For most Americans of Irish descent, locating Irish ancestors requires first researching family in the U.S. The goal of this research is locating key information needed to cross the Atlantic and continue the search for family in Ireland. This presentation provides a framework for successfully researching Irish ancestors. We will look at building and focusing research skills to work back through the generations in America, while also employing fundamental organization strategies to navigate the wealth of information generated through family research. An emphasis is placed on the importance of understanding the historical and geographical context within which your Irish ancestors lived, both in the U.S. and in Ireland. We will see how the history and geography of their lives impacted what records were created, and whether, and where, those records might still exist. We will also examine how to draw on the extensive resources available in the genealogical community to better equip you to identify your Irish ancestors in the U.S. and locate their origins in Ireland.

Topics: U.S. family history research, Irish family history research, key information needed for finding ancestors in Ireland, records and history, records and geography, fundamental organizational strategies for genealogy, resources in the genealogy community