This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: BurgessDonnelly Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.britisles.ireland.tyr.general/7470.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Some of the information may be available online, depending on when your Irish ancestors lived. Civil registration of vital records began for Roman Catholics in 1864 and for Protestants in 1845. You may find transcriptions of some records on www.familysearch.org (free) www.emeraldancestors.com (paying subscription) www.rootsireland.ie (pay per view) If you are lucky enough that one of your families came from Drumragh, digital images of the Catholic Church records are online and searchable at http://www.drumraghparish.com/archiver.asp (free) Many records are held at the local level, so you will need to narrow your focus to the Townland and Parish level. Two books you may find useful "Tracing Your Irish Ancestors" by John Grenham "A New Genealogical Atlas of Ireland" PRONI has recently put digital images of the Valuation Revision Books online. These records can help locate where your family lived. http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/search_the_archives/val12b.htm (free) A personal visit to PRONI can be useful for vital records not available online. If any of your families were still in Ireland in 1901 and 1911, the census for those years is online and searchable at http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search/ (free) There are plans to digitize more records from Ireland, but that is a year or more away. http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/technology/library-seeks-help-to-digitise-collection-1.536979 Have a great trip and happy hunting! Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.