical experience, such as Irish Ancestral Holidays (www.irishancestralholidays.com), a team of travel, genealogy, hospitality and history experts in Ireland that create vacation plans around tracing Irish roots. “Our holidays are tailored to the customer,” said Howard Kingston of the company. “It’s an emotional experience that you won’t get from typing your surname into a search engine. We have the best genealogists in Ireland working to bring family history alive. They’ve worked on the BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are? program and researched family history for Barack Obama.”

Irish Ancestral Holidays offers packages that consider individual travelers’ interests. “Because there is no way of standardizing a holiday that deals with your own personal history, we consider your preferences, hobbies and interests,” said Mr. Kingston. “If you’re into golfing, we make sure you tee-off at some of Ireland’s best courses. If you’re into culture, we arrange Irish music sessions. It’s your choice how you get around Ireland on your holiday, ranging from chauffeur-driven luxury cars to self-drive to public transport. Most significantly, we take into account the emotional journey of our clients. Reliving your family’s history is a very personal experience, and we go to all lengths to make sure it’s completely unforgettable. Our team goes all over Ireland to see if that gravestone, that tiny parish church, or that ruined farm-worker’s cottage is still accessible, and we ensure that family history comes alive.” Irish Ancestral Holidays also offers stand-alone genealogy packages for those who cannot travel to Ireland.

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