General Chat

Have a look, Gerry, in cyndislist(.)com - remove brackets - and the genuki website, and the rootsweb mailing lists and message boards for counties and surnames, and rootschat(.)com - post messages all over the place asking questions, and hopefully someone will be able to help. I do empathise! Joy

Thanks Bridget and Joy. Doesn't look very hopeful then Joy!

Sorry, Gerry, but civil registration did not start in Ireland (there was neither south nor north then) until 1864. So before then, it is trickier! Joy

Hi everyone. I have read thru this thread but can find no mention of web site or postal address for getting birth certs from Ireland. I have a probable birth in Kingston near Dublin, I believe) in 1853. Can anyone give me the "hows" of getting a cert please? Gerry

I downloaded and then sent by post the application form for an Irish 1908 birth certificate. I didn't know the mother's name but did know the village and date and I received the right one from Dublin.

Sorry to butt in here, Just to say I agree its good to go over the water and have a nice time in the pubs etc. but I also recommend a visit to the GRO in Dublin. The staff are really helpful and bend over backwards for you. I didn't get what I was looking for but I enjoyed my visit and plan to go again. Re visiting the town your family originated from that to is a spooky experience....And I didn't get there either! The closest I got was to Kilrush,Co Clare where I know my great grandad lived in 1870/80. Its a weird feeling and it's still early days in my reseach yet.

Is it pointless trying to look for a certificate without exact date or place of birth!? It is not a common name, Constance Mary Tuckwell was born 1908/09, I know her fathers name was Thomas and was an electrician but no more and as I think they emigrated to London about 1910 I'm at a dead end, has anyone got any ideas what I can try? Thanks.

Thanks guys for all your help

I agree you'll have a great time visiting Pubs and the sites. One place that is not enjoyable is the Dublin GRO office, it's a nightmare it can be costly and and can also be fruitless. I say go for the Pubs, the Crack or whatever forget Dublin for research, unless your Irish lot have VERY unusual names or you have nearly all the info yourself, then there isnt any point. Oh and you may also forget it if they are Kelly Murphy, and any with 'O' at the beginning of their name. Believe me I have visited that GRO office, but never again. Pat x

I don't know where you live Clare, but I think the best way to do irish research, when you have hardly any info is probably to visit Ireland yourself, kill two birds with one stone, do some research and have a brill time, Dublin or Belfast great cities, helpful lovely people and the pubs are just grand lol. Lynda

Clare, Where are you applying for the birth cert? Not sure which is the best method to follow. I am willing to give it a go with the information I have but unsure who best to contact. Any advice welcome. Frances

I did some checking around and have found that if you have most of the details, it should not be a major problem. Also (hanging my head in embarassment), I remembered that I ordered one from the Record Office here in the north without having a father's name (namely because his name was never divulged), and received it alright. Paul

that is reasuring to know, many thanks. Can i ask how are you carrying the search on from here? If i do find out who my great great grandparents are , how can i trace their birth certs with no dates?

Claire I just applied for my grandfathers birth cert. online, like you I had dob and fathers name but not mothers name so I just put a load of question marks where her name should have been, groni searched and phoned me up to confirm if they had found the correct one and hey presto I received his birth certificate, I think it costs £5.00 for them to do a search for you, well worth a try. I hope that makes sense to you, I'm not too good at explaining things lol Lynda

from my father, his grandson, also same name lol xx

Where did you find that info Clare? Paul

just bouncing xxx

Hi i know he was called james roantree born 5th nov 1881 in rinsend dublin, surely this would be enough info??

Paul, I am looking for Limerick, I have the year and fathers name and possible mothers name(not confirmed) but thats as far as it goes. Clare, sorry to hijack your thread! Frances

Clare I'm afraid its incredibly hard sorting out irish Certs, and if you are getting the right one. Unless people know exactly where in Ireland and I am not talking just County but what's called Township or Townland you can never be sure you have the right one, there isnt even census from the 1800's to help you identify people and places. The only thing I can suggest you do is find out if the LDS have recorded anything that may help you, but please be warned if it's a common name there will be 100's of entries and any of them could be yours. Sorry if it seems gloomy. Pat x