Roots Revealed

26/08/2026

I was really sorry to hear that the legend Dolly Parton had passed.

People across the Ulster-Scots community and beyond will be deeply saddened by news of the passing of Dolly Parton, the Queen of Country Music, who has died at the age of 80.

The music icon, who sold over 100million records in a career spanning more than six decades, was an acclaimed songwriter as well as singer, penning more than 3,000 songs, including 9 to 5, Jolene, Coat of Many Colours and I Will Always Love You, which sold over 40million records for Dolly and Whitney Houston.

She was highly acclaimed for her music and acting, earning 11 Grammy Awards, 3 Emmy Awards, 6 Golden Globe Awards, a Tony Awards, 2 Academy Awards nominations and honorary Oscar for her humanitarian work, which included the establishment of Dollywood and Dolly's Imagination Library, which promotes literacy in memory of her father Lee, who never learned to read or write.

Dolly was hugely proud of her roots as a Scotch-Irish hillbilly, in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and after finding stardom she did much to help the community where she had grown up in poverty.

When she played Belfast in 2002, she declared, 'With my Scotch-Irish ancestry, it's ridiculous that I haven't been here before'.

Dolly Parton leaves behind a giant legacy that will ensure she is remembered long into the future.

Please like and share.

fans U.S. Consulate Belfast Ulster-Scots Community Network Dolly Parton

20/08/2026

The next Exploring Your Roots 10-week Online Genealogy Course will commence on 05 October 2026 and will run for 2.5 hours each Monday for 10 weeks, finishing on 07 December 2026. The course is delivered via Zoom.
Comprehensive course materials are provided and you will have access to course recordings for 3 months. This means that if you can’t attend in person due to other commitments or time zone differences, you can still catch up on the talks.

The course focuses on Irish and Northern Irish records; it is suitable for novices as well as those who have experience in research.

Early Bird pricing of £150 applies until 20 September 2026 and thereafter the cost will be £170.

Places are limited to allow for plenty of interaction and time for questions.
For more information about the course content and to register your interest, please visit https://rootsrevealed.co.uk/genealogy-courses/

When you have registered your interest you will be emailed with a link to make a secure payment. Your place will be confirmed upon payment.

14/08/2026

If you have ancestors in the Armagh, Banbridge or Craigavon ares the please do consider joining ABC Family History Association . Of corse they offer talks on broader subjects and that include all of Ireland such as the one that I will be delivering on Irish Wills and Testamentary records.

Our Autumn 2026 Programme for Members! If you like the look of what we offer, why not become a member? Full member - £20 or Online member - £15. Check us out on www.abcfha.com

13/08/2026

Well this is very disappointing news!

The National Archives of Ireland is looking at a year-long timescale to restore its genealogy microsites, a spokesperson has said:

03/08/2026

I'm looking forward to delivering my next talk which is Irish Ancestors - The Top Five Websites You Need to Know About. In this talk we cover Irish Genealogy, The National Archives of Ireland, the National Library of Ireland, PRONI and Ireland's Virtual Treasury. The talk will cover the main record sets on each site and provide search tips. The talk is for Ontario Ancestors on Thursday 06 August 2026 at 7.00pm ET and at midnight BST. For more information and to register for the talk, please see https://ogs.on.ca/august-webinar-the-top-5-websites-you-need-to-know-about-natalie-bodle/

02/08/2026

Great work by the volunteers at IGP Archives.

July is almost behind us so here are the additions to the IGPArchives for July. Six sets of Headstones & Tithe Applotments for Clogher Parish, Tyrone.
Photo courtesy of Dave Hall - taken at Kenny Graveyard, County Westmeath.

CLARE, Genealogy Archives - Headstones
St. Andrews CoI Graveyard &
St. John the Baptist, Ballyvaughan
https://www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/clare/photos/tombstones/markers.html

DERRY, Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Eglish Old Burial Ground, Magherafelt
Ballykelly Presbyterian Graveyard, Ballykelly, Limvady
https://www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/derry/photos/tombstones/markers.html

DERRY, Genealogy Archives - Headstones
St. Patrick's, Claudy Part 2
https://www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/derry/photos/tombstones/1st-patricks/

TYRONE, Genealogy Archives - Land
Tithe Applotments - Clogher Parish Part 2
https://www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/tyrone/land.html

WESTMEATH, Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Kenny Graveyard, near Mullingar (Small Cemetery)
https://www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/westmeath/photos/tombstones/markers.html

28/07/2026

Good news - additional records for Co Armagh including the parish of Shankill.

New Armagh Records Added! 27th July 2026 By Brendan Scott We are delighted to announce the addition of over 22,000 new Armagh records to our Roots Ireland database! They are as follows: Graveyards: St Gobhans CI (1875-1986) – Seagoe Parish; Ballylane Reformed Presbyterian (1855-1984) – Kilcloone...

26/07/2026

North of Ireland Family History Society DNA Summer School is now open for booking.

This year's Summer School is better than ever (at least we think so!!)
https://www.nifhs.org/events-and-courses/courses/dna-summer-school/

Our Guest Speakers at DNA Summer School in 2026 are the very best in their field and we are delighted that they are joining us.

Dave Vance is the Senior Vice President and General Manager for FamilyTreeDNA. He is a lifelong genealogist with a professional background in IT services. After taking a National Geographic Genographic Project DNA test in 2005, he became deeply involved in genetic genealogy research and is a writer and speaker on the subject.

Maarten Larmuseau is a professor of genetic genealogy and a biologist. His research brings together population genetics, genealogy and history to examine how biological relationships have shaped human society.

Donna Rutherford is a well known London-based Genetic Genealogist and blends New Zealand heritage with ancestral ties to England, Scotland, and Ireland. She is an author and speaker with an emphasis on making genealogy easy to understand.

Dr Turi King is a renowned geneticist, archaeologist, writer and television presenter. She currently serves as Director of the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath and is widely known for her pioneering work in forensic and ancient DNA. She has recently published "The Secrets of Our DNA: How Genetics has Changed the World".

19/07/2026

Findmypast Giveaway!

✨This competition has now closed. Thank you to everyone who entered. The winner will be contacted shortly. ✨
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Fancy a free Findmypast subscription? 🌟

Read on to find out how to win ⬇️

We have a 12-month Everything subscription to give away to one lucky winner

To be in with a chance, here's how to enter:

➡️ Comment on this post with a photo of a wartime ancestor
➡️ You'll get one extra bonus entry if it's a photo of you holding the photo

The fine print
This giveaway is not sponsored by Meta. One randomly selected entrant will win a 12-month Everything subscription to Findmypast. No purchase necessary. One entry per person. Closes 23 July 2026 at 23:59 UK time.

19/07/2026

We are pleased to announce the publication of the Truth Recovery Independent Panel’s final report, following our investigation into Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses in Northern Ireland, and their pathways and practices.

Read the report online using the following link: https://tinyurl.com/43vjsatb

If you would like to receive a hard copy of the report, please email us at [email protected].

We extend our sincere thanks to everyone who shared their personal experiences with the Panel. We are deeply grateful for the trust placed in us and for the opportunity to ensure that the voices and experiences of those affected are at the heart of this report.