Grace O’Reilly

After graduating from Trinity College Dublin and the University of Galway, Grace moved to London in 2014, where she began her career in the not-for-profit sector. In 2017, she transitioned into the field of genealogy and has since worked with leading probate genealogy firms across the UK and Ireland before joining Anglia Research in March 2026.

Grace has a long-standing interest in and aptitude for genealogy; having begun researching her own family history while still at school. Her search has taken her all over the world, from an Oscar winning screenwriter in Hollywood, to a revolutionary involved in Ireland’s fight for independence, and even to a sheep farmer in New Zealand.

What Grace finds most engaging about genealogy is the intellectual challenge at its centre:
“Our work often begins with just the smallest fragment of information—sometimes only a name and a date of birth. From there, we apply our skills of deduction and draw on our knowledge of historical records and resources to build a clearer picture of the family. While challenging, it is incredibly rewarding to trace relatives and help unite them with their legal entitlements.”