I have had a couple of days at PRONI, with another anticipated, exploring the McKees from the Boardmills area of County Down.

I have established through the will of a James McKee, proven in 1937, a connection between John Jackson McKee and the McKees of Poagsburn, and since then have been delving into the parish records.

I must say, it can be extremely difficult even to make sense of the numbers in 18th century documents with a 4 that looks a child’s drawing of a giraffe, a zero with a floating tail and 8 sideways like an infinity symbol.

I’m still on the 1st Boardmills Births and Marriages, having reached the 1830s. I need to return to delve further, nearer to our own time, and then to look at the 2nd Boardmills curch records.