Private family tree researchers?

[Rpeake]

Does anyone know the best place to find someone in this line of work. I've tried so hard to research my irish family myself and there have been some fantastic people who have helped but re looking at all the records and info I have come across none of it is matching up so I was thinking of hiring someone to research does anyone know of anyone reputable?

[mrsruz]

Most Family History magazines carry loads of adverts by private researchers. It´s just a matter of sorting out which will be best suited to the research you need.
Local libraries usually have copies of these magazines, so you don´t even have to buy one.
Marion

[eadaoin]

People on the Irish boards will be delighted to help you, but it takes time ...
 .. I'm still finding stuff after 16 years researching!

I see that you're a new member - welcome to Rootschat

regards eadaoin

[aghadowey]

To be honest, with common surname such as Murphy and Brophy (going by a few of your posts) and no exact locations you really haven't enough details for any researcher to start searching in archives for church records, etc.

Here are a few suggestions to help you sort out what details you already have, what you might be able to find out yourself (or with a bit of help here) and where to go from here.

1) Remember to keep notes for the source of ANY information found
2) ask all possible family members for help/information (this includes 3rd cousins once removed, etc. since you don't know who might have helpful details, family photos, etc.)
3) have a look at this topic - My Ancestor came from Ireland - where do I start?
4) and look at this topic- Introduction to Irish Records
5) have a look at the Resources section of the relevant board (such as Dublin, for example) and at the IRELAND RESOURCES board also.
6) ask for help if you get stuck or have questions- but try to keep all queries for one person on 1 topic

Added- it helps to know what you are looking for and what might or might not be available. For example. If you are looking for a Thomas Ryan born 1862 there's no point in looking for a birth certificate (registration only started in 1864) or family in 1871 census (1st complete census for all Ireland is 1901).

[Plummiegirl]

Do be very wary of using research companies in Ireland. 

Unless they are based in the town you are researching, they will not have access to the church records, which is a vital part of researching in Ireland.

And many charge an absolute fortune.

Also both 1901 and 1911 Irish census are online for free.  And FamilySearch is also quite good.

[Billyblue]

Also be careful if you do engage a researcher to look for you.
Pick one if possible that is near the search area - if they have to visit archives / parishes etc. they are entitled to charge for travelling time which can add quite a bit to the bill !

Dawn M

[chris_49]

A friend paid for an Irish research firm to find some ancestors for her. Later she went over there to do her own research (travelling to the actual places) and found that the company had got everything completely, totally wrong!

[aghadowey]

Yes, we've probably all heard such horror stories (and not just about Irish researchers) but let's look at it from another angle.

Rpeake- think about what you are trying to find and what you are expecting a professional researcher to do.
If you are looking for birth, marriage and death certificates- then you can view the online indexes and order the certificates yourself.
If you want the records for a particular church or area checked for a certain family and those records are not online anywhere that you can find- first establish if the records you need even exist. There's no point in asking for something that simply isn't there.
However, if you have little detail, no firm dates and common names (as in your case, I think) then there's very little for a researcher to start with. In that case, if you do go ahead, your researcher is going to end up spending a considerable amount of time (and your money) simply checking record after record but producing no new information on your family. This wouldn't be their fault since they'd merely be folliwing your wishes.

[KGarrad]

I used one a few years ago, who was quite good.

But then the surname Garrad is very unusual in Ireland!
So his search was easy - if you have the resources, and know what you are doing!

Cost me less than €100, so I did alright.

These days I would try RootsChat first.