I have Irish ancestors as well as Welsh, Scots and English. After members of my family researched our ancestors and where they came from we still don't know a lot about exactly where they came from in Ireland. We know a lot more about where our Scots, Welsh and English ancestors came from.
I would appreciate any suggestion about where we might go for such information.
Some of the surnames in my family are Connally, which supposedly come from Galway. Barry, from Ulster. Patrick as well.
Have you used the ancestry.com site?
Yes, we have already done that and more. My Connally ancestor came from Galway, not sure he was from Galway. His name was Thomas Connally and fought in the American Revolution. I know some Irish spell the name Connolly or Conley or Connelly.
I know that some hotels, like the Shelburne in Dublin have staff to help people trace ancestry. Not sure the cost or what all is involved.
Do you have approximate dates of when they came to North America?
No, I don't know a precise date, except around 1750.
If your ancestors arrived around 1750 then it's a near certainty that they came from Ulster during the Scots-Irish emigration of that era.
Can google about the Penal Laws of the 18th century if you want to research the background and causes of the out-migration of that time.
The Irish-American folk park near Omagh has a pretty good research facility for delving into historical records, old ship's manifests, etc. along with helpful docents to guide you. And the park itself does a good job explaining the history of those times - we thought it a most enjoyable and educational day out.
