Thomas P. Duffy MD of the Yale School of Medicine explores why certain people survived the Great Hunger and reasons that the answer may lie in their gene pool. Shortly after the great Irish famine of 1847-49, the initial description appeared, in 1865, of a fatal disorder that compromised the liver and pancreas and resulted in bronzing or hyperpigmentation of the skin. Many … [Read more...] about The Great Hunger and the Celtic Gene
Ancestry
Joe Biden’s Irish Roots
By Megan Smolenyak, Contributor
IA News April 12, 2023
IA News April 12, 2023
It’s well known that President Joe Biden spent his early years in the very Irish city of Scranton, Pennsylvania. But what about his ancestors? Genealogist Megan Smolenyak, who also traced President Obama’s Irish roots, has delved into the President’s family tree and unearthed a few surprises. How can you not love a name like Finnegan Biden? I find it charming when family names … [Read more...] about Joe Biden’s Irish Roots
Irish Family History Day – January 24
By Adam Farley, Editorial Assistant
January 22, 2013
January 22, 2013
Irish Family History Day is Thursday, January 24. In partnership with The Gathering and the launch of more than 21 million birth, marriage, and death (BDM) certificates to the site, FindMyPast.com has declared Thursday, January 24 to be “Irish Family History Day.” It’s more than just a nominal accolade though, because this Thursday the site is opening their Ireland records to … [Read more...] about Irish Family History Day – January 24
CALLING UP THE ANCESTORS:
Genealogist Megan Smolenyak
Genealogist Megan Smolenyak
Digital archives, DNA testing and increased interest have made finding ancestors easier than ever before. But tracing one’s roots – especially Irish roots – is still no easy task. Megan Smolenyak^2 is the genealogist behind such important discoveries as President Obama’s Irish roots and the real identity of Annie Moore, the first immigrant to pass through Ellis Island. It’s … [Read more...] about
Genealogist Megan Smolenyak
My Mother the Imposter: A Roots Mystery
A search through Dermot McEvoy’s family history revealed an eye-opening secret. Here’s what he discovered, plus a guide to researching your own Irish ancestors. (This article has been updated since its original publication to reflect the most recent re-location of the General Registry Office.) Mary Josephine Kavanagh was born in Dublin on March 18, 1907. She was my mother, or … [Read more...] about My Mother the Imposter: A Roots Mystery