Tracing your ancestors is not an easy task but there are ways and means that can help with such a task. The following article looks at where to start tracing your roots in Dublin and offers some great tips and advice. For further details please read on…

• Check the correct names, dates of birth, marriage and death of your parents and grandparents; ensure to make a record of this. Make a list of brothers and sisters of each parent and grandparent, as far back as you can. This information can be obtained by asking your family members: your parents, aunt, uncles, grandparents and so on.

• Visit your local Public Library and check out the library’s ‘Online Public Access Catalogue’ or OPAC for relevant material in Dublin City Public Libraries. You should also seek help and advice from your local librarian.

• Visit The General Registers Office at Dublin City Library - this office is responsible for the records of births, marriages and deaths dating back as far as 1864. Ensure to make copies of any certificates that are relevant to your research.

• Church registers.

• Census Records.

• Griffiths Valuation - this is a record of all the property owners in Ireland dating from 1848 to 1864. These records are on file in all major libraries and records offices throughout Ireland.

• Remember that your ancestors may have been born, married or may have died outside of Ireland.

• You can also receive professional help and assistance from a number of Irish Genealogy sites who will assist you to trace your ancestors for a small fee.

• Why not take a trip to Ireland and retrace the steps of your forefathers, see where they lived and maybe meet some of your living relatives and perhaps receive further information on your family tree.

• Finally always compare your findings before you take the next step and ensure to make note of everything.

For such a small country, Ireland has a huge number of people dispersed in all corners of the world, this is mainly due to the dreadful ‘Great Famine’. It was during the mid-19th Century when Ireland was brought to it knees by the famine, people witnessed poverty and hunger due to potato blight which was at the time Irelands only source of food and survival.

During these hard times over 1 million Irish people died and 2 million emigrated looking for a better life. Boarding ship with only the clothes on their back they headed to far away lands such as The UK, Australia, America and beyond. Many died before they reached their destination on board the notorious ‘coffin ships’, others lived out their dream of a better life and set up home in foreign lands but always remained true to their motherland and carried this on to the next generation.

Today millions of people from all over the world call Ireland their home and are very patriotic and proud of their roots. Each year thousands and thousands of people seek out their ancestors in Ireland and if you are one of them I hope this article helps.

Looking for accommodation in Dublin? Find and reserve Dublin accommodation and book securely online today.

Feel the freedom and independence of the open road when you book car hire in Ireland. Choose from a large fleet of vehicles at excellent rates and reserve now.

If you are in the process of tracing your roots then ‘Best of Luck’. Perhaps you have other suggestions you would like to share with our readers? Please feel free to leave a comment in the comment box below. As always we would love to hear from you.