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Tracing a family history normally requires the researcher to consult many different historical sources, in some (or hopefully all) of which details of the family may be found. Sufficient details, when pieced together, can form a comprehensive picture of a family's existence. The final picture depends on the number and quality of these details. Mayo, like many other Western Irish counties, does not have a rich store of records. It is therefore important to know the full range of available sources, and to use them effectively. These sources vary widely in their genealogical content and can be described as either Primary Sources (e.g. civil registration of births, marriages and deaths, church records, census records and wills and administrations) or Secondary Sources (i.e. records that assist the researcher to locate the existence in an area at a particular time, e.g. land records). Some of the above will also provide the researcher with interesting background details.
Other sources can also be of great assistance in providing information about the life style of an ancestor. They can in some cases be used to defme a time frame in which a primary source can be consulted. They include newspapers, journal articles and published family histories and documents.
There is no magic formula for successful research. However, initial research should be based on the following principles:
(a) Record as much detail as possible from living relatives. Even dubious information from this source should not be ignored until the true facts are established. Elimination is as much a part of genealogy as confirmation.
(b) Construct a pedigree chart so as not to confuse different generations, especially when one personal (Christian) name is very common within a family, as is often the case.
(c) Work from the known to the unknown, i.e. always try to establish a connection between a known family member and a previous generation, or another potential family member. Many Irish family names are locally common and it is easy to presume a connection that is not real.
Having gathered as much detail as possible from your family members and papers, you should plan to verify and expand this information using the available records. This book is designed to help you do this. The nature, time-frames and locations of the available sources are described in the following chapters. Descriptions of available sources are arranged by chapter according to source type i.e. civil registration, church records, censuses, census substitutes, newspapers, directories etc.
For optimal use of these records, it is important to understand the system of administrative divisions used in Ireland. These divisions or areas are described in Chapter 3. They are vital in determining an ancestor's address or location. Many, if not most, sources are arranged according to such divisions, and an understanding of the different elements of an ancestors address is therefore important.
The abbreviations used are explained on p. 9, and contact details for the organisations and archives cited are in Chap. 15. Most publications cited are to be found in major genealogical libraries.
While County Mayo is not as wealthy in genealogical sources as some other counties, the collection of primary, secondary and other sources covered will help provide the researcher with a fascinating insight as to how and where an ancestor lived.