Irish Resources

Photo by K. Mitch Hodge on Unsplash

​St. Patrick’s Day snuck up on me this year.  Happy Belated St. Patrick’s Day!  If you’re like me, you are spending time at home and making the best of the situation.  Declare March your opportunity to research your Irish roots online.  Several articles and sites have highlighted the Irish records this month.  Here are a few for you to check out.

There are several sites that have been adding new Irish records.  There are so interesting ones that you wouldn’t typically think of researching.  For example, Ancestry.com recently added Irish Dog Licenses!  While you might wonder the value of this, it covers some years that are not available through census records.  This collection covers the years 1810-1926 of dog license records with owners across Ireland.   It includes where the license was purchased and the price, where the owner lived as well as the sex, color and type of dog.  There were many “S.D.s” listed under type which puzzled me until I thought…ah Sheep Dog!  It provides a little snippet into your ancestor’s lives.  So if you have an Ancestry membership, check it out!
I’ve shared information about the EPIC – The Irish Immigration Museum in the past.  They recently sent a reminder about their tips on starting your family tree research.  You’ll find information here to download a free Family Tree Pack.  They also shared this link to watch world renowned Irish fiddle player Colm Mac Ion Iomaire performing an entire concert from his living room…in case you need a break from all of the news.
 
Irish Archives Portal
This site links you to archival collections throughout Ireland.  You won’t necessarily find an online resources, but it will tell you what Irish Archives the information resides in.  However, it’s a great way to be aware of resources that we might not have been aware existed as they are tucked in an archives, not digitized.
FamilyTreeMagazine.com has many articles on Irish research.  Some are free and others require a premium membership to access the article. 
National Archives of Ireland
According to this site you can now access the following records online: “the Census Records for 1901 and 1911, Census survivals for 1821-51, Census Search forms for 1841-51, the Tithe Applotment Books from 1823 to 1837, the Soldiers’ Wills from 1914 to 1917, and the Calendars of Wills and Administrations from 1858 to 1922.”
FamilySearch Wiki
There are many resources and links on FamilySearch Wiki to help you further your Irish research including these two main pages of resources for:
Republic of Ireland
Northern Ireland
As we make the best of a challenging situation, take some time to give yourself a mental break and researching your Irish roots.  There are new records and new information to research. Wishing you the luck of the Irish in your search!
 
“May your day be touched by a bit of Irish luck, brightened by a song in your heart and warmed by the smiles of the people you love.”
 Irish Saying