How to Rediscover Your Roots in Ireland

When people have busy lives, they tend to forget about things from the past; whether it’s their ancestral heritage, their values passed down from generation to generation or their native culture. If you feel like you’re disconnecting from your nativity, the best thing to do is rediscover your roots!

If you’re from Ireland, here are some ways you can rediscover your roots and dive into researching your Irish genealogy!

Talk With Your Senior Family Members.

Before you start frantically going through any database to learn about your heritage, it’s best to talk to senior family members first. The best thing about having senior family members around is that they are a great source of knowledge about our ancestry! They will know all the necessary family surnames, and that information will be useful during your research.

Read The Irish History

If your ancestors migrated, it’s best to find out why! Pick up books from your local library about the social and political issues in the history of Ireland and find out what your ancestors went through. There are many events like the Protestant Reformation during the 1600s, the Cromwellian Conquest in 1649, The Great Famine in 1845, and The Land War in 1879. This will help you build a stronger connection with your ancestors.

Locate Your Origin

Knowing the name of your origin townland will help you the most during your research. You can find out about your ancestral town through any existing documentation; try death certificates, church records, military draft forms, anything that would help.

Visit Your Homeland!

A nighttime photo of The Temple Bar

Coming back to where your ancestors lived is one of the most important experiences in rediscovering your roots. Roam through the busy streets of Dublin or eat seafood at the Connemara Peninsula; living the lives your ancestors lived will help you have a deeper understanding of your Irish roots. There is no better way to connect with your heritage than by coming home.

Looking For Expert Genealogy Research Services?

If you’re wondering about where to find top-quality genealogy research services, try out our expert ancestry research at My Ireland Family Heritage.

Our researchers provide the most professional genealogy research services all over Ireland at the most affordable rates. Our services also include one-day family heritage tours, Irish ancestry tours, ancestry research, and much more. Visit our website to check out more of our services, or contact us today to get started.

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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