Jayne McGarvey Genealogy

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Jayne McGarvey Genealogy

Jayne McGarvey provides a professional genealogy service for people with ancestors from Northern Ire

Genealogy in Northern Ireland

Maybe you are considering exploring your Northern Irish roots for the first time, or want to investigate your family history further but don’t have the time to look. Or you’re just not in the right location to pursue your genealogy project or search a particular set of Records, Will or Graveyard. Perhaps you have lost a family member in a census or can’t find that elusive wedding. Knowing about our ancestors can provide a sense of identity in a changing world, and many of us yearn to know more about the people who made us who we are. Yet all too often we know precious little beyond our own grandparents. What part of the country were your ancestors from and what was their place in society? Irish genealogy has somewhat of a reputation for being a disappointing and frustrating pastime for amateur family historians. Countless stories have emerged of people hitting dead ends and the dreaded brick wall, or you will have been told that all the records were lost in the 1922 Four Courts fire in Dublin and indeed many records, but not all, were lost. Each family has its own story just waiting to be uncovered, and it’s a real privilege to help someone find out about their past. If you are ready to embark on your voyage of discovery then contact me today, and take your first step towards knowing your ancestors. My Services

Initial Ancestral Research Assessment

An Initial Ancestral Research Assessment explores the feasibility of archival research by identifying sources of potential relevance for your family history in Northern Ireland. It is often a good idea to commission only a couple of hours to begin with. This will facilitate some work to be done and for a research plan to be drawn up based on results, the information you have and the survival of NI genealogy records which appear relevant. This can also be a useful starting point if you wish to undertake some or all of your own research. An initial research assessment costs £30 and on average takes 3–4 weeks to complete. Detailed Research Packages

A Detailed Research Package can be tailored to suit your individual requirements, whether you wish to build up an individual profile of an ancestor or search a particular family line (which can include extended family members if you wish) or search an individual set of records. This may include archives held at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI), The General Registration Office, (GRONI) or it may be more locally at churches, graveyards, libraries, newspaper offices etc. This can be useful for clients who wish to carry out the majority of their own research but for time/geographical reasons are unable to search an individual set of parish records or visit a particular grave yard. A Detailed Research Package costs £35.00 per 2 hour block commissioned and includes travel to Central Belfast Archives. Travel to other non-centrally held repositories or areas can be quoted for upon request. Please note that postage charges and fees imposed by registry offices / archives for certificates and photocopying will be added to these time charges. These will be agreed with the client before research commences. Photography

If feasible would you like photographs of homesteads, townlands, churches, schools, headstones? (These can be priced individually or as a package dependent on distance, and can be provided as hard copy and/or digital image)

Please email me for a quotation

Document Retrieval

Know what you want, and where it is, just want a copy by email or post

Please email me for a quotation

12/11/2025

Even genealogists need a break from the handwriting somedays.

11/11/2025

Do you search for the dash?

05/11/2025

**DNA Test Sales Alert!**

November and December are prime time for DNA test sales – and there's never been a better reason to gift one to a relative!

Stuck on that frustrating Irish brick wall? That cousin you only see at weddings, or your great-aunt who remembers the old stories – they might just hold the genetic key to breaking through.

Even distant relatives can provide crucial DNA matches that help you:
• Confirm that elusive townland connection
• Distinguish between families with the same surname
• Identify which branch emigrated and when
• Connect adoptions and NPEs in the family tree

The holidays are the perfect excuse to chat about family history. Pop a test under the tree (with their blessing, of course!) and you might just solve that mystery ancestor in 2026.

Who in your family could help unlock your research?

04/11/2025

One of my favourite ancestor poems.

03/11/2025

Are you a storyteller of your tribe?

29/10/2025

Irish genealogy can sometimes feel like navigating a minefield — with missing records, faded parish registers, and family names that repeat through generations. Progress isn’t always easy or straightforward, but every small discovery brings you closer to understanding your story. Remember to give yourself credit for trying, even if you don’t always succeed at every step.

27/10/2025

22/10/2025

Autumn is the perfect time to visit those old Irish churchyards. The fading light catches the weathered inscriptions differently, and sometimes you can finally read a date that's been hiding all summer. The fallen leaves reveal stones you'd never noticed before, waiting patiently to tell their stories.

If you've been putting off that cemetery visit, now's your chance. Wrap up warm, bring your camera, and see what your ancestors have been waiting to share with you.

21/10/2025

Think the Genealogy Proof Standard is just extra work? It's actually your best defence against spending three months researching the wrong Patrick Murphy.

Yes, there are five steps. Yes, you have to cite everything. And yes, you'll occasionally discover that cherished family story about Great-Great-Granny being a cousin of Michael Collins is... creative fiction.

But consider the alternative: building an entire family tree on a hunch, only to realise you've been following someone else's ancestors for the past year. GPS might feel like eating your vegetables, but it beats having to demolish your entire tree and start over because you skipped the "exhaustive search" bit and grabbed the first Bridget O'Brien you found.

Your future self will thank you. Probably whilst muttering about how tedious it all is, but grateful nonetheless.

20/10/2025

15/10/2025

Every photograph tells a tale — if we take the time to listen.

As we trace our Irish roots, it's often the faded, timeworn images that offer the most profound connection to our past. Each face, each backdrop, each quiet detail carries echoes of lives once lived.

What stories are hidden in your family albums?

Let the search begin.

Address

39 Ballyknockan Road, Ballygowan
Newtownards
BT236NR

Telephone

+442897528750

Website

http://www.jaynemcgarvey.com/

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Genealogy in Northern Ireland & Ireland

Maybe you are considering exploring your Irish roots for the first time, or want to investigate your family history further but don’t have the time to look or you would like some help to decide which record collections may be of the most help towards your research goal. You may not in the right location to pursue your genealogy project or search a particular set of Records, Will or Graveyard. Perhaps you have lost a family member in a census or can’t find that elusive wedding. Knowing about our ancestors can provide a sense of identity in a changing world, and many of us yearn to know more about the people who made us who we are. Yet all too often we know precious little beyond our own grandparents. What part of the country were your ancestors from and what was their place in society? Irish genealogy has somewhat of a reputation for being a disappointing and frustrating pastime for amateur family historians. Countless stories have emerged of people hitting dead ends and the dreaded brick wall, or you will have been told that all the records were lost in the 1922 Four Courts fire in Dublin and indeed many records, but not all, were lost. Each family has its own story just waiting to be uncovered, and it’s a real privilege to help someone find out about their past. If you are ready to embark on your voyage of discovery then contact me today, and take your first step towards knowing your ancestors. My Services Initial Ancestral Research Assessment An Initial Ancestral Research Assessment explores the feasibility of archival research by identifying sources of potential relevance for your family history in Northern Ireland. It is often a good idea to commission only a couple of hours to begin with. This will facilitate some work to be done and for a research plan to be drawn up based on results, the information you have and the survival of NI genealogy records which appear relevant. This can also be a useful starting point if you wish to undertake some or all of your own research. An initial two-hour research assessment costs £30 and on average takes 3–4 weeks to complete. Detailed Research Packages A Detailed Research Package can be tailored to suit your individual requirements, whether you wish to build up an individual profile of an ancestor or search a particular family line (which can include extended family members if you wish) or search an individual set of records. This may include archives held at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI), The General Registration Office, (GRONI), The National Archives Ireland (NAI), The National Library of Ireland (NLI), the General Registrar Office of Ireland (GRO) or it may be more locally at churches, graveyards, libraries, newspaper offices etc. This can be useful for clients who wish to carry out the majority of their own research but for time/geographical reasons are unable to search an individual set of parish records or visit a particular grave yard. A Detailed Research Package costs £56.00 per 2 hour block commissioned and includes travel to Central Belfast Archives. Travel to other non-centrally held repositories or areas can be quoted for upon request. Please note that postage charges and fees imposed by registry offices / archives for certificates and photocopying will be added to these time charges. These will be agreed with the client before research commences.

Consultancy Services

Whether you are a seasoned researcher or just beginning, Genealogy can be a fascinating pursuit and many of my clients enjoy being involved in the research themselves. If you would like help to begin or continue your research I can offer one to one classes, either in person or by distance, help you review the information you already have, solve problems with your family tree or assist you put together you own research proposal. Depending on your expertise this can be tailored to suit your needs and access to records.

Please email me for a price at info@jaynemcgarvey.com Photography If feasible would you like photographs of homesteads, townlands, churches, schools, headstones? (These can be priced individually or as a package dependent on distance, and can be provided as hard copy and/or digital image) Please email me for a quotation Document Retrieval Know what you want, and where it is, just want a copy by email or post Prices for document retrieval begin at £10.00 stg for Documents available in the greater Belfast area. Please drop me an email for more details.