Writing a Book

The end of the writing of the book “The Leslies in Ireland” is in sight and it was time to write the Epilogue. While a few readers will not be interested in reading about the Leslies in Ireland, The Epilogue has significance for all Leslies who see a need to preserve our shared history.

Epilogue

As we conclude our exploration of the Leslie migration from Scotland to Ireland, we see that the legacy of the Leslie family through the centuries is not confined to Scotland alone. Ireland is also a central part of the story, along with the migrations  to North America, Australia, New Zealand, and other parts of the world. The Leslie Irish migration is an extraordinarily important part of the Leslie Diaspora story and must not be ignored.

Through the preparation of this book, I have attempted to provide the historical context to the Leslie migration from Scotland to Ireland. There were significant political, economic, and religious forces at play over the time spanning the late 1500s to the early 1900s. These forces influenced migration of clergy for religious reasons, landowners and tradesmen, and farmers for economic reasons. Through examining the conditions in Ireland, I have provided opportunity for understanding why the Leslies departed Scotland for Ireland and some departing Ireland for opportunities throughout the world.

Leslies have a three-hundred-year history in Ireland, yet little remains of the castles, manor houses, churches, civil documents, ship records, and family papers. In some cases, the available documents have been placed in archives and are unknown or inaccessible to descendants. It is essential for future generations to work to preserve and document family history. This is not only for the prominent families, but the documents and stories of the hundreds of Leslies who lived in Ireland over the centuries. The stories of the shopkeepers, clergy, and farmers need to be recorded and preserved. These fragments of information matter.

The Leslie genealogy has its roots in Scotland, but there is a significant forest of Leslies spread throughout Ireland. Through researching the various somewhat limited sources available, this book identifies eight family lines which are branches of the Leslie family tree. On those branches, we have identified some of the prominent Leslies, which are the leaves of the family tree. This book is just the beginning of the journey of discovery for Irish Leslies. Our work as descendants of Leslies of Ireland should be to identify more leaves of the Leslie branches. By continuing research and documenting the genealogies of Irish Leslies, many more Leslie descendants will have the answer to their question: “Where did my Leslie family come from?” To accomplish this important genealogical-historical task, DNA studies need to be completed, and an accessible indexed repository for this information must be established, so it is not just paper in a box on a shelf. This work is the vision and mission of the Leslie Global Diaspora Foundation.

This book should not be considered the end of the story of the Leslies of Ireland. Instead, this book is a beginning, and an invitation to every Leslie to be part of the community of Leslies who preserve what we know in genealogies and family stories so that we are able to pass this information on to our Leslie descendants. The story of the Leslie families of Ireland must not be forgotten.

Lewis R. Johnson, Ed. D., FSAScot
September 17, 2026