Irish records are not impossible mainly due to the efforts of a good deal of people who have collected together many archives. Don't despair there are many helpful fellow travellers.

John, I still forget the linked URL, I will have to try harder in the future.

I would also like to comment on the bemusement of those living in the middle of their history in Scotland and Ireland who are completely unfazed at the fact that they are living in the middle of the rich soup of history - compared by the frantic efforts of those overseas to find their ancestry.

I suppose it is the gaps created by an oral tradition and lack of interest by the young that cause all the problems for later genealogists.