Helen Kelly, genealogy butler at the
Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin, calls it the “goosebump trail”.
That’s when people researching their Irish ancestors finally get
somewhere and are able to “walk in the footsteps of their
ancestors”.
She says while thousands of people come to Ireland looking for
their Irish roots many leave disappointed. And this is mainly to do
with not having done enough research before they come and having
the time to continue it while in Ireland.
Kelly, an experienced professional genealogist, can meet guests
who wish to embark on their Irish roots trail and offer them
professional advice and assistance.
They can book this service on-line once they have confirmed their
reservations at the Shelbourne.
Preferably, they can fill in a form with the information they
already know and send it to her before arriving in Dublin.
She then assesses the information on the guest’s emigrant
ancestor and draws up a practical research plan for Irish
genealogical repositories.
Once they do find where their ancestors were from, Kelly
suggests people visit that area and hopefully meet relatives.
“Economic and social hardship, famine, as well as political
upheaval over hundreds of years caused millions of Irish to leave
for America, Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand and even
parts of South America,” Kelly says.
“Your family’s history is part of Irish history.”
“I believe having Irish ancestry is a way of life. I urge people
to walk the ground … landscape shapes us, so come and savour the
landscape and the memories … We all want to know who we are.”
Kelly says in general, Irish genealogical sources fall into four
main categories:
civil or government records of birth, death and marriage, church
records of baptism and marriage, census returns and land property
records.
Many of the records were destroyed in a series of fires but it’s
still possible to find information.
In Northern Ireland, the Presbyterian records are held in
Belfast and since the Peace accord, more and more are being handed
over.
The Shelbourne, built in 1824, reopened on March 12 this year as
one of Dublin’s largest five star luxury hotels. It’s steeped in
history and is located in the hear of Georgian Dublin overlooking
St Stephen’s Green. It was one of the first in Dublin to get gas
lighting in 1867 and electricity in 1881.
During the Easter Rising in 1916, 40 British soldiers were
garrisoned in the hotel and it came under regular fire. During the
Civil War, the Shelbourne was home to the new army of Ireland.
From February to May 1922 it played host to its most historic
meeting — the drafting of the Irish Constitution which was drawn up
in room 112, under the chairmanship of Michael Collins. This room
is now the Constitution Room.
A one-hour consultation over tea/coffee with the Genealogy
Butler costs 140 euros ($NZ275). It includes a full personalised
assessment report on your on-line submission of ancestral
information, a research programme, an overview of Irish sources and
territorial divisions, a detailed map of Dublin repositories and
Failte Ireland brochure on Irish genealogy.
in stuff.co.nz
Here’s a sample of what you’ll find in this
issue: