Tyrone Roots

15/03/2026

As we approach St Patrick's Day thoughts turn to our roots, particularly if you name is Patrick. It was interestingly a popular name in France 50 years ago! My accreditation body has put together this short quiz to test your knowledge of genealogical sources available for researching your Irish Roots. Answers to be supplied after the day in question! Happy St Patrick's Day.

fil:///E:/Windows.old/Users/User/Downloads/AGI%20Quiz%20St%20Patricks%20Day%20for%20Genealogists.pdf

Copy and paste this link into Google.

04/03/2026

Castletown is the townland on which the Ulster American Folk Park is located. Come along to find out about how to research this and other townlands. Should be of interest to those interested in their history and heritage.

13/09/2025

This week I was in Enniskillen with a group from Derry. A participant, not as a guide. We took the Erne Tours boat MV Krestrel to Devenish Island to visit the ruins of the 6th Century monastic settlement. The guide was very knowledgeable about the conditions within the Lough Erne system. The various aspects of the site were very interesting.

17/08/2025

I took a trip down to Sligo last week. As well as visiting W B Yeats grave at Drumcliff, we went to Lissadell House. Great visit , especially if you are into the era of Yeats.

23/07/2025

May be of interest to people living locally.

Join Mellon Centre for Migration Studies and North of Ireland Family History Society and learn more about how you can research your ancestors - Everyone welcome! 🙌

📅 Friday 1 August
⏰ 10:30am - 3:30pm

13/07/2025

I took some guests to visit Springhill House, a National Trust property near Moneymore. As well as a beautiful building and grounds, the House has a fascinating history and a lot of the family possessions from previous generations are preserved and can tell their story.

03/05/2025

I will be speaking at an event organised by Fintona CCE during the Tyrone Fleadh week. Sharing the platform will be two others who may bring a lighter touch to the proceedings

06/04/2025

A bit of a "busman's outing for me last week. I joined a tour organised by https://www.facebook.com/TheChurchesTrust on the places associated with St Columba in the City of Derry. We started at https://www.facebook.com/stcolumbaheritage and our very knowledgeable guide then brought us on a walking tour of the many places associated with St Columba (also known as St Colmcille) who founded the monastery at Iona in Scotland. Disclosure! My daughter Catherine Brogan is the Project Coordinator!

09/03/2025

Some great historic photos on this link.

21/11/2024

I went for a bit of early winter sunshine to Tunisia. There is a flight weekly from Belfast Int. Airport so the connections were good. I had a great time, fine hotel with good food. Staff very helpful and I did have a few cultural experiences! I would recommend it as a destination.

01/10/2024

Finally got to visit Darach the Giant on top of Mullaghcarn. Co incidentally I took a client there about 5 years who was planning to put in a submission for the project to produce 3 sculptures. He didn't get it, but this artist has done a sterling piece of work. The weather was mostly dry but very windy. I was used to climbing up Mullaghcarn with a group of others but this time I was on my own, planning to meet my son who was coming from another direction.

01/10/2024

I just changed my Cover Photo; this is where my father was brought up, in the cottage which was between these two buildings. A hearth fire was very destructive to the stone and this why it could not be reused. In 1930, my father helped to build a new dwelling adjacent to these farm buildings and it was this that drew him away from going to USA, for which he had the "Papers". His eldest brother, 2 years older, had already gone and he was to join him. However it was the height of the Depression and things would not have been favourable. His brother went in March 1930 and is found in the April 1930 Census staying with his mother's married sister.