Doors open on first Back To Our Past (& GGI) in Belfast

The doors have opened on a bright sunny morning at the first-ever Back To Our Past (BTOP) Show in Belfast.

Held annually in Dublin since 2011, BTOP is a dedicated genealogy and family history exhibition and conference. It incorporates Genetic Genealogy Ireland, a distinct conference that attracts DNA specialists from around the world while offering a programme of lectures for researchers of all levels from beginners to experts. A traditional genealogy lecture programme is also part of the BTOP experience.

The debut Belfast show is being held at Titanic Belfast. There is an admission charge of £10, but once in, all lectures are free, and there is plenty of free advice on offer from many of the stall holders as well as products to purchase to help family historians learn and develop their research skills. Special show discounts are also likely to be much in evidence, and news of recent developments for some of the exhibitors.

For example, the Irish Genealogical Research Society (IGRS) will be launching the first three of a series of How-To videos offering expert research advice to its members*; FamilyTree DNA is offering big reductions on its Family Finder test, plus exclusive savings on mtDNA & Y-DNA test bundles to trace maternal and paternal ancestry; MyHeritage will be selling its DNA kit for £55 instead of normal price of £69; Irish Roots Magazine, Ireland's only independent genealogy magazine, has special bundle offers on back copies; and you should look out for some beautiful embroidered family trees by Niamh McCarthy, too.

Beautiful stitching from artist Niamh McCarthy.
Click for larger view.

According to BTOP's organisers, the following exhibitors will be at the show: Accredited Genealogists Ireland (AGI); The Association of Scottish Genealogists in Archives (ASGRA); Belfast Newsletter; Belfast Telegraph; Croke Park Museum; Dublin Coin, Stamp and Medal Auctions; FamilytreeDNA; Fermanagh Genealogy; Genealogical Society of Ireland (GSI); Glasgow City Archives; Glasnevin Cemetery Museum; Hibernian Coins; Hidden Hearing; Imperial War Museum; Irish Genealogy Research Society (IGRS); Irish Genealogy Solutions; Irish Newspaper Archives; Irish Roots Magazine; Merriman Research; My Heritage; Naimh Designs; National Archives of Ireland; North of Ireland Family History Society (NIFHS); Percival Prints; Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI); Titanic Centre; Scottish Monumental Inscriptions; Senior Times magazine; Somme Museum; Tom Keane Antiques; Ulster Historical Foundation.

Both lecture programmes get underway at 10:30. View them here:
Genetic Genealogy Ireland lecture programme
Traditional and general genealogy lecture programme

Back To Our Past will be at Titanic Belfast today and tomorrow. Doors open each day at 10am and close at 5pm.

* For this launch weekend only, the videos are available for the public to view on the Society's IrishAncestors.ie. Thereafter, they will be accessible only to members.