New Pocket Guide to Irish Genealogy Explains Importance of Placenames

Brian Mitchell’s New Pocket Guide to Irish Genealogy is a wonderful combination of how-to book, guide to sources, and case studies–in only 120 pages. In fact, page for page the New Pocket Guide may be the best value on Irish genealogy in the marketplace. In the first half of the book,  Mr. Mitchell covers all the major sources for Irish genealogy, including census returns, military records, Ordnance Survey Memoirs, and many more. In the second half, Mitchell lays out proven strategies he has employed over his career to track down Irish ancestors. Readers will find these strategies illustrated in two case studies, the author’s “three-step guide, and tips concerning Irish passenger lists, among others. Following is an excerpt from the “Insights and Strategies” section that underscores the importance of Irish administrative divisions and placenames in genealogical research.