Irish Records: Arm Yourself Before You Search

I'm starting a series of articles next week on where to find records in Ireland. You will get to the point eventually where you will have to deal with those records. It's actually the point I'm at now and you get to learn about these records right along with me. My next trip to Ireland I'll be giving you a diary of my journey here on these pages. In the meantime, if anyone out there can correct or expound upon anything given in any of these pages ..please do! At the end of the day I'm just another struggling head hunter!

You really do need to arm yourself with cold hard facts before you attempt doing searches in Irish records. Just because Aunt Mary said your fourth Great Grandmother was from 'around' Longford and came to Canada around 1860 doesn't mean a thing. It is only a clue for you to investigate. You need facts and documentationor you won't get anywhere when you get to Irish record searches. Worse yet, you could make a mistake!

You should already know this by now but I'll skim over it. Get your facts from the following sources:

• family Bibles
• census records
• Church records
• school records
• probate records
• obituaries: look up every name you find and note the relationships if given, AND look up ANY family name different from yours. Your family line may be hidden amongst records seemingly unconnected. Do not assume that the name wouldn't have records on your line.
• immigration records
• naturalization records
• land records
• county deeds
• county and state tax records
• archives of famous families (you better believe you can get lucky)
• local historical groups: they can be hiding old letters and photos as well as contacts and all sorts of cool stuff.
• local school archives: A wealth of information found these records!!)
• local Church histories
• fire department records
• local organizations like National Grange, Future Farmers of America, temperance societies, etc.

Ask yourself these things. What things were important in the community? What organizations are mentioned in the odd letter ..churches, clubs, festivals? Any names mentioned that aren't familiar? How about old cook books or scrap books? Is there a clipping that seems out of place in a scrap book? Look up everything and you may be rewarded by one tiny illusive fact hidden amongst the stacks of "stuff".

Arm yourself before you search!

I suggest you have as much of the following information as is humanly possible. It will help greatly in your search in Irish Records. These are the things I always have on hand

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