Causeway Coast and Glens
Family History Society
A Branch of NIFHS
Welcome
A little about us
Causeway Coast and Glens Family History Society
Causeway Coast and Glens Family History Society is a branch of the North of Ireland Family History Society (NIFHS). We normally hold 9 meetings a year, in the Sandel Centre, Coleraine. Guest speakers give members a genealogical talk. Some explore how to use specific records or resources such as DNA. Others take a wider historical approach looking at how our ancestors lived, to put their lives in perspective. Most meetings are available to attend by Zoom as well as in person and most are also recorded to be viewed later, normally for 3 weeks. There is a workshop every season where members can quiz local experts about their brickwalls.
Our Records
As a Member, you will be able to log in to the Members’ Area of our website to access over 225,000 records (and increasing) of which over 92,000 are church baptism, marriage, burial records plus many other records relating e.g. Limavady workhouse deaths (1840-1870), 1718 migration records, Registry of Deeds records, funeral cards, Londonderry Sentinel marriage notices, family histories, Newsletters and much more. Many of these records are not on-line anywhere else and we even have some not held by official repositories like PRONI (the Public Record Office). We also have publications for sale.
Other Resources
Our parent organisation NIFHS runs several DNA projects and provides genealogical training courses. We are also encouraging anyone with North of Ireland roots to come together on Wikitree and on FamilyTreeDNA (FTDNA) to grow The Great North of Ireland Family Tree. Details on how to participate are on this link: The Great North of Ireland Family Tree.
Volunteering
We have a team of volunteers who transcribe church records which are then placed on our website for members to use. Extra volunteers are always welcome and this can be done anywhere in the world. We also do periodic “open days” at Coleraine library where we advise folk on how to research their family history whilst also hopefully encouraging them to join the Society.
Upcoming and Special Events
Our meetings are normally held on the last Tuesday of the month in the Sandel Centre, 6 Knocklynn Road, Coleraine at 8pm. Our meetings are also “hybrid” meetings which will be held on Zoom. There are no meetings in July, August or December. Visitors are very welcome and non-member admission is £3.00. Refreshments are served after our meetings.
Causeway Coast and Glens Family History Society Records
Catchment Area
The area north of the red line is our branch’s catchment area. It matches that of the Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council (CCG). CCG is a premier coastal region in Northern Ireland, renowned for its dramatic scenery, including the Giant’s Causeway World Heritage Site, rugged coastline, and sandy beaches. Spanning 1,968 sq km, and stretching from Lough Foyle in the west to the Glens of Antrim in the east, it offers extensive outdoor activities, historical sites, and the scenic Causeway Coastal Route, making it a major tourist destination. As of 2024 the population of this largely rural area was 142,000. Click on the image to enlarge.
Get Involved
If you wish to get involved please contact us. We always need help running the branch and are keen to be contacted by folk with knowledge that can improve the branch. We particularly need transcribers to help with our church record transcription project. If you feel inclined, a donation is always welcome too. You can join us, contact us or donate by clicking on one of the buttons below.
