Limavady to entice genealogy tourists

A spokesperson for Limavady Borough Council said that one of the main reasons people travel to a particular destination is to trace their roots. A genealogy based workshop, named ‘Roots Tourism: Potential and Opportunities’ will be held next Thursday (November 8) at the Drummond Hotel in Ballykelly.

Speakers at this workshop include: William Roulston, Ulster Historical Foundation; Dr Paddy Fitzgerald, Mellon Centre for Migration Studies and Robert Forrest, Forrest Research Services.

Numerous ancestry events and projects have been held in Limavady in recent times. A new online service is also being launched to allow people to trace their ancestors on the internet.

Earlier this year, the Sentinel also spoke to one man, Morrison Stewart, who had successfully traced many of his Limavady ancestors. He uncovered a founder member of the United Irishmen, one of the most historically significant political groups in Ireland’s past, and a guardian of the Limavady workhouse among other interesting ancestors. He developed a wider love of history after exploring his own family history.

A spokesperson for Limavady Borough Council explained why such focus was being devoted to genealogy in the local area: “Ancestral research is now recognised as a hobby and according to tourism bodies is frequently the main reason why people travel to a particular destination. Data obtained from market research indicates that the overall interest in genealogy is high. Furthermore, market research reveals that genealogical interest is high amongst adults who have taken a holiday/break in Northern Ireland.”

Speaking about the upcoming workshop at the Drummond Hotel in Ballykelly, the spokesperson continued: “The workshop is suitable for those wishing to make inroads into genealogy tourism and draws from the experience of the guest speakers involved. Guest speakers will set the scene for the high potential tourism niche and provide insight on where there are opportunities.

“There will also be the opportunity to find out about the invaluable ancestry resources that are available and how these can be accessed.

“If you would like to attend this free event please contact the Visitor Services Team at the Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre on 028 777 60650 / [email protected] to reserve your place.”