DNA and Family History

DNA and Family History comes to the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland on Tuesday 27 October, a day of talks bringing the science of genetic genealogy to Belfast. It's put on by the North of Ireland Family History Society, who've long championed using DNA testing to flesh out family research across Ulster.

The main draw is that the society is flying in four guests from the Houston headquarters of FamilyTreeDNA, one of the big names in the field. Over the course of the day, they'll be giving a series of talks, sharing research stories and explaining what DNA can actually reveal about your ancestors. There's also a look at the innovations currently happening in the field, so you'll get a sense of where the science is heading, not just where it's been.

One thing that sets FamilyTreeDNA apart from the other big testing companies is that they're the only one providing Y and mitochondrial testing alongside autosomal testing for genealogical research. If you've ever wondered about the difference between the two, or how they each track different lines of your family tree, this is a good place to get it sorted. The talks are designed to show how that data works in practice, rather than just in theory.

If you're already testing or thinking about it, there'll be DNA kits available at special prices on the day. The whole thing runs from 11:00 to 15:45 at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, 2 Titanic Boulevard, Titanic Quarter BT3 9HQ, in the heart of the Titanic Quarter. It's free to attend, and there's no registration needed, so you can just turn up.