Friday 3 October 2014

Countdown to Back To Our Past 2014

It's just two weeks to the start of Back To Our Past, Ireland's only major annual genealogy fair. When the doors open at Noon on Friday 17 October, it'll be the fifth time the show has brought together the great and the good of Irish genealogy to help researchers re-connect with their family roots and cultural heritage.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5-KQnqDiArgQzk5ejNtNzdFQ1E/view?usp=sharing
Download half-price voucher to BTOP
As always, the Industries Hall of the RDS in Dublin 4 will be the scene of a bustling market place, with exhibitors eager to show their wares, whether they be access to parish registers, census returns, military records, maps, records of baptisms, marriages and funerals, archival products, family tree makers and software, or photo restoration services, books and magazines, genealogical research societies and dna tests.

The event provides a unique opportunity for locally- and overseas-based families with Irish ancestors to tap into a huge archival resource – all under one roof at the same time.

While the exhibition area keeps the noise and energy levels up, the fair also offers an extensive programme of free lectures. Two strands of genealogy and heritage-themed presentations run concurrently throughout the three days (see Genealogy programme) and there's a separate dedicated DNA strand running, too, as part of the Ireland Genetic Genealogy conference (see Genetic programme). All the lectures are free to those attending BTOP and no booking is required – they're all available on a first-come-first-served basis.

Outside of the lecture rooms, the Family Tree DNA stand will be offering visitors DNA tests from as little as €46; depending on their surname, they may even qualify for a free test (find out more about these sponsored tests), and the Association of Professional Genealogists in Ireland (APGI) will be offering free one-to-one consultations each day. These need to be booked (form here) in advance.

So, once again, Back To Our Past promises to be a great three days of wall-to-wall genealogy. Tickets are €10 on the door, but Irish Genealogy News can offer a 50% discount price of just €5. Download and print off the voucher by clicking the image above for half-price entry.

Opening times are: Friday Noon to 7pm; Saturday and Sunday 11am to 7pm.

See you there!