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Graham was born and brought up in the Republic of Ireland. As Protestants in a predominantly Roman Catholic country, he and his family sometimes felt like outsiders, and he is keen to discover just how deeply rooted in Ireland his family are.
Graham starts with his maternal great-grandmother, Mary Dooey. She was recorded as a Logan on her marriage certificate, but whenever possible, preferred to use the name Dooey. Why was this? As Graham digs deeper into his family’s past, he uncovers a story of scandal and illegitimacy, but also courage and determination.
Graham now turns his attention to his father, Billy Walker’s line (Graham’s real name is Graham Walker). Billy’s job took his family all over Ireland. As a result Graham never came to think of any one place as ‘home’. However his dad grew up in the small Irish village of Carnew, and Graham soon discovers that generations of Walkers lived there before him.
He learns how his ancestors survived the potato famine, and fought and died for the Crown during the Irish rebellion. Finally he uncovers documents that lead him back across the Irish Sea, to unlock the Walkers' origins in Britain.
Our online research guide Irish genealogy is a good place to start, or you can listen to our podcast on tracing your Irish ancestors here at The National Archives.
If you are researching relatives from Ireland start your investigation by speaking to your immediate family. They may point you towards relatives who still live in Ireland. Researching your ancestry may, like Graham’s story, involve travel to Ireland. This may be necessary as far more information is available locally in Ireland.
The National Archives does not hold records locally created in Ireland, so you will not find Irish birth, marriage death or census records here.
The main family history sources for Ireland are not at The National Archives but are in Ireland itself.
For records of birth, marriage and death in Ireland, you could get in touch with the General Register Office of Ireland, and for Northern Ireland, the General Register Office of Northern Ireland.
Irish census records of 1901 and 1911 are available to access at the National Archives of Ireland (bear in mind that few early returns survive). You can see a copy of the 1901 census on microfilm at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.
Wills are a very useful source of family history, and can sometimes reveal some hidden facts about your ancestors, their professions and family relationships.
You can get information on Irish migration to England using Moving Here. The website lists the main sources available for research, both within the UK and outside. It also provides historical context for the records.
