Conleth Mullan introduces a unique organisation that combines genealogical research with the publication of historical and family history texts
Now in its seventh decade, the Ulster Historical Foundation is an entirely self-funded, registered charity, whose aim is to encourage an interest in the history of the province of Ulster, strengthen the links between Ireland and those of Ulster descent overseas, and broaden access to historical documents and records for Irish and Scots-Irish genealogy.
The Foundation is a unique organisation. It is the only body on the island of Ireland that combines expertise in family history research with the publication of high quality historical and genealogical publications. Much more than that, the Foundation is the only Irish organisation that delivers annual conferences and courses in family history and frequently conducts extensive lecture tours in North America, Australia and New Zealand.
One of the Foundation’s main aims has always been to encourage individuals to visit Ireland. This process began in earnest in the 1970s, and early 1980s, with genealogical visits, organised for clans and historical/genealogical societies. In the early 1990s the momentum increased when the Foundation started to host annual family history conferences, starting with its Searching for that Elusive Irish Ancestor. Assisted personal research in the archives of Northern Ireland and Ireland, talks, tours and sightseeing are all part of the Foundation’s various conference programmes and more than 700 people have visited Ireland to take part.
Expert advice
Since it was established in 1956, the Ulster Historical Foundation has been offering expert genealogical advice through its various professional research services (www. ulsterhistoricalfoundation. com/research-services) and has developed into one of the principal genealogical research agencies in Ireland.
Pioneering the online availability of birth, marriage and death records in Ireland, the Ulster Historical Foundation is the official Irish Family History Foundation (IFHF) centre for counties Antrim and Down (including the city of Belfast). To date, over 2 million birth, marriage and death records relating to Antrim and Down have been digitised and made available to view online. These records include virtually all pre-1900 Catholic records and civil marriage records from 1845 to 1921, as well as many Protestant church records and a range of miscellaneous sources.
