Our Patrons

Based in Australia, Dr. Perry McIntyre is well known across the English-speaking world for her interest and great knowledge on the subject of immigrants from Ireland and their descendants.

"As a historian and genealogist working in Australia, focusing primarily on research in immigrants from Ireland and their descendants, I’m delighted to see great progress in genealogy in recent years in Ireland. It seems to me that in large parts this is due to the assistance and pressure from CIGO and its members. I encourage all those in interested in Irish research to support CIGO and its activities and I congratulate the organisation on their work. Awards such as the citation to Dublin Public Libraries and Archives at Pearse Street Library are a great encouragement to excellence."

Fergus Gillespie

A native of Co. Donegal, Fergus Gillespie is a former Chief Herald of Ireland. A noted herald, genealogist and academic, Fergus has written and lectured widely on heraldry and genealogy, covering such subjects as the medieval Irish genealogies, relationships between Spain and Ireland in the early medieval period, and Scottish-Irish links through the centuries. Beyond Ireland, his lecture tours have brought him to Australia, Argentina, Canada, the United States and Scotland. In addition to being President of the Irish Genealogical Research Society he is also a Fellow of the Real Academia Matritense de Heráldica y Genealogía (Madrid), the Genealogical Society of Argentina and the Society of Antiquaries of London.

"As a former Chief Herald and member of the National Library's Statutory Committee on Genealogy and Heraldry, I have long been aware of CIGO’s importance to genealogy in Ireland. It was to a very great extent due to CIGO that the prestigious International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences, hosted by the Genealogical Office in 2002, was such a resounding success. CIGO’s continued lobbying of politicians and key individuals to get public access to the Irish 1926 census has clearly paid dividends and is only one of the many things that I admire about this most dedicated, pragmatic and tenacious genealogical body."

John Grenham

John Grenham came to professional genealogy in 1981, as one of the panel of Genealogical Office researchers, and later worked for Hibernian Research. As in-house researcher for the Genealogical Office in 1990-91, he was instrumental in setting up the GO Consultation Service, the forerunner of the current Advisory Services in the National Library and National Archives. He was Project Manager with the Irish Genealogical Project from 1991 to 1995 and later went on to develop and market his own genealogical software, Grenham's Irish Recordfinder. Since 1998, he has run the Irish Times Irish Ancestors website. In 2005, he was the first Genealogist-in-Residence at Dublin City Library. In 2007, he was awarded a fellowship of The Irish Genealogical Research Society. Among his publications are Tracing your Irish Ancestors (3rd ed.2006), Clans and Families of Ireland (1995), Generations (1996), "The Genealogical Office and its Records" in The Genealogical Office(1999), Grenham's Irish Surnames (CD-ROM, 2003) and numerous articles and columns in the UK magazine Your Family Tree. He has written the "Irish Roots" column in The Irish Times since February 2009.

"The work that CIGO does for Irish genealogy is unique and invaluable. By bringing together so many different groups to speak to the powers-that-be with a single voice, the Council has achieved more in the last ten years than I would ever have thought possible. Long may it continue."

David Norris

Academic, civil rights campaigner and politician. Mr. Norris is a prominent and liberal member of the Church of Ireland; he was a university lecturer at Trinity College, Dublin, for over 25 years before he was first elected as a senator to the upper house of the Irish parliament, Seanad Éireann. He was the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in Ireland and was much involved in the campaign to achieve civil partnership legislation in Ireland.

"Since its foundation, CIGO’s work for Irish genealogists has achieved good, solid results. For instance, their success with the Civil Registration Act 2004 proves how authoritive, informed political lobbying can achieve lasting benefit not only to genealogists but for the wider community too. Because of CIGO’s tenacity, since 2005 all death registrations in Ireland now record the deceased’s date and place of birth and parents’ names. Through my work in Seanad Éireann I was very pleased to have been able to play a large part in bringing about the necessary amendments to the original Bill. I wish CIGO every success in all their future legislative campaigns."