Meet some of the famous (and not so famous) people of who have had an influence on our history and the lives of so many. Also, lets share our experience of tracing your family tree
Barney Hughes will be remembered for his desire for social justice, his unstinting generosity and humanitarian reform, but also for the Belfast Bap
In the 1950’s the National Library of Ireland began the work of microfilming Catholic parish registers of births and marriages. The partnership of library and Church hierarchy has ensured the permanent preservation of these invaluable genealogical records. The majority of parishes in the whole of Ireland are covered and the Read more…
Edward Benn was born at Tandragee , County Armagh in the year 1798. His father was John Benn. As a boy Edward was educated at Belfast Academy, along with his younger brother George. The brothers moved to Downpatrick and set up a brewing business. Subsequently they bought an estate called Read more…
John Joseph ‘Rinty’ Monaghan was born on 21 st August 1918 at 23 Lancaster Street in north Belfast. His father was Thomas Monaghan, a sailor, and his mother was Martha Wilson. He was the eldest of 7 children, 3 boys and 4 girls. Rinty attended the Christian Brothers school in Read more…
Andrew George Malcolm was born in 1818. His father, of the same name, was a Presbyterian minister in Dunmurry and then Newry. His mother was Eleanor Hunter. Andrew was educated at Belfast Academical Institution and completed his medical training at Edinburgh, graduating in 1842. By 1843 Andrew Malcolm had returned Read more…
Through his hard work and entrepreneurial skills, Otto Jaffe was one of the leading merchants responsible for the boom in the linen industry in Belfast.
Mary Ann McCracken was a philanthropist, feminist, humanitarian, nationalist radical born in Belfast on 8th July 1770.
Telegram – Interview with the Titanic officers. All unanimous that Thomas Andrews died a heroic death, thinking only of others safety.
Professor Pantridge is rightly regarded as the Father of Emergency Medicine and his invention was a genuine, life-saving breakthrough
David Manson In 1755 David Manson set up a school in Clugstons Entry in central Belfast, promising to teach “by way of Amusement, English Grammar, Reading and Spelling at a moderate Expense” Belfast News Letter Manson was to prove a figure of note in terms on education in Northern Ireland Read more…
Alexander Mitchell is most renowned for the invention and development of the screw-pile lighthouse greatly enhancing maritime safety
The process of tracing your family history can be expensive with many websites offering paid subscription-only services. Sites offering free access are always a good place to start tracing your family. The free online website https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en is a great way to access Irish Civil Records.
Griffith’s Valuation is the primary valuation for Ireland. The valuation was conducted between 1848 – 1864. It’s worth to Irish genealogists cannot be overestimated.
The census records are one of the most valuable resources for anyone starting to research their family history. Unfortunately only two complete census for Ireland survive – the 1901 Census taken 31st March 1901 and the 1911 Census taken 2nd April 1911
The easiest and quickest way way to discover your roots is to hire a professional genealogist. This is also expensive. In these posts, I will share my family research experiences as an amateur, but enthusiastic, researcher.