Hi All, I had the pleasure of meeting Candi at the National Library in Dublin. Serendipity? I also agree that preparation and a game plan is essential before visiting Dublin. I looked up the BMD indexes at the LDS before visiting, and it saved time and money. On Joyce Street , the records office, there is a limit of 5 look ups a day for certs and they are strict abouth that! There is a fee to look information up in in the indexes as well as a fee for photocopying a cert. ( I don't know if they include the look up fee in with the photocopy). But, if you have a theory, it is worthwhile to hunt a cert and then dash back to the library to verify the info. I know that you can send to Rosscommon for info, but is was great to be able to get that instant info. On one of the days at the Library, I arrived 15 minutes after they opened....The Microfilm reader room was totally full! Everyone agreed that it was highly unusual, but I had to wait for about an hour before a reader was available. There were computers available with Irish Origins and other programs to do quick look ups, so that was a plus. Hope this helps! Claire in MA

I am puzzled by the message from Claire in MA. I am researching my Irish Bransfield family and have visited Dublin so many times that I cannot recall how many. You refer to the Record Office in "Joyce Street" - do you mean "Joyce House in Lombard Street East"? If you do, I am also puzzled about being restricted to five look-ups a day. Please forgive me if they have changed since my last visit (2004) but I paid a fee of 12 euros (I think, or maybe 15) to search all day. You were given three or four volumes (2004 was a long time ago and my memory is fading!), at a time, for the dates you select and I usually manage to cover births, deaths and marriages for about 50 years! Maybe I'm up the wrong street! Best wishes Sheila sunny but cold Kent, UK