Classes and Courses

NIFHS Spring School 2025

February – May

The Classes

We are delighted to present our programme for Spring School 2025, classes designed to help you with family history research.

Fri 21 Feb – On Zoom – Estate Records
Sat 22 Feb – On Zoom – Family Tree Maker
Fri 21 Mar – On Zoom – Townlands
Wed 16 Apr – On Zoom – Using WikiTree
Weds 23 Apr, 30 Apr, 7 May – At C4 – Family Finder Course (a series of 3 Classes)
Wed 21 May – On Zoom – Look-Up Live
Wed 28 May – On Zoom – Using AI for Genealogical Research

The classes will be approximately one hour long, followed by a “questions and answers” session.

Most classes are via Zoom and these will be recorded, making it easier for people in different time zones to participate.  The Look-up Live class and all question and answer sessions will not be recorded.

This year we feature a “Family Finder” course in a series of 3 classes to be held at our Research Centre in Newtownabbey and these will be In-Person only. Places are limited so please book early!

Bookings

Please allow 72 hours to receive the Zoom link after you have booked. This will go to the email address of your PayPal account. If it has not arrived after 72 hours and you have checked your spam folder and PayPal email address, let us know at education.zoom@nifhs.org.
If you need to cancel your booking, please contact us at least 7 days before the date of the class for a full refund. Any cancellations within 7 days of the date of the class will not be refunded but, if possible, we will transfer your booking to a different class.
Classes are at London time. Check the equivalent time where you are with the WorldClock Converter.
Any enquiries about the Classes should be emailed to the Education Team  at Education.Zoom@nifhs.org.

Friday 21st February 2025 @ 7.00pm GMT – on Zoom

Estate Records – with Andrew Kane

Before 1850, great estates dominated Irish society.  Learn how to navigate these records and what information they contain.

Book your Place
Cost £10

Saturday 22nd February 2025 @ 11.00am GMT – on Zoom

Family Tree Maker – with Imelda McVeigh

Family Tree Maker is a product used my many people to record and organise their family tree research and records. This class will explain how to use it effectively, provide some tips and tricks and answer any questions that you may have.

Book your Place
Cost £10

Friday 21st March 2025 @ 7.00pm GMT – on Zoom

Townlands – with Andrew Kane

Townlands are the fundamental building blocks of all Irish genealogical research, Learn what they are and how to use them in relation to your own family history.

Book your Place
Cost £10

 

Wednesday 16th April 2025 @ 7.00pm BST – on Zoom

Using WikiTree – with Anne Johnston

WikiTree is a free genealogy website that allows users individually to research and contribute to their own personal family trees, whilst building and collaborating on a single worldwide family tree within the same system. It also allows users to record DNA tests, linking them to relevant cousin profiles. This class provides an introduction to WikiTree and by the use of practical examples it hopes to encourage you to join the WikiTree community with the overall aim of linking our shared heritage in the North of Ireland and beyond.

Book your Place
Cost £10

3 Wednesdays –  23rd April, 30th April, and 7th May 2025 @ 7.00pm BST – at the NIFHS Research Centre

Family Finder Course – with Martin McDowell

Our Family Finder Course is an introduction to using Family Tree DNA’s Family Finder test. This is particularly useful as our DNA project now has in excess of 10,000 members with ancestry from Ulster. You will find out what it is all about and it will cover some important areas such as chromosome browsers, family matching and x matches.
This is an in-person on-site course taken over three consecutive Wednesdays.  The number of places is limited.  Book early to avoid disappointment.

Book your Place
Cost £20

Wednesday 21st May 2025 @ 7.00pm BST – on Zoom

Lookup Live – with NIFHS Volunteers

Our ever-popular Look-up evening returns to give you an opportunity to reap the benefits of our society look-up service. This is not a formal talk but an opportunity for you to find out more about some of the items that the society holds in its research library. Come along and ask us a question – you may even get a look-up done during the session! If you are interested in attending then send an email to education.zoom@nifhs.org for the zoom link.

Book your Place
Free Class
Email
education.zoom@nifhs.org

 

Wednesday 28th May 2025 @ 7.00pm BST – on Zoom

Using AI for Genealogical Research – with Anne Johnston

This is an opportunity to dip your toe in the water regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for genealogical research. It will give practical examples of how AI can be used in your own personal research and will evaluate the various tools which are available, highlighting limitations as well as presenting the opportunities which AI can offer to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of your genealogical research.

Book your Place
Cost £10

 

Any queries relating to Class bookings should be emailed to the Education Team at Education.Zoom@nifhs.org.