http://www.iar.ie/Genealogy.html Family History & Genealogical Research Many of the collections listed on this portal will contain information of interest to genealogists and family historians. Items such as rental ledgers, wages and salaries books and employee records can often contain references to people whose lives have otherwise gone largely unrecorded. It must be borne in mind however that considerable time would have to be expanded in searching through these records to find any useful references, as they are often not indexed or accurately dated. Due to limited funding and resources for archival repositories in Ireland, it may not always be possible for staff in the repositories listed in this portal to answer family history queries or give guidance on how to begin a genealogical research. Luckily a number of institutions already offer very comprehensive guides which will aid any researcher with this type of query. The National Archives of Ireland www.nationalarchives.ie provides a Genealogy Service where members of the public can consult a professional genealogist about sources relating to their family history. This service is provided free of charge and is available to the public from Monday to Friday, 10.0017.00. The Genealogy Service is intended primarily for first-time researchers and visitors but more experienced researchers are also welcome to use it. The website also has a comprehensive guide to using its records to research family history http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy/beginning.html Importantly, online Census returns are also available at no charge via the National Archives web site http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy/censusrtns.html The National Library of Ireland website has a very useful guide for anyone beginning a family history search. It is available to download at http://www.nli.ie/en/family-history-introduction.aspx An advisory service is also available free of charge to all personal callers to the Library who wish to research their family history in Ireland. For first time researchers this Service is a useful starting point, allowing them the opportunity to discuss their research with experienced Library staff, and ready access to important finding aids. More experienced family historians are also welcome to avail of the Service if they need assistance with on-going research. Both the National Archives of Ireland and the National Library of Ireland websites feature lists of professional genealogists willing to undertake paid research work. Details can be found at http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy/researchers.html and http://www.nli.ie/en/commission-research.aspx Other useful sites include: The website of The Genealogical Society of Ireland http://www.familyhistory.ie also offers a series of very useful links for researching in Ireland. The Society of Archivists, Ireland maintains the website www.learnaboutarchives.ie designed to provide a practical and interesting online information service for the general public (but more especially educators and their students) on archival material and archive services in Ireland. It provides an excellent introduction to the rules and procedures in place when accessing and handling archival material. To research your family in their county of origin contact the local archive or local library directly. Contact details are available on this website or on www.learnaboutarchives.ie