The Ireland Reaching Out (Ireland XO) project is based on a simple idea; instead of waiting for people of Irish descent to trace their roots, we go the other way. Working through voluntary effort at a townland, village and parish level here in Ireland, we identify who left, and trace them and their descendants worldwide, proactively engaging with them and inviting them to become part of an extended “virtual” community with their place of origin. In this way, the entire Irish Diaspora of 70 million can be systematically reunified online and invited back or to engage with their ancestral parish for the benefit of all.

This reverse genealogy entails the tracing and recording of all the people who left and seeking out their living descendents worldwide. Those identified or recognised as persons of Irish heritage or affiliation are invited to become part of a new extended Irish society. The Ireland XO project offers an extraordinary opportunity for local parish communities to extend the numbers of people committed to their parish by inviting its own Diaspora worldwide to become involved in their place of origin. This pilot project is an opportunity to boost tourism and bring economic benefit to the area. It is envisaged that enterprising members of the returning diaspora may eventually become investors in the area.

The national pilot project of Ireland XO was developed in South-East Galway from October 2010 through to July 2011 culminating in a hugely successful inaugural Week of Welcomes event held in the area in late June. The project is now expanding out of South-East Galway to a number of pilot project areas from Donegal to Kerry in preparation for a full national roll-out in 2012/2013.

To begin your reaching out experience, register now!