Understanding where we are from doesn’t begin with where we were born, it can be so much more than that. Knowing where our ancestors lived, their traditions, and their culture can really open our eyes and help us get to know our family tree from its roots.
If you grew up in another country and have ties to Ireland then we invite you to book an ancestry tour with us. The feeling of belonging to a place is special and may help you get to know yourself better. Understanding your DNA is a life-changing experience.
Standing in a graveyard with 1,000 years of DNA in the soil doesn’t just make you feel like you belong, it will make you grateful for your ancestor’s struggles and the successes that have helped make you who you are today.
How to Plan an Ancestry Tour of Ireland
John’s Tours of Ireland has years of experience in research and can assist with seeking out authentic and genuine family records. From this information, we can plan experiences that include where your ancestors actually lived and worked.
We understand that researching family history might only be part of the reason you’re visiting Ireland. It’s also important to take in other sites that make Ireland so special. Depending on what we uncover you might also need to plan a follow-up visit so that we can act on leads or strengthen your emotional connection with a place.
Planning a second visit is also necessary if you need to connect with other people related to your ancestors, and visit the National Archives in Dublin, the Special Collections Department of the National Library or the Public Record Office for Northern Ireland in Belfast.
Getting the Most Out of Your Ancestry Tour
Whether we need to start the research process from scratch or you already have research on your family history done, we will tailor your time with us to ensure that you get the most out of your trip.
We can provide three one-day excursions to enhance your knowledge of what being Irish is all about, making you feel like you’ve come home. We also run a variety of preplanned ancestry tours that explore the heritage of Kilkenny, the Boyne Valley and the Wicklow mountains.
Kilkenny Normandy Tour
This tour is themed around the 800-year-long history of the English conquest and colonisation of Ireland. With most Irish people speaking English today and the majority having at least some English ancestry mixed with their Gaelic ancestry, this tour aims to help you to understand how it is possible to be both proud Irish and proud of the English elements of your heritage.
The Boyne Valley Tour
By visiting the Boyne Valley; “the heartland of the Irish Nation,” we will uncover Ireland’s ancient capital of Tara along with the 5,500-year-old passage grave tombs of the Bru na Boinne World Heritage Site. We will then explore the finely carved early Christian Celtic High Crosses of Monasterboice and the Battle of the Boyne Site. All the while exploring how Ireland’s turbulent history has shaped what it means to be Irish.
Wicklow Mountains Tour
Visit the beautiful Wicklow Mountains and hear the stories of the great potato famine while seeing the ruins of villages and abandoned farms where our ancestors starved and were driven to flee to the new world. During the day we will also see how the Anglo-Irish lived at Powerscourt House and we’ll walk through some of the most beautiful scenery Ireland has to offer in the Wicklow Mountains.
Want to ask us about an ancestry tour? We’re here to help you plan the trip of a lifetime. Visit our website and get in touch today.
