Hi Leanne, I don't have any connections with KENNEDYs, nor does my budget extend to paid research in Ireland, so I can't offer an opinion of whether any more is valuable, but I offer a couple of points re your search and what you could perhaps be doing yourself, FWIW. Have you ever thought of joining either of the large genealogical societies in Brisbane? The Genealogical Society of Qld (GSQ) or the Qld Family History Society (QFHS) - I can give you contact details privately if you need them. Almost certainly you would have been able to do your own searching in Griffiths Valuation and the Tithe Applotments at one or both of these. I can't speak for what other Irish records they may have, but always worth checking. And they should also have some resources vital to Irish research such as "how to" books and the Parish and Townlands guide. Have you checked back issues of GRD to see if anyone else is researching your names? (These would be at most FHSs and many libraries). Have you checked your local (or the larger Brisbane) libraries to see what genealogical resources they hold that may help you? Also, the LDS church has a lot of Irish records on microform, available through their Family History Centres or Libraries. The Irish BDM records and many parish records are on film. The index is online. You will find that, re shipping, the records held in *Australia*, and freely available to you in larger libraries and FHSs, will generally give you far more information than Irish records. Find out about the ARK/GRK (Archives/Genealogical Resource Kit) - I think they changed the name midstream - from the Archives Office of NSW, now State Records. Assuming your ancestors arrived in Sydney, which is likely for 1856 - (otherwise check with Qld Archives). This kit is widely available in Australian libraries, and contains many and varied records. In the GRK/ARK are indices to shipping records, and films of the agents' and immigration records for most of these which will give family details. You may also like to consult books such as "Log of Logs" by Ian Nicholson (3 volumes) which will tell you if a log, diary or journal is known to exist for the particular voyage, and where you may find it. Of course, they don't for all voyages, but you may be lucky. If you joined one of these societies, you would be able to learn more about how to go about genealogical research, and you may well find heaps more about your ancestors. I hope these thoughts will help. Regards Pam An Aussie transplanted to Rotorua, NZ. At 19:11 13.08.02 +1000, Leanne Chilver wrote: >A few years later Robert, Michael, and John, their wives and children, >left Ireland to sail aboard the Robert Small which departed Southampton >on 30 January 1856 to arrive Australia on 23 May 1856. >Also, I'm seeking some advice. A search was done for baptisms and >marriages of the RC parishes of Donanne, Arles, Ballyadams and >Ballinakill. None of the marriages for the children were found. Also >the Laois Title Applotment, Griffith Valuation, Laois Trade Index was >searched. > >Is it worth pursuing any further "commissioned" research or is this all >that I can hope to ever find about my family? Any suggestions on how to >progress my research are welcomed.