Visting Ireland
The final post in our Irish genealogy series.
While you’re in Ireland, you should take some time to visit the places your ancestors lived. You can walk the same path they would have taken to school, visit the church they were married in, and if you’re lucky, you can see the home they lived in. I had the opportunity to visit Ireland a few years ago to see where my great great grandmother came from. She was born in Edenvale in County Antrim. My sister, mother, grandmother and I spent 3 days driving around the area. We were able to do things like walk around the local cemeteries and visit the pastor’s home to search the record books for our ancestors. We were even able to find the house that may have been our ancestral home (unfortunately, we have not been able to prove or disprove the family story).
"Ancestral home" in the 1950s
"Ancestral home" in 2001
While in Antrim, we were also able to visit the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum, which is located in Cultra, Northern Ireland. Historical buildings from around Ireland have been relocated there and you can see demonstrations of activities your ancestors may have participated in, like printing and making crafts. Even if your ancestors didn’t come from the area, you can still get a feel of the way your ancestors would have lived. There are also smaller museums in other counties, along with historical monuments and buildings that have been preserved, that you can visit to learn more about your ancestor’s life.
May the luck of the Irish be with you!
