The mythology and history of how Galway got its name

Galway is a bustling bilingual city whose name is a byword for arts and music, festivals and craic. But what does that name mean? Well, there are a few theories. The drowned princess According to an ancient legend, the city was named for a noblewoman who drowned in the river. Gaillimh, often anglicised to Galvia, …

What happened to Ireland’s 19th century census records?

Census records are vital for piecing your ancestors’ lives together, and are particularly useful for building a timeline of someone’s life.  Ordinarily, a person’s census returns, taken every 10 years or so, helps to build a picture of where they lived, who they lived with, how they made a living, when their children were born, …

What will you find in Ireland’s 1901 and 1911 Census records?

If your Irish ancestors were in Ireland in the early 20th century, the 1901 and 1911 Census returns are a great place to start your genealogical research. While a census was taken in Ireland every 10 years from 1821 to 1911, the only complete census records which are publicly available are those from 1901 and …

Griffith’s Valuation and Sir Richard Griffith, the man who created it

If you have researched your Irish ancestors from the mid-19th century, chances are you have consulted Griffith’s Valuation. Known as the Primary Valuation of Tenements – in this case, tenements referred to any rented properties – this was a land survey carried out between 1847 and 1864 to determine the tax payable on every property …

Everything you need to know about the Tithe Applotment Books: A genealogical guide

The TIthe Applotment Books are a valuable resource to identify where in Ireland your ancestors lived, and who the head of the family was, in the decades prior to the Great Famine. These books are one of the most important Irish census substitutes for the 19th century. However, like other records which stand in for …

What is a townland? A guide to the Irish land divisions used in genealogy records

Where were your Irish ancestors from? What county did they live in? What barony? Which civil parish, which Poor Law Union? And, most importantly, what townland? For a small country, we have found a bewildering variety of ways to carve up the land for administrative purposes. Some, like baronies and Poor Law Unions, are obsolete …

Why you should talk to relatives when researching your family tree

When I was younger my mother told me a story of Samuel May, my great great grandfather, who had gone missing while travelling from his native Belfast to New York. He was a successful businessman, so the story went, who regularly travelled to the US.  Though no one knew exactly what happened to him, it …

A beginner’s guide to tracing your Irish ancestors

I have spent a lot of time over the last decade researching my family history, and it has been a fascinating journey. I’ve discovered a lot about relatives I knew little or nothing about, and I’ve also found many, many people I didn’t know existed. If you have been thinking about learning more about your …