A relatively new and exciting database is “Irish Genealogy”: www.irishgenealogy.ie. It is an incredible addition to the world of Irish genealogy. This free database currently includes 3 million pre-1900 church records targeting the following areas:
- County Carlow (Church of Ireland)
- County Cork: West (Roman Catholic Diocese Cork & Ross which includes Cork City)
- County Dublin: Dublin City (Roman Catholic, Church of Ireland, Presbyterian)
- County Kerry: (Roman Catholic, Church of Ireland)
For so long, these areas have been somewhat of a blank in our Irish research. We all waited for years for County Kerry, western and southern County Cork to be completed. These areas alone were areas for massive Irish immigration. This makes Irishgenealogy.ie a major contribution in our search for immigrant origins.
These entries are not part of the RootsIreland.ie website sponsored by the Irish Family History Foundation: www.rootsireland.ieThese databases together provide an incredible
look at Irish families unthinkable not that many years ago.
As with any database, it’s only as correct as the people who indexed them. Some original registers are in horrid condition or have gaps in them. The indexers did the best they could with what was at their disposal. Always keep that in mind during your searches. Also, if you need a particular parish, make sure it is on the database. This is still a growing collection and the website will keep you aware every few months of their progress.
In short, if you don’t know where in Ireland a family is from, utilize Irishgenealogy.ie alongside Rootsireland.ie website. With either one, be creative with your spelling of surnames, and always be quite liberal with the age of your immigrant ancestor.
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