The Foundation would like to develop an Irish Migration Memorial where interested parties could commemorate a specific ancestor, or family line that they have been researching, and in doing so help us create our Genealogy Hub.

The Migration Memorial would be in the form of a tree on which members of the public can sponsor a leaf in memory of their ancestors. A tree and leaves we believe are particularly appropriate motifs in relation to immigration and family history. There are two main donations – the leaves will be available in two sizes, the difference reflecting the level of sponsorship.

Creating a Genealogy Hub

The first floor in the premises at Kiltonga is ideally suited to becoming our Genealogy Hub and family history research centre. By commemorating your ancestors on the Migration Memorial your sponsorship can help the Foundation to fit out the Genealogy Hub. Our project target is £20,000.

The Foundation has a small but hugely valuable research library. Recent major donations by supporters have significantly added to our holdings and made it a major resource for those searching Ulster Ancestors. In particular, the generous donation of more than 1,100 books by our long-time Trustee and former Chairman, Professor Richard Clarke, adds a priceless collection of volumes to our library; nearly all of which would be of interest to researchers.

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Given the extent of donations we need to invest in producing an up to date and accurate catalogue which is accessible from our website, install additional shelving to accommodate the recent and future donations, re-shelve the current stock, repair broken bindings, provide suitable protective storage for rare and valuable holdings, and fit out the research suite for public and member use.

In looking to the future, we believe that further investment in our digital infrastructure is essential. We aim to build a new website which will provide our members with even greater access to the Foundation's resources. Our online databases will be redeveloped to allow a higher degree of interrogation. The Members' Area will be expanded with new content.

And given the research value of some rare items in our research library (all now out of copyright) digitising aspects of the collection for a global audience as part of the Genealogy Hub will give much broader access to these rich historical resources.

By commemorating your ancestor on our Migration Memorial, you help to mark their existence and contribution in life as part of the Diaspora, and researchers have another medium to share their research work with a globally-connected genealogy audience.

In turn, your support enables us to furnish the Genealogy Hub with materials and develop more resources that will benefit family historians. In so doing, you are helping us to help you.

Donation Form