In the first official posting to the blog, I would like to extend an open  invitation to anyone who is currently tracing a relative who emigrated to America, is thinking it may be time to tackle the American branch of your family tree, or has even once thought, “I wonder what ever happened to….?”

Please share your stories about family who left Ireland for America, questions you have about genealogy research in America, and successes (or frustrations) encountered when tracing the history of your emigrant relatives.

Please leave comments!  Don’t be shy…

(and if you are shy or would otherwise like to keep your comments private, email me directly aine@archival-solutions.com.)

Please take a look at the About page to learn who we are and what The Irish in America blog is all about.  I am eager to learn what Irish people are looking for in their search for their relatives in America.

I need to shift my thinking a bit about genealogy.  I need to get away from the traditional genealogy carried out by most Americans, intent on finding out where they came from, or  who they are.  In the great big melting pot that is the United States, Americans are often inclined to define themselves in terms of their heritage.  This endeavor – tracing an emigrant’s story – differs from strict genealogy in that the focus is on an individual (or individuals) who left, and the challenge is to discover where they went and who they became.

As we go on, I will share my own experiences with Irish genealogy.  My heritage is entirely Irish, although my people left Ireland three and four generations ago.  All of my ancestors reached America on a ship, and most came through New York harbor, but each one had a unique experience once they began their new life.  I am knowledgeable in the patterns of Irish migration throughout the United States, as well as the history and geography of the country.  All of this, I believe, will help me help you in your search.

Feel free to send me your comments and questions.  Go on…

You can check out the list I started of free online databases if you click on the Resources tab at the top of the page.