GSV Library Irish Discovery Day (Afternoon)

Are you tracing your family from Ireland? Join us at the Genealogical Society of Victoria for a dedicated in-person Irish Library Day. So many Australians have Irish roots — but tracking down exactly where your ancestors came from can be one of the trickiest challenges in family history. Are you just beginning to search for your immigrant ancestor's county or parish, or are you trying to break through a long-standing "brick wall" caused by Ireland's notoriously fragmented historical records? Come along to get a taste of the GSV's specialised resources. 

What We Will Cover

• Navigating the GSV Catalogue: Learn how to find Irish family histories and indexes unique to our collection.
• Irish-Australian Records: Explore shipping lists, assisted immigration records, naturalisation records and church indexes relevant to Irish arrivals in Victoria — many of whom came during or after the Great Famine.
• Finding the Townland: Get hands-on help using maps to pinpoint the county, barony and parish your ancestors called home before they emigrated.
• Expert Research Tips: Tackle the unique challenges of Irish research — from surviving record losses to deciphering Griffith's Valuation, civil registration, and Catholic parish registers.

Submit Your Questions Once you have registered, to help our volunteers provide the most relevant guidance, please submit an outline of your query to gsv@gsv.org.au (e.g. the O'Grady family of Wexford pre 1860). This allows us to identify helpful resources in the GSV collection prior to your arrival. Limited to 6 people at each session.

GSV Members only, free of charge. Bookings are essential, please log in to access the registration form.
Location: Level 1, 10 Queen Street, Melbourne VIC 3000