I’ll be looking at it myself in more detail over time, but it struck me to say one thing, which I’m not sure is covered in the booklet. Don’t be afraid to use raw Google in this area and stick in all sorts of combinations of key words, with and withoug quotes.

I found a cousin (a few times removed in all directions) in this way. She came up in a database of women activists compiled by some lady in UCD. I don’t remember the details offhand. But the general point is not to ignore the obvious non-specialised tools.

Also I usually tell people who are chasing their ancestors to start a web page (though that’s work for them) or a blog (that’s work done for them) and stick up some stuff on it. The aim here is to put your head above the cyber parapet so that others can find you. I have been found many times over in this way and those contacts have provided me with whacks of stuff on the outer reaches of my own family.

My family history index page is here though some of the entries are a bit out of date and need a refresh. I just can’t keep up with all the stuff that’s coming at me. But it is very stimulating and great fun.