In this final full episode of Series Eight, host Andrew Martin meets Irish genealogist, speaker, occasional podcaster, and Project Infant founder, Daniel Loftus. He asks Daniel how he got hooked on researching his family history, challenges he's faced with DNA testing and adoption, and why he's leading a project that brings Mother and Baby Homes in Ireland under the spotlight.

If you’d like to volunteer for Project Infant, you can do so at: https://projectinfant.ie/volunteer

THE LIFE STORY - PATRICK WHELAN
 Daniel has chosen to tell the life story of his Great Grandfather Patrick ‘Pax’ Whelan, who was born to Patrick (known as ‘Patsy’) and his wife Bridget in 1890 in the coastal town of Dungarvan, in County Waterford, Ireland. Sadly though, Bridget died when Pax was aged 8, and his youngest sister was just one month old.

With tensions building in Ireland and in World War One, Pax’s brother Michael enlisted in the British Army… but to Pax – who’d joined the local branch of the Irish Republican Army, this was unacceptable and the brothers ceased speaking for decades.

Whilst Pax didn’t really speak of his time in the Army, Daniel has managed to find sources in museums and archives that help tell the story of his Great Grandfather.

THE BRICK WALL - PATRICK LAVIN and ANN BRENNAN 
A vanishing act in the 20th Century is what is causing Daniel to collide with a Brick Wall – he’s looking for information on Patrick Lavin (or Lavan) and wife Ann Brennan.

Daniel doesn’t know much about this couple, but he has found that Patrick was born circa 1854, and Mary Brennan circa 1861.

The couple married in January 1882 and remained around the area of Kiltimagh, County Mayo, in Ireland, and had a family of six daughters between 1882 and 1893.

However, Daniel is stuck with trying to find much about their parents. He knows Patrick’s father was alive in 1882 and also called Patrick, but that Ann’s father John had died.

The last time Daniel has found Patrick and Ann in the records is on the 1911 census – and then they just vanish!

• Where did Patrick and Ann go after 1911?

If you think that you have a research idea or clue that can help Daniel to overcome his brick wall, then you can find him via the links at his Carrd profile or drop him a message on Bluesky or Twitter. Alternatively, you can send us a message via our contact form and we’ll pass your message on.

In the meantime, Daniel accepts Andrew’s offer of help, but will he agree to an important errand too?

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