How I finally found my long lost Irish ancestors

I love the story of your search for family roots. You need to stay focussed, take your time and talk with everyone and document all info as you go. I too have had success in my Irish research by sharing. It is a never-ending thing, this genealogy research, especially in Ireland and one can find distant cousins by carefully checking everything as you have done, each find leading to more. Aileen in New Zealand

Hi thank you so much for the great article, I am just starting to research the family again. I think your information and tips will be very very helpful! I have pieces of information, now the hard part is connecting them and then of course A trip back to Ire!

Dear Readers: Thanks so much for your wonderful comments! You don't know how much this means to me. I wrote this piece while recovering from major surgery, and I am just so grateful to have lived long enough to share these genealogical tips with you. All the best, Ellen M. Puff

I love to search for my family in Ireland. I stumbled by accident across a living relative while researching something else altogether. I can only trace back to ca1820, though, because of the lack of records before that time.

I absolutely loved this very long posting. I have Irish ancestors from County Down, but when in Ireland did not dare visit beause of the "troubles". I would love to do just what she did but at my age it is probably not possible. A granddaughter is going this fall to convert Catholics to a protestant denomination, and I hope she does not suceed, however she is a lovely girl and will really enjoy Ireland. I would love to go with her as I do have some living relatives in Dubin area. It was a wonderfully informative article. I hope to use some of that knowledge in my own searching.

Well done Ellen - The fun of finding a new lead is really exciting - I have been searching here & in Ireland since 1972 - What a wonderful story has unfolded - Have worked with Mary Swanson of Apple Valley, MN., for years & we have completed 3books about "THE O'BRIEN CLAN OF TORRANCE - ANCESTRY from ANCIENT TIMES" Would like to compare note - Peter R O'Brien at pobrien1@socal.rr.com - GOD BLESS

Thank you Ellen....you inspired me!! So, now I will once again begin my research to try to secure my grandmother's (Jennie Breen) birth certificate from "somewhere" in Ireland. And hopefully, be successful enough this time and maybe even find some relatives over there. Lord knows as many times as I've been to Ireland (10) I've probably sat in a pub & "conversed with a relative" :-)

A week from this evening I'll be on a plane to Dublin, taking a train to Ballinasloe, Galway based in the hotel for a week, the first eve will be shopping to Galway City, the next day I'll' search for my Relatives, the Rafterys. I have an obit that shows my great-grandfather born in Ahascragh. Ship's logs prove he came here in the Chgo area in 1859. Died here in 1892. Where the spelling changed is beyond me, but my family and I are part of his family. I'll see next week. Hugely looking forward to it!!!!!!

I read every word my heart pounding and with tears running down my face. I grew up in Ireland not knowing a lot about my own country. Familys did not want anyone to know there business so a lot of wonderfull people died not knowing who they were related to. Some searched not even the Churchs would help you then. I Found my Father's Family after 70 years with the help of my Spouse. We did that by knocking on Doors. There is still a lot more I don't know. People don't wait search now. Thanks for Irish Central.