A Sense of Place - Home

Visitors to this island often remark on the strong 'sense of place' that they encounter – that sense of connection to a particular locality that results from an intense familiarity with it. They are also struck – and are frequently mystified – by the number and great variety of place-names that they encounter. There is no doubt that our heritage of place-names is one of the most enriching legacies that have been passed down to us by earlier generations.

Ireland is divided into multiple categories of land divisions, some overlapping, but others sub-divisions of larger units of land. The origins of place-names derive from many sources – predominantly Gaelic Irish, but also English and Scottish, among others – and their meanings can tell us much about the character and history of a district. This section of our website provides information and resources on places across the historic province of Ulster.

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A Directory to the Market Towns, Villages, Gentlemen's Seats, and Other Noted Places in Ireland

Directory to the Market Towns, Villages, Gentlemen's Seats, and Other Noted Places in Ireland is an invaluable historical resource for anyone tracing their Irish roots. Offering a detailed snapshot of 19th-century Ireland, this guide helps family historians place their ancestors within specific local communities, identifying market towns, parishes, and prominent estates

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Want to learn more about Irish Land Records?

This Irish Land Records module focusses on five topics central to the subject of Irish land records.

This module is aimed at providing both the beginner and the more experienced genealogist the resources, tools and information needed to either start researching their Irish and Scots-Irish roots, or to find their elusive Irish or Scots-Irish ancestors.