Genealogy Chat

AFAIK, the Irish BMD index cannot be sought online, as no pay per view websites have this database included in their service, only England & Wales. Therefore, if I wanted to search for a Southern Irish Birth index before ordering the certificate, I would have to travel to Dublin, right? Well, I've just found out that there's meant to be a copy of all Irish BMD Indexes located in a Family History Centre at Hyde Park, London! Can anyone please confirm this? Has anybody visited this centre before?

Not sure about in London, but I viewed the index for southern Ireland at my local LDS centre. I think that most of their centres have the index for Ireland, but you will have to send to Dublin for any certificate you want.

Giles, I too have heard this. I would also like confirmation if anyone does know! Pat

The Index can be viewed at the LDS centre in Exhibition Road (Kensington)

Chloe and Carol, are you both saying that several LDS centres around the country have a copy of the Southern Irish BMD indexes for the public to freely view? I asked at my local GRO / Family Records Centre in London, which is also the main HQ for Genealogy in England, but they couldn't help me with Irish records!?

Giles, look in your phone book under Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Seems that for some reason, the records office didn`t mention them. You can view the index for free, but it is best to phone for an appointment to use a viewer. The ones I saw were on reel film. Incidentally, they won`t talk religion to you either.

You have to order the Irish records through the LDS in London but you can also do that from any LDS church anywhere in the world. You MUST know what parish you want as they will charge you so much per fiche so as long as you know the exact place then you can look at their townland/parish indexes and order up whatever you want. If you then want certs from1864 then this has to be done through Dublin. I have visited the LDS in London many times and find them very helpful and have obtained much info but London is not accessible to everybody and in the main you can get what you want from your Local LDS centre. Janet

The LDS I went to in Plymouth had the whole index which was similar to our BMD. I found what I needed on the index and ordered certificates direct from Dublin

When does the IrishBMD start from Simonexx

Simone, 1864 I think, though could be earlier. Not as early as our 1837 though

How long does it take to search through the indexes? For example, if I wanted to search between 1895 - 1910 for a particular Irish surname, how long would it take? Is it as easy as searching 1837online?

It is similar to searching the fiche at the records office, except that it is on film. I think there is a year on a film, or it may be a quarter. Long time since I searched it, but if you ring the LDS they will be able to tell you.

No, not as easy as searching through 1837 online, you have to look at each year and quarter on the microfilm. This is what the LDS on Exhibition Road holds (not sure about other ones) Civil registration indexes for Ireland 1864-1949 (microfilm) Civil registration indexes for Northern Ireland 1922-1959 (microfilm) So in theory you should be able t find what you're look for on there.