Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet: A Guide for Family Historians.

Irish research title image
10 Oct, 2019

Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet: A Guide for Family Historians.

Book cover of Irish family history research on the internetIn this welcome updated 2nd addition Chris Paton has managed to guide the reader through the wealth of Irish records that are available online.

Chris begins the journey with what he calls ‘The Genealogical Landscape’ which is an overview of all the available resources, details of what can be found there and the website address.

Through the next chapters Chris goes on to list the vital records available for Ireland both North and South and the dates that are available to and from. Details of the records is clearly explained for the beginner whilst also acting as a reminder for the more experienced researcher.

Chris has covered all aspects of research considerations including occupations and the chapter that I found exceptionally helpful being ‘The decade of Centenaries’ covering the period from 1912 to 1923, where there was enormous societal and constitutional changes that took place. Chris clearly guides the reader through this period and the effects that it had on the area.

As the reader progresses through the book there is a chapter covering each of the Provinces of Ireland highlighting available records for each area. Chris finishes off with a chapter on ‘Irelands Diaspora’ and where to look when a gap appears in your Irish research, potential Emigration, and where your ancestors may have travelled to.

This book dispels the common myth that following the Four Courts fire in 1922 that all the Irish records were destroyed making Irish research impossible, the reader is guided through the maze of alternative sources and records to assist with Irish research. It is not a list of websites to look at but an explanation of the route to find records detailing your ancestors, and Chris’s helpful case studies show how the records can be used to their best benefit. This is a useful guide that navigates you through the research process no matter what your level of experience is, as it caters for the beginner and advanced alike.

Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet: A Guide for Family Historians can be read from cover to cover but can equally be used as a quick guide for a specific type of record or Province as your research dictates.

The book can be order here: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483 

Review by Heather Nowlan

RQG Member