The Ards Peninsula is part of County Down, Northern Ireland, and is bounded on the north by Belfast Lough, the west by Strangford Lough, and on the east by the Irish Sea. The Ards Peninsula Project is a Y-DNA project that has been created to assist genealogists in exploring the ties between the families of the Ards. To gain benefit from this project, it is suggested that you should have some reason to suspect a familial link to the people of the Ards Peninsula. Civil Parishes considered part of the project: Bangor, Newtownards, Donaghadee, Grey Abbey, Ballywalter, Inishargy, Ballyhalbert, Ardkeen, Ardquin, Castleboy, Slanes, Ballytrustan, and Ballyphilip. [Note: Ballyhalbert was historically known as the Parish of St. Andrews] Townlands and Villages of the Ards: Ballyhalbert, Donaghadee, Portavogie, Portaferry, Kircubbin, Glastry, Ballywalter, Cloughey, Kirkistown, Newtownards, Greyabbey, Ballywalter, Rubane, Ardkeen, Millisle, Lisnevin, Mount Stewart, Ballywatticock, Carrowdore, and we are including Bangor. If you do have ties to the Ards, and your surname is not listed below, please contact the group administrator, so that it may be added to the list.