With nearly 70 million people in the world having Irish ancestry, The Irish Family and Local History Handbook has been created to help these people research their ancestry. It provides essential guidance for the beginner as well as the experienced researcher. This handbook contains original and unpublished material which is relevant to the whole of Ireland.

The editors have tried to provide a wide and interesting range of topics from the articles submitted to them. It is hoped that this book will become an indispensable tool for Irish family history research. The listings in the The Irish Genealogical Services Directory section have been checked, updated and extended especially for this issue. A word of warning is given about the vast array of information on the internet which if unverified can lead people astray. Original documentation needs to be checked.