For many Irish Americans traveling to the Emerald Isle, the chance to track down family histories and conduct genealogical research is one of the largest draws. Failte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority, offers information on how best to prepare for genealogical research in Ireland. They recommend first gathering as much information as possible on known ancestors, including names, birth and death dates, county and parish of origin, religious denomination, and marriage dates and places. The most commonly used genealogical sources are birth and death certificates and church records, land/property valuation records, and census returns. Once in Ireland with any collected information, there are several stops an amateur historian should make to research their family history. One is the National Library of Ireland, which offers a free genealogical advisory service. The National Archives of Ireland houses an advisory service staffed by a genealogist that can help locate records such as wills, census records and other holdings. The Public Records Office of Northern Ireland can help those with roots in Ulster, with valuation books, wills, estate papers and church records. The Valuation Office in Dublin has maps and land books that document changes in land and property occupancy over time. Lastly, the Registry of Deeds, established in 1708, offers a great deal of genealogical information that can be found in deeds and other property transactions.
An invaluable tool for individuals or families seeking to discover their Irish ancestry, some companies provide a personalized genealogical experience that can be more gratifying than dead-end Internet searches. One such company is Irish Ancestral Holidays, a team of travel, genealogy, hospitality and history experts based in Ireland that create a vacation plan based around a journey to retrace Irish family roots.
“I think what makes us the best possible service for Irish-Americans looking to uncover their family roots is the level of personal service that we offer,” said Howard Kingston of Irish Ancestral Holidays. “Our holidays are personally tailored to the customer. That means we can make every Irish Ancestral Holiday an emotional experience that you won’t get from sitting at home and typing your surname into an Internet search engine. It’s real; we have the best genealogists in Ireland working solely to bring family history alive. They have worked on the BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are? program, and have researched the family history for the likes of Barack Obama. Also the fact that our on-the-ground knowledge is second to none means we can provide a complete service, combining a fantastic holiday with the emotional journey of seeking out your ancestral trail.”
Irish Ancestral Holidays additionally offers packages that consider individual travelers’ interests. “Because there is no way of standardizing a holiday that deals with your own personal history, all of our holidays are bespoke, from the historical research itself, down to the choice of accommodation,” said Mr. Kingston. “We’ll take into account your preferences, hobbies and interests and try to include them in your itinerary. For example, if you’re into golfing, we can make sure you tee-off at some of Ireland’s best courses. If you’re into culture, we can arrange Irish music sessions for you. It’s also your choice how you get around Ireland on your holiday; our customers’ tastes range from chauffeur-driven luxury cars, to self-drive, to public transport.
“But most significantly, we take into account the emotional journey of our clients. Reliving your family’s history is a very personal experience, and we go to all lengths to make sure that experience is completely unforgettable. Our team goes all over Ireland to see if that gravestone, that tiny parish church, or that ruined farm-worker’s cottage is still accessible, and we ensure that family history comes alive.” Irish Ancestral Holidays also offers stand-alone genealogy packages for those who cannot travel to Ireland.
For Mr. Kingston, the concept of Irish Ancestral Holidays stemmed from a need he saw in guests at the county-guesthouse in Wicklow where his family has provided Irish hospitality for three generations. “We have plenty of visitors, and I always make a point of asking our guests if they have Irish ancestors. The McGinty family from Boston was over for a summer vacation, and I asked them about their ancestors over a cup of tea. ‘My great-grandfather came from somewhere in Kerry,’ Mr. McGinty proudly said. ‘But heck, we just couldn’t find any more information about him than that.’After lots of research and several cups of tea, I was able to help Mr. McGinty find what he was looking for. Irish Ancestral Holidays grew from there.”
Mr. Kingston also encourages those who are interested in researching their family history not to be disheartened if they don’t have much information to go on. “Our clients come to us with a hugely varying degree of information about their family; every case is unique. Usually, we can find out a lot from simply a name, date of birth, religious denomination and county as a starting point. With this information, we have a high level of success. That said, many people have much more information; generally speaking, the more information we have about a person’s ancestor/s, the further back in history we can delve. The best starting point is usually from a family tree, or a living relative. Once someone gets in touch with us with their information, we can take it all from there.”
The initial ancestral assessment is 60 euro, at which point an individual will be given a research plan that indicates the probability of being able to trace one’s family history. A typical Irish Ancestral Holiday price for an eight-day/seven-night stay for two is approximately 7,500 euro.
For those with Irish ancestry who want to research their family’s genealogy or other records without leaving home, Eneclann at Trinity College Dublin offers a range of professional services in the historical, heritage, archive and records management sectors. Founded by Trinity College history graduates Brian Donovan and Fiona Fitzsimons, Eneclann employs historians, genealogists and archivists who work in historical and genealogical research, e-publishing and digitalization, and records & archive management. Eneclann offers family history research projects that can be given as gifts, as well as conducting research for individuals and the media. The company has participated in major historical projects including the Belvedere Book, Irish Genealogy Project, and Ballymun History Project. Family histories cost on average around 360 euro.
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in the June / July 2010 issue of Irish America.
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