Discover Your Irish Family Tree with Joanna Cicely Fennell

Irish genealogist Joanna Cicely Fennell spends her time helping others trace their Irish roots. Here, she discusses her passion for genealogy, her family history, and why Irish research is so challenging.

Irish genealogist Joanna Cicely Fennell grew up in a family fascinated by history, but she didn’t fall in love with genealogy until 2009, when she began researching her ancestors in the East India Company. Since then, she’s discovered many fascinating connections, including distant links to Florence Nightingale, Mark Twain and the Queen Mother. These days, Joanna spends her time helping others trace their roots as a member of the AncestryProGenealogist team based in Dublin.

Here, she discusses her passion for genealogy, her family history, and why Irish research is so challenging for genealogists, both amateur and professional alike.

What first sparked your interest in genealogy?

I had always been intrigued by the large family tree created in the 1920s by my great-granduncle Professor James Bayley Butler, but it wasn’t until I began to study it in detail that my passion for genealogy really began

Was ancestry commonly discussed at your childhood home?

Our family’s past in British India was a source of fascination to my father. He always claimed we were somehow related to Clive of India. There was also talk of a connection to the Parrs of Kendal through my 4x great-grandmother Anne Parr.

What was the first discovery about your own family history that really excited or surprised you?

Discovering a 19th-century history of the Bayley family proved a fantastic starting point. I then proceeded to trace my family to all the corners of the British Empire. It was something of a surprise to learn that my family tree included people like Florence Nightingale, Mark Twain and the Queen Mother.

What resources did you use when you started tracing your own family roots?

I started using a variety of online resources and built up my tree using Family Tree Maker software. Ancestry.com was my main source of information, but I also used websites such as FamilySearch, the website of the Families in British India Society and, of course, manuscript sources at the National Library of Ireland, National Archives of Ireland, and the British Library, to name a few.

Is there anything you wish you knew then that you now know?

Possibly how time consuming it can be! It is a wonderful hobby and there is always something new to learn. For me it became something of an addiction, as most genealogists, amateur or professional, will attest. Perhaps vocation is a better description!

Why did you decide to make the transition from hobbyist to professional genealogist?

I simply enjoyed the process so much that I naturally found myself offering to create trees for friends and family. When I heard about the Postgraduate Certificate in Genealogical Studies run by Dr. Bruce Durie at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow I began to think of it as a viable career path for me.

You’ve been working as a genealogist for several years now. Can you tell us about a client success story?

The most satisfying client experiences I can remember were when I was able to uncover new information about their family’s past which resonated with them in the present. Meeting a client in person, preferably near their ancestor’s home, was another highlight. In several cases I even managed to connect people to relatives in Ireland or abroad, which was very rewarding.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

I enjoy the diversity of my work. Each family truly has its own unique story. Solving a family mystery or discovering a forgotten scandal is always exciting. I feel very lucky that I get to do what I love every day!

What is the first step people should take when it comes to researching their family history?

I recommend starting an online tree where you can input all the background information you have before beginning to piece together more of your family’s past. The growth of online family history databases means that genealogy is accessible to all, and you may well be able to connect with people with the same research interests.

What makes Ireland unique or special from a genealogical perspective?

Irish research is some of the most challenging I have encountered. The loss of almost all 19th century census returns and pre-1920s wills has created a chasm, which can be difficult to navigate. From a genealogist’s point-of-view, this makes it all the more rewarding when you can recover for people a little bit of their past.

For more information on Joanna Cicely Fennell’s work as a genealogist, see www.joannafennell.com.