Irish Ancestral Adventures Blog

From the Emerald Isle to the Land of the Long White Cloud and back again.....

5/31/2013

Ancestral tours are something that have organically followed my genealogical research story. I get contacted to do some genealogy with the next request being - "can you help us plan a trip to Ireland?" This led me to undertaking the National Tour Guiding course offered by ATU (Atlantic Technological University formally LYIT) and becoming an AITG National Tour Guide. The course was advertised as "suitable for anyone interested in working in the tourism activity sector providing a range of professional guiding services for visitors, and in delivering and managing a comprehensive tour management and guiding service for tourists visiting and travelling in Ireland." It was the perfect next step in expanding my business and my skill set.

My blog will cover some of the tours that I have arranged over the years, the people I have met and their family stories.

Way back in May 2013, I met the "Dougherty" sisters from New Zealand who were visiting Inishowen in the hope that they could find out a bit more about their O'Dochartaigh Clann heritage than their Uncle had on his visit during the O'Dochartaigh Clann Reunion 2000. The lovely Kitty Doherty Barr (USA & Moville) had put them in touch with me and I arranged to meet them in Moville town after doing a bit of pre-meeting research. This is the story of their visit to retrace their O'Dochartaigh Clann ancestor back to Ireland from New Zealand...

0 Comments

Author

Welcome – I'm so glad you're here!
I’m Jennifer McLaughlin-Doherty, founder of Irish Ancestral Group, professional genealogist, historian, and Irish National Tour Guide based in beautiful Co. Donegal.

My journey started at my Irish grandmother’s kitchen table, pouring over family stories and records by hand, long before archives went digital. Since then, what began as a childhood obsession has grown into a lifelong mission: helping people reconnect with their Irish roots through detailed research, heartfelt storytelling, and immersive travel experiences.

But beyond the history and heritage, there’s something else that drives me. I’m a writer at heart. I love to read (my home library is always growing), and I believe stories are what bring our ancestors back to life. Every record I uncover is part of a bigger narrative waiting to be told, and that's exactly what I do. Through this blog, I’ll be sharing insights from the road, stories from the archives, bookish reflections, and all the things that make Ireland so unforgettable - its people, its landscapes, its soul. Whether you're here to explore your ancestry, plan a journey home, or just follow along, you're very welcome.

This blog is a window into the passion behind Irish Ancestral Group and into why I believe no one leaves Ireland unchanged.

Let’s discover these stories and your story together!

From the Emerald Isle to the Land of the Long White Cloud and back again.....

Author

Archives

Categories