In this presentation, Joe will discuss and illustrate the steps, and occasional missteps, involved in collecting information pertaining to his O’Hagan ancestors. Joe will show how he put together this extensive information into two books (O’Hagan Genealogy – Part 1 John O’Hagan, Bridget Ryle & Their Descendants and O’Hagan Genealogy – Part 2 The Life and Times of Dr. Thomas O’Hagan. 477 pages + 633 pages) to preserve it for future generations.
This is an in-person event, hosted by the Bruce County Genealogical Society.
Free to attend; Register online below or by calling (519)797-2080.
Location: Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre (33 Victoria St N, Southampton, ON N0H 2L0)
For more information, email the Bruce County Genealogical Society: BCGSwebinars@gmail.com
About Joe O’Hagan
I was born and raised in Walkerton, Bruce County, Ontario, and grew up there during the 1950s and 60s in this small town atmosphere. As a child, I was surrounded by relatives who told family stories about colorful, and even famous, characters from my family and this made me curious to find out more about my family history and genealogy. Books like the Queen’s Bush and the Black Donnellys fuelled my burgeoning interest. My work as a police office and detective for the Toronto Police for 32 years, starting in 1969, gave me invaluable tools to collect facts, distinguish fact from fiction, and gather supporting evidence.
Over the years, I compiled a lot of information relating to my ancestors and more recent family members. One of my ancestors, Dr. Thomas O’Hagan, my great-granduncle, was a well-known author, poet and world traveler. Like him, I love to travel and went to Ireland on a number of occasions to find out more about my roots and succeeded in discovering some difficult-to-find information about my ancestors who had left Ireland and travelled to Bruce County. In 2010, I helped organize a family reunion in in Chepstow which 430 people attended from all over North America and Europe. The following year, 50 of us O’Hagans and friends, went to Ireland and explored our family’s original home property. In 2025, I privately published two books about my ancestors, O’Hagan Genealogy – Part 1 John O’Hagan, Bridget Ryle & Their Descendants and O’Hagan Genealogy – Part 2 The Life and Times of Dr. Thomas O’Hagan.
