Dipping My Toes in to Irish Genealogy Research

Apart from my British, Finnish and a little European heritage, I have some Irish blood in me too. About 30% in fact (according to my AncestryDNA test). But the whole Irish side is one that I’ve pretty much avoided. Afterall, there are so many other lines and branches to follow … so it always ended up in the “I’ll get to it one day” pile.

Well I’ve just discovered John Grenham’s YouTube channel. And to say I’m a fan is an understatement.

For anyone who hasn’t heard of John Grenham, he is like THE No.1 authority on Irish genealogy research. The Godfather of it so to speak. He’s also the author of the best known Irish research book “Tracing Your Irish Ancestors“, now up to the 5th edition, and which is commonly referred to as the Bible for Irish research. So in other words, he knows his stuff.

He also has the most incredible website for Irish genealogy around. It has SO MUCH info. So much, that he’s actually created a video to show people how to use it. I urge to to find 20 minutes to watch this video, because if you haven’t used his website, you will be blow away by what it offers, and how it works.

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But I also wanted to share another of his videos with you … one that is common for everyone starting their Irish research “Irish Ancestors: Why Can’t I Find Mine?” As I’m a total newbie to Irish research, I thought it would be good to watch this to see what he had to say, and as expected John gives his viewers lots of great advice, so I’m sharing it here.

If you are researching Irish ancestors, please go and check out (and subscribe) to his YouTube channel. You’ll learn heaps!!!

So now I am enthused about getting going on my Irish ancestors, now to find some time (which really translates to “MAKE” some time) to do some actual research.

Wish me luck!

 

My First Ever Video

I have always said that learning never ends, and I’ve proved that to myself today  by recording and uploading my first ever video to YouTube.

Videoing isn’t something that I’d ever get into, but then again nor was blogging. Oh boy I was so wrong with that one ;P. Anyway Jill Ball from the Geniaus blog, has started hosting Hangouts on Air on Google+. This is essentially live “video chat”. I sat and watched the first one live (you can see it here on YouTube), without being an “on air’ participant, but wish to join in sometime.

So I’ve bought myself a headset, and have been playing with my webcam which I have never actually used until today, so I needed to get used to what a video might be like. So to try it all out, I thought I’d try recording something.

Next Stop Hollywood??

Hollywood, yeah right … though I did fly over it on my way from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City, Utah and back, so does that count? But no, I didn’t see the big HOLLYWOOD sign, so I guess not eh? Anyway during my visit to RootsTech in March 2013, I was given the opportunity to make my acting debut, which is now available for all to see on the big screen. Now by acting debut, I mean I was interviewed, and by big screen I mean you can check it out on YouTube. 😉

I was actually interviewed three times at RootsTech. Twice by my good friend and fellow Aussie geneablogger Jill Ball (aka Geniaus to the social media world), and once by the boys at The Vault. Jill is super efficient, and has her video’s online already.