My cousin Joe spent a good bit of time researching the Kilpatrick family history. According to Joe, the Kilpatricks came from County Cork and settled in Conshohocken. The early settlers of our family worked in the mills.  According to record, the family split in two, with half going down south to North Carolina and the other half to Philadelphia to work on the docks and factories during the industrial revolution.  My Great Grandfather, Hugh Kilpatrick’s family settled in St. Mike’s parish until he met my Great Grandmother Anna Foley. They married and bought a house on Norris Street around the turn of the century.  They were heavily involved from the beginning of Holy Name Parish.  From what my cousin Joe tells me, the name Kilpatrick is a Scots-Irish name that means “Church of St. Patrick” or “Knights in service of St. Patrick”.

I believe the information listed above to be true. Throughout my life, I have been told many variations of my family history. Some have said the men in our clan were sent out first to be killed in battle (after the family settled in Ireland). That is a neat and interesting history. But to tell you the truth, it sounds like a romantic and abbreviated description of my family’s background. News travels faster over front steps and backyard hedges in these neighborhoods than it does through actual documentation. History, especially the details, can be easily lost in gossip and opinion. However, with so many neighbors of Irish ancestry lining the Delaware River, it wouldn’t hurt to find out where you really came from.

With websites like Ancestry.com and TV shows like NBC’s “Who Do You Think You Are?”, it is no secret that family history research is becoming a growing and popular industry. This city was a hub of Irish immigration. The closer we get to Saint Patrick’s Day, the more people become curious to investigate their Irish Heritage.  On March 23rd, the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania (GSP) will be welcoming the Ulster Historical Foundation (UHF) to the Commodore John Barry Irish Center, (6815 Emlen Street, Philadelphia, PA 19119) from 4:00 to 7:30 PM. Presenters from UHF will instruct those in attendance how to trace their Irish and Scots-Irish ancestors, giving neighbors the keys to unravel the threads of their distant past.

The program will contain three lectures, including “An Introduction to Irish and Scots-Irish Family History Research”; “The Ulster Plantation: and sources for researching 17th Century Families”; and “Solving Your “Brick-walls”, which includes a practical internet tutorial. The lectures will be followed with a general question and answer session.

“Whether your ancestors are Scots-Irish Presbyterian from Ulster, or Catholic Irish ancestors from the south, the speakers from one of Ireland’s foremost genealogy research organizations will give advice to beginners on what tools and sources to use to start their search, as well as assist those who’ve already begun to explore,” stated Joyce Homan, Executive Director at the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania.

Speakers on hand will include Fintan Mullan, the Executive Director of Ulster Historical Foundation since 2001. Fintan was educated at Queen’s University Belfast, and holds a bachelor’s degree in Irish Politics and Philosophy, and a master’s degree in Organization and Management. He works with the Irish Family History Foundation and the International Society for British Genealogy & Family History. Mullan has spoken all over the United States about Irish family history research. He was even a genealogy  presenter at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in 2007.

Another speaker at the March 23rd event will be Dr. Brian Trainor, a former Research Director of the Ulster Historical Foundation. Brian retired last September. He was educated at Queen’s University Belfast. Then he went on to the Institute of Historical Research in London. Trainor was the Director of the Public Record Office from 1970 to 1987. He later became Director and then Research Director of the Ulster Historical Foundation. Brian holds an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the National University of Ireland.

The cost of registration for the family history event is $20 for members of GSP and the Irish Center, and $30 for non-members.  You can register online at www.genpa.org or you can register by mail. Checks can be mailed to GSP, 2207 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103.

After the ancestry lecture, you can choose to attend a traditional Irish ceili dance with authentic Irish music. The dance will be held by the Philadelphia Ceili Group and the cost for the dance is an additional $12, and worth every penny.

There are many Irish Americans in the neighborhoods who talk tall of their Irish heritage. Some even seem more patriotic for Ireland than America. After the confetti of the parades has been swept up and the Shamrock Shuttle buses are parked and hosed down, come to this lecture to learn how to trace your Irish roots back to the relatives who fought and struggled to get to this country. Find out why you are so proud of your heritage.