A woman sitting with her grandmother as they have a conversation.

All the Ways You Can Learn About Your Family’s History

Everyone is curious about their family, their lineage, their history, and where they came from. You’re definitely not alone in wanting to know more and learn all about your family history; in fact, it’s pretty normal to want to do some type of ancestry research.

There are various ways you can learn about your family’s history and get more insight into your family’s origins, hometown, and more. Some of the following ways including:

Draw out a detailed family tree

Start with what you know and draw out a detailed family tree for yourself. This includes tracing out your parents, aunts and uncles, grandparents, and any immediate family members you are aware of. It can be as detailed or as limited as you prefer, given that there’s a lot of information you will need to process. Once you have the basics of what you know and what’s missing, you can start filling out the gaps.

Speak to family members and relatives

Your first and most authentic source of knowledge is your family. Talk to family members such as your parents, grandparents, cousins, and members of your extended family to see what they know. They might have stories, experiences, and even memories that prove valuable, so don’t downplay your grandmother’s tales of her youth or your great-uncle’s description of his boyhood home.

A family with a mom and her two kids sits on the couch looking at a tablet.


Use the internet for help and information

The internet is your most powerful tool in mapping out your family history. With sites and sources to explore your family’s countries and cities, DNA matching tools, and other features, there’s no downplaying the convenience of having these resources. In fact, we offer Irish ancestry research through our website too! You can share your details, and our team will help you locate, identify, and connect with your family members and more.

Take a genealogy tour to your ancestors’ homes

If you’re ready to take on this adventure and challenge, visit your ancestors’ homes through our Irish ancestry & genealogy tours. We develop custom tours, including researching your family’s history, locating their homes, helping you get there, learning about the area, and connecting with members of your community. There’s nothing quite like being able to discover your family’s history yourself, seeing it all in person, taking in all the beautiful sights, and connecting more deeply with your family’s culture.  It’s an unparalleled experience and one that allows you to immerse yourself in your own history! Nothing beats the physical journey and interaction this opportunity allows you.

Learning about your family’s history isn’t just a frivolous quest or excursion. Ancestry research can teach you about everything from your culture and heritage to various hereditary and genetic conditions, as well as some fascinating stories about your ancestors. Reach out to us to know more about our Irish ancestry & genealogy tours.

 

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Customised Genealogy & Historical Tour

Review of My Ireland Heritage Tours Presented on Trip adviser Oct 2024 By • Family TomBarron2013 New York City, NY2

Once in a lifetime experience

Oct 2024 • Family

We highly recommend My Ireland Heritage for anyone who wants to learn and be guided to their Irish “roots” and much, much more. Sean Quinn and Ian Darragh of My Ireland Family Heritage have deep knowledge or the areas we wanted to visit in Meath, Sligo and Kilkenny. While we knew about one side of the family history back to 1690, there was nothing known about the other that arrived in the US in the 1870s.

Ian, Sean, and Nicola did thorough research on our localities and locations from which our ancestors left for America in 1849 and later. In addition, Ian and Sean did separate day-long “recons” in advance of our time with them, seeking out local people and the specific properties with maps and whatever records still available. Their results were absolutely outstanding! In both our cases, they found and took us to our still-existing cottages and shops from the early 1820s.

It was so enjoyable to be with Ian for three days and for a special day with Sean. Whether it was the Newgrange World Heritage sites 5,500 years old , the Battle of the Boyne 1690 , or the local cemeteries and churches of our ancestors. Ian was especially attentive to my wife throughout the travels after she twisted her ankle in a rain-soaked old cemetery.

Throughout the process of trip preparation over months to giving us the final, wonderful books of Meath and Sligo, Aisling was highly professional and responsive with all the many details. The bound books she prepared are treasures! Thanks to all for truly exceptional experiences.

Newgrange World Unesco Site 5500 years old
Battle of the Boyne 1690 AD
Customised Historical Tours Trim Castle
Entrance stone at Newgrange

Self Drive Product

Review of My Ireland Heritage Tours Presented on Trip adviser by Shelley L @ sjlively

Exceptional in every way!

Over the last few months of preparing for our trip, every single detail was meticulously attended, not only professionally, but helpfully, and in such a friendly manner, that I felt as if I knew Sean, Aisling and Ian before I even stepped off the plane.

The amount of work these wonderful people put into our personal history is mindboggling. My mother was an avid amateur genealogist, and had worked for decades to bring to light the trail our family took, but our resources are limited.

Sean knows exactly where to look, and was able to fill in so many gaps that had eluded us for generations. Some of the information he found, unbeknownst even to him, actually solidified the findings we had amassed over the years. Ours was a family in coal mining – I only found on our tour that they had originated from a mining area, and their arrival on the  border coincided exactly with the decline in the mining industry in County Wicklow.

I would have been overjoyed simply with the knowledge of why they left when they did, about 12 years before the famine. Breaking through our brick wall of great grandparents even farther back on the family tree was a dream come true, but to be able to set foot on not only the area they lived, and find that the house is still there was overwhelming. Seeing the family church and cemetery where our ancestors and extended family still rest is a truly moving experience.

The care taken by this company in each and every aspect of the journey cannot be overstated. Only about 2 weeks prior to my trip, Sean contacted me to let me know that he had also stumbled across some of my husband’s family name in the process and included them as well in his research. How often can anyone say that they not only got what they paid for, but more than they ever imagined? I can say that. They were even kind enough to answer a few follow-up questions after my return home, as I was so stunned on my tour with Ian that I didn’t think ask at the time.If you have the opportunity to make the trip to Ireland, contact My Ireland Family Heritage before you go.

If your family was there, Sean will go above and beyond to find them. Even without family, contact them anyway. Ian is a walking encyclopedia of history, and so fun to talk to. Aisling will make sure every “I” is dotted, and every “T” is crossed.  Thank you so much for the trip of a lifetime, and the opportunity to pass on everything we have discovered to future generations

The Consultation at Hotel / Office or by Phone opens all doors
Genealogy gets you off the Beaten Track to see the Real Ireland

Unique to Every Address with My Ireland Family Research