To the Editor:
Many of us, especially in the northeastern United States, are at least part Irish. Many of us are also curious about our ancestors and would like to know more about them and where they came from.

At New Scotland Historical Association’s March program, professional genealogist Lisa Dougherty will provide a presentation designed to help those looking to research their Irish roots. Such searches can be difficult since written records, especially of the famine years of 1840 to 1860, can be hard to come by.

Ms. Dougherty has 28 years of experience in genealogy research and has been a professional genealogist and lecturer since 2011. She is the resident genealogist at the Irish American Museum in Albany, and has provided research for two episodes of the popular TV series, “Who Do You Think You Are?”

Ms. Dougherty has completed extensive research on her own Irish heritage, using her father’s research from the 1970s as a catalyst for learning of and locating relatives still living in Ireland.

These days, thanks in part to the internet and genetic testing, some of the searching is much easier, faster, and more accessible, and more people have become interested in undertaking it. However, Ms. Dougherty warns that one must be prepared for surprises.

If you are of Irish ancestry, suspect you are, or wish you were, and you are interested in learning more about researching your heritage, this program could be quite helpful.

For an informative afternoon about genealogical research methods, please join us at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 3, at the Wyman Osterhout Community Center in New Salem on 7 The Old New Salem Road: https://www.newscotlandhistory.org/

Admission is always free. 

The New Scotland Historical Association Museum will be open for a half-hour before the program.

Judy Kimes

Publicist

New Scotland

Historical Association