Family history was an unlikely hobby for me, to be honest.
My family tree, like many, has its share of gnarled branches—illness, betrayals, losses—not the lightest topics upon which to spend precious free time. At first, I thought, if only I didn’t have to do what so many say, to “start with what you know.”
But very quickly after I began my genealogy journey, I realized, I knew hardly anything. The context the stories created shifted my understanding. And then the hard things did not define my ancestors as they had. They became more real to me.
I never knew my grandfather, only heard stories of his brilliance—and his sloth. He was born October 1905. Family lore said he never worked a day but had a great education and held a valid lawyer’s license. He was a “third” of his name, oldest of 15. His are the genes that grace my son’s irascible face. My daughter inherited his intellect. I feel a strange comfort, seeing the black-and-white photos that link them to the past.
My grandmother, despite having a name like a Tennessee Williams heroine, worked before most women had jobs. Her real estate license kept the kids fed and the mortgage paid. She loved bright lipstick and hats and costume jewelry, which she hoarded like a crow. She collected cobalt depression glass; I inherited a few pieces that brighten my home. She was a hard woman with a soft heart underneath and a glorious garden. When I work in the dirt, I remind myself I promised her to dead-head the phlox each fall. I go out with my brown thumb and snip spent blooms. I wonder why I didn’t inherit her gift for growing.
My father broke out of his playpen as a toddler—more than once—and hitched a ride with the milkman on his route, only to be returned like a hangdog convict at the end of the day. Seeing his name in the 1940 census gives me a thrill. He was 3 months old then. On October 5, he’ll have been gone 37 years. He served his country on three tours to Vietnam. Uncle Sam did not walk me down the aisle.
The stories of our families can be exciting, and also challenging. Belonging to a community where you can share what you’ve found, where you can safely explore, is crucial to continuing the dig. Our own archaeology is always a work in progress, and as Irish by Ancestry proves every day, a team sport. Belonging to a group that shares this interest is more than finding data, it’s knowing people who will celebrate your discoveries, who will understand: Genealogy is not just dusty records, it’s memories, pride, grief, coming to see clearly the rocky road that real people walked. That’s bigger, and heavier, than it sounds. But we persevere. That says something strong about us, that would make our ancestors proud. That means a lot to me.
Thank you for being here for this inaugural issue of RELATED☘️ magazine. I hope it becomes a dependable part of your genealogy toolkit. As all periodicals are, this is part of the legacy I will leave, when my future kin goes looking for me.
In this issue, you will find:
☘️Tips from genealogist Karlee Twiner about where to search when your search fizzles out
☘️The five spots you should start with when you’re new to Ireland, according to our destination expert Jonathan Beaumont
☘️An interview with Irish author Shauna Lawless, talking about genealogy and her Gael Song trilogy, along with a review of the book and a special invitation to join our new book club, BRIGID’S LIBRARY
☘️ The winning entries in our inaugural Ancestor Story Flash Memoir contest
☘️ And a success story from your fellow IRISH BY ANCESTRY member, Lynne Driscoll Assad, finding her family homestead
And more. With more to come each month. This magazine is for you, so be sure to let us know what you like and what you’d like to read more of. SHARE! That will help us the most, as it’s what you always do on Irish by Ancestry, how you’ve grown this tremendous community we enjoy. If you’re new to this, consider yourself most welcome.
So, for October, this Family History Month, remember: We honor our ancestors by remembering them, by telling their stories in all their truth. We try to understand them, so we can see our timeline, ourselves, more clearly and with more compassion. Genealogy makes that possible.
If we at RELATED ☘️ can help you on that journey, we are here.
Go raibh math agat. Thank you,
Shelagh Braley Starr
Editor, RELATED
RELATED ☘️ 