Just a note on your links, Maggie, I've used the LDS site a bit, and it's nice, they have information that I couldn't find via PRONI, and I've found several pieces of information that really helped in terms of birth records for my grandfather's siblings. My only complaint with the familysearch.org records online is that you are given a Print option, but at least from Internet Explorer, the print results are very poorly formatted.
I think the best way to go is to utilize as many free sites as possible, and link whatever you learn.
Start a family tree and add the branches as you find them.
There is no need to pay big bucks to Ancestry.com and such, if you know where to look.
As for printing, I usually select the text, cut and paste, if that will work.
Regarding Ireland XO, it sounds like a fun project and a clever Tourism marketing strategy by :
I wouldn't raise the hopes too high, however, of anyone planning to go without doing their own research first.
All they can do is point you in the direction of the many Family History Centres, which are excellent,
but unless you know where your ancestors are from, you are not going to come away with much solid information.
You have to realize too, that the name your family has in the USA may have been changed by the Immigration Officer,
or even by your early immigrants to make the name easier to spell, or so they would fit in better.
Your relatives in Ireland will have the original Irish name. For example, the name Donaho may have been O'Donaghue.
Mulcahy would have been O'Maolchatha or Ni Mhaolchatha.
The best way to start is to ask older family members, or get hold of their birth certificates and work backwards.
It's a tragedy that most young people are not interested in their ancestors, then when they become interested
it's too late to ask Grandpa.
In Ireland, the families who remained through the Famine, the uprisings, the War of Independence and the Civil War,
know their own family history, they grew up surrounded by a close family and took it for granted.
So they were rather amused when Americans started to show up in the 1950s looking for their "roots".
The numbers have increased over the years, as Americans with Irish roots yearn to find out more about
their relatives who stayed.
I remember we were all sitting around the table having lunch in Aunt Elsie's farmhouse one day. when an American
came up the path and stood by the open door. He was obviously American...
...red polyester pants, crew cut, expensive camera around his neck. My Aunt greeted him, invited him in.
He was embarrassed when he saw we were eating, and offered to return later.
"Not at all!" said Aunt Elsie "you'll sit down and eat with us!"
He was looking for the Churchyard in the village, where he was hoping to find his ancestors.
Aunt Elsie told her son "After lunch you will take him to the Priest to look through the Parish Records."
The man was overwhelmed, and delighted when the Priest found birth, marriage and burial records of many family members.
I think that is the kind of hands-on old-fashioned hospitality that Ireland XO is hoping to bring back,
although it will be more high tech and you probably won't be invited for lunch....
There are not many "Aunt Elsie's" left....unfortunately.
If your ancestors were from the same part of the World as me, I would direct you to Nenagh, Tipperary.
This building used to be the Governor's House and Jail, but is now the Family Research and Genealogy Centre:
QUOTE:
"Also housed in the Governor’s House is the Genealogy Centre which provides a family history research service for clients
whose ancestors originated in North Tipperary. The main genealogical sources for the North Riding are computerised. These include church records (all denominations), Tithe Applotment lists (1830’s), Primary Valuation lists (1850’s), gravestone inscriptions (exclusive to the centre), civil births, deaths, marriages and the 1901 census.
Several other important sources, like the 1650’s Civil Survey, 1660’s Hearth Money Rolls and the 1840’s poor law rate books
have also been input to the database. The centre provides an efficient genealogical service. Callers are welcome! Research is conducted on a fee basis.
The Heritage Centre is open all year round Monday to Friday from 9:30 – 5pm.
Also open Saturdays from May – August from 10am – 5:00pm(last admission 4:30pm). Admission: FREE!"