A wee while ago I watched an episode of the TV series "DNA Journeys" featuring the actor John Simm. He, along with friend and fellow actor Philip Glenister, took part in the show hoping to explore their family history using their DNA. It's a fun light-hearted programme which looks for ancestors with interesting or entertaining … Continue reading Starting Again
Family History
It’s In My DNA 🧬
I probably don’t use DNA as much as I should in my family history research. I’m no scientist and it’s a pretty complex process. In saying that, DNA has helped on occasion to prove a theory. I also enjoy checking out new matches from time to time. I currently have 1412 matches with 636 being … Continue reading It’s In My DNA 🧬
Sarah McLaughlin 1839-1916
This lady is my great, great grandmother Sarah McLaughlin. She’s the only great great grandparent of whom I have a photo. I actually have two! Sarah was born in County Mayo, Ireland the parish of Oughaval. I don’t have a record of her birth but I know that it was around 1839. Her parents were … Continue reading Sarah McLaughlin 1839-1916
My Great Granny Margaret McGarrity 1878-1951
I was born and raised in Scotland but my DNA is more Irish than Scottish. That comes mainly from my maternal side as all branches there lead back to Ireland. There’s an Irish connection on my paternal too and that is through my great granny, Margaret McGarrity who was known as Maggie. Maggie was born … Continue reading My Great Granny Margaret McGarrity 1878-1951
Feeling At Home In Ireland
In May this year my husband and I took a trip to Ireland. Now it wasn’t our first visit but it was the first time we had visited with family history in mind. We travelled from Glasgow airport on Thursday 16 May for the super quick flight to City of Derry airport. There’s barely enough … Continue reading Feeling At Home In Ireland
An Unhappy Marriage – Elizabeth Brawley 1861-1846
On 24 May 1883 my great grandaunt, Elizabeth Brawley married Charles McCafferty. The strange thing about Elizabeth is that when she died in 1946 she had been on her own for a long time. The family knew her as Lizzie Brawley and certainly my mum's generation of the family had no idea that she had … Continue reading An Unhappy Marriage – Elizabeth Brawley 1861-1846
Shaking The Branches 