Claire Bradley is a Dublin-based genetic genealogist specialising in ancestry from Ireland
It’s been a while since I did a book review so as we enter into the unmentionable season when people buy presents, I thought it was time. Nathan Dylan Goodwin has just released the eagerly-awaited second book in his investigative genetic genealogy mysteries. The Sawtooth Slayer picks up right after the Chester Creek Murders but…
So it’s October already. Halloween is coming. In Irish, October is mí Dheireadh Fómhair, which literally means the end of autumn. However, there’s still a lot of leaves on the ground, and being a genealogist, leaves make me think of trees, and well, you get the picture. In between working on other people’s family history, I…
My great aunt Joyce died this week. She was my grandmother’s sister and the last of all my grandparents’ generation. Joyce married very young. Her parents were reportedly uneasy, but happily they were proved wrong. Andy’s US army career took them to many places. Joyce & Andy were married for over 70 years before he…
I’ve launched a YouTube channel. The plan is to have videos on Irish genealogy and DNA testing. I have a few taster videos up already but more will come over the weeks and months. If you have any ideas for content, please do leave a comment. If you enjoy, please do like, share and subscribe!
I’m giving a talk next Saturday, 9th July for the Irish Genealogical Research Society on Irish Quakers. It’s free and online. You can register here. Some of you will know that I wrote my MA dissertation on Irish Quakers, who are a fascinating and quite distinct community. I’ll sharing some historical insights, talking about their…
This month’s book review might seem a little out of place on a genealogy blog, but I promise you it’s not. My Name is Philippa by Philippa Ryder is largely a book about family – modern family. Philippa is Transgender and this memoir is her story of becoming the woman she wanted to be from…
I was in Paris recently and had the great pleasure of going to dinner chez my 1C1R and his husband. My friends and I were made very welcome, treated to a delicious meal and great conversation. Early in the evening, I was told there was a surprise for me later. I don’t really like surprises…
Ancestry has released a new ethnicity feature which separates your DNA by parent. I’ve just looked at mine and, well, it’s not what I expected. So what is surprising me is that I have known Scottish and Welsh ancestry on my mother’s side, and no known from either on my father’s side, which due to…
Many of you will be aware that I gave a workshop at the recent RootsTech. It was attended by people from all over the world. Unfortunately, it was beset with technical issues. The recording is now online here, but I didn’t get time to answer all the questions during the session. Fortunately, we were able…
For International Women’s Day 2022, I’ve written up the life of Annie Mahony, one of my great-great grandmothers. Sadly, I don’t have a photograph of her, but she had at least 186 descendants. I’m hoping to share this amongst as many of them living as I can find & perhaps someone will have one that…