Finding lost Grandfather

samhuzz

Hello

This isn't exactly adoption-related, but I am looking for my grandfather. He is/was Irish and apparently from Galway. He was in Leicestershire, England in the 1960's and was dating a woman who got pregnant and gave birth to my mother. I only found out that my mum's parents weren't who she said they were when I was 13 (she was brought up by her mother's parents). I have only recently started asking within my mother's family for more information about him. I emailed my Aunt, who is my real grandmother's sister. She could remember by grandfather and knew his name. She couldn't remember the details of their relationship so she rang my grandmother and asked her! She told her what she knew. Since then I have been trying to find out more about my grandfather and hopefully contact him. Could anyone suggest where I go from here? I am not aware of the laws/procedures in Ireland as I am from England. I have looked into the Salvation Army, but they are only interested if the parents of the child were married.

Sorry if this is a bit long winded!

Thanks for reading

Sam

tyview

Hi Sam,

There is a forum here on history and heritage/genealogy that has a sticky on the top and in there it has links to the irish genealogy websites for Ireland for most of the countys. If you have his full name and his approx dob (presuming his name is not too common) then these might be a good place to start. Some are better than others and with that information you might get enough to order a birth cert for him.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055756331

Best of luck with the search!

Lisa

samhuzz

Thanks very much Lisa, I didn't know where to post it, I posted on Galway and they said to try adoption. I suppose it fits more with genealogy etc. I'm a newbie on here and there are so many boards!

Thanks again Sam

The_Conductor

Moved to genealogy.

Shane

Sundew

Samhuzz: If you have a name for the person from family. It could be worth placing an add for information on person in "The Irish Post" (very popular paper with the Irish Community in U.K and is still read by some people who come back to Ireland).
The Irish Community from the 50'60's were very close and it's posssible there may be somebody who will see an ad and reply with info.
http://www.irishpost.ie/

Another popular paper where I have seen some queries such as yours is on the letters page of "The Galway Advertiser". You would have to word a letter fairly sensitively that wouldn't alarm a reader

http://www.advertiser.ie/galway

Ponster

What does it say on your mother's birth cert ?

samhuzz

It just has a line where father's name and occupation were as they weren't married.

Sam

tyview

Hi Sam, Have to got any further in your search?

samhuzz

Hi Tyview

No, afraid not. I've been told that looking for a Burke in Galway is like looking for a needle in a haystack though!

Thanks

Sam

fontanalis

It might take along time but try going to various parochial houses for records, below is the link for the irish phone book.
Do a search for the name and try towns where the name pops up alot. Also try the irish commuity in England, all you need is one lucky break.

http://www.eircomphonebook.ie/

tyview

Hi Sam, You may have checked it already but the LDS family research site might be some help to you if you have his first name and approx DOB. I've found it quite good when researching a very common Irish surname too.

samhuzz

Thanks for your replies, I've now started up the search again and emailed the Irish Post. I'll keep you updated!

Regards

Sam