This thread still isn't going quite the way I'd hoped! I do NOT want to put people off trying to contact their relatives in Northern Ireland; quite the opposite. Northern Ireland people are not scary; probably less scary in general than anyone else you will encounter worldwide; most people are decent, warm and welcoming, and even if you don't make contact with actual relatives, someone else in the locality may well turn out to be an interesting contact, so if you don't get a response from your initial attempt, look for someone else online who may be able to help. Check out the local history society, or the local Women's Institute, or the church that your ancestors went to What I was trying to say in my two previous communications was that you have to make allowances for a few cultural differences, (especially note that when we get a letter we would expect that a return address will be on the letter and not just on the envelope), and don't feel rejected if for some reason you don't receive an immediate reply. There may be a perfectly valid reason why someone doesn't reply; family distractions, going on holiday, wrong address...so just don't take it personally! Linde