Helen Kelly is a professional genealogist and a member of Accredited Genealogists Ireland (AGI) formerly known as the Association of Professional Genealogists in Ireland (APGI).
She has been involved in genealogy and tourism since the 1980s and holds an extra-mural certificate in genealogy from University College Dublin (1992), a diploma in Local History from the National University of Ireland – Maynooth (1998) a National Tour Guide Certificate from CERT (2002), and Lord Mayor’s Certificate in Oral History – Dublin 2016/7.
Helen was a member of the Council of APGI from 1996 to 2015, was Vice-President from 2007 – 2009 and completed a three-year term as President of APGI in 2012.
Together with colleagues from APGI, she has served as an APGI consultant at the Genealogical Office in Dublin from 1995 to 1998 when the service transferred to the National Library of Ireland where she continued to serve until 2007. She also engaged in consultancy work as an APGI consultant at the genealogical service in the National Archives from its inception in 2003 to May 2012. In conjunction with some of her colleagues from AGI she is currently involved in the provision of the genealogy consultancy service at the National Archives.
A quick look (at your research report) has enthralled me and excited me. I am truly grateful to you and your efforts in this research and I am sure that my family will be happy to know of your findings.
Martin Kelly – Crewe Cheshire, U.K.
From 2007 to 2023, Helen was the genealogist-in-residence at Dublin’s historical 5 star Shelbourne Hotel where she held the unique title of Genealogy Butler. In that capacity she broadcast on the subject of Irish family history research on international radio and television, including stations in New York, New Zealand, Australia, Dublin, London, Birmingham, Manchester and Paris. In 2014 she featured in the popular RTE six-part documentary on The Shelbourne.
In addition to her consultancy work, Helen carries out ancestral research for all Irish counties on behalf of clients. She is particularly interested in the midland counties of Westmeath and Longford, and in the descendants of emigrants from those counties who settled in Argentina and elsewhere.
Helen is keenly interested in roots tourism. From 2010 to 2013 she was consultant genealogist on Tourism Ireland’s stand at the annual Who Do You Think You Are Live genealogical event in London and also provided lectures at this event, under the aegis of Tourism Ireland. In her capacity as a genealogy advisory consultant, and through her research and lectures in Ireland and abroad, Helen continues to serve the Irish diaspora by encouraging the descendants of Irish emigrants to re-connect with their Irish heritage.
She lectures frequently on Irish ancestry in Ireland, and has also lectured in England and North and South America.