The following reminder came to us via Dr. Noel Carolan’s recent presentation to the Irish Family History Foundation (IFHF):

"FindMyPast’s YouTube channel features a rich collection of over 600 free videos, providing a fabulous resource for anyone interested in uncovering their family history. It caters to all levels, from beginners to seasoned researchers, providing a wealth of knowledge and insights into tracing ancestry worldwide. Beyond instructional content, FindMyPast’s channel also shares personal stories and discoveries. Several are inspirational and suggest new avenues for your own research.

The IFHF channel provides around 30 videos on Irish family history topics. While many are 5 to 10 years old, and several focus on the release of various subscription-based FindMyPast collections, the videos are still beneficial. For example, don’t overlook the video entitled ‘Murderers, rebels and drunkards, your Irish ancestors and the law’. It will aid your research into family members recorded in the 1926 census who were active on both sides during the revolutionary period 1913-23. FindMyPast has digitised a range of Irish records that help address the loss of Ireland’s 19th-century census forms. Subscription-based collections, such as dog license records and the Prison Registers (1790-1924), are good examples. Ironically, it may be easier to discover more about your family’s dog-naming conventions than the identity of your ancestors! On the other hand, prison registers generally provide a physical description of prisoners –- a sometimes-cherished insight, quite apart from indicating political activities, social struggles, addiction, different vulnerabilities, etc."