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Many people around the world trace their heritage back to relatives who came from Ireland.

Whether it was a great-grandfather who came from Cork and a great-grandmother from Kerry, millions of family trees have branches that include at least a bit of Irish ancestry!

During the hard times in Ireland many young people and families joined the Irish diaspora. They wandered to other lands to find work and a better life. Their roots were in Ireland, but they married and raised children in a new land.

Keeping in touch with friends and relatives in the Old Country was difficult in the days before inexpensive international telephone calls and email. Most children, grandchildren and later generations of these émigrés lost contact with their extended families in Ireland. Looking for information on these Irish ancestors is a research project that takes plenty of detective work, but is also exciting and rewarding.

For millions worldwide, all roads lead back to Ireland

Today, the American Irish represent one of the greatest numbers who can trace their roots to Ireland, joined by Canada, U.K., Australia, New Zealand and many other countries... where all roads eventually lead back to the Old Sod.

Now that genealogy information is easier to find, descendants of the Irish who were scattered throughout the world are looking for their Irish roots.

Old church records, census rolls and passenger lists from ships that sailed from Irish ports are just some of the places that can reveal the secrets of where Irish ancestors lived and help trace any relatives who may still be in the area.

You may even find a few people in forums and message boards who are looking for the same family information as you.

Around the Web, top sites devoted to helping people trace their family tree include Ancestory.com, Genealogy.com and FamilySearch.org. Meanwhile, in the US East Coast residents can avail themselves of a treasure trove of historic genealogical records at places like Ellis Island through which millions of Irish immigrants passed to enter "the promised land" of America.

Meanwhile, travelers to Ireland often include a visit to a city, town, or village rich in family heritage. With a bit of luck, they may find distant cousins who can share family histories with them and help with reconnecting to the land of their forefathers and researching their roots. Just walking through the streets where grandparents or great-grandparents grew up can be a surprisingly moving experience.

More about tracing your Irish family roots around the Web:

Ever wonder how your family got to where you are today? To help fill in your family tree, check out these top Irish genealogy resources and guide. Once you begin to trace your Irish ancestry... you may soon find yourself planning a trip back to see the Old Sod yourself or introducing your children to the place your family once called home...

An Chartlann Náisiúnta The National Archives of Ireland - A bit complex, but probably the best resource - online or off - for researching your Irish ancestry. They welcome inquiries from anyone of Irish ancestry who is trying to trace their family history...

Irish Genealogy - Good historical and heritage research on this all-Ireland site include a directory of grave sites, a downloadable booklet on how to go about tracing your roots and plenty of other interesting and useful features.

GENUKI: Ireland - As always, the GENUKI site does an wonderful job of covering the resources available for tracing your ancestry. With the history of England and Ireland so entangled, no surprise then that many roads lead to the UK to find official records... they include these as well as the usual record locations in Ireland. Bookmark this one.