Start a Search for Your Ancestor in Ireland

It is said that finding ancestors in Ireland cannot be done because all of the records were burned. This is partly true. During the Civil War in 1922, the office that housed the Church of Ireland records and probate records was destroyed. Most of those records were burned. Civil registration, land, tax, and other records were kept in other offices. They have survived and are available to researchers.

Irish genealogy records vary by time period and place. Before you begin a search for Irish ancestors, you should know the place where they lived in Ireland, the date when they lived there, and whether they were Protestants or Catholics.

Visit the following Web sites to learn more about Irish research.

Irish Genealogy Centre at www.irishgenealogycentre.com/

Cyndi’s List of Genealogical Sites on the Internet at www.cyndislist.com/ireland.htm

Irish County Genealogy Centres at www.irish-roots.net/counties.asp

Genealogy of the United Kingdom and Ireland (GenUKI) at www.genuki.org.uk/big/irl/

The Family History Library has prepared a research outline for Ireland. The following steps tell you how to find the outline.

1.   Go to www.familysearch.org.

2.   Click Search.

3.   Click Research Helps.

4.   Click Sorted by Document Type.

5.   Click Research Outline.

Scroll down, and click on the outline for Ireland.