Book Report: Tracing Your Irish Family History

Tracing Your Irish Family History

By Anthony Adolph

Firefly Books, Ltd., Ontario, 2009

 

This book sits on my genealogy bookshelves beside several others on the same topic. They have all taught me more about the home of my mother’s mother’s family but this one is especially appealing. When you first flip through the pages you will be pulled in by the photographs, charts, text boxes, sketches and easy to read text. You can browse on any page or read cover to cover. I’ve done both.

When you get past the appealing layout you’ll find the content full of research tips and Irish facts and history. Within the section on the United States Mr. Adolph gives these suggestions for research: NARA, societies, civil registration, censuses, directories, religious registers, newspapers, biographical dictionaries, wills, naturalizations, shipping lists, army records and land records. Each has a brief description of their value to genealogy. In the same section there are text boxes about: the colonization of America, President Kennedy, criminals sentenced to transportation to the colonies and further reading.  

When looking in Ireland for more information Mr. Adolph writes,

“Whether or not you’ve found your ancestor’s place of origin yet, don’t leap on the next plane to Dublin. Much Irish research can be done online and using the Mormon’s microfilmed records…”

He then writes about hiring professional genealogists, materials available through societies, useful magazines and books, websites and biographical dictionaries. He describes repositories in Dublin and Belfast and the county heritage centres.

The ‘Divisions of Ireland’ section is especially important to understand in order to locate the records you need. The difference between a townland, a parish and a barony is important. I was confused before reading about the difference.

I suggest you find this book in your library or buy a copy. You won’t regret spending an afternoon with this book.

Contents

Part 1. Tracing back to Ireland: first steps

          First, find your immigrant

          Using and storing records

Part 2. Tracing back to Ireland, country by country

          England and Wales

          Scotland

          United States

          Canada

          Argentina

          Australia

          New Zealand

Part 3. Tracing your roots in Ireland

          Introducing Ireland

          The divisions of Ireland

          Griffith’s Valuation and Tithe Applotments

          Civil Registration

          Censuses

          Religious Registers

          Occupational records

          Dictionary of Irish sources

Part4. Tracing ancient Irish roots

          Irish names

          Recorded pedigrees

          Heraldry

          Milesius was your ancestor

          Ancient Irish roots

          The invasions of Ireland

          Modern chieftains

          Genetics

Useful addresses

Index

MY LIBRARY

At the top of this blog, click on My Library for many more books that I have found useful for genealogical & historical research.