Top Tips for Exploring Your Heritage in Ireland
With March now officially declared Irish-American Heritage Month once again, are you dreaming of walking in your Irish ancestors’ footsteps? Walking on a cobblestoned street in Cork? Seeing your great-grandparents’ cottage in Mayo? Or reuniting with distant cousins in Dublin?
If that sounds like you, you’re probably one of the 70 million people around the world with Irish roots. For many Irish Americans, a trip to the Emerald Isle is top of their bucket list — a unique opportunity to rediscover the land, culture and people they’re deeply connected to.
If you’re thinking of flying to Ireland and diving into your Irish genealogy and heritage, we have eight ways to make it a magical trip for you and your family. From finding your surname online to visiting your family’s hometown and tasting a pint of the “black stuff”, we can help you uncover your origins, maximise your time abroad and explore the special relationship between Ireland and the United States.
Co. Clare, Ireland
How to Trace Your Irish Ancestry
1. Search online Irish genealogy resources
Kick off your research early by visiting genealogy sites like Ancestry or FindMyPast before you leave home. Search for your family’s surname, and then narrow down by location, time and even ships’ manifestos. If you’re lucky, you could find existing research, uploaded photographs and entire family trees created by other amateur genealogists. There’s no better way to see your family’s stories come to life.
2. Short-list local Irish Ancestry resources
Before you set off, think about making an appointment to visit the National Archives in Dublin. Ireland’s unique history means that many official records are missing, but the rest are safeguarded in government archives. You can also reach out to local libraries and churches, which usually have baptism books and marriage records, often dating back centuries. Make sure to bring a camera in case you discover your ancestors’ signature in one of those heavy old books.
3. Connect with locals
When you’ve settled on a city, town or village to explore, reach out to local interest groups online. They often have a wealth of knowledge and fascinating oral histories that could help you uncover new details about your family’s roots. Social media is a great place to start a chat. You never know where — or to whom — it might lead! You can also contribute your own information to help historians build a picture of where the sons and daughters of Ireland built new lives.
4. Visit your ancestral home
Once you’ve safely landed on the “oul sod”, make your way to the village or town your ancestors once lived in. You might be able to find the old stone cottage your great-grandfather was born in, visit the local school he attended and soak up the history of your ancestral home. If you’re very lucky, you might even meet some older people who once knew your kin — the local pub is a great place to start those conversations.
Co. Mayo, Ireland
5. Dive into Irish culture
Wherever you stay, and however you travel, you’ll soon realise that one of the best things about visiting Ireland is its music, song and dance. You can catch a traditional music gig, a local festival or an Irish dancing session in local pubs almost every weekend, especially along the Wild Atlantic Way. Immersing yourself in the culture of your people will help you feel connected to them, even across multiple generations.
6. Enjoy authentic Irish food
Take a break from your research to fill your belly and nourish your soul at the many food markets, pubs, cafés and restaurants around the country. Eat like your ancestors and enjoy award-winning farmhouse cheeses, homebaked bread and fresh seafood or pick up some tasty souvenirs for family back home. And don’t forget to stop by the Guinness Storehouse while you’re in Dublin!
Giant’s Causeway, Co. Antrim
7. Take in the sights
No visit to Ireland would be complete without seeing the breathtaking scenery. Walk in your ancestors’ footsteps at the Cliffs of Moher in Clare, take a horse and cart around the stunning Ring of Kerry or climb the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland. If you fancy something different, there are lots of hidden gems to uncover too, including sailing the Shannon or surfing in Sligo.
8. Learn about Irish history
Round out your trip by expanding your knowledge about Ireland, its culture and its diaspora. The National Museum of Ireland, EPIC (The Irish Emigration Museum) and the Irish National Heritage Park are all great places to start. You might even find your own surname among the many Irish people who made their mark on the world — through politics, literature, music, art and more.
Explore Your Irish Roots with Aer Lingus
With so much to explore and enjoy, Ireland is an incredible place to visit, whether you have Irish heritage or not. Plus, it’s never been easier to travel there, with direct flights to Dublin from all the major cities in the USA, including Chicago, Boston, New York and San Francisco.
And if you’ve also got ancestors from other parts of Europe, you’re in luck. Ireland is the gateway to Europe, which means that you can fly from the USA to Dublin or Shannon and then onwards to more than a dozen destinations, including Great Britain, Italy and Germany. That way, you can turn a trip to Ireland into an extended tour of all the places your people called home.
As Ireland’s national carrier, Aer Lingus will take you back to your homeland in style. You’ll be welcomed onboard with a genuine smile, legendary hospitality and a fabulous food menu, packed with authentic Irish meals, drinks and snacks. It won’t be long before you’re chatting to your fellow passengers while enjoying a warming whiskey or cup of tea — you might even discover a long-lost cousin before you land!
If you’ve been thinking about making that bucket-list trip to Ireland to learn more about your Irish heritage as an American, now’s the time. Why not give yourself and your family the gift of connection this Irish American Heritage Month?
