Read our Customers Stories.
Hello,
I'm reaching out to thank you for the immeasurable gift I was given as a result of my geneology consultation at EPIC last year. Last September my husband and I were on our honeymoon and signed up for a consultation in the hopes of continuing to build my Dad's family tree and get answers on where his ancestors lived pre-emmigration. Here'sthe full story:
I've been doing ancestry research for a few years because I want to know more about where I come from. My Dad died when I was young and my one uncle and my grandparents on that side died before I was born, which made research difficult. I knew they were Irish and that was about it. Over the years I pieced together information and did a DNA test that connected me with distant cousins who live in the US. They were able to help me build out my family tree - special shout out to Ellynmarie Theep!
When Steve and I were in Dublin we met with a genealogist who was able to find the birth record of my Great Great Grandfather Hugh McManus; one of the lines on my Dad's side I had the least information about. The birth record had the birth location on it. We drove up to the townland (a small swath of land, similar to a township) in County Armagh in Northern Ireland. The town is a rural farming town with a big hill off in the distance that dominates the landscape. There we found the town church and graveyard. We looked around the graveyard and found the family grave site of my Great Great Grandfather and other ancestors. This was a powerful experience in and of itself, but things didn't end there. The gravesite looked well maintained; there were flowers there that didn't look too old so we wondered if descendants might still live in the area.
We started driving around the town looking for old farmhouses because my mom has an old black and white picture of a farm house that was passed down through my Dad's family. We knocked on the doors of a few farmhouses, asking if anyone knew if someone by the name "McManus" had ever lived there. The second person we talked to told us a Mary McManus still lived in the area. He drove us to her house and we knocked on the door. A man answered and told us he'd been married to Mary McManus for 40 years and invited us inside.
Mary came back 10 minutes later and asked who we were. I said, "My name is Patty O'Keefe and my Dad's name was Neil O'Keefe". She responded, "Oh, then your Grandma must be Marie and your Grandfather must be Myron", which are the names of my Grandparents, confirming these were my relatives. She then pulled out a huge family tree and gave us names, stories, and information dating back to the 1700's. My Dad was on the tree and under his name were question marks, so we got to fill in our names on her tree.
She then told us the house we were in was the farmhouse my Great Great Grandfather was born and grew up in, the one in the photograph in my mom's basement. She gave us a tour of the house and the land, made us food, and we all got to know each other better. She showed us letters she used to write to my Grandmother, and she found a picture of my Dad that she had in her house. That night she called all the distant relatives in the area (my third and fourth cousins) and we all went to the local pub.
The whole experience was surreal and overwhelming. It made me feel more connected to my Dad and to people I've never met. If someone showed up on my doorstep and told me they were a distant relative I don't know if I would have been as welcoming, but I will be now after this experience. Mary kept telling us she was so excited that we'd "made our way home".
Anyways, that's the story! Thank you so much for the experience that was made possible through this consultation - it's been a highlight of our lives.
Best,
Patty
"It was a stupendous experience"
It was a stupendous experience with Laura who is a wizard at negotiating the various genealogy and records sites. We feel extremely fortunate to have had her as our research guide to our ancestors. We so look forward to continuing the search not only to enlighten the story of our family’s past but to someday gain Irish citizenship. It would make a dream come true and make our grandparents and father proud.
"She was amazing!"
Laura was so helpful and resourceful. We were able to locate the hometowns of our grandparents and great grandparents and great uncles and aunts. She was amazing!
"Very informative and a great experience"
Very informative and a great experience, pointing me in the right direction if I want to proceed.
"She went over and above!"
Just have to express my gratitude for the very skillful and concentrated work by my consultant just now.
She is so intelligent and so good at this! (Of course she is, she's Irish!)
She went over and above! I feel very embarrassed that I forgot her name already, but please thank her for me.
This is a wonderful service you offer.
I can't wait to use this data and go back to Ireland to find the land in Derry, where part of my paternal line originated from.
Again, thank you for this information!
"...intriguing and informative..."
Dear Declan,
Thank you for a very intriguing and informative afternoon. I have so much respect for your knowledge and expertise in both genealogy, history, and cultures. I am so grateful to you for your kindness, patience, passion, and your time to share your insight and intuition. I am so appreciative of your support and encouragement. I will use this information to continue to research and to study my ancestry. I will think of you the next time I am in Alpharetta! (It is a small world!) Take care and best wishes for a wonderful day!
"Your expertise and guidance is very much appreciated!"
Thank you for helping us gain more insight into our family history! Your expertise and guidance is very much appreciated! Yesterday was our second session and they’ve both been so exciting!
"Declan was extremely knowledgeable and informative"
My daughter and I had a lovely genealogy consultation with Declan. Declan did a wonderful job and was extremely knowledgeable and informative. The consultation was my daughter's Christmas gift, and she and I thoroughly enjoyed it and learned a great deal!
"Emilie was extremely helpful and very knowledgeable"
We had a zoom meeting with Emilie. She was extremely helpful and very knowledgeable. We appreciated the information she discovered for us as well as directing us to various links that we can explore to learn more information. We will most likely ask for another meeting once we secure more information from our sources and seek our Irish connections. Once again please pass on word how pleased we were with Emilie’s meeting.
"It was perhaps the best gift I could have given her"
I visited on 4 April and you had success finding records for my family. I wanted to thank you again! My elderly mother was so happy to learn more information about her great grandmother. It was perhaps the best gift I could have given her.
"Thank you so much! This is an excellent approach."
Dear Declan,
A few weeks ago, you very kindly helped me find a solution to finding my great grandmother’s baptism record from 1863. You also sent me links to learn more about where she and her family lived near Carrick-on-Suir.
Thank you so much! This is an excellent approach.
I sent information about EPIC and the Irish Family History Centre to my family back in the states. When they visit, I want them to see the extraordinary history of emigration and return to Éire by those who remember.
May you and your family enjoy a warm and very Merry Christmas
With gratitude,
Pat
"You showed me how to break down a couple of brick walls"
What fantastic pointers you have given me! People who just appeared in my family now have a history! You showed me how to break down a couple of brick walls, and I can’t stop fussing about them now. Thanks again
"...she made us feel right at home"
Wonderful session with Kayleigh. So helpful, so fun and she made us feel right at home.
"Kayleigh was so fast, kind and informative"
Thank you Kayleigh! You were so fast, kind and informative! You are amazing! It was so fun to get all of this valuable information for the beginning of our Irish travels! Thank you!