Monday 31 August 2015

Irish genealogy, history/heritage events, 31 Aug–12 Sep

Tuesday 1 September: Registration & Research tips for new members. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Omagh Branch. Venue: Omagh Library, Spillars Place, Omagh, Co Tyrone, BT78 1HL. 7:15pm.

Tuesday 1 September: The Tudor Conquest of Ireland: Untold stories, with David Edwards. Genealogy at Lunchtime series of lectures. Host and venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 1–2pm. Free. No booking. All welcome.

Wednesday 2 September: Describing the Ards in 1683: the William Montgomery manuscript revisited, with Ian Montgomery. Part of the 'Up Down' series of lectures. Host and venue: PRONI, Titanic Boulevard, Belfast. 1pm. Free but need to book your place by email to proni@dcalni.gov.uk or telephone to 028 90534800.

Wednesday 2 September: Reinterpreting the Revolution: A Centenary Discussion on the Easter 1916 Rising. Hosted by J P O'Malley, the panel will include prominent historians Diarmaid Ferriter, Maurice Walsh and R F Foster. Venue: London Irish Centre, 50-52 Camden Square, London NW1 9XB. Doors open 7pm. Price: £8/6 concession. Tickets and details.

Thursday 3 September: Northern Ireland in the 1950s - a Look Back in Time, with Dr Peter Smyth. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Belfast Branch. Venue: Holywood Arches Library, 4-12 Holywood Road, Belfast BT4 1NT. 7:30pm.

Thursday 3 September: The Great Famine in Ulster, with Dr Gerard MacAtasney. Part of Libraries NI's 2015 Famine Commemoration. Host and venue: Newry City Library, 79 Hill Street, Newry BT34 1DG. 6:30pm. Free. For more details telephone: 028 3026 4683 or email: newrycity.library@librariesni.org.uk.

Thursday 3 September: The Irish in European warfare in the 17th Century – military origins of diaspora, with Padraig Lenihan. Genealogy at Lunchtime series of lectures. Host and venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 1–2pm. Free. No booking. All welcome.

Saturday 5 September: Charlie: the Hedge School. Venue: Electric Picnic, Stradbally, Co. Laois. Panel: Martin Mansergh, Brian Hanley, Donal Fallon, Colm Keena. 3pm. Sold Out.

Sunday 6 September: 1916–2016: what are we commemorating? A History Ireland Hedge School, chaired by editor Tommy Graham. Venue: Electric Picnic, Stradbally, Co. Laois. Panel: Martin Mansergh, Jason Burke, Roisin Higgins, Conor McNamara. 3pm. Sold Out.

Tuesday 8 September: Defending Ireland from the Irish: the 1867 Fenian Rising, with Jerome Devitt. Host: South Dublin County Libraries. Venue: County Library, Library Square, Tallaght, Dublin 24. 7:00pm. All welcome.

Tuesday 8 September Family history and genealogy sessions, with Margaret Bonar and Betty Craven. Donaghmede Library, Donaghmede Shopping Centre, Grange Road, Dublin 13. All are welcome and admission is free. 2:30pm to 4pm. Booking is essential, tel: 085 1444883.

Tuesday 8 September: Anglicans Aren’t All Anglo! – Church of Ireland records, with Rosaleen Underwood MAGI. Fifth of the 'Your Ancestors and the Nation’s Archives' lecture series presented by Accredited Genealogists Ireland (AGI) and the National Archives of Ireland. Venue: Reading Room, National Archives of Ireland, Bishop Street, Dublin 8. 5:15pm. Free but need to book by email: bookings@nationalarchives.ie. Everyone welcome.

Tuesday 8 September: The House on Bunion Hill: an Irish census project, with Ray Gillespie. Genealogy at Lunchtime series of lectures. Host and venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 1–2pm. Free. No booking. All welcome.

Tuesday 8 September: The recording of historic homesteads, with John Tierney. A day course in tracing, surveying and digitally publishing a Memory Trail of historic homesteads. Host: Kilrush and District Historical Society. Venue: Teach Ceoil, Grace Street, Kilrush, Co. Clare. 9:30am to 4pm. Free. All welcome.

Tuesday 8 September: Northern Ireland Civil Registration records, with GRONI staff. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Lisburn Branch. Venue: Bridge Community Centre, Railway Street, Lisburn, BT28 4XP. 7:30pm to 9:30pm.

Wednesday 9 September: Researching Ancestors in the Army in India, a free workshop with Valmay Young of FIBIS. Venue: British Library, 96 Euston Road, London NW1, UK. 2pm. Free but you need to book by emailing hrs-training@bl.uk. Details.

Wednesday 9 September: Building the Silent Valley Dam, 1923 to 1933: setting the record straight, with Philip Donald. Part of the Up Down series of lectures. Host and venue: PRONI, Titanic Boulevard, Belfast. 1pm. Free but need to book your place by email to proni@dcalni.gov.uk or telephone to 028 90 534800.

Wednesday 9 September: Recording of headstones workshop, with John Tierney of Historic Graves. Host: Clare Roots Society. Venue: Teach Ceoil, Grace Street, Kilrush, Co. Clare. To book or for more details, contact secretary@clareroots.org.

Wednesday 9 September: Ireland Reaching Out, with Mike Feerick. Host: Western Family History Association. Venue: Lackagh Parish Centre, Lackagh, Co. Galway. 8pm–10pm. Details.

Thursday 10 September: 1315: The Bruce Invasion, with Seymour Phillips. Milestones of Medieval Dublin monthly lunchtime lectures series hosted by the Friends of Medieval Dublin. Venue: Wood Quay Venue, Dublin City Council Civic Offices, Wood Quay, Dublin 8. 1:05pm–1:45pm. Admission free. NO booking is necessary.

Thursday 10 September: Getting started in local history, with Séamus Ó Maitiú. Genealogy at Lunchtime series of lectures. Host and Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 1–2pm. Free. No booking. All welcome.

Thursday 10 September: Irish Genealogy Resources: Finding Records for an Irish Ancestor. Workshop. New York Public Library, Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, South Court Classroom A, Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street New York, NY, 10018. Noon. Details.

Friday 11 September: Using American Resources to Find Ulster-Scot & Irish Ancestors, with Kevin Shue. Host: Ulster Historical Foundation. Venue: PRONI, Titanic Boulevard, Belfast. Free. 1pm. Details and booking.

Saturday 12 September: A Scholar's Search: No Irish Need Apply? with Conar Donnan. Host and Venue: Irish Railroad Workers Museum, 920 Lemmon Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21223, USA. Donations Welcome. 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM EDT. Need to register.

Saturday 12 September: SS Nomadic, a Titanic Restoration, with Graeme Moore. Venue: PRONI, Titanic Boulvevard, Belfast. 1pm. Free. Booking is recommended, by email to proni@dcalni.gov.uk or telephone to 028 90534800.

Saturday 12 September: Society of Genealogists Open Day. Free library tours (all fully booked) and lectures aimed at beginners. Venue: Society of Genealogists, 14 Charterhouse Buildings, Goswell Road, London EC1, UK. 11am to 6pm. Details.

Saturday 12 September: The lure of the East: The Irish in the India Office records, with Hilary Tulloch on behalf of the Irish Genealogical Research Society (IGRS). Venue: Seminar Room, National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 2pm–3:30pm. Free, but email booking essential.

Saturday 12 September: Catholic Historical Society of Ireland Annual Conference. Venue: St Patrick's College, Drumcondra, Dublin. Four lectures: The use of relics and images in late medieval and early modern Ireland, with Raghnall Ó Floinn; Negotiating religious change and conflict in Ireland: female religious communities, c.1560-c.1640, with Bronagh McShane; “God never prosper the king”: sedition and Catholicism in 17th-century Ireland, with Eamon Darcy; A grand fancy fair and drawing of prizes: Catholic fundraising and Irish economic culture, 1850-1921, with Sarah Roddy. 10am to 3:15pm. Registration on morning of conference. Cost (lunch not included): €15 (€10 unwaged). Email for details: marian.lyons@nuim.ie.

Saturday 12 September: Public Record Office of Northern Ireland open for European Heritage Weekend. There will be a full service on the Saturday. This is a welcome opportunity for those who are unable to visit PRONI (Titanic Boulevard, Belfast) during the working week. 

Saturday 12 September: Irish Petty Sessions and Prison registers, with Audrey Leonard (10:30am to noon), and 'Irish Saturday' with IGSI volunteers (10am to 4pm). Host: MGS Library, 1185 Concord St North, South St Paul, MN 55075, USA. $10 for IGSI members, $15 for non-members. Need to register.



Autumn edition of Irish Roots magazine published

http://www.irishrootsmedia.com/
The Autumn edition of Irish Roots magazine has landed on my doormat, and it's looking like another helpful and informative issue full of news about Irish genealogy projects, societies and collections, as well as loads of helpful advice on how to conduct your research – whether you're working backwards in time or even forward.

Donegal comes under the microscope with a feature about conducting research in that county and a piece about the Donegal Diaspora Project. The free online databases of the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland are explored, and there's a round up of sources for Irish church records (all denominations).

The background to the recent historical release of the National Library of Ireland's RC parish collection is examined, too, alongside photographs taken of dignatories who attended the launch event.

Moving the research abroad to follow the families of Irish emigrants, you can learn about Irish Anzacs and an important database of records that commemorates them, and discover the best sources for learning about the Irish who became firemen in the United States of America.

And in the final part of a series providing guidance on locating the living descendents of your ancestors, there's an illuminating case study feature demonstrating some of the techniques that can be used to achieve your aim.

With letters to the editor, answers to reader's genealogy queries, my own What's New? Review and much more, there's plenty to read and learn in this issue.

Irish Roots is available in digital and print format, by subscription and by single copy purchase, from the magazine's online shop. It is also available for sale in some news/bookstores.

Friday 28 August 2015

Irish Newspaper Archive continues to grow

The Dublin-based Irish Newspaper Archive has been busy in August growing its holding of editions for four newspapers, as follows:

  • Irish (Cork) Examiner: editions covering 1841 - 1989 are now online
  • Leinster Express: editions for 1959, 1976, 1988 & 2000 have been added
  • Sligo Champion: you can now search this newspaper from 1950 to current
  • Strabane Chronicle: editions published 1908 to 1979 are now available

The company advises that it is currently working on adding the following titles/dates to its database:

  • Irish (Cork) Examiner will be extended from 1990 to 2003
  • Kerry Evening Post will be joining the database with coverage planned from 1813-1917
  • Strabane Chronicle will see coverage extended backwards in time from 1980 to current.
  • Munster Express will see coverage extended from 1860 to 1917.




Northern Ireland public holiday closures, 31 August

Northern Ireland enjoys its Late Summer Bank Holiday on Monday 31 August.

The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) will be closed on Monday and will re-open on Tuesday, as will all public lending libraries. Those branch libraries that normally open on Saturdays will be open tomorrow; closed Monday.

The Linen Hall Library in Belfast will be open on Saturday (9:30am–4pm) but not on Monday.

This public holiday does not apply to the Republic of Ireland.



'Great Famine Voices' crowdsourcing project launched

http://www.greatfaminevoices.ie/?q=documents/1842-rent-book/pages/1842-rent-book-page-1
A new crowdsourcing project has been launched called Great Famine Voices which seeks to build an online community of people willing to transcribe documents from the Strokestown Famine Archive, to research and share discoveries about some of those named in the documents, and to share their own family stories relating to the Famine and/or 19th-century emigration from Ireland.

The project website says: "Through your stories and records, we hope to elaborate upon the picture that the documents of the Great Famine Archive gives us.

"Together we can construct a clearer picture of this terrible yet fascinating time, while also raising awareness and bringing benefit to Strokestown."

Three documents have been uploaded to the website so far: the Cloonahee Petition, the 3rd Day Meal, and an 1842 Rental of the Strokestown Estate. The Cloonahee Petition has already been transcribed. The other two await transcription. They are full of names and will be a terrific resource for those with Roscommon ancestors once transcribed.

Find out more by exploring the new website: GreatFamineVoices.ie

Coleraine Chronicle joins British Newspaper Archive

http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5895&awinaffid=123532&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk%2F
Another newspaper making an August debut at the online British Newspaper Archive is the Coleraine Chronicle and Ballymena Weekly Advertiser.

All editions of the weekly paper from January 1845 to December 1851 have been uploaded to the database. The BNA notes that the archive will eventually hold editions from 1844 to 1871.

While taking a look at the 4 January 1845 edition of the paper, I came across the following sad story, billed as 'Infanticide':


Being as nosey as any other family historian, I had to find out what became of the unfortunate Margaret Holland, so I searched for a later occurrence of her name in the newspaper database and found a report of her trial, held three months later at LondonDerry Assizes.

By this time, a decision had been made not to charge Margaret with infanticide. Whether or not it was concluded that the baby had not been born alive isn't clear. Either way, Margaret was indicted for 'concealment of pregnancy and secretly disposing of the dead body of her female child.' She was sentenced to 'five months' imprisonment and to be kept to hard labour suited to her sex'.



Thursday 27 August 2015

Irish specialist Four Courts Press: 20% off books

Four Courts Press, the Dublin-based specialist publisher of Irish history, art and literature, is offering a 20% discount on all purchases made via its website until the end of September.

The company publishes around 50 books each year and currently has some 500 in print. All have gone through a rigorous peer-reviewed process; the Four Courts Press Editorial Panel consists of more than 20 academics of international standing.

To reflect the range of topics in the portfolio, I've made a short selection of some recent or reprinted titles that Irish family historians might like for their bookshelves (there are plenty more, believe me!):
  • Sending out Ireland's poor – Assisted emigration to North America in the nineteenth-century, by Gerard Moran
  • Medieval Ireland – Territorial, political and economic divisions, by Paul MacCotter
  • The Templars, the witch and the wild Irish – Vengeance and heresy in medieval Ireland, by Maeve Brigid Callan
  • The Irish Country House – Its past, present and future, edited by Terence Dooley & Christopher Ridgway (new in paperback)
  • Ireland and the Crimean War, by David Murphy
  • Philanthropy in nineteenth-century Ireland, edited by Laurence M. Geary & Oonagh Walsh
  • Strokestown and the Great Irish Famine, by Ciarán Reilly

To take advantage of the discount offer, enter the code SEPTSALE2015 in the "add coupon" box and click "apply" when checking out. Bingo, 20% off.

Don't miss this offer. Promos as good as this don't come around often.

Genetic Genealogy Ireland at BTOP: lecture line-up

Ireland's only major annual genealogy get-together, Back To Our Past, is now just six weeks away and the provisional line-up of DNA lectures has been revealed today.

The DNA lecture stream forms Genetic Genealogy Ireland (GGI), a conference as much for DNA enthusiasts as for beginners, that has come to form an integral part of BTOP. Twenty lectures will be presented on the half-hour over the three days of the show, and the line-up features several internationally recognised DNA experts. The theme for this year's GGI is 'Who are the Irish?'.

While BTOP has a daily admission price of €10 (€5 if booked by 1 September, see Advance Ticket offer), the lectures themselves are free to attend once you are inside the Hall.

A traditional genealogy lecture programme will also run during BTOP. Details have yet to be announced.

BTOP details:

Friday 9 October Noon to 6:30pm
Saturday 10 October 11am to 6:30pm
Sunday 11 October 11am to 6:30pm.
(GGI lectures start each day 30minutes after doors open; the last GGI lecture on each day starts at 5:30pm.)

Serpentine Hall, RDS, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.

Wednesday 26 August 2015

Free access to Ancestry's Irish/UK records this weekend

http://www.kqzyfj.com/click-5737308-10819001-1408706803000?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2Fsearch%2Fgroup%2Fuk_irish_records
To coincide with the Late Summer Bank Holiday in Northern Ireland, England and Wales, Ancestry is to open up its entire collection of Irish and UK records this weekend.

In addition to free access to its one-billion-records collection, Ancestry will be giving family historians a first chance to try out its latest features called LifeStory, Facts View and Gallery.

You can see the list of record sets included in the collection by clicking the above link.

The free access will start on Friday 28 August and continue until 11:59pm GMT on Monday 31 August.

To view the records you will need to register on the site with your name and email address. Ancestry will then send you a username and password. On expiry of the free period you will need a paid membership to continue viewing the records.

http://www.kqzyfj.com/click-5737308-10819001-1408706803000?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2Fsearch%2Fgroup%2Fuk_irish_records

Update on Limerick Museum's Local History Resources

A little follow up to last month's blogpost regarding the excellent collection of resources and finding aids available at Limerick Museum's Local History Resources section of the Limerick.ie website...

Acting Museum Curator Brian Hodkinson has been in touch with Irish Genealogy News to recommend that researchers should use the online catalogue in addition to the site's Research Aids for Places and People. There's good reason, as his example shows: "We recently received a set of papers from an estate office, and some of the documents covered counties Clare and Tipperary. While the Limerick names in them will be extracted in due course to appear in our 'Estates List of County Limerick' database, those relating to Tipp and Clare will not. However, if you type Clonbrick [Co Clare] into our catalogue you should find a small group of names that were included in one of the documents relating to living conditions."

The catalogue was also recently updated with details from a rental, possibly from Stafford O'Brien's estate (Brian isn't certain), which lists tenants in Owneybeg barony in Co. Limerick (95 names) as well as in locations near Tipperary Town (150 names).

Brian advises that he has now completed his (pdf) list of Bengal officers from counties Limerick and Clare. Most of the entries include place of origin in Ireland and details of marriages and children of men who joined the East India Company between 1758 and 1834; their career/life details may continue up to the 1860s. Could be very useful for some researchers!

Tuesday 25 August 2015

Another trio of Irish newspapers joins online BNA

http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5895&awinaffid=123532&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk%2F
It's been a busy month for historical Irish newspapers at the British Newspaper Archive. Eight titles joined the database earlier in the month, and now along comes another three, as follows:

The Evening Freeman: A first tranche of editons in the digital archive includes all those published 1851-57, 1860-61 and Jan 1868 to June 1871. BNA plans to eventually offer the full span of 1837 to 1871.

Downpatrick Recorder: Only the weekly editions published in 1851 have been added so far. Eventually, the database will hold editions dating from 1836 to 1874.

Kilkenny Journal, and Leinster Commercial and Literary Advertiser: The BNA plans to add editions spanning from 1831 to 1872. For now, the online holding for this twice-weekly paper includes those published 1835-38, 1856, and 1860-63.

These titles should make their way into the FindMyPast Irish newspaper collection in due course.

Monday 24 August 2015

Irish genealogy & history events, 24 August to 6 Sept

Daily Heritage Week events from 24 August

All week: Exhibition of the McMahon Archival Collection, consisting of primary source historical documents dating from 1611 to 1959. Venue: Clare County Museum, Arthur's Row, O'Connell Square, Ennis, Co Clare. Free. Mon-Sat August, 9:30am to 5:30pm (closed for lunch, 1-2pm)

All week: Moments in Time: Archives of Cork from 1915, an exhibition of unique historical records from the Cork City and County Archives collection, dating from 1915, including a diary recording the visit of PH Pearse to Cork on 23 Aug 1915. Host and venue: Cork City and County Archives, Seamus Murphy Building, 32 Great William O'Brien St, Cork. Free. No booking. Mon-Fri. 10am to 5:30pm.

All week: Registry of Deeds Archive. Tour. Venue: Registry of Deeds, Henrietta St, Dublin 1. Need to book. Free. Mon-Fri 11am-4pm. Email: registryofdeeds@prai.ie or tel: 01 8716518.

Monday 24 August – Sunday 30 August

Monday 24 August: Genealogy - Family History 1 to 1 Sessions for tracing Cork roots. Consultations for all levels of researcher. Cork County Library, Carrigrohane Road, Cork. 9:30am to 4:30pm. Free but booking essential: email: reference.library@corkcoco.ie

Monday 24 August: Family History and Genealogy Advice Service. Drop in sessions with Margaret and Betty. Venue and host: Raheny Library, Howth Road, Dublin 5. 10:15am to Noon. No booking required. Free.

Tuesday 25 August: Accessing and researching records from the Military Archives, with Cmdt Padraic Kennedy. Host: Military Archives. Venue: Rathmines Library, 157 Rathmines Road Lower, Rathmines, Dublin 6. Free. 1pm. No booking required.

Tuesday 25 August: Valuation records: Of Much Genealogical Value, with Aiden Feerick MAGI. Hosts: Accredited Genealogists Ireland and National Archives of Ireland. Venue: Reading Room, National Archives of Ireland, Bishop Street, Dublin 8. 5:15pm. Free, but you need to reserve a place: bookings@nationalarchives.ie. All welcome.

Tuesday 25 August: Family History and Genealogy Advice Service. Drop in sessions with Margaret and Betty. Venue and host: Donaghmede Library, Donaghmede Shopping Centre, Dublin 13. 2:30 to 3:30pm. No booking required. Free.

Tuesday 25 August: Genealogy Open Day and presentation on the Schools Folklore Collection from 1937 to 1939. Venue and host: County Sligo Heritage and Genealogy Centre, Aras Reddan, Temple St, Sligo. No booking required. Free. 11am–1pm, and 2pm–4pm. More information.

Tuesday 25 August: Genealogy - Family History 1 to 1 Sessions for tracing Cork roots. Consultations for all levels of researcher. Cork County Library, Carrigrohane Road, Cork. 9:30am to 4:30pm. Free but booking essential: email: reference.library@corkcoco.ie

Tuesday 25 August: Discover Your Family History, with FindMyPast. Venue and host: Dublin City Public Libraries & Archive, 138 Pearse Street, Dublin 2. 11am to 4pm. No booking required. Free.

Tuesday 25 August: It's off to work we go: mapping Ireland's industrial past, with Rob Goodbody. Host and venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 1-2pm. Free. No booking. All welcome.

Tuesday 25 August: Bring out your lace, an exhibition/show and tell/advice event. Host: Limerick Museum & Archive. Venue: City Hall, Merchant's Quay, Limerick. 11am to 1pm. Free. No booking required.

Tuesday 25 August: Family History Made Easy, with John Nangle. Host and venue: Gorey Library, Gorey Civic Centre, The Avenue, Gorey, Co. Wexford. 7pm to 8:30pm. Free. Booking required: Email: goreylib@wexfordcoco.ie, telephone: 053 9421481.

Tuesday 25 August: A beginners guide to genealogy, with Paul Brent. Host: Waterford Libraries. Venue: Tramore Library, Market Street, Tramore, Co. Waterford. 2:30pm to 4pm. Free but need to book by email to maxinekeoghan@eircom.net or telephone to 051 381479.

Wednesday 26 August: Official launch of Dublin City Council's database collection of family, local and social history records. Venue: Dublin City Library & Archive, Pearse St, Dublin 2. Speakers include John Grenham, Dr Mary Clark and Ellen Murphy. 5:30pm. All welcome. Free and no booking required.

Wednesday 26 August: The Bureau of Military History Collection: a multi-faceted resource for Ireland's 20th century revolutionary history, with Hugh Beckett. Host: Military Archives. Venue: Rathmines Library, 157 Rathmines Road Lower, Rathmines, Dublin 6. Free. 1pm. No booking required.

Wednesday 26 August: Pledged as a Rebel – exploring County Clare's Cumann na mBan's role in the Irish War of Independence, with Dr Tomás McConmara. Host: Kilkee Civic Trust. Venue: Kilkee Bay Hotel, Kilrush Rd, Kilkee, Co. Clare. No booking required. 8pm–9:30pm. Free.

Wednesday 26 August: Tracing your Ancestors in West Galway, Venue: St. Joseph’s Community Centre, Ashe Road, Galway. No booking required. Free. 2:30pm to 3:30pm.

Wednesday 26 August: Law and Order in Dublin 1916, with Sgt Paul Maher providing an insight on what it was like to police Dublin at the time of The Rising. Venue: Walkinstown Library, Percy French Rd, Dublin 12. No booking. Free. 6:30–8pm.

Wednesday 26 August: Weavers and Quakers at Baltyboys, near Blessington, a talk on the weaving industry of the Baltyboys area which was established by the local Quaker community in the late 1600s. The industry survived until the early 1800s. Host: Lakeside Heritage Group. Venue: Blessington Lakes Golf Club, Baltyboys, Co Wicklow. Cost: €3 - Voluntary. No booking required. 8pm to 9pm.

Wednesday 26 August: Genealogy - Family History 1 to 1 Sessions for tracing Cork roots. Consultations for all levels of researcher. Cork County Library, Carrigrohane Road, Cork. 9:30am to Noon. Free but booking essential: email: reference.library@corkcoco.ie

Wednesday 26 August: Why Can't I Find My Ancestors? A presentation using sources such as parish registers, civil records and census returns to highlight why we hit a brick wall when carrying out family history research. Venue and host: Cork County Library, Carrigrohane Road, Cork. 1:30pm to 2:30pm. Free, but booking required. Email: reference.library@corkcoco.ie or telephone 021-4546499.

Wednesday 26 August: Is there a doctor in your house? Family History Records in RCPI, with Harriet Wheelock. Venue and host: Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, Address: 6 Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 1pm to 2pm. Free but booking required; telephone 01 6698817.

Wednesday 26 August: An introduction to starting your own family tree – one to one sessions (30 minutes). Host: Kilkenny County Library. Venue: Local Studies' department, Loughboy Library, Loughboy Shopping Centre, Waterford Road, Kilkenny. Need to book by email to loughboy@kilkennylibrary.ie or telephone 056 7794176. Free. 9:30am to 1pm.

Thursday 27 August: Old families in Ballincollig c1901, with Dermot O'Donovan. Host: Ballincollig Heritage Festival. Venue: Oriel House Hotel, Main St, Ballincollig, Co. Cork. Free. No booking required. 8–10pm.

Thursday 27 August: The Dingle Girls: Emigration & the Earl Grey Scheme, with Kay Caball. Host: Dingle Historical Society. Venue: Dingle Benners Hotel, Main St, Dingle, Co. Kerry. No booking required. Free. 8pm to 9:30pm.

Thursday 27 August: Genealogy - Family History 1 to 1 Sessions for tracing Cork roots. Consultations for all levels of researcher. Cork County Library, Carrigrohane Road, Cork. 9:30am to 4:30pm. Free but booking essential: email: reference.library@corkcoco.ie

Thursday 27 August: Archives to be explored in the National Irish Visual Arts Library, with Eve Parnell. Host and venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 1-2pm. Free. No booking. All welcome.

Thursday 27 August: Introduction to the Irish Newspaper Archive. 30-minute sessions. Venue and Host: Kilkenny County Library, John’s Quay, Kilkenny. Need to book – Email: citylibrary@kilkennylibrary.ie, Telephone: 056 7794174. Free. 10:30am to 12:30pm.

Thursday 27 August: A beginners guide to genealogy, with Paul Brent. Host: Waterford Libraries. Venue: Tramore Library, Market Street, Tramore, Co. Waterford. 2:30pm to 4pm. Free but need to book by email to maxinekeoghan@eircom.net or telephone to 051 381479.

Thursday 27 August: Irish Newspaper Archive tutorial. Venue: Portlaoise Library, Dunamaise House, Lyster Square, Portlaoise, Co. Laois. Free. Need to book, by email to scarroll@laoiscoco.ie or telephone 057-8622333. 6pm to 7:15pm.

Thursday 27 August: Online Sources for Local History/Genealogical Research, includes an introduction to using Irish Newspaper Archive and RootsIreland. Host: Kilkenny County Library. Venue: Ferrybank Library, Ferrybank Shopping Centre, Ferrybank, Waterford, Co Kilkenny. Free. Booking required by email to ferrybank@kilkennylibrary.ie or telephone 051 897200. 11am to 1pm.

Thursday 27 August: Global Limerick DNA & our Genetic Ancestry, with Dr Catherine Swift presenting a project linking Limerick families and their history across the globe. Venue: Tara Building, Mary Immaculate College, S Circular Rd, Limerick. No booking required. 7:30pm to 9pm. Free.

Thursday 27 August: Sources of the Military Archives, with Capt Claire Mortimer. Host: Military Archives. Venue: Rathmines Library, 157 Rathmines Road Lower, Rathmines, Dublin 6. Free. 1pm. No booking required.

Friday 28 August: Military Genealogy: Tracing your World War 1 Ancestors, with Gordon Power. Venue and host: Ferrybank Library, Belmont Road, Waterford, Co Kilkenny. Booking required. Telephone 051 897200. Free. 11am to 1pm.

Friday 28 August: Genealogy - Family History 1 to 1 Sessions for tracing Cork roots. Consultations for all levels of researcher. Cork County Library, Carrigrohane Road, Cork. 9:30am to 4:30pm. Free but booking essential: email: reference.library@corkcoco.ie

Friday 28 August: Tracing Your Family History, with Tony Hennessy MAGI. Host: Waterford City & County Libraries. Venue: Dungarvan Library, Davitts Quay, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. 10:30am to Noon. Admission free. Booking required: Email: dungarvanlibrary@waterfordcouncil.ie or telephone: 058 41231.

Saturday 29 August: Cork Genealogy Day. Venue and host: Triskel Christchurch, Tobin Street, Cork City. 11am to 4pm. No booking. Free. More details.

Saturday 29 August: Walking Tour of Glasnevin Cemetery. Venue: Glasnevin Cemetery, Finglas Road, Dublin 11. 3:30pm to 5pm. Free, but booking essential. Email: booking@glasnevintrust.ie. Telephone: 01 8826550.

Saturday 29 August: Digging up the past of Dublin Dockers, with the Dublin Docklands Preservation Society. Starts Noon. Venue: CHQ Building, Custom House Quay, IFSC, Dublin 1. Details. Free.

Sunday 30 August: Historic Rossmacowen Cilleenach (cillini), with William Casey. Host: Beara Historical Society. Venue: Rossmacowen Church, near Curryglass, Co Cork. Free. No booking, 3–5pm. Telephone: 027 70027.

Sunday 30 August: Tour of Bully's Acre, Dublin's oldest cemetery, with Paul O'Brien. Venue: Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin. 2pm. Free. Limited spaces so you need to book by email to paulf.obrien@opw.ie or telephone to 087 1169347.

Sunday 30 August: Great Irish Famine Annual Commemoration. Venue: Hyde Park Barracks Museum, Queen's Square, Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia. 12:30pm–5pm. Costs: $10 Individual/$17 Family. Details. Bookings.



Monday 31 August to Sunday 6 September

Tuesday 1 September: Registration & Research tips for new members. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Omagh Branch. Venue: Omagh Library, Spillars Place, Omagh, Co Tyrone, BT78 1HL. 7:15pm.

Tuesday 1 September: The Tudor Conquest of Ireland: Untold stories, with David Edwards. Genealogy at Lunchtime series of lectures. Host and Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 1–2pm. Free. No booking. All welcome.

Wednesday 2 September: Describing the Ards in 1683: the William Montgomery manuscript revisited, with Ian Montgomery. Part of the Up Down series of lectures. Host and venue: PRONI, Titanic Boulevard, Belfast. 1pm. Free but need to book your place by email to proni@dcalni.gov.uk or telephone to 028 90534800.

Wednesday 2 September: Reinterpreting the Revolution: A Centenary Discussion on the Easter 1916 Rising. Hosted by J P O'Malley, the panel will include prominent historians Diarmaid Ferriter, Maurice Walsh and R F Foster. Venue: London Irish Centre, 50-52 Camden Square, London NW1 9XB. Doors open 7pm. Price: £8/6 concession. Tickets and details.

Thursday 3 September: Northern Ireland in the 1950s - a Look Back in Time, with Dr Peter Smyth. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Belfast Branch. Venue: Holywood Arches Library, 4-12 Holywood Road, Belfast BT4 1NT. 7:30pm.

Thursday 3 September: The Irish in European warfare in the 17th Century – military origins of diaspora, with Padraig Lenihan. Genealogy at Lunchtime series of lectures. Host and Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 1–2pm. Free. No booking. All welcome.

Saturday 5 September: Charlie: the Hedge School. Venue: Electric Picnic, Stradbally, Co. Laois. Panel: Martin Mansergh, Brian Hanley, Donal Fallon, Colm Keena. 3pm. Sold Out.

Sunday 6 September: 1916–2016: what are we commemorating? A History Ireland Hedge School, chaired by editor Tommy Graham. Venue: Electric Picnic, Stradbally, Co. Laois. Panel: Martin Mansergh, Jason Burke, Roisin Higgins, Conor McNamara. 3pm. Sold Out.

Friday 21 August 2015

Was your Limerick ancestor a Fenian marcher in 1867?

If you have ancestors from Limerick you might like to check if they appear in a list of men who took part in a Commemorative March through the City on 8 December 1867. The parade was held in honour of the “Manchester Martyrs” – William Philip Allen, Michael Larkin, and Michael O’Brien – who had been hanged two weeks earlier for trying to rescue two Fenians en route to Manchester City Gaol.

Hard-working historian Sharon Slater, who runs the terrific blog LimerickLife.ie, has compiled an online list of the 430 marchers identified by police. As she explains, this number represented less than 15% of the total who took part in the parade that day.

The list includes full name and occupation, and an address if the man (they are all men) lived outside the City.

Thursday 20 August 2015

Dublin Festival of History programme released

Dublin Festival of History has launched today with another great line up of speakers, tours, films and debates. Subject matter is, as ever, wide, and stretches far beyond Dublin and Ireland, but there is also a strong series of events relating to the Easter Rising and the First World War. For the first time, this year's festival includes a Family and Children's programme.

Organised by Dublin City Council, the festival events are held 25 September to 10 October at Dublin Castle, branch libraries, and lots of other venues around the City. All are free to attend, but many events require you to book in advance.

Full details can be found online at dublinfestivalofhistory.ie or in one of the printed programme booklets (your local library is usually the best place to pick up a copy).


Wednesday 19 August 2015

Jillian van Turnhout publishes family history booklets

Jillian van Turnhout
Independent Senator Jillian van Turnhout is best known to the public for her work for children's rights and protection, but she's also an avid family historian.

She has compiled several booklets telling the stories of different branches or specific individuals in her family tree and has uploaded them to her website (see http://www.jillianvanturnhout.ie/about/family-history/).

Her neat and well-arranged presentations may be of interest to other researchers, especially those who find the prospect of writing down their ancestral stories rather over-whelming. They may find they can modify Jillian's approach to suit the tales of their own families.

I also like the way Jillian has included her unresolved research queries in the booklets. This invites other researchers to contact her if they can provide answers or direct her towards sources for solutions.



British Newspaper Archive: take a speedy taster for free

The British Newspaper Archive is running a mini promotion to non-subscribers: three free page views in return for registering an account. Following the recent spate of new Irish titles in the database (it now includes 81 historical newspapers published in Ireland), this could be good timing.

I've just gone through the registration process myself. You sign up with your name, email address and password, and decide whether or not you want to receive further emails of offers etc. A validation email is sent to the address you provided and that's it. You're free to search and view your free copies. No financial information is requested, and there's nothing to remember to cancel.

I've no idea how long the promo will last, so best take advantage of it now!

https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/clk/291279197;118509102;j

Tuesday 18 August 2015

British Newspaper Archive clocks up 81st Irish title

http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5895&awinaffid=123532&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk%2F
The British Newspaper Archive has added another five Irish titles to its database. This brings the running total of historical Irish and Northern Irish papers available at the BNA site to 81.

The 'new' newspapers are:

Clare Journal and Ennis Advertiser: Editions from Jan 48 to December 1850 (with gaps) can be searched now. The BNA expects to add more editions to span 1828–1872.

Northern Standard: A full run of 1,702 editions have been uploaded to the archive covering 1839 to 1871, which completes the holding for this paper.

Tuam Herald: The BNA aims to add editions of this paper from 1837 to  1872. So far, only the 1870 editions have joined the database.

Belfast Commercial Chronicle: Some 154 editions of the three times weekly paper published in 1806 are now available on the site. The eventual span of the holding for this title is 1805–55.

The Pilot: This paper was published in Dublin with the strapline 'Civil and Religious Freedom'. The archive already holds editions from November1828 to December 1838. Editions up to 1849 will follow.

These five titles will, presumably, make their way shortly into the FindMyPast newspaper collection as part of an Ireland or World subscription package.

RIP Certificate of Irish Heritage

https://www.heritagecertificate.com/
The Government's Certificate of Irish Heritage is no more.

Lack of interest in a bit of paper with absolutely no genealogical integrity resulted in fewer than 3,000 sales since the scheme was introduced in September 2011.

Back then, purchasers were required to provide documentary evidence of their ancestral connection to qualify for the certificate. When this didn't bring in the punters in the first year, any notion of the certificate providing proof of Irish heritage was abandoned and the only qualification became a valid credit card with which to pay €45 (or €120 if framed).

On that basis the scheme has continued for three years, with almost all its marketing wrapped around celebrities, dumbing it down even further.

And now it's been officially scrapped. There will be few tears.

Last day for ordering a certificate is Monday 25 August.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has issued a press release saying that it is not precluded from operating this scheme in the future. "However this will only be undertaken following further analysis on how the members of the large Irish Diaspora are seeking to assert their Irish identity. In the interim the Department will retain the ability to produce Certificates for presentational purposes as and when required."

I can't help wondering how proud someone would be on presentation of a certificate that so few people want or value.




Monday 17 August 2015

Explore your Archives workshops return to PRONI

The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland has announced another programme of its highly popular Explore your Archives workshops.

These workshops include a hands-on introduction to searching archives on the internet; and searching, ordering and using original documents held at PRONI's state of the art premises in Titanic Boulevard, Belfast. They are free to attend.

The first of the programme will be held on Friday 4 September, 2pm to 4pm. More dates will follow.

When I say these workshops are popular, I mean seriously popular; the Spring programme was repeated at least a couple of times to meet demand. So if you want to attend, reserve your place immediately by emailing proni@dcalni.gov.uk or telephoning 028 90534800.

ProGenealogists announce careers in Dublin & London

https://www.progenealogists.com/AncestryProGenealogists has announced that it is to hire additional genealogists in both Dublin and London. Three vacancies will be in Dublin; three in London. These vacancies will be the first professional genealogists in the London office and will increase the team of professional genealogists in the Dublin office to seven.

A press release from the company says: "The new team members will be tasked with researching Irish, British and other European family history, in addition to researching emigrants who travelled across the globe. They will work closely with existing AncestryProGenealogists staff in the Salt Lake City office to provide a rewarding family history journey to clients who come to us for professional assistance.

"The AncestryProGenealogists team also provides research for the U.S. version of the popular Who Do You Think You Are? television series.

"AncestryProGenealogists is a great place to grow in a genealogy career and offers the chance to work collaboratively with expert researchers. Teamwork and mentoring are also key, attractive aspects of the job."

Full details of the vacancies and application process are available at the Ancestry careers site: http://corporate.ancestry.com/careers/, arranged under Dublin and London locations.

General Advertiser for Dublin debuts on BNA

http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5895&awinaffid=123532&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk%2F
Making its debut on the British Newspaper Archive is the General Advertiser For Dublin, And All Ireland. So far, only the 1855 editions, all 52 issues of the weekly title, have been added to the database.

In due course, the full span of editions from 1837 to 1869 will be added.

This newspaper launched in 1837 as the General Advertiser for Dublin and all Ireland. The following year, the title was changed to the less ambitious General Advertiser for Dublin.

Updates to Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives in the first half of August

Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives (IGP-web) has been busy in the first two weeks of August, uploading the following records and photos, all submitted by volunteers.

IRELAND (island-wide) Genealogy Archives
Miscellaneous RCSI records:–
Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland since 1784
Presidents since its foundation in 1784
RCSI Registrars since 1816

DUBLIN Genealogy Archives
Headstones:–
Deansgrange Cemetery, West Pt 7 and St Mary's section, Pt 9
Donnybrook and Grangegorman Cemeteries
Newspapers – Licences for Selling Lottery Tickets, 3 Sep 1789

FERMANAGH Genealogy Archives
Church records – Maguiresbridge CoI Marriages 1842-1882
Land records – Rent Roll of the Estate of Blaney Balfour Sr & Jr Esq -1770

GALWAY Genealogy Archives
Land records – To Be Sold...Estate of Denis Bowes Esq, 1789

KILKENNY Genealogy Archives
Land records:–
Sale - Barony of Crannagh 1789 (Tenants)
To be sold - 3 Sep 1789 (Tenants)

LEITRIM Genealogy Archives
Headstones:–
Ardunsaghan Graveyard
Carrigallen (CoI) Cemetery
Carrigallen Presbyterian Cemetery
Cloonlougher (R.C.) Graveyard

SLIGO Genealogy Archives
Headstones:–
Court Abbey Cem. Headstones, Section B
Drumcliffe Cemetery, Pt 2
SLIGO, Gurteen New Cemetery, Part 1 & 2
Sooey (R.C.) Cemetery

TIPPERARY Genealogy Archives
Miscellaneous:–
Catholic Inhabitants of Towns of Tipperary & Caher, 1799

WEXFORD Genealogy Archives
Census Substitutes – Catholic Inhabitants of Town & County of Wexford - 1792
Land records – To Be Sold...Lands of Robert BUTLER, 1789

WICKLOW Genealogy Archives
Headstones – Rosahane Graveyard (updated)


Irish genealogy, history & heritage events, 17–30 Aug

Monday 17 August: Genealogy evening. Using naming patterns to find your ancestors, with Craig L Foster; Whiskey families – a rich history in Cork, with Eric W Ryan; Brideprice, handfasting and merry wives: how understanding marriage patterns and traditions can help family history, with Craig L Foster. Venue: Lecture Theatre, Geography Building, UCC, O'Donovan's Road, Cork. 4:30pm to 8pm. All welcome.

Tuesday 18 August: Using maps for thinking about history, with Kevin Whelan. Genealogy at Lunchtime series of lectures. Host and Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 1–2pm. Free. No booking. All welcome.

Tuesday 18 August: Early Irish Land Usage & Records, with Beryl O’Gorman & Maureen Doyle. Host and Venue: Genealogical Society of Victoria, Meeting Room, Level B1/257 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia. 10:30am to 12:30pm. Members $20/Non-members $40. Booking essential.

Thursday 20 August: Belfast Blitz, with Brian Barton. Part of the Eastside Arts Festival. Venue: PRONI, Titanic Boulvevard, Belfast. 1pm. Free. Reserve your place by email to proni@dcalni.gov.uk or telephone 028 90534800.

Thursday 20 August: Social geography – Was there a Protestant exodus from the south of Ireland? with Andy Bielenberg. Genealogy at Lunchtime series of lectures. Host and Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 1–2pm. Free. No booking. All welcome.

Friday 21 August: History v. archaeology: is it like Neanderthal versus Homo sapiens? a History Ireland Hedge School. Host and Venue: Rathmichael Summer School, National School, Stonebridge Road, Shankill, Dublin 18. On the panel: Franc Myles, Tom Condit, Seán Duffy, Robert Chapple. 8pm.

Friday 21 and Saturday 22 August: The Genealogy Event. Talks, roundables, workshops, consultations on traditional genealogy and DNA research, plus social events. Venue: Woodlands House Hotel, Adare, Co Limerick. Sponsors: RootsIreland.ie, Irish Ancestry Research Centre. 10:30am–4pm both days. Booking required. Admission: €10-€30. Details.

Heritage Week, from Saturday 22 August to Saturday 30 August: See my seperate events list.

Friday 14 August 2015

WW1 Deserter and AWOL lists uploaded to FindMyPast

http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=2114&awinaffid=123532&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.findmypast.co.uk%2Fsearch-world-Records%2Fbritish-army-deserters-and-absentees-in-police-gazette-1914-1919More than 13,000 records of WW1 deserting or AWOL soldiers have been added to FindMyPast. They have been transcribed from detailed lists published in a Police Gazette supplement every two weeks during the First World War.

Each record in the British Army, Deserters and Absentees In Police Gazette 1914-1919 collection contains an image and partial transcript of the original source material.

Some 600-odd Irish soldiers seem to be included. It's a small number but the personal details revealed in the lists are likely to be of interest to family historians. Here are a few examples:

  • Samuel Dunne, a 21-year-old labourer enlisted in Belfast on 27 October 1914. He was 5' 7" tall, had brown hair and grey eyes, and a 'Lillie/Samuel' tattoo on his right forearm. He was from Shankill. He served in the 3rd Royal Irish Rifles before going absent without leave on 29 October 1916 while on a home visit.
  • John Power, a 43-year-old born in Ballavadin, Co Waterford, was serving in the British Navy on the Vield as a 1st class Stoker when he deserted on 20 November 1916. He was 5' 6" tall, and had brown hair and blue eyes.
  • Edward Gibbons was 17 years old when he deserted while in Sittingbourne, Kent, England on 2 January 1915, less than three months from when he'd enlisted in Dublin. He was from St Kevin's, Dublin, stood 5' 3" tall, had brown hair and brown eyes and a scar between his upper lip and nose. He served as a messenger in the 4th Royal Dublin Fusiliers.
FindMyPast say that most of the men listed were picked up and sent back to the army for court martial. Punishments could be severe but although execution was used in some cases it was not the norm. Some deserter’s evaded capture altogether, changed their name and went on to live a completely new life.

CWGC releases 600,000 records of WW2 casualties

http://www.cwgc.org
To mark VJ Day* (15 August) the Commonwealth War Graves Commission has released some 600,000 records of Irish, British and Commonwealth casualties from the Second World War, together with records for most other nationals commemorated at CWGC sites: this includes the records for German soldiers.

The release of the CWGC's Second World War records follows the successful release of the First World War archive in August 2014.

The documents give a unique insight into the process of commemoration undertaken by the armed forces and the CWGC during and after the war, and include details of personal headstone inscriptions, date of death, rank, regiment and even some documents which show the journey of the deceased to their final resting place. The records are freely available to the public through the CWGC website at www.cwgc.org

In a press release, Andrew Fetherston, the CWGC's Archivist and Records Manager, said: "The release of our Second World War archive online opens a new avenue for members of the public to investigate and remember the individuals we commemorate."

"With the addition of these documents, alongside records relating to non-Commonwealth casualties buried in various sites around the world, it will now be possible, for the first time, to see the original records of all 1.7 million individuals the Commission commemorates."

* A commemorative ceremony is to be held this afternooon in Belfast. It is the first of a number of events taking place this weekend to mark the 70th anniversary.

British Newspaper Archive adds new Westmeath title

http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5895&awinaffid=123532&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk%2F
Making its debut on the British Newspaper Archive is the Westmeath Independent, a weekly paper founded in 1846 and still going strong in the Athlone area.

Only one year of editions is currently available – 1854 – but all 52 editions are included.

As with the previous two Irish title additions – the Tyrone Constitution and the Missionery Herald of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, the Westmeath Independent has not yet made its way to the FindMyPast collection.

UPDATE, 16 August: Both the Westmeath and Tyrone titles have now appeared in the FindMyPast line-up.

FindMyPast adds Church of Ireland Parish Register Search Forms

 http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5947&awinaffid=123532&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.findmypast.ie%2Fresults%2Fworld-records%2Fchurch-of-ireland-parish-record-search-forms
FindMyPast has added a collection called Church of Ireland Parish Register Search Forms. Its index holds more than 11,000 entries.

These forms – 'Extracts from Parish Registers – (for members of the former Established Church only)' – were completed by staff at the Public Record Office of Ireland on receipt of applications for the Old Age Pension, which started in 1909. Born before civil registration was introduced, many of the applicants had no proof of their age, so searches were made of state records ie Church of Ireland baptism registers and, if that proved unsuccessful, the 1841 and 1851 census returns.

Applicants were required to provide their current name and address, the names of their parents and either the name of the parish where they were baptised or the place the family lived.

The forms were annotated by PROI staff as they made their searches, and can provide fabulous detail. Even if the search was unsuccessful, the information provided by the pension applicant can be useful, genealogically. The maiden surname of the mother is often provided, for example.

Here are a couple of examples I found this morning:

In 1917, Julia Minishall, born Malin Head, Co Donegal but living in Liverpool, applied for a search of the Cloncha parish baptism register to confirm her age. She gave the names of her parents as William Hore and Julia Lyne and her birthdate as 17 April 1844. This was confirmed from the register.

William Armstrong, who lived at Castlereagh Place in Belfast, submitted his application in August 1921, saying he was born on 26 June 1848, the son of William Armstrong and Eliza Mullin of Clogherny parish (Co Tyrone). A search of the 1851 census showed him living in Dervaghroy with his mother and siblings at the home of his grandparents, William and Mary Mullen, who were then 70 and 78 years old respectively and had married in 1820. His mother's year of birth and marriage was noted, as were the ages of his siblings, and even two who did not survived. The real surprise in these notes, however, is that a 32-year old Thomas Armstrong, presumably William's father, is recorded as 'absent, America'.

This record set is a very useful addition to the FindMyPast collection but I'm bothered about the consistency of indexing. In the examples above, neither of Julia Minishall's parents are searchable under their own names; they appear on the transcript of her entry as her father and mother, however. Yet every name recorded on William Armstrong's search form is transcribed and searchable, even those of his two deceased siblings.

Thursday 13 August 2015

GRO's Dublin Research Room now takes credit cards

The General Register Office's Research Room in Werburgh Street, Dublin, is now accepting payments by credit card.

The credit card facility was introduced in June, apparently, and includes all regular credit/debit cards, wherever issued.

Together with the more generous research copies-a-day arrangement introduced in July 2014, which allows researchers who have paid a Search Fee to buy and receive a maximum of eight (previously five) photocopies of bmd certificates on the day of their visit, the Research Room is gradually becoming more user-friendly.

(Thanks to PinkyPinky on Boards.ie for the tip-off.)

Wednesday 12 August 2015

Linen Hall Library cancels events after funding cut

The Linen Hall Library, the oldest library in Belfast, and with an unparalleled Irish and Local Studies collection, has suffered a major funding cut that will see its popular events programme severely curtailed with immediate effect.

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland, despite describing the Library as 'good value for money', declined a £40,000 grant application for the 2015/16 financial year. This comes on top of an 8% drop in the Library's total income last year. It means there will be no more shows, exhibitions and events planned, and even some of this month's programme have been cancelled (see Library's News item). At least one job will be lost and others are at risk.

Programme Manager Brenda Douglas told Irish Genealogy News today that The Famine Decade, an exhibition launching on 7 September as part of the National Famine Commemoration (being held for the first time in Northern Ireland) will definitely go ahead, as planned.

This exhibition, illustrated with contemporary drawings, newspaper reports, scientific comment and agricultural advice, offers an insight to the Famine period. Unusually, the exibition will be presenting the information and commentary available to the public and decision makers at that time.

Held in the Library's Vertical Gallery at 17 Donegall Square North, admission will be free and during normal library hours.

The Linen Hall Library was founded in 1773 and remains a popular destination for families, tourists and members of the general public as much as for researchers. More than 120,000 people visited last year.

While its collections – among them a Genealogy and Heraldry Collection – are strongest in relation to its immediate hinterland of Belfast, Antrim and Down, there is much of importance to the student of Irish studies generally among its 150,000 volumes and wide ranging non-book materials. It has a specialist Theatre and Performing Arts Archive, holds unique manuscript periodicals and an excellent collection of newspapers, many held on microfilmed.

UPDATE: After an appeal by the Library, the Arts Council reinstated the grant. See News story 8 October.

Genealogy events during Heritage Week in Ireland

National Heritage Week kicks off in 10 days, so it's time to start sorting out your diaries and, where necessary, getting your name on the 'booked' list.

If they haven't already been pocketed, printed copies of the event guides should still be available, free of charge, at local Failte Ireland Tourist Offices, libraries, OPW sites, heritage centres, NPWS sites, County Council offices, museums and Bus Eireann stations. If you can't find a hard copy, you can find details of all the events online. Full listings and a search facility can be found at HeritageWeek.ie, and you can download pdf copies of events by county here.

Heritage Week events start on Saturday 22 August.

I made a list of most of the genealogy/family history events from that date and originally published them below.

From Monday 24 August, I've moved them to a new blogpost: Irish Genealogy & Heritage events, 24 August to 6 September.

Ancestry adds Francis Frith photographic collection

Ancestry has added some 220,000 photographic images from the Francis Firth Collection to its database. This archive includes photographs taken by the eponymous founder of the collection in the second half of the 19th century in his travels in Europe, north Africa, Britain and Ireland.

While photos of all these regions are found in Ancestry's record-set, the collection has been named 'UK, City, Town and Village Photos, 1857–2005'.

The Irish album is relatively small at about 350 photographs; a significant chunk captures scenes in Dublin and Killarney, but many parts of the island are included. With pictures of cottages, piers, post offices, bridges, hotels, landscape and much more, most taken in the 1890s, shortly before Frith's death, the collection shows us the physical environment our ancestors lived in. It also reveals the social and structural changes that have taken place in Ireland over the last 130 years.

Monday 10 August 2015

Irish genealogy, heritage & history events, 10-23 Aug

Tuesday 11 August: Researching Your Civil War Ancestors, with Dennis Northcott. Hosts: St Louis Genealogical Society and St Louis County Library. Venue: Auditorium, St Louis County Library Headquarters, 1640 N Lindbergh Blvd, St Louis, Missouri 63132, USA. Doors will open at 6:30 and the meeting will start promptly at 7 pm. Free and open to the public. Details.

Tuesday 11 August: Family history and genealogy sessions, with Margaret Bonar and Betty Craven. Donaghmede Library, Donaghmede Shopping Centre, Grange Road, Dublin 13. All are welcome and admission is free. 2:30pm to 4pm. Booking is essential, tel: 085 1444883.

Tuesday 11 August: DNA Today, with Margaret Jordan MAGI. Third of the 'Your Ancestors and the Nation’s Archives' lecture series presented by Accredited Genealogists Ireland (AGI) and the National Archives of Ireland. Venue: Reading Room, National Archives of Ireland, Bishop Street, Dublin 8. 5:15pm. Free but need to book by email: bookings@nationalarchives.ie. Everyone welcome.

Tuesday 11 August: Irish Surnames, a family heirloom, with Paul MacCotter MAGI. Genealogy at Lunchtime series of lectures. Host and Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 1–2pm. Free. No booking. All welcome.

Thursday 13 August: Heraldry: obscure mediaeval mumbo-jumbo, or valid genealogical technique? with Bruce Durie. Genealogy at Lunchtime series of lectures. Host and Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 1–2pm. Free. No booking. All welcome.

Thursday 13 August: In the Eyes of Ireland: Eye Diseases of our Saints, Scholars, Sinners and Soldiers, with Dr Tim Horgan. Host: Dingle Historical Society. Venue: Dingle Benners Hotel, Main Street, Dingle, Co Kerry. 8pm. All welcome.

Thursday 13 August: 1204–29: The construction of Dublin Castle, with Con Manning. Milestones of Medieval Dublin monthly lunchtime lectures series hosted by the Friends of Medieval Dublin. Venue: Wood Quay Venue, Dublin City Council Civic Offices, Wood Quay, Dublin 8. 1:05pm–1:45pm. Admission free. NO booking is necessary.

Friday 14 August: Finding your Irish ancestors, a beginner level talk. Part of the National Family History Month series at New South Wales Public Library, Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia 10:30am to 11:30am. Free, but booking is essential. Details.

Saturday 15 August: Love and marriage since the Famine, a History Ireland Hedge School. Host and Venue: Merriman Summer School, Glór Theatre, Ennis, Co. Clare. On the panel: Willie Smyth, Sandra McAvoy, Linda Connolly, Tom Inglis. 8:30pm.

Sunday 16 August: Murder or execution? The final year and death of Roger Casement, with Conor Dodd. Host and venue: Glasnevin Museum,Finglas Road, Dublin 11. 2:30pm. Tickets €10.

Monday 17 August: Genealogy evening. Using naming patterns to find your ancestors, with Craig L Foster; Whiskey families – a rich history in Cork, with Eric W Ryan; Brideprice, handfasting and merry wives: how understanding marriage patterns and traditions can help family history, with Craig L Foster. Venue: Lecture Theatre, Geography Building, UCC, O'Donovan's Road, Cork. 4:30pm to 8pm. All welcome.

Tuesday 18 August: Using maps for thinking about history, with Kevin Whelan. Genealogy at Lunchtime series of lectures. Host and Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 1–2pm. Free. No booking. All welcome.

Tuesday 18 August: Early Irish Land Usage & Records, with Beryl O’Gorman & Maureen Doyle. Host and Venue: Genealogical Society of Victoria, Meeting Room, Level B1/257 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia. 10:30am to 12:30pm. Members $20/Non-members $40. Booking essential.

Thursday 20 August: Belfast Blitz, with Brian Barton. Part of the Eastside Arts Festival. Venue: PRONI, Titanic Boulvevard, Belfast. 1pm. Free. Reserve your place by email to proni@dcalni.gov.uk or telephone 028 90534800.

Thursday 20 August: Social geography – Was there a Protestant exodus from the south of Ireland? with Andy Bielenberg. Genealogy at Lunchtime series of lectures. Host and Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 1–2pm. Free. No booking. All welcome.

Friday 21 and Saturday 22 August: The Genealogy Event. Talks, roundables, workshops, consultations on traditional genealogy and DNA research, plus social events. Venue: Woodlands House Hotel, Adare, Co Limerick. Sponsors: RootsIreland.ie, Irish Ancestry Research Centre. 10:30am–4pm both days. Booking required. Admission: €10-€30. Details.

Friday 21 August: History v. archaeology: is it like Neanderthal versus Homo sapiens? a History Ireland Hedge School. Host and Venue: Rathmichael Summer School, National School, Stonebridge Road, Shankill, Dublin 18. On the panel: Franc Myles, Tom Condit, Seán Duffy, Robert Chapple. 8pm.

Saturday 22 August: Genealogy workshop: Who Do You Think You Are? with Mario Corrigan. Venue and host: Kildare Community Library, Claregate St, Kildare. 11am to Noon. No booking. Free.

Saturday 22 August: Genealogy for beginners. Venue and Host: Portlaoise Library, Dunamaise House, Lyster Square, Portlaoise, Co. Laois. 11am–1pm. Booking required. Free. For more information, telephone: 057-8622333.

Saturday 22 August: Cork Heritage Open Day. Members of the public get a glimpse of some of Cork's most fascinating buildings ranging from the Medieval to the Military, the Civic to the Commercial and the Educational to the Ecclesiastical. Free. Need to book for some locations. Details.

Saturday 22 August: Exhibition of the McMahon Archival Collection, consisting of primary source historical documents dating from 1611 to 1959. Venue: Clare County Museum, Arthur's Row, O'Connell Square, Ennis, Co Clare. Free. 9:30am to 5:30pm (closed for lunch, 1-2pm).

Saturday 22 August: Crime and Punishment in Victorian Cork, with Ronnie Herlihy. Host: Cork City Council. Venue: Triskell Christchurch, Tobin Street, Cork. Free, but booking required: tickets from Everyman Theatre Box Office. Noon to 1pm.

Saturday 22 August: Genealogy Open Day. Host: Western Family History Association. Venue: Lackagh Parish Centre, Lackagh, Carnoneen, Co. Galway. Members of the Association will be available for advice and consultations. Details. Free. No booking.

Saturday 22 August: Genealogy Workshops. Host: Drogheda Civic Trust. Genealogical matters and the Cord, with John McCullen at Noon; Basic genealogy, with Sean Collins at 2pm. Cord cemetery tours on the hour 11am to 1pm. Need to book: seancollins1@gmail.com or telephone 353 89 4214394 (and ask for workshop venue). €5/€3.

Saturday 22 August: The elephant & partition: our border heritage reconsidered, a History Ireland Hedge School. Venue: Atlantic Apartotel, Bundoran, Co. Donegal. On the panel: Marc Geagan, Quincey Dougan, John Byrne, Darragh McDonald. 8:30pm–10:30pm. Free. No booking required.

Saturday 22 August: Moments in Time: Archives of Cork from 1915, an exhibition of unique historical records from the Cork City and County Archives collection, dating from 1915, including a diary recording the visit of PH Pearse to Cork on 23 Aug 1915. Host and venue: Cork City and County Archives, Seamus Murphy Building, 32 Great William O'Brien St, Cork. Free. No booking. Noon to 4pm.

Sunday 23 August: Hope & Despair in Letterkenny Workhouse, Co. Donegal. Host and venue: Donegal County Museum, Letterkenny, Co Donegal. 7:30pm–8:30pm. An opportunity to view original and digitised archives relating to Letterkenny Workhouse. Museum and Archive staff will be available to assist with enquiries. Free. No booking required.

Sunday 23 August: Beal na Blath Commemoration, marking the anniversary of the death of General Michael Collins. Guest Speaker: Minister for Justice & Equality Frances Fitzgerald T.D. Venue: Beal na Blath Ambush Site, Co Cork. No booking required. Free. 3pm to 4pm. Details.

Friday 7 August 2015

Apprentice seamen records 1824-1910 join Ancestry

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5-KQnqDiArgWkliS1ZzbFBJWVU/view?usp=sharing
Click image for large full page view
Ancestry has uploaded  a big collection that will be of interest to those with seamen ancestors: Apprentices Indentured in Merchant Navy, 1824-1910. The records come from the UK National Archives in Kew and contain registers listing young men who were indentured to merchant navy ships during that time period.

From 1823, Masters of British merchant ships of 80 tons and over were required to carry a given number of indentured apprentices. These had to be duly enrolled with the local Customs Officer. These provisions were extended by the Merchant Seamen Act 1835 which provided for the registration of these indentures.

The collection includes many Irishmen, including some of my own ancestors. Details provided include name, age and date at registration or indenture, vessel, port of registry, and birth year. Not all include a place of birth, but some do and may provide the vital location reference for men who subsequently settled outside Ireland and were recorded in censuses as 'from Ireland'.

Here are some examples I've pulled from a quick ferret into the collection:
  • William Graham, born Drumgowan (Donegal) in 1859. Indentured to RW Corry of Belfast in 1876. Registered in Belfast. Left 'sick' in Calcutta in October 1877.
  • Owen McCran, born Cabry (Donegal) in 1863. Indentured, aged 12, to W Petrie. Registered in Sligo. Deserted in 1876.
  • James Cantillon, born Little Island, Co Cork, in 1864. Indentured 1879 for four years to RC Hall & Co, Cork. Registered in Cork.
  • Timothy O'Regan, born in 1859 in Cork. Indentured in 1875 for four years to James Pinder. Registered in Cork. Deserted in Cardiff in 1876.

Free access to Nexis via Libraries Northern Ireland

I was surprised to discover yesterday that everyone, not only local library members, can get full and free access to Nexis, the huge online archive of Irish, UK and international newspapers and journals, thanks to Libraries Northern Ireland.

I've spoken to Libraries NI to make sure this is intended, and not an access error that will be put right when we least expect it. And it is indeed correct.

It seems the current access arrangement will continue until March 2016 at least, and all you need to feast on the Nexis database are a user-id and password, which you can find on LibrariesNI's Newspapers page (note that the log in details may change every now and again).

Among the 40,000 sources in the database are the Irish Examiner, Belfast NewsLetter, Derry Journal, Ulster Star, Dromore Leader, Ballymena Times... You can find a full list here. The period of coverage varies by each source; for many it is the last 20 years.

Enjoy.

National Library of Ireland offers three 'Studentships'

The National Library of Ireland is advertising three 'Studentships' ie temporary fixed term (one-year) contracts that may be of interest to some readers of Irish Genealogy News. A detailed specification of the work involved and the skills required can be downloaded via the links below.

Archival Studentship – Manuscript Department

Research Studentship – Manuscript Department

Library Studentship – Printed Collections Department

The closing date for each of these positions is a week today, Friday 14 August, and application forms are available on the Library's Vacancies page.


Thursday 6 August 2015

Barracks' Girls and Famine Immigrants Symposium

An afternoon seminar, the 'Barracks' Girls and Famine Immigrants Symposium', will be held on Saturday 29 August in Sydney, Australia.

The symposium will take a broad look at Australia's connection with the Great Famine in Ireland 1845-1850 through a series of presentations focusing on Australian contemporary and historic evidence about the Famine.

This will be an interpretation of the Barracks site itself and of its modification in recent times through to the construction of the Irish Famine Memorial. Presenters on the day will include historian and genealogist Dr Perry McIntyre, historian Dr Richard Reid, head of collections and access Megan Martin, and curator Dr Fiona Starr.

Those attending the symposium may wish to join Drs Richard Reid and Perry McIntyre beforehand at the Great Irish Famine Memorial, Hyde Park Barracks, from 12pm for an introduction to the monument.

The symposium itself gets underway at 1pm.

Venue: The Mint, 10 Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Cost: Tickets from $30.00 to $35.00.

(The following day sees the Annual Gathering at the Irish Famine Memorial, 12:30-5:00pm. Book (Adults $10).)