A beginner’s guide for starting later in life: Kayleigh Bealin ,The Irish Genealogist
One of the most common things people say to me when they discover what I do for a living is, “I’d love to look into my family history, but I wouldn’t know where to start.” Closely followed by, “I’m not great with computers,” or “I’m worried I left it too late.”
Let me be clear from the outset: you do not need to be an expert to trace your family history, and it is never too late to begin. In fact, many of the clients I work with are starting their research during their retirement, a time when family history often becomes most meaningful (and time to indulge in investigating becomes more available!).
Why People Start Looking Back
For many people, the questions begin quietly. They might arise after the loss of a parent or sibling, when you realise just how much knowledge lived in one person’s head. They might come when retirement brings a little more time to reflect, or when grandchildren arrive and you feel a pull to pass something meaningful on.
Most of us grew up with bits of family history woven into everyday conversation; a name here, a story there, a place mentioned without explanation. When we begin to ask questions and look more closely, we often find there is much more beneath the surface.
Family history is not just about building an impressive family tree, it is about understanding lives lived; the work people did, the places they called home, the hardships they faced, and the choices they made.
Start With What You Know (and Who You Know)
The best place to begin is not online. It is with yourself and the people around you.
It is vital to start by writing down what you know: your own details, your parents’ names, dates and places if you have them, and anything you remember about your grandparents. If you don’t know birth years for ancestors, try working backwards from roughly when they passed away and how old you think they were at the time.
Once you have recorded your memories, turn to any family members or close friends who may have further details on your family.
Ask simple questions about each family member/ancestor:
Where did they live?
What kind of work did they do?
How do I remember them dressing?
Did any of their siblings/cousins move across the Country or emigrate?
Were there farms, shops, houses or other locations tied to the family?
Do not worry about getting everything “right”. Even a vague recollection of a name, parish, or occupation can later unlock entire branches of a family – and sometimes the “incorrect” information can be a clue to a deeper story.
What You Might Already Have at Home
Before searching online or visiting the archives, take a look around your house, or contact family members who may hold the family records (if they survive).
Photographs, memorial (funeral) cards, old letters, communion/birth certificates, marriage certificates, passports, and even the backs of photographs can all contain valuable information. Misspellings and incorrect dates are very common in Irish material, so do not be put off if things do not immediately match.
Make note of records even if you don’t recognise the names on them, your later research may uncover links to wider family members you had forgotten or didn’t know.
Irish Records: What to Expect
Genealogy in Ireland is rich and fascinating, but can often be frustrating to tackle. We have access to a huge range of material, but facing missing/destroyed records can knock you off course and feel discouraging – this of course doesn’t need to be the case!
Some of the records we do have access to in Ireland which will be the backbone of your research, are:
- Civil Records: Births, Marriages and Deaths (Births over 100 years old, Marriages over 75 years old and Deaths over 50 years old).
- Church Records: Baptisms, Marriages and (less often) Deaths. Every Religion and Parish differs when it comes to record completeness, but fantastic guides to what exists are freely available online.
- Census Records: The 1901 and 1911 Census records for the island of Ireland are fully searchable online for free, along with what survives (note that this is very limited) of the 1821, 1831, 1841 and 1851 Census’. This April (2026), we will gain free online access to the 1926 Census of the Irish Free State.
- Land Records: The Tithe Applotment Books and Griffith’s Valuation are two land tax record sets covering the 1820-1830’s and 1840-1860’s respectively. These records record heads of households for agricultural holdings (Tithe) and heads of households for land and property (Griffith’s), making them vital substitutes for our missing early Census records.
Another tool we have to help us is DNA testing, with a huge cohort of Irish and Irish diaspora test takers creating a large pool of matches we can work with to connect up our family trees.
DNA research can be intimidating, and I would always recommend reaching out to me if you are cautious of where and how to start using this technique.
You Don’t Have to Do It Alone
While anyone can begin their family history, many people reach a point where they feel stuck or unsure. Old handwriting, conflicting records, or missing information can quickly become overwhelming.
This is where professional guidance can make a real difference. Sometimes a single conversation is enough to clarify what you have, what may be missing, and where to focus next. I have spent many years working with Irish records and archives, helping families at home and abroad make sense of their past in an exciting, ethical, and carefully considered way.
Visit Me at the 50 Plus Show
If this article has sparked your curiosity, I would be delighted to meet you at the 50 Plus Show in Dublin on March 12th and 13th. I will be there chatting to visitors, speaking on this topic, and helping those like you to begin their family history journey!
Website: www.theirishgenealogist.com
Email: contact@theirishgenealogist.com
