Irish records

I’ve never had any luck tracing my Irish great grandmother.
She was born in Courtmacsherry, Cork in 1853 and appears on the 1871 Census here as a 17 year old servant.
DH and I went to Courtmacsherry a few years ago hoping that the parish Priest could give us further information. Sadly he was away on a retreat and no one else was willing to help us. I think they must get fed up of all the people with Irish ancestry knocking on the door.

Courtmacsherry is a lovely place, she must have been very sad to leave.

Nelliemoser Wed 29-Nov-17 18:27:10
This might help.
"Irish Family History: Ashes to Archives. On June 30 1922, during the Irish Civil War, the Public Records Office of Ireland, located at the historic Four Courts in Dublin, was severely damaged by fire resulting in the loss of a huge number of records. But all is not lost!"

Irish records office destruction | findmypast.com
www.findmypast.com/articles/irish-records-office-destruction.
I have an Irish great great grand mother born in Belfast. Lived 1842 to 1898 and married a Scot who had left Scotland for the shipyards of Belfast . I have never been able to find much about them.

I've found Irish town directories to be the best bet, I've traced my greatgrandfather from the 1830s by where he lived. (and that with a name John Andrews!)

Yes, that's why there are only the 1901 and 1911 censuses remaining. .... but the Irish records on www.irishgenealogy.ie/ are free!.

So is Shane's site, but not all the places you can get to from there are.

I have also had problems with Irish sites,doesn't appear to have my family in the place where I know they lived worked and some of them died.I have visited that town and it was like going home,evry other shop or Estate agent or passing lorry had family names.When I spoke to a hotel staff mmember he said the whole town was awash with my family names but that a lot of records had been destroyed at the Irish rebellion in the 19teens and twenties