Do you have Irish Ancestry or love all things Irish? Join us in the Irish Roots Project! [closed]

Question

Fáilte!!

The Irish Roots Project co-ordinates the efforts of Wikitreers who have Irish ancestry and/or would like to improve the profiles of Irish people and the Irish diaspora on Wikitree.

There has been an explosion of free Irish genealogical records in the last few years and there has never been a better time to bust those brick walls and improve the Irish profiles on Wikitree.

If you would like to join the project we would love to have you.  Please post an answer below (including your research interests and what you would like to work on) and follow the instructions on the project page.   

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Project:Irish_Roots

Comments

I am Scott-9507 i am a Y111 YDNA Tester and BIG Y DNA Tester at FamilyTreeDNA my Haplogroup is A Subclade of R-M222 known to be Descended from Naill of Nine Hostages. I am in Ireland related YDNA Groups at FTDNA , My ancestry goes through France as i am Descended from the Balliol Family.

My Haplogroup is R-M222>R-S673>BY21168

http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/LANARK/2013-10/1381382577

 

http://dna.cfsna.net/HAP/R1b/Scots_I.htm

 

"DNA evidence among many Scottish surnames linked to MacAlpin suggests that Kenneth’s Dál Riata lineage has been identified."

http://www.surnamedna.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/DNA-vs-Irish-Annals-2014.pdf

 

If Kenneth McAlpin's Line is Traced down you should Come to Malcom of Canmore

https://archive.org/stream/memorialsoffamil00scot#page/20/mode/2up

 

this would point out that Margaret le Scot (of Huntingdon) and her Daughter Devorguilda are Irish Scot's

Devorguilda and John Balliol the Parents of My Ancestor William le Scot (William Balliol le Scot) child listed on top following Page

https://archive.org/stream/memorialsoffamil00scot#page/22/mode/2up

 

who is the Ancestor of the Scott's of Scott's Hall in Kent England

https://archive.org/stream/memorialsoffamil00scot#page/254/mode/2up

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Hi Al,  sorry for delay in picking up your post.  Welcome to the Irish Roots Project.

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Working on the Irish roots of the McGuire's

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Hi Tom, welcome to WikiTree and to the Irish Roots Project.

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Family ties to conley...conelly..etc...would love more information

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Hi Sharon welcome to WikiTree and to the Irish Roots Project.

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I would like to join this group. Irish ancestry mostly from my father. A little from my mother. Paternal line of ancestors include, Roarty, Harkin, Curran & Friel. Originating around Meenaclady, Carrick, Magheraclogher, County Donagel.

I have had my DNA tested and have confirmed links to these names, As close as a 2nd cousin x 1R. The DNA matching has certainly made it easier to discover new family members.

Thankyou, Jenni (Australia)

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Hi Jenni and a warm welcome to the Irish Roots Project (from an icy cold Scotland this morning)

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This Book Has The Roots of every Irishman Just under 1000 Pages

Irish Pedigrees Vol 1 Published 1892

https://ia802302.us.archive.org/21/items/irishpedigreesor_01ohar/irishpedigreesor_01ohar.pdf

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I have the surname Ireland in my Heritage. Does anyone know it's likely Origen?

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My Blean ancestors were Scots-Irish and came from Northern Ireland to settle in the Cumberland Valley of Pennsylvania.  They married Craigs and Kilgores.  My Kilgore DNA seems to be showing up not only with the Kilgores who went to Illinois but also with those who branched off and headed south.  The common ancestor may have been from Ireland in the 1600's.

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Please add me to this project.  Thanks!

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I would like to find out more about my Irish side of my family. My father's  name was Loney, his mother was English and I have her side back to Rome 36 B.C. with connections to some Irish and Scottish (Robert the Bruce). MY GGgrandpartns were Patrick Loney and Elizabeth Kelly. Her mother was a Murray. We also have Hoey (Heay), McCarthy, Kavanagh, Foley, and Looney. I know my GGF was born in Wisconsin, and my GGGF was born somewhere in Ireland. My father said his family was from County Clare, but searching the name Loney/Looney and they are from Northern Ireland. I know that Murray and Kelly are very prominent in Ireland and I can't get past my third great grandfather on the Loney side and 5th GGF on my Kelly side. Any help would be appreciated.

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Hi Devon and Ryan and welcome to the Irish Roots Project.

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Hi Pat and welcome to the Irish Roots Project.

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Hi, I would love to join, I am seeking the birth record and birth mother of Sarah Powrie Maunsell or Mansell, daughter of Thomas Ridgate Maunsell

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Hi Janet and welcome to the Irish Roots Project.

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My largest interest is in pre-Christian Ireland.  If you have solid sources dating back to Roman times I would be fascinated to know of them.  For your Loony ancestors you might check Coony.  I am related to some and believe they trace their roots to Co. Clare.  Considering the amount of linguistic drift which has gone on in Ireland a change from Loony to Coony would not be very odd.  There are four distinct dialects of Gallic spoken in Ireland with variations from town to town.  An old Irish friend of mine told me that the Irish spoken in a towns ten miles apart might be mutually unintelligible.

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I would like to join this project as most of my ancestors come from North and West Europe

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Hi Tom and welcome to the Irish Roots Project.

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Hi Christina and welcome to the Irish Roots Project.

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Glad to be in a group like this.  I am particularly interested in pre-Christian Irish history.  Some years ago my brother and I both found a source book that told the history of Maoldruadth or Maoldireagh, the high Druid and last non -Christian prince of Tyrconell. Lately all the sources I have looked at have left out there history of Maoldireagh and even have confused the derivation of the name. Irish speakers who i know translate it as either Druid high priest or leader of the red oak men or keeper of the red oak grove. The more recent Christianized sources say the name means a red haired person. some sources trace the name to places other than Tyrconell.  Being a direct descendent of the ofd prince is my primary motivation.  I need to find our original source text an in general find whatever somewhat uncorrupted information. I think this group would be a great help.

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Hi. My name is Kayla Begin, though I have made this account under my adopted father's name, because, as I am adopted, I wanted to explore both my family now and my birth family's ancestry. So, to clarify, Russell Begin is my adopted father. He is nearly half Irish (on his mother's side) and half French (on his father's side). His mother's eightieth birthday is coming up shortly, and I would like to trace her ancestry as a birthday gift. Thus far, I've only been able to trace it as far as the late 1700s or so, and I was wondering if anyone on this project would be willing or able to help me with it. I don't know if joining this project would be the best way to accomplish this, and if it isn't, please point me in the right direction. If it is, I would love to join. Thank you!

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I am interested in joining this group.  I live in California and have discovered I'm about a quarter Irish, with the major Irish surname being Kernaghan.

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Welcome to the project Kayla - please follow the instructions on the project page for next steps.

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Hi! New here :) I got a surprisingly large % of Irish blood on my DNA test (22%), and this could match some stories I have heard when I was younger. My grandmother mentioned once that "her family" (all Italian, by then living in Argentina) had come from "the North" (of Italy) around 1780. Unfortunately I can no longer ask her, but I have two potential candidates: Her paternal grandmother's last name was "Uriani" or "Uriane" and I've seen some Urianes in Ireland, and her maternal grandfather was "Cumi". This second option makes slightly more sense to me, seeing that "Cumi" could easily be a misspelling for "Coomey", "Cummings" or similar. Although this person was Italian, as everyone else I have records for, his family might have been the one that traveled from Ireland.

So I'm very excited to track this line, although I still don't know if I will be able to find out who Cumi or Uriane were (there are no digital records, for neither). Suggestions are more than welcome!

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Hi Yisela welcome to WikiTree and to the Irish Roots Project.

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I am searching for my Howden ancestors who probably came from Ulster. The name is more common in England but family tradition is that Andrew Howden, b 1830, was Irish. He was living and married in Richmond Il in 1860. I believe he had a brother, Frank, who lived in Cincinnati. An Andrew b. 1830 is on the passenger list from Liverpool in 1852. Griffith's Valuation lists Howdens in County Cavan

Anyone else searching for ancestors in Ulster? and do you have suggestions??

Thanks, Mike Howden

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Due to the scarcity of Irish genealogical records, I turned to DNA where I have had moderate success. Despite what the pulp mill press generates, making all bearers of a particular surmane out to be one clan, multiple origins are the norm, like my surname, which was born by unrelated clans in Ulster, East Galway, Connemara, and Clare. And those are just the documented clans either their own territories and chiefs. We have found other previously undiscovered clusters as well. I am volunteering to add what I can to the study of Irish clans.

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Hi Michael,  welcome to WikiTree and to the Irish Roots Project.  You might be better asking your research question as a separate entry in G2G that way more WikiTreers will see it.

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Hi Rory,  welcome to WikiTree and to the Irish Roots Project.

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I am going to throw in a word of caution here. I have some doubts about the population bases that FTDNA uses. 23andme made me 82% British & Irish,  5.4 % French & German, 9.5 % Broadly Northwest European plus some other small percentages. I figure that the French & German equate with the Norman component of my ancestry. But Family Finder made me only 54 % British & Irish, and an inexplicable 39 % Western & Central European. Why the difference? Partly because they used different population bases. French & German is perhaps similar to Western & Central European, but its comparing apples and oranges.

After reading the article on the new Irish DNA Atlas, how the base structure of Irish DNA is close to that of NW France, I suspect that Family Finder is reading much of my Celtic DNA from Ireland, Scotland and Cornwall as being from NW France, which is lumped into their Western & Central European population.

I am not dyeing the same thing is happening here with you, but I am mindful that Celts swept down our if the Alps and into northern Italy. Their DNA is now intermingled with that of the original inhabitants. There might just be other interpretations than the one which FTDNA has adopted. I am impr saws with the Irish DNA Atlas, not so impressed with FTDNA’s lumping together of multiple nationalities in their groupings. I think it’s an area where FTDNA will get better. Ancestry have the biggest atDNA database so we might reasonably expect them to be best, but I already have atDNA tests with two other companies.

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Hello, I would love to join this group. I'm just a novice at genealogical research, but I've caught the bug! I would love to see the intermingling of the British Isles within Ireland. Hopefully I can share this information with my own family as well.  

 

Thank you,

Kim Collins

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Hi Kim,  Sorry for delay in welcoming you to the Irish Roots Project.

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DNA 23and me on maternal side shows 70% Irish & British,  On my father's side not tested for DNA yet, but verified ancestors positive as born and descended from Ireland.  Families are O'Riley, Riley, Pearson, Mary Hull-586 Riley born in 1618 in Cavan, Ireland , Mile Maolmordha O'Riley born 1614 in Cavan, Ireland, son of Ferrill O'Riley born 1580 in Ireland son of Hugh O'Riley born in 1558 Cavan, Ireland, Mary McGuire born 1557 in Cavan, Ireland and many more ancestors from Ireland.  I would like to be connected with the Ireland Roots

Respectfully, B. Hollis

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Hi and welcome to the Irish Roots Project.    Congratulations on taking your Irish ancestory so far back.

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I am interestied in Lynch Family history of the Lynchs from Dublin, Galway and meath

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Welcome to the project Liam!

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Very interested in my Irish past. There is a story that someone fled Ireland to England by going AWOL from the Army. Hopefully I can prove or disapprove it and learn about my Irish ancestors.

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My Irish roots are from my paternal Grandmother Bivens/Bevins/Bivins family name whose ancestors were from Waterford, Ireland ca 1766. Interested in finding out more since I am headed to Ireland and England this summer. I would love to join the Irish Roots Project! Not sure what to do next??

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Hi David, welcome to WikiTree and to the Irish Roots Project.  Good luck with your research.

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Hi Stephanie and welcome to WikiTree.   So that we can welcome you to the Irish Roots Project you need to sign the WikiTree honour code.  See the links under WikiTree Genealogist here  https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:Member_Types  Once this is done,  let us know and we'll award you the Project Badge.  

See also https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:External_Resources_for_Irish_Genealogy_Research for a wealth of Irish Ancestor research resources.

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I did an Ancestry test and it showed that I'm 56% Irish. I don't know how those tests tell me who I descend from. It didn't do anything like that for me, just showed my ethnicity estimates and genetic communities that I'm associated with. What do people do when they "join projects"? What does it make them responsible for? I'm not in any projects. I don't know how to search for them, or what you're supposed to do in them. Since I'm more than half Irish, maybe this will help me to find an ancestor. Robert Wasson b about 1832. I don't know where he was born. Maybe Ireland? Feel free to PM me if you find anything. Thanks

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The ethnicity stuff is ok as far as it goes, maps, percentages, pie-charts. But it’s population genetics, not genealogy. Autosomal DNA matches can be from anywhere in your family tree. You have to work out for yourself where. And if you already know where, then atDNA is only telling you what you already know. You will see that expressed in these pages as a common complaint.

You have not specified which projects you refer to, but there are Y-DNA projects, mtDNA projects and geographical projects. If there is a Wesson DNA project, that would be an obvious one to join, but single surname studies work best with Y-DNA and your Ancestry test may be of limited value in its own in a project which relies on Y-DNA.

If Ancestry also provided you with your mtDNA Haplogroup, as 23andme did for me, you might also join the relevant mtDNA project. While atDNA is only useful for fairly recent genetic relationships, my experience is that mtDNA is the opposite and only works way far back. Their Haplogroups look very old to me. But interesting if you are into population genetics.

I hope that gives you some starters.

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I would like to be a member of the Irish Roots Project. One of my many projects going on is working on my Ennis Family. They are my brick wall. I started a One Name Study for the surname a while back. I know my Ennis and possibly my Dyess come from Ireland. We have proven where as of yet though. My entire maternal side is Scottish/Irish for the most part.

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Yes, I am interested in the Irish_roots project.  My Burke name is on my father's side. He always believed his Burke ancestors were Presbyterian from Ulster.  I have not found that directly.  I have had a FamilyTreeDNA performed for me on mtDNA and Y-DNA.  But that is not really genealogical evidence.  

I am looking forward to what I can learn.  Most interested in Irish immigrants coming through Philadelphia since a number of my ancestors I know are in northern Shenandoah Valley and Maryland.

Thank you.

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Welcome to the project Will

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Hi there!

My name is Ruby and would love to join the Irish Roots project! My ancestor, Frank McQuade, left Ireland to go to the United States in the early 20th century. I know he was arrested for stealing a typewriter sometime afterward in Chicago and eventually made his way to Mexico.
He met his wife, Margarita Moncayo and had more than few kids.
From family sources, it is suggested that he wanted to return to the states, but his wife wanted to be near her family. So he left her and started a new family in the states.

I am planning a trip to Ireland in the near future, and I'm looking to grab as much info as I can to research when I get there.

Thank you!

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Hi Ruby welcome to WikiTree.  What an amazing story.    So that we can welcome you to the Irish Roots project can I ask that you "sign" our honour code - See https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:Member_Types which will give you the necessary link and explain the various WikiTree Accounts.

Good luck with your ongoing research.

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I would like to find my roots in Ireland .Michael Scales born 1830,believe his father was John J. Scales, both from County Clare.Thank you,Ann Hise

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Hi Ann and welcome to the Irish Roots Project.

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Dear Anonymous Wassoon

If you are a direct male-line descendant of Robert Wassoon, then the answer is in your genes. A Y-DNA test for Y-STR markers will go be you a list of matches. Most of those matches tend to list their earliest known ancestor and his place of origin. So if you match other folks with the same surname, their ancestral origins are a clue for you.

SNP testing is also worthwhile as it has developed to where Haplogroups further downstream in the haplotree can be identified as Irish or other ethnic origin. This too is useful information.

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The Maguire/ McGuire clan are a leading clan of the Airghialla, to use their historical name, aka the Clan Colla from a later and probably fabricated pedigree. The Airghialla can be be haplogroup L513, Z253 or DF21. That partly explains why the Maguire chiefly Line tested as L513+ whereas a junior line also descended from a Maguire chief tested DF21+. I won’t predict which Haplogroup your McGuire line may test positive for but it will be interesting work for you. Good luck.

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Thank you for the tips. :) That was nice of you to share. I'm female, so chances of me finding something on a male ancestor from 1830s is pretty rare, I"m guessing. :(

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No, sorry to say, but I'm female. Maybe I could convince my brother to do a test. I'm doubtful. lol
I did go back to the ancestry thing and did find some "leaves" from the same ancestors. It really made the whole thing worthwhile. I just wish I could find out exactly where he came from. So elusive. :(

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Your first name, Anonymous, didn't give me any clues re gender so I tried to phrase my answer both ways, for a male and/or a female.  I administer several DNA projects and can confirm that many females recruit a brother, father, uncle, cousin or other male bearing the surname they are studying, and ask them for a DNA sample -a simple cheek-swab. It seems that nowadays our menfolk have lost their intrepid spirit of our pioneering ancestors, and that our womenfolk retain more of that spirit. So you will find males afraid to take a DNA test.  They may also be afraid to say "no", and instead say they posted the sample but it must have got lost. I know. I've seen our lady members go through this. So I wont promise instant success. But I have seen lady members persist and  get their way, God bless 'em.

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Thanks for all of the information. I have spoken to my brother and suggested it without asking directly. I'll give it some time and see if I can convince him later, since he didn't really say much when I spoke to him about it.

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Greetings,

My name is Donald Godfrey, I have Irish ancestors, but cannot trace my roots because I didn't know my father that well. Over the years , off and on searches  I have been given very little information. Was told my family was connected to county Kerry, was shown a picture of the tartan, and at one time my family had land and titles in Ireland. I also came across during my research that if you go back far enough, Godfrey was Scottish. I do not know how much if any is true, maybe this site can help me  find my family history. I would ike to join your project.

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I am interested in finding any information on the Minnis family in Ireland.  My great+++++ grandfather John Minnis came to the US from Down county around 1760.

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Godfrey is Germanic, meaning God’s peace. It was popular amongst Crusaders. I suspect that it was brought to the Isles by the Normans, 1066 in England & 1169 in Ireland. Later on, the English expelled the troublesome Seven Septs of Laois (O’More, O’Kelly, O’Lalor, Doolan, etc.) to the wilds of Co Kerry, where you believe your folks lived. As a first step I would suggest a Y-DNA test to see if your Y-Haplogroup appears Norman or Celtic, and to see who else appears amongst your close matches and what their origins are.

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Hi Donald and welcome to WikiTree.   Before I can award you the Irish Roots Project badge I need you to "sign" our honour code.  It's just a click.  See https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:Member_Types for the link.   

In the meantime feel free to explore our extensive page  - external resources including county specific sites.  https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:External_Resources_for_Irish_Genealogy_Research  

Good luck with your research.

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Hi Gary and welcome to the Irish Roots Project.

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My Irish ancestors are CASSIDY (also spelled CASSADY, and other variations CASSITY). I can trace them all the way back to South Carolina and before that, Ireland. But I don't have the specific info for Ireland.  Zachery (or Hugh) Cassity, wife Mary, Children Levi, Alexander, William, Patrick, Zachariah and Michael.   I am a descendent of Zachariah and Bill Clinton (mother Virginia Dell Cassidy) is a descendent of Zachariah's brother Levi. I only mention him as I am hoping that his side of the family may have more info on our Irish relatives.   I wish I had more info on them.  I do know that the family came from Fermanagh. Thank you!  Judie

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I love all things Irish, however, I have not been able to gather all the information on Irish lines. Irish Surnames Dobbins, Arbuckle.  However,the Arbuckle appears to have come from Scotland, my Great Grandfather was born in Atrim, Northern Ireland.  

If I can help I would be glad to.

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Hi Judie,  sorry for delay in picking up your post.   Welcome to the Irish Roots Project.

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Hi Wanda and welcome to the Irish Roots Project.

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I would like to join the Irish Roots Project. My direct ancestor maternal side came from Co Mayo. I also have direct ancestors from Co Cork and Galway which are not yet linked up to known ancestors. Surnames include Dockerty (and all various spellings), Corcoran,

 

Many thanks

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Hi all

I have the following known surnames in my ancestry who I wish to track their ancestors and descendants:

Mahon (Dublin) m. Martin (Dublin)

Kenny (?) m. Hayes (Limerick)

Jones (Wexford) m. Redmond (Wexford)

Thanks in advance for your help!

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Hi Steve and welcome to the Irish Roots Project.

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Hi Brian and welcome to the Irish Roots Project.   Good luck with your research.

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My Irish Roots, come by way of Australia. Some of my Irish family names include Connor, Scahill, Keating, Duff, Flaherty... etc

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Hi Tony and a warm welcome to WikiTree and to the Irish Roots Project.  Good luck with your research.

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I have Irish roots on my father's side.  Both grandparents were born in Ireland, as were both sets of great grandparents.  The names are (O')Connor, O'Hara, Madden, Denvir, (Belfast) McPolin/McPoland and Fegan (Magheramayo, Co Down)  Kearns, which I suspect was originally a surname passed down the (O')Connor line as a Christian name but mutated to Cairns in the last two generations.

Sheila Foreman (nee O'Connor)

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Yes I am very interested in my Irish ancestry, specifically, my Bandon, County, Cork, Ireland. My ancestors who lived there were Hornibrook and Guest.

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Hi Sheila and Nathan,   welcome to the Irish Roots Project.

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I have traced my ancestors to Ireland. Last name was Mannion an was changes to Manion after coming to Virginia.  I would love to know more about them.

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Hi Debra  So that I can welcome you to the project I need you to "sign" our honour code.   It's just a click !   See https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:Member_Types for the link to same.   Thanks,

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I am 37% Irish and would love to know more about my roots

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I am a descendand ot the McCarty (MacCarthy) and Riley (O'Reilly) clans on my dad's side.  Would love to join the project and understand all of this better.

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Hi Teresa and welcome to the Irish Roots Project.

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Hi Korrie and welcome to WikiTree.   Before I can award you the Irish Roots Project badge I need you to volunteer to grow our worldwide tree and "sign" our honour code.  It's just a click.  See https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:Member_Types for the link.   

In the meantime feel free to explore our extensive page  - external resources including county specific sites.  https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:External_Resources_for_Irish_Genealogy_Research 

Good luck with your research.

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Hi,

I would like to be added to this Irish Roots Project!  I am new to Wiki tree, so not exactly sure how all of this works.  I have 3 ancestors who were born in Ireland, James McArdle, Dundalk or Lourgangreen, around 1807,Mary Norton, Louth,or Meath? around 1815, Michael Donovan, 1831. The McArdle name may have some Scottish ties, as well.  They all ended up in Wisconsin, but I would like to try to go one step further and find them back in Ireland if possible.

Thanks

 

Bonnie McArdle Murray

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I have Irish ancestors and would love to find out more about them and Itelsnd.

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Hi Bonnie,  I see you have a guest membership on WikiTree.  Before I can award you the Irish Roots Project badge I need you to volunteer to grow our worldwide tree and "sign" our honour code.  It's just a click.  See https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:Member_Types for the link.    

In the meantime feel free to explore our extensive page  - external resources including county specific sites.  https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:External_Resources_for_Irish_Genealogy_Research 

Good luck with your research.

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Hi Whitney and welcome to the Irish Roots Project.

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Greetings! I have strong Irish roots in my DNA and would like to bust through the brick wall pre-immigration to find out more about where my family comes from. Names are Daly and Ebitt (or variations of Ebitt). My great-great grandfather Charles Daly came from Monkstown, Cork. I believe my great-great grandmother Julia Ann Ebitt came from County Cavan, but I'm not sure. Any help will be much appreciated! Thanks! Heidi W.

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Hi, this is one Monkstown connection I know.  Thomas Ridgate Maunsell was from Monkstown.  It may be that Maria and Charles are related.  Do you know when Charles was born??

Thomas Ridgate Maunsell is the son of Edward Maunsell and Catherine Ridgate.2 He married Maria Fortaye Daly, daughter of James Daly, on 13 November 1795.1

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Hopefully we're on to something here. Charles Daly was born about 1825 or 1826. In know that he also lived in Kings County just before he immigrated to America in January 1851. There's a slight possibility he was also in Listowell, Kerry, Ireland.

Oh the tangles!

Thanks for the lead!

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Hi Heidi and welcome to the Irish Roots Project.   Thanks Anon too for your assistance.  Good luck ot both of you with your research !!

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Please add me to the Irish Roots Project. I have ancestors Forbes from Longford, Carew from Dublin and a few others.
Many thanks

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Hi I'm very interested in finding out more about my anscesters - the Childress/Childers Family - I've also been told the Glass Family and possibly the Kidwell family have Irish ancestry. Thanks again

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Hi Kelly and welcome to the Irish Roots Project.

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Hi Pam,   It looks like you were not signed in when you posted your request.  Are you Randall-1912 ?   

I see you have a guest membership on WikiTree.  Before I can award you the Irish Roots Project badge I need you to volunteer to grow our worldwide tree and "sign" our honour code.  It's just a click.  See https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:Member_Types for the link.   Come back to me when this is done and I'll be delighted to award you the Project badge.

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The McCoys are from County Sligo.  The Roachs and Leonards from County Mayo.  The Meaneys from Inishowen.  Cheers!  Truly,  C M McCoy

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Hi CM,  welcoem to WikiTree and to the Irish Roots Project.

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Hi-I have been trying to find my grandfathers Irish family.  His name was Oliver Riddle/Riddell from County Tyrone.  I believe Oliver is really his middle name as all most every male in that family went by their middle name.  He was born March 1815 arrived inCanada about 1834.  He spelled his name Riddle and identified as Anglican Irish.  At some point his son my great grandfather Wm Oliver changed name to Riddell and Oliver Sr also changed his spelling and they then identified as Scottish.  Thanks for any help.  Other Irish are Smythe,Burns from County Antrim.  Also moved to Canada

Answer 1

I have Irish ancestry that on the McCullough side that leads directly to Ireland.  And if ancestry.com & geni.com are to be believed, I am descended from High King Brian Boru as well.

I would like to be able to research and clarify my Irish roots and be able to pass them down to the rest of my family.

Thank You,

Brian Lange

Comments

Hi Brian, thanks for your message - welcome to the Irish Roots Project!  Please follow the guidelines on the main project page.

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Hello.  Yes, my father has the haplogroup for Brian Boru.  I'm interested in creating a database of our ancient Connaught Clan.  So far, my father's oldest Irish Y-haplogroup is for Bressal Breac circa 200BC.  Cheers, we are from County Sligo, most probably near Easkey.  Please have a great day:)  Colleen

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According to both Ancestry.com and Geni.com I am descended from Brian Boru through my Scot ancestors to the son of Sitric Silkbeard and his wife who was Brian Boru's daughter.  This was found using records and not genetics, so I am slowly trying to verify each step before being completely satisfied with the results.  Who knows, perhaps we are cousins.  Have a nice day Colleen.

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Cheers, Brian.  I didn't realize we could find our ancient Irish ancestors through DNA either, but I've researched each McCoy Haplogroup and my father has the haplogroup of Bressal Breac the High King of Ireland circa 200 BC.  I have created a spreadsheet if you want a copy.  My ultimate goal is to create a database of our ancient Connaught Clan.   Please have a groovey day.  Truly,  Colleen McCoy

Answer 2

Hi, I'd like to be added. I have ancestors through my maternal grandfather,  William Harty and his father William Harty Mahoney. I would like to work with the area of Doneraile, where my ancestors were from.

Comments

Hi, thanks for your message - welcome to the Irish Roots Project!  Please follow the guidelines on the main project page.

Answer 3

I would love to join the Irish Roots Project.  My ggg grandfather George Love II was born in County Tyrone in 1784 and immigrated to the US with his parents George Love I and Mary Isabella Smith in 1790/91.  They eventually settled in Belmont, Ohio.  I obtained some of my data from Ohio Valley Genealogies by Charles A. Hannah.  George Love I may be the son of Robert "of Ballyfolliard" Love and grandson of Robert "of Strabane" Love.  There is a bit of a mystery regarding parentage as Robert of Strabane had children illegitimatly through Agnes Matthews.

Comments

Hi Janice, thanks for your message - welcome to the Irish Roots Project!  Please follow the guidelines on the main project page.  Good luck with your research.

Answer 4

I have hit the proverbial brick wall for my Irish ancestry. At this time I am following any lead possible on Census reports and checking into neighbors. I haven't taken my DNA test yet because there is something Magical to me about discovering who I am from old records.

I have hit a big snag in my research. I do not know when my ancestors arrived, where they arrived or where in Ireland they came from. I only know what I have been able to piece together using familysearch and ancestry. (they settled in Philadelphia NY, had around 8 kids, and were buried in Jefferson County NY)

I am researching any and all things Irish (Irish wedding tradition, the potato famine, northern Ireland Orourke Castles etc...) Especially my Irish surname (Rourke, O'Rourke) I have always felt a true connection to Ireland, something deep in my soul that calls out for a home I have never truly known.

I would love to be able to contribute any information I find on my hunt for my Ancestors.

Comments

Hi Alicia, welcome to the project!

Thinking of ideas, one reason why you might do a DNA test is that even if you don't get any recent matches, often you get matches to people with recurrent surnames or locations.  For example, I frequently get 4th cousin matches with people whose Irish family ties go back to Northern Ireland.  I have no knowledge of any Northern Irish links in my documented records but it makes me wonder, it is at a point now where I no longer think it is just coincidence.

You may get even luckier and get a match with your known surnames at a 3 or 4x cousin level.  This may give you a clue to then explore the many Irish records that are now online.  I am assuming you do not know the names of your immigrant ancestors parents?  It might be worth exploring the names of their first born kids, the Irish naming patterns were fairly commonly used through the 19th century.  I have this several times over with my Irish immigrant ancestors for example.

My 3x great grandmother was an O'Rourke - she came from Tullamore if that is of any help!  :-)

Another suggestion - my Irish ancestors came to Australia and they all settled near their friends and neighbours in the same towns in Queensland on arrival.  It makes sense - you come to a foreign land and you move somewhere where there are people you know.  It might be worth looking into the antecedents of the Irish community in the area of Philadelphia (if you know it) when they first landed in America - chances are they knew someone there.  It probably is a shot in the dark, but if they lived in a place where many immigrants came from County Cork (for eg), that might be a clue as to where your ancestors came from.  If you can get hold of baptism records, who were the godparents?  

Lastly, Ancestry has a resource (cannot remember the name) which is an Irish American newspaper where people often posted classified ads seeking loved ones.  Worth a try?

Some of these techniques have worked for me - I definitely feel your pain having Irish ancestors!  We just have to get creative!    However my biggest tip is the DNA testing - you will be amazed what you can uncover.  I have broken one of my Irish brick walls using it - my 2x great grandmother who came to Australia had no known family, we only knew her father's name.  I have now found descendants of her sister living in America one of whom had a wonderful story to tell about the family.  I still dont know where exactly in Ireland they came from, but the oral family history was just terrific.  I say go for it!  Good luck with all your research :-)

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Your feeling about your roots is certainly not new to me.  Checking into my Druid origins I have looked into a number of societies who purport to be schools or organizations of Druids. These appear to me to be simply Adaptations of Wicca or German magical beliefs and have never rung true to me.  Good friend of mine is Irish born and also feels a great connection to the Pre-Christian Irish way of life.  Both of us agree that Druidism is a way of looking at life and in no way what might be called a religion.  Both my parents and many of the Irish (mostly Irish Catholics) I have come to know have an instinctive belief in reincarnation, a druid belief, despite 1500 years of Catholic preaching against the idea.  Many Irish families still set an extra plate at the table for "the man who is crossing the bog."  This is a Druid custom arising from the fact that hospitality to wayfarers and strangers was considered of the utmost importance by the Druids.  Although the Druids had no laws punishing even extreme Crimes under Christianity (bad  actions up to and including homicide were litigated in Civil courts with Civil type punishments), flagrant violation of Hospitality was punishable by death.  Druidism was non-materialistic, non-hierarchical, non-sexist, and although some families appear more often in such list as exist, non-hereditary.  Perhaps the Irish Celts, ( the only ones I know much of) evolved into a world view and lifestyle that dictated the nature of Druid beliefs.  In which case a longing for the ancient people and homeland would be natural . . . genetic.

Answer 5

I would like to join this project. Although it may be that only two or three generations of my direct line lived there, others remained. Part of the English Plantation, evidently, but then became Quaker. County Armagh.

Comments

Welcome to the project Glenn!

Answer 6

I have Irish on my Lewis (maternal maiden) side from Ireland, and my other names are Hiner (maternal grandmother maiden), Like (paternal surname), and Smith (paternal grandmother maiden). I love all things Irish and would love to join the project

Comments

Welcome to the project Jeremy!  Please follow the instructions on the project page to take things from here.  Thanks!

Answer 7

Looks like my Smith paternal line came directly from Ireland in the 1800s, I'd be interested in joining this project!

Comments

Welcome to the project Joshua!  Good luck with the brick walls

Answer 8

I would like to support the Irish Project as I have a great great grandfather who was born in Nenagh, Tipperary, and would like to discover more about his family history.

Comments

Hi Mike and a warm welcome to the Irish Roots Project.   Good luck with your family research.

Answer 9

I am looking for information on William Hunter (Hunter-9770) who immigrated to the US from County Tyrone around 1833.

Comments

Welcome to the project Abby!

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Thank you.  Can you tell me how to use this project to find information on my ancestor?

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Hi Abby - Have a look here https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:External_Resources_for_Irish_Genealogy_Research   for links to the various Irish information sites.

Answer 10

I would like to join the project, I have McMahon ancestors from Tipperary, Ireland, that I would like to find information on.

Thank you, Phil McMahon

Comments

Hi Phillip and welcome to the Irish Roots Project.

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Thank you Maria

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Hi Phillip, McMahons from Tipperary could be any of the following:

- McMahon clan from the Airghialla confederation in south Ulster;

- McMahon clan of southwest Co Clare.

- either of the O’Maghna or the O’Mochain clans of Aidhne in south Galway, both of whom anglicised their name to Mahon. The during the Gaelic Revival when the Gaelic prefixes Mac and O were resounded, there were Marine who mistakenly adopted the wrong prefix, presuming themselves to be MacMahons when they were really O’Mahons. The McMahon surname is a good example of how the genealogical egg has been scrambled by foreign occupation, dispossession, forced transplantation, anglicisation of surnames, etc.

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Thank you Rory, The Ancestor I have gone back to was John McMahon, McMahon-2250. He arrived in Australia from Ireland sometime from his birth in 1814 Country Tipperary to his marriage in Yass, New South Wales, Australia in 1846, to Mary Ann Rowe. John died 13 Sep 1868 and is buried in Queanbeyan. His father was also John McMahon who I believe was born in 1793. Any leads you can give me would be appreciated. Phil.

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Phil, I take it that only the county was named. That’s common in Irish genealogy. Tipperary is a big County to search. Griffith Primary Valuations are the usual Cencus substitute to use, but your family left 1846, before Griffith compiled his Valuations in the 1850s. You may have to do what I did and go through the Tithe Applotment books of the 1820s. I was lucky enough to find a DNA match with a Kane whose ancestral parish bordered Dunmore, Co Galway. The penny dropped. That was the name of the family farm in Victoria. No guarantees it will work the same way for you, but I would be inclined to test both Y-DNA and Family Finder at Family Tree DNA if you have not already done so. I have collaborated with the guys at the McMahon DNA at FTDNA. Good guys. Not everyone helps, but they do.

Answer 11

I have irish in my tree, have not looked into it yet. Should be fun

Comments

Hi Brock and welcome to the Irish Roots Project.

Answer 12

My mother was a Riley who told me they dropped the "O" crossing the ocean so I assume we were O'Reilly's before. I have hit a brick wall with this side of my ancestry and would like to work on this connection.

Thanks.

Comments

Hi Dennis and welcome to the Irish Roots Project.

Answer 13

My name is Amanda and I would like to trace back the roots of my Irish ancestors.  Some surnames I'm looking for are Clune & Hogan.

Comments

Hi Amanda welcome to WikiTree and to the Irish Roots Project.

Answer 14

I am very interested in this project. I've worked on my Irish ancestry for years now. 7 of my 8 great-grandparents were Irish. Now in search of my Regan roots, somewhere in Ireland. With the help of DNA testing, traditional genealogy and collaborating with others, I will solve my mystery! Our McCarthy line comes from County Cork, as proven by my brother's Y DNA test.

Thank you,

Mary Helen McCarthy

Comments

Hi Mary Helen and welcome to the Irish Roots Project.  Good luck with your research.

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The McCarthys are an interesting case. A mix of DNA types, including R-CTS4466 which has an affinity with the Irish Type 2 STR genotype, plus R-DF21, and a mix of other Haplogroups. McCarthys with a known descent from leading chiefs like McCarthy Reagh and McCarthy Muskerry were tested and found to be R-DF21, along with some O’Callaghans. Both the McCarthy and O’Csllaghan clans descend from Callaghan of Cashel, a medieval king. The McCarthy DNA study is one of the successful ones, a model for others.

Answer 15

Researching my father’s heritage and hit a wall with William Morrow in NC. 1772.  I believe I have more generations back to Ireland but no proof. I feel like I’m missing some resources out there and need to learn more about the best ways to do this. Thanks for doing this project!

Comments

Hi Jane and welcome to the Irish Roots Project.

Answer 16

I am interested in population clusters for surnames Holmes and/or Boze in Ireland.

My paternal surname of Holmes has roots back to Carleton County, New Brunswick, Canada where as early as the 1851 census they are farmers and claim Irish nationality and Free Will Baptist as their religion.  Baptist was extremely prolific in the area and within the extended family.  However, I have been unsuccessful in sourcing the family's origins back to Ireland.  Two possibilities exist which are both connected to the War of 1812.

A Patrick Holmes who appears to enlist from Wexford and served in the Maritime Provinces as part of the 92nd Regiment of Foot and after settled in Andover, Victoria County, New Brunswick with a military land grant.

The other is Moses Holmes who appears to have been a native of York County, New Brunswick and served in the 104th Regiment.  Moses Holmes is possibly the son of Moses Holmes Sr, a Loyalist who served in the American Revolution in Delancey's Brigade out of Long Island, New York.  This would place the Holmes line in the American colonies as early as 1750.

In all my research, it appears that my paternal line left the British Isles much earlier than the established migration period.  I'd be interested in any clues to Holmes in Ireland at or prior to the War of 1812 or any information concerning early immigration of Irish peoples to the American colonies or the Maritime Provinces.

I have tested my ydna and audna.  I am in the I2 y-haplogroup and am derived for I-M223->I-CTS1977->I-Y5282->etc.  In the Europedia ydna tree, I am the terminal SNP node named I-Y23701 which was discovered from my BigY test results.  My closest ydna cousins are non-paternal events.  My distant genetic cousins share a common ancestor who lived in about 700 BC.  Today, they have surnames of Hallford, Bogue, and Bennett with origins in the British Isles.

Our common origins possibly trace back to a Germanic Tribe, perhaps Jutland or Friesland.  We may have come to the British Isles from Denmark or Normandy, or we may have been cutoff from the European continent after the flooding of Doggerland.  We will learn so much more as more men test their ydna.

Comments

Hi Ryan - Great  to have you in the Irish Roots Project.   You might also want to take a look at the DNA Project.   https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Project:DNA

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HI Ryan:  I believe we have connected elsewhere (Ireland Reaching Out) about the New Brunswick Holmses.  I am descended from Patrick Holmes, born ca 1788 in Wexford, Ireland.  He served in the Prince of Wales 98th regiment in the Napoleonic Wars, serving in the West Indies and then mustering out at St John in 1818, whereupon he opted for the land-payment option (instead of cashing out), receiving land on the west side of the St John River south of Andover (Bairdsville area, I believe).  I visited the property once.  He married Anne Fletcher, born in the province, and they had numerous children, including my gg-grandmother, Isabelle.  I have searched far and wide for any sign of him or his family in Wexford and have found nothing.  He was supposedly Catholic, per the census records (which actually Anne was anglican), but I do not find him in Catholic records of Wexford Town (where he was supposedly born).  I connected with a Holmes woman from near Bannow, Wexford where she believes family may have hailed from, but so far no proof.  It would be good to see if she's had a DNA test.

Answer 17

Hi,

Would like to join this project, I have an Irish Ancestor/lineage I would love to find more info for. A convict from Dublin that got transported to Australia (Crier-14). She has been an interesting character as she changed her first name a few times throughout her life, Esther to Elizabeth to Eliza. So yes, would be very interested to try and get more info on her and her family, plus because of her, I have 7% Irish blood according to AncestryDNA  :)

Comments

Hi Graham,  welcome to the Irish Roots Project and good luck with your research.

Answer 18

I have only my grandmother’s good memory for family names and dates but would like more. Her grandmother came from Ireland, County Derry, to Canada then NY and her maiden name was Mehaffy. Other family names were Bristol and Logan. I also have a grandmother with the maiden name of McPhail that we believe to have Scottish connections. Some research, of which there was very little when I was first interested, showed some of these names were border names. I would appreciate having more information on these names if possible.

Thank you,

Jennifer Frawley

Comments

Hi Jennifer,   I've left a message on your profile.

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Hi Jennifer,  I'm delighted to be able to welcome you to the Irish Roots Project.

Answer 19

My DNA shows quite a bit of Irish ancestry, which isn't coming from my mother's side. Trying to track down biological father.

Comments

Hi Katie,   I've left a message on your profile.

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Hi Katie - sorry for delay in welcoming you to the Irish Roots Project.

Answer 20

Looking for the parents of Hugh Montgomery (6831) in Ireland.

Comments

Hi Lyle and welcome to the Irish Roots Project.