How to find someone in Ireland?

Mojisola

chelseablue wrote: »

He was born in Southern Ireland, Wexford.

He came over to England in the 1960's I think but my cousin said he has since moved back to Ireland

My Uncle (my cousins Dad) was really good friends with him, I think they came over to England together.

But my Uncle died in 1997 so cant ask him anything

We sometimes get letters in our local paper asking for someone 'lost' to get in contact - with knowing his name and that he and your uncle came to England together, you could put out a request.

See if there are any Wexford local FB sites, especially ones related to family history and post there.

As your uncle was good friends with him, your father was probably about the same age. With a name, an approximate age and an area, you could see what crops up in the birth registrations.

Any likely hits can be traced 'sideways' to find other possible family members. I've done this in my family tree research and have found the person I was looking for through sending letters to a short list of possibles.

macman

Census records in the UK (not sure if there is an equivalent in Eire?)
Electoral roll?

mark5

Could you contact any of your uncles family back in Ireland, they might know who he come over with?

If they were friends back in Ireland it's a good chance they come from the same area.

IAmWales

chelseablue wrote: »

My cousin told me, she was 16 when I was born. He was born in Southern Ireland, Wexford.
He came over to England in the 1960's I think but my cousin said he has since moved back to Ireland


My Uncle (my cousins Dad) was really good friends with him, I think they came over to England together.
But my Uncle died in 1997 so cant ask him anything

Thw town or the county? If the town, I'd be posting on local Facebook pages and the like. Ireland still tends to have strong communities, people know each other, or if they don't they'll know someone who does.

chelseablue

IAmWales wrote: »

Thw town or the county? If the town, I'd be posting on local Facebook pages and the like. Ireland still tends to have strong communities, people know each other, or if they don't they'll know someone who does.

The county

amanda_p

Very best of luck with this. I was adopted and my mother came from S. Ireland. It took me 30 years of searching and in the end I employed a genealogist who managed to trace her. It took him a year. She to had a very common Irish surname and was from a large family. Some of the family had moved to England, some had stayed in Ireland. It was not an easy search and my advice would be try somebody official to help you. The trouble is with social media if he doesn't know he had a child, if he has his own family that are unaware of his past a huge can of worms can be opened.
In adoption searches that is why an intermediary is used to bridge the gap so to speak. There is also the possibility that he won't want to know which is another hurdle to overcome.
I can understand exactly where you are coming from, but proceed with the utmost caution a lot of lives could be affected by your findings.
One of the plusses of having an 'outsider' do the searching is that there are no emotional issues and they tend to search with unbelievable diligence and know how to track things down.
The very best of luck.

chelseablue

I have an update.

I found out the town in England where he lived, I then went on Facebook and searched for people with his surname from that town.

Turns out I found one of his nephews, he messaged me back yesterday to say that my Dad died last year

Thank you all for your advice x