Family History and Slow Travel Dinners: A Conversation with Boyd Gray

In a recent conversation on The Celtic Way Podcast, 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ZxK5skSFZ2B8fLQ0KRxhI

In this conversation, Boyd Gray, the researcher behind West Ulster Genealogy, shares practical insights into researching Irish family history and reconnecting with the places and people connected to our ancestors.

Boyd has helped people from across the Irish diaspora, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom, explore their family histories. His work particularly focuses on families connected with Tyrone, Donegal, Derry, Londonderry, Fermanagh, and the wider Ulster region.

Boyd Gray on The Celtic Way Podcast. Image courtesy of The Celtic Way.

What You Need to Research Your Irish Ancestry

For Boyd, successful family history research begins with having the right information.

One of the most important details is knowing where your ancestors lived. Ideally, this means identifying the townland they came from rather than simply knowing the county or nearest large town.

Townlands are small geographical divisions found throughout Ireland, and they can provide an important starting point for genealogy research. Knowing that an ancestor came from Donegal or Derry, for example, may still leave a large area to search, particularly when the family had a common surname.

Boyd also recommends knowing the names of your ancestors and relatives. If researching a married couple, knowing the woman's maiden name can be particularly useful.

The Records That Can Help You Start

Once Boyd has enough information to identify the right family, he can begin searching historical records. Two important sources he discusses are Griffith’s Valuation and the 1901 and 1911 censuses.

Boyd also notes that civil birth certificates were not available before 1864. Earlier information may sometimes be found through baptismal or church records, although these records are not always complete or available for every location.

Many Irish genealogy resources are now online, which means a large amount of research can be completed before someone travels to Ireland.

Finding the Family Who Stayed in Ireland

One of the main goals of Boyd’s research is to identify the family members who remained in Ireland after an ancestor emigrated. This may include parents, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, spouses, children, and later descendants

Following these family branches can help show what happened to the relatives who stayed behind and may eventually lead to family members still living in the same wider area today.

Finding Living Relatives in Ireland

Boyd shares the story of Gail, an Australian woman researching her Michael Hatten family in County Derry. After researching the family, Boyd was able to identify where they had lived and make contact with people in the area before Gail arrived.

When she traveled to Ireland, Boyd took her to the ancestral home, where she met three elderly brothers connected with the family. Further research also showed that another brother had married and had children, meaning the family line continued nearby.

The story is a strong example of how genealogy can move beyond records and lead to real connections with people who are part of the same family story.

Turning Family Research into a Journey Home

Throughout the conversation, Boyd shows that Irish genealogy can lead to much more than a family tree.

With the right starting information, research may uncover the relatives who stayed behind, the home where a family lived, the place where they were buried, and sometimes cousins who are still living in Ireland.

For people traveling from Australia and elsewhere, these discoveries can make a visit to Ireland much more personal.

If Boyd's insights have inspired you to explore your own Irish ancestry, The Celtic Way's Irish Heritage Journeys offer the opportunity to turn your family history research into a meaningful journey through Ireland. Depending on your chosen itinerary, you can visit the places connected to your family’s story, explore local history and heritage, and experience the communities your ancestors once called home.

To learn more about our upcoming Irish Heritage Journeys, visit our website and discover where your own Irish story could lead you. If you’d like to learn more about researching Irish family history and reconnecting with relatives in Ireland, listen to Boyd Gray’s full conversation on the Irish Voices podcast on Spotify