Parish Records?

tba

What exactly are these? I have heard of people using them to source information but Im not sure exactly what they are. I assume that it is records of baptisms, marraiges births etc...

Has anybody used these to look up ancestors?
Are they worth the effort?
Any general tips?

pinkypinky

Parish registers are church records of baptisms and marriages, and sometimes funerals as well. As there was no civil registration for these life events prior to 1864 (though CoI marriages were registered from 1845), they can be useful to help you trace your ancestry to the early part of the 19th century and in some cases, before then too.

Copies of available parish registers are held on microfilm in the National Library on Kildare St in Dublin. You have to get a readers ticket to start using them. Passport photos are required for it but you can get them done there if necessary.

If you don't know definitely what parish your ancestor would have been in, then the search will be long and difficult. Don't confuse civil parishes with church ones and remember that there will be Church of Ireland ones as well as Roman Catholic.

A couple of points to bear in mind:
They are not computer searchable. However, the library on Pearse St has a partial database of parish records for Dublin only on computer. They are transcriptions only, so it is wise to follow-up with a visit to the NLI.

Style and handwriting can vary from illegible to neatly printed in pre-made forms.

The quality of the microfilms is also variable.

A lot of the registers are in latin so it would be worthwhile knowing the latin version of the person's name.

It is worthwhile bringing a magnifying glass to aid your search. You can sharpen up the microfilm but sometimes it's not quite enough.

Lizzykins

The National Library have a list of parishes that they hold microfilms for and a list of dates held also.Check on the website. Sometimes there will be gaps in the records due to records being damaged or destroyed. I'd agree that a magnifying glass is useful to look at the microfilms.

I found some records which was a bonus but it was a hard slog. It was like looking at a giant shopping list. The priests didn't seem to put down people's ages or parent's names on the marriage registers which was a shame. On the death register all there is, is names and date of burial. Baptisms are a bit better in that the parents names are given. Though I did see a baby baptised and the record said parents unknown-foundling. I thought it was desperately sad but seeing as it was 1847 and famine times not uncommon I would have thought.

tba

Thats fantastic, thanks guys exactly the info I needed, as a point of interest do the NLI also hold the records on civil ceremonies?

scratch that I found out who does

http://www.groireland.ie

sweet-rasmus

pinkypinky wrote:

Copies of available parish registers are held on microfilm in the National Library on Kildare St in Dublin. You have to get a readers ticket to start using them. Passport photos are required for it but you can get them done there if necessary.

You don't need to get a readers ticket to view the microfilm - you can just walk in or ask for a pass for microfilm.

I agree about the latin. I recommend http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/OH-CLEVELAND-IRISH/2000-09/0968713773 for latin versions of names. and know the months in latin too.

It can be worth looking at the parish records but it is extremely helpful if you know which Parish to look in and perhaps an approximate date. I would wait until you have exhausted your census research and other possibilities first. You could be in the National Library for many many hours at a time and you will do your head in. One plus point is that they open on a Saturday morning

The months of the year in Latin:
Januarii (Jan)
Februarii (Feb)
Martii (Mar)
Aprilis (Apr)
Maii (May)
Junii (Jun)
Julii (Jul)
Augusti (Aug)
Septembris (Sep)
Octobris (Oct)
Novembris (Nov)
Decembris (Dec)