Irish Lives is the Irish Family History Centre’s free digital magazine. Whether you’re a complete beginner or a genealogy enthusiast, there’s something for everyone inside. Each issue explores the people, places and stories that shaped Ireland and the Irish diaspora, alongside family history resources, expert insights and historical features from expert contributors.
New: Irish Lives Issue 65
In our latest new-look edition, we explore the Irish roots of a Broadway star, celebrate the founder of the Special Olympics, and uncover stories of saints, seafarers, and so much more.
- Down Memory Lane: Celebrating The Producers star Nathan Lane’s Irish roots
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver: Founder of the Special Olympics
- The Maritime Pilgrimage of Saint Síonach MacDara, Lord of Tempests
- The Jeanie Johnston Famine Ship: Voyage Into the Emigrant Experience
- Clues to a Future DNA Match Surprise
- The MacCarwells and Other Medieval Musical and Craft Families
- Dear Genie: A Former Industrial School Pupil Seeks His Birth Mother
- Film Review: The Molly Maguires (1970)
Past Editions
Winter 2026
Discover the love story of Taylor Swift’s great-great-great grandparents, explore the history of the Dublin Docks through William Deans, and see how Artificial Intelligence is reshaping family history
Summer 2025
Featuring dramatic mix of Irish sea-farers, Canadian frontier Gaels, a Pride tribute to Dublin’s legendary Diceman, a plethora of Irish medical pioneers and a reader who has traced his female line all the way back to mitochondrial Eve!
Summer 2024
Featuring Rob Flanagan Stieglitz & Brigit McCone – Chronology of a Chromosome: Tracing My Irish Family Prehistory Back to Africa, and Helen Moss – “Bowie’s Bloodline: This Chameleon of Rock Has a Green Background!
Autumn/Winter 2024
This edition honours Chuck Feeney, the Irish-American entrepreneur and philanthropist who dedicated his wealth to supporting Irish education projects as well as working toward reconciliation in Northern Ireland.
Summer 2023
A special extended issue to celebrate Irish diversity and remember our Irish LGBTQ+ lives. We also have our usual trove of genealogy stories and tips to help you with your research.
Spring 2023
How many Springsteen fans were aware that The Boss himself was descended from an Irish great-great-great grandfather who emigrated to New Jersey, USA, after the Famine?
Autumn/Winter 2023
Exploring the history of the Irish in the Far East, from the Dublin-born Buddhist monk who became a pioneering Burmese nationalist to the Irish civil servant who almost single-handedly revolutionized Qing dynasty trade in China.
Summer 2022
Fiona Fitzsimons runs a background check to separate myth from reality, investigating rumours of Collins’ ancient Irish ancestry and whether his father really was the mystical seventh son of a seventh son.
Spring 2022
Fiona Fitzsimons delves into the ancestry of Irish actress Maureen O’Hara of The Quiet Man fame, unearthing politically active blacksmiths, enterprising police constables and interfaith marriages, who seem to share Ms. O’Hara’s own trademark fiery freethinking.
Winter 2021
We delve into the multipronged Galway ancestry of American actress Jennifer Lawrence. There is a celebration of the life and work of Irish science communicator and heritage advocate Mary Mulvihill, who has been awarded a prestigious Blue Plaque.
Autumn 2021
Paul MacCotter and Eamonn O’Hanlon explore the legacy of the O’Hanlons of Armagh and Ned Kelly dives into the lore of Goddess Brigid and the Horse-eared King, followed by a feature on the revolutionary life of Annie Besant and her unlikely rise to President of the Indian National Congress.
Summer 2021
If you have ancestors from Cavan, then happy days! The article by McShane and Kerr on their new Cavantownlands.com website is essential reading. Jaqueline Gallup reveals more on how Dúchas.ie can help Irish family historians
Spring 2021
Expert genealogists Fiona Fitzsimons and Helen Moss reveal the Scanlon line of President Biden’s Irish ancestry, and additional research by Fiona and Helen has been presented to President Biden as a gift from the Irish State.
Winter 2020
Brigit McCone tells of the impact, not widely appreciated, that the Irish have had on the political development of South America. Back in Ireland, we are in the midst of the ‘Decade of Centenaries’, which relates to the events of the Revolutionary Period (1916 to 1922) and the final push for Irish independence.
Autumn 2020
Jayne Shrimpton’s Photodetective
makes the front cover thanks to Canadian querier Patricia Allen who visited Ireland on a genealogical holiday, found her long-abandoned ancestral home, and discovered a very rare daguerreotype of an ancestor still inside! Eamonn ‘Ned’ Kelly expands on the myth and interpretation behind the Irish God of Smithcraft.
Summer 2020
Eamonn Kelly writes a spectacular piece on the legend of Fionn Mac Cumall [Finn McCoole] and the meaning behind the legend. Expert genealogist Fiona Fitzsimons provides an insight into the Irish ancestry of US presidential candidate Joe Biden.
Spring 2020
American comedian Tig Notaro has her Irish roots revealed by Fiona Fitzsimons. Fiona also interviews Irish scholar Dr Bríd McGrath on the founding of Bríd’s own fellowship scheme for independent researchers. Andrew Kane celebrates the ruby anniversary of the North of Ireland Family History Society, and Mark Grace tells us of West Cork DNA.
Winter 2019
The one and only Dame Barbara “Babs” Windsor is on this issue’s cover. As well as Cockney London roots, she also has strong Irish roots with ancestors from both Cork county and city. Expert genealogist Fiona Fitzsimons, who did the Irish research for Barbara’s episode of the celebrity genealogy television series Who Do You Think You Are? tells us more.
Autumn 2019
Comedian Steve Coogan’s roots in 19th-century Mayo’s struggle for tenants’ rights, Nathan Mannion on the 18th-century rise of Ricardo Wall y Devereux from exiled Gaelic aristocracy to Chief Minister of Spain and Stephen Pierce investigates the history of illicit poitín distillation.
Summer 2019
Nathan Mannion gives a short biography of an Irishman who was famed for having a drink of whiskey beside him: the late great comedian Dave Allen, whose real name was David O’Mahony. On the subject of names, we have Paul MacCotter explaining the origins of the Kavanagh, Kinsella and Redmond surnames, all of which have a common origin.
Spring 2019
Our Spring cover story is that of the genealogy of the travelling community in Ireland. This article touches upon the latest research on traveller origins and on how to trace traveller genealogy, written by the talented and versatile Fiona Fitzsimons. Fiona is also this issue’s Dear Genie expert, and she answers two of your burning questions.
Autumn/Winter 2018
A special double issue on Ireland’s involvement in the First World War, tracing individual soldiers and exploring the historical background with military history experts Lar Joye, Damian Shiels and Raymond Gillespie. Meanwhile, Nathan Mannion profiles the intrepid journalist Nelly Bly and the sinister murder mystery of tennis champion Vere St. Leger Goold.
Summer 2018
John Cusack’s Irish ancestry, a feature on the O’Mahony clan by Paul MacCotter, Patricia O’Sullivan on the Irish history of the Hong Kong police force and Nathan Mannion on the Casey sporting royalty of Kerry.
Spring 2018
Mark Hamill’s Irish ancestry and Nathan Mannion’s profile of Professor Michael Kelly’s pioneering work for the education system of Zambia, while Paul MacCotter has a history of the O’Dunne surname.
Researching your family history?
Irish surnames and first names carry a sense of place, culture, and pride. They can also provide vital information if you’re researching your family history in Ireland. Every branch of your family tree holds a story waiting to be told. Trace your Irish roots today with the support of expert genealogists at the Irish Family History Centre, located on-site at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum.
With one-to-one consultations and personalised research available online and in-person, explore your Irish ancestry with our team who have been tracing Irish family histories since 1998.
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