“It’s, unfortunately, one of the biggest barriers to Irish family history research,” says Crista Cowan, corporate genealogist for Ancestry. The 1.6 million records come from what might sound like a surprising source: the archives of Ireland’s famed Guinness brewery. The Guinness brewery has a storied pastResearchers combing through the newly released files might stumble upon some celebrity connections, too. Courtesy Guinness Archive, Diegeo IrelandArthur Guinness signed a 9,000-year lease on a Dublin brewery in 1759. Courtesy Guinness Archive, Diageo IrelandWorkers generally entered the Guinness workforce at age 14, according to a description of the records on the company’s website.

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Persons: “ It’s, ”, Crista Cowan, they’ll, Patrick’s, Cowan, ” Cowan, “, who’s, John O’Brien, Liam Neeson, Graham Norton, Bono, Arthur Purcell, who's, Purcell, Arthur Guinness, “ Guinness, …, Eibhlin Colgan, ” Guinness, Guinness, ‘ Organizations: CNN, Public Records, Ireland’s, Guinness, Diegeo, Records, Brewery, Diageo, Diageo Ireland Workers Locations: Dublin, St, Ireland, Diegeo Ireland, United Kingdom, United States, Diageo Ireland, James’s, James's