Thursday 31 May 2012

Bank holiday closures, North and South

As there's a long holiday weekend coming up, here's a timely reminder that most libraries and archives will be closed on at least one day next week.

In the Republic, the National Archives and National Library will be closed on Monday 4 June. So, too, will all local archives and libraries. Most libraries that are normally open on Saturdays will not be open this weekend.

In Northern Ireland, PRONI, GRONI and all local libraries will be closed on Monday 4 June and Tuesday 5 June. Some that normally open at the weekend will be closed (ie Coleraine Library is usually open all weekend but will not open this Sunday 3 June). Best check individually. All local libraries will also be working to a new, reduced hours regime from Wednesday 6 June. Details can be found here.




Recent updates to IGP Archives

The Swifte Family Pyramid, Co Meath
In the last couple of weeks, Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives have been continuing their work on Declarations of Intent and other records, but there's also a sizeable package for Co Meath.

IRELAND - Marriages
ROBINETT Marriages 1773-1824

IRELAND

List of Converts and Protestant Settlers in Ireland

CARLOW
- Military & Constabulary
1846 Royal Irish Constabulary Men

CAVAN - Military & Constabulary
1846 Royal Irish Constabulary Men

CORK - Military & Constabulary
1846 Royal Irish Constabulary Men

DUBLIN - Funeral miscellaneous
Assorted Funeral Entries - 1630's (7)

LEITRIM - Churchyards and cemeteries
Old Tarmon Abbey (partial)
Drumshanbo Famine Cemetery

LEITRIM - Emigration (5)
Declaration of Intention, Kings Co., NY - 1915

MAYO - Emigration (6)
Declaration of Intention, Kings Co., NY - 1915

MEATH - Headstones
Brannockstown, Trim
Cannistown Church Cemetery (near Navan)
Castlerickard, Trim
Castletown Kilpatrick Old Graveyard
Castletown Kilpatrick Graveyard New (Left Side)
Castletown Kilpatrick Graveyard New (Right Side)
Dunderry, Churchtown Cemetery
Trim-Newtown Abbey Graveyard
St Patrick's Cathedral Trim

SLIGO - Emigration (4)
Declaration of Intention, Kings Co., NY - 1915



Wednesday 30 May 2012

National Archives Genealogy Service suspended

Bad, bad news came forth from the National Archives of Ireland today with an announcement that its free genealogy service would be suspended from this Friday, 1 June.

See update to this story on 3 June.

The Genealogy Service has been provided free of charge to users for several years. Members of APGI, the Association of Professional Genealogists of Ireland, manned the service exclusively, ensuring visiting researchers received the very highest standards of advice. The service, which has been running for the best part of a decade, had its hours cut last October to 10:00–1.30pm. That was bad enough.

I don't know what the reasons for the suspension are. I shall try to find out. This move seems completely out of step for a publicly-funded institution controlled by a government that claims to see genealogy research as an integral part of its recovery (genealogy tourism has huge earning potential). And at the start of the tourist season, too.

Let's hope this is a temporary blip. I hate to be pessimistic but I feel it won't be, despite the announcement's 'hopes to be reinstated soon'.

Incidentally, I was in the Reading Room last Friday week at about 1:30pm when genealogist Rosaleen Underwood should have been finishing for the day. I stuck my head around the genealogy service door and saw there were still three people queuing to speak to her. She was still there half an hour later when I left the building. That's dedication. And I know that all the APGI genealogists put in a similar level of commitment to help visitors from around the world uncover their Irish heritage.

'Families' lecture now on video

The last in the current PRONI/Open University Exploring Local History lecture series — Families, with Dr Janice Holmes — is now available on the PRONIonline channel on YouTube.

It's been split into 5 videos. Just click each link below in order.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

Two million more Irish Petty Sessions Records go live

Another slice of 19th-century life in Ireland (plus a good portion of early 20th-century, too) has been revealed today in FindMyPast Ireland's latest batch of online records from the Irish Petty Sessions Courts.

These records represent one of the greatest untapped resources for Irish genealogists.

The first tranche of the 15 million record set, which relates only to courts in the 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland, was released back in February (see report). That release consisted of 1.2million records, and was hugely enjoyed by Irish genealogists for the colour it added to their research.

So it is great to have a second batch to play with! This set of entries dates from 1851 to 1910 and consists of more than 2 million cases from counties Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Galway, Kerry and Kilkenny (see the list of counties and courts below). Comprehensive details of each case typically include the names of the complainant, defendant and witnesses, the cause of complaint, the judgement, and details of any fine or sentence.

Another 10 million cases, originally scheduled for release by this summer are to follow throughout 2012.

Brian Donovan of FindMyPast Ireland recently admitted that the Irish Petty Sessions Order Books digitisation programme had been knocked off schedule because there are rather more records than originally expected. (Never mind. We can wait. The more records, the merrier.)

Find out more about the value of this huge record collection, which stretches from 1850 to 1924, on my website's Irish Petty Sessions Courts page.


Courts and years covered by today's release:

County of Court
Court
Year
CARLOW
CARLOW
1910
CARLOW
HACKETSTOWN
1902-03
CARLOW
MYSHALL
1860-69, 1884-1910
CAVAN
BALLINAGH
1852-1910
CAVAN
BAWNBOY
1851-68, 1883-1910
CAVAN
BELTURBET
1851-87
CAVAN
CAVAN
1851-1910
CAVAN
KILLESHANDRA
1862-1910
CAVAN
KINGSCOURT
1882-1901
CAVAN
SWANLINBAR
1877-99
CLARE
BALLYVAUGHAN
1910
CLARE
COROFIN
1910
CLARE
CRUSHEEN
1873-1910
CLARE
ENNIS
1866-1910
CLARE
KILDYSART
1885-86, 1898-99
CLARE
KNOCK
1860-73
CLARE
NEWMARKET-ON-FERGUS
1851-1910
CLARE
QUIN
1851-52, 1868-1910
CLARE
SIXMILEBRIDGE
1880-1910
CORK
AGHERN
1904-10
CORK
AHADALLANE
1864-65, 1877-78, 1884-1907
CORK
CASTLETOWNROCHE
1897-1902
CORK
COBH
1851-58
CORK
FERMOY
1891-99, 1910
CORK
KANTURK
1851-1910
CORK
QUEENSTOWN (COBH)
1853-1910
DONEGAL
ARDARA
1865-1910
DONEGAL
DUNFANAGHY
1877-1901
DONEGAL
GLENTIES
1852-1910
DONEGAL
LETTERKENNY
1859, 1871-72, 1878-79
DONEGAL
STRANORLAR
1859-1910
DUBLIN
BALBRIGGAN
1878-87, 1894-96, 1906-10
DUBLIN
LUCAN
1861-76
GALWAY
ARDRAHAN
1851-1910
GALWAY
ATHENRY
1851-66, 1871-91, 1895-1910
GALWAY
BALLINASLOE
1851-53, 1863-66, 1896-1910
GALWAY
BALLYMOE
1891-1910
GALWAY
CASTLETOWN
1860-63, 1866-1910
GALWAY
GORT
1851-1910
GALWAY
GURTEEN
1851-79, 1889-1910
GALWAY
SPIDDAL
1868-71
GALWAY
WILLIAMSTOWN
1851-1910
KERRY
CAHERCIVEEN
1879-1910
KERRY
CAHERDANIEL
1851-58, 1868-76
KERRY
COOLMAGORT
1861-66, 1872-78
KERRY
KILLARNEY
1857-60, 1866-67, 1880-87, 1899-1910
KERRY
VALENTIA
1906-10
KILKENNY
BALLYRAGGET
1858-62, 1885, 1892-99
KILKENNY
GORESBRIDGE
1854-1909
KILKENNY
GOWRAN
1865-67, 1893-1910
KILKENNY
GRACES OLDCASTLE
1856-71, 1881-88, 1894-1910
KILKENNY
KILKENNY
1854-1910
KILKENNY
KILMOGANNY
1891-1910