Friday 29 August 2014

Brendan O'Carroll most watched WDYTYA? for 3 years

Last night's episode of Who Do You Think You Are? on BBC TV was watched by 5.3million viewers, the highest audience recorded during the last three series of the popular genealogy programme.

The programme set out to uncover the murderer of Peter O'Carroll, the grandfather of comedian Brendan O'Carroll, the creator of Mrs Brown's Boys, who was shot in an execution style assault at his hardware shop in Manor Street, Dublin in October 1920.

As the pieces of the story came together, the name of the probable murderer was revealed through a Witness Statement in the Bureau of Military History collection.

This Bureau was set up in 1947 to gather statements from the individuals who either participatated in or witnessed events connected with the Independence movement between 1913 and 1921.

Still relatively unknown, this collection has been available online, free, for just over a year. You can find out more about the Bureau of Military History Witness Statements in this article by Nicola Morris MAPGI, director of Dublin-based Timeline Research Ireland, the company which carried out the research for the Brendan O'Carroll episode.

The 60-minute-long programme itself is available to watch via the BBC's iplayer for the next two months.

Great Houses of the North West: new radio series

A radio series on the Great Houses of the North West has been launched on Ocean FM.

Funded by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht through The Heritage Council, the new radio series examines the historical role and future prospects of a number of Great Houses in Mayo, Sligo, Donegal, Roscommon, Leitrim and Fermanagh.

The passage of time and new historical research has changed our understanding of the role of the Great House. It's now recognised that, far from being isolated from the lives of the majority, the Great House played an important role in rural Ireland until well into the twentieth century. It was a world where many strands of Irish life came together – Anglo, Irish, Protestant, Catholic, nationalist, loyalist, artist, writer, Gaelgoir, worker, tenant, soldier, politician and clergyman.

The Great House also epitomises a rich architectural tradition, European in origin but distinctly Irish.

All the houses in this 25-week radio series are expertly described by specialists in their relative fields.

The series will commence this Sunday at 9am. Below are the broadcast dates for each programme.

Annaghmore – 31 August
Temple House – 7 September
Castlecoole – 14 September
Castle Dargan – 21 September
Cavancor– 28 September
Coopershill – 5 October
Crom Castle – 12 October
Enniscoe House – 19 October
Florence Court – 26 October
Hazelwood House – 2 November
Kevinsfort – 9 November
Kilronan Castle – 16 November
King House – 23 November
Lissadell House – 30 November.
Lough Eske Castle, Drumnacarry – 7 December
Lough Rynn Estate – 14 December
Markree Castle – 21 December
Newpark – 28 December
Oakfield Park – 4 January
Portnason House – 11 January
Rathcarrick House – 18 January
Salthill House – 25 January
Brownhall, Ballintooey – 1 February
Westport House – 8 February
Woodhill, Ardara – 15 February

Ocean FM broadcasts on 102.5-105fm to South Donegal, Co.Sligo and North Leitrim from studios in all three counties.

Recent additions to NAI catalogue

Search the NAI's online catalogue
The National Archives of Ireland (NAI) has added the following items to its online catalogue:

  • Cork District Probate Registry: testamentary records relating to the years 1983 (2004/100), 1984 (2005/32), 1985 (2006/5), 1986 (2007/5), 1987 (2008/5), 1988 (2009/5)
  • Dundalk District Probate Registry: testamentary records relating to the years 1983 (2004/105), 1984 (2005/43), 1985 (2006/7), 1986 (2007/7), 1987 (2008/7)
  • Galway District Probate Registry: testamentary records relating to the years 1983 (2004/102), 1984 (2005/44), 1985 (2006/8)
  • Kilkenny District Probate Registry: testamentary records relating to the years 1983 (2004/97), 1984 (2005/45), 1985 (2006/9)
  • Letterkenny (Lifford) District Probate Registry: testamentary records relating to the years 1983 (2004/118), 1984 (2005/22), 1985 (2006/6), 1986 (2007/6), 1987 (2008/6), 1988 (2009/6)
  • Limerick District Probate Registry: testamentary records relating to the years 1983 (2004/69), 1984 (2005/46), 1985 (2006/10), 1986 (2007/10), 1987 (2008/10), 1988 (2009/10)
  • Embassy of Ireland to Argentina: 2001 transfer (2001/14)
And not forgetting the newly-keyed Wills Calendars for 1923-1934 and 1950-1951, which were uploaded last week (see blogpost).


Bad news from IrishGenealogy.ie re Monaghan

The civil registration index wasn't the only thing to disappear from IrishGenealogy.ie over the last couple of months.

So did the following notice, which had been sitting in the news section of the site for a good two years:

'Roman Catholic records of Baptism, Marriage and Burial for County Monaghan (Diocese of Clogher) including images of the records will be added to the Church records already available on this website in the near future. Further information will be posted closer to the actual launch date, apologies for the delay in the addition of these records to the website.'

The notice has been removed and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has confirmed to Irish Genealogy News that the records will not be joining the site's database. No explanation is available. It's just a case of 'it ain't gonna happen'. And that's official.

WDYTYA?Live in Scotland gets underway

Who Do You Think You Are? Live opened its doors at 9:30am this morning at Glasgow's Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre.

For family historians of Irish heritage who are heading that way today or tomorrow, you'll be pleased to know that you can get specifically Irish genealogy advice and direction from any one of these four exhibitors:

Ancestor Network:
This collective of professional genealogists from Ireland offers research, education and several other services. Find out more by visiting Stand D17.

APGI: Members of the Association of Professional Genealogists in Ireland (MAPGIs) will be providing free Irish genealogy consultations on Table 7, as well as being part of the SOG's 'Ask the Experts' Sessions.

NIFHS: The North of Ireland Family History Society supports its members with advice, a Journal, Newsletter, books, CDs, and a great Library. They're friendly, too! Meet them on Table 10.

ULF: The Ulster Historical Foundation offers research, education and publishing services. They also have a terrific range of books for sale. Grab a bargain at Table 9.

There's only one Irish-themed lecture at the Glasgow show. It's on Saturday, at 11:15am in Theatre 1, and will see Helen Kelly MAPGI presenting Starting your Irish Family History, which is aimed at beginners.

Thursday 28 August 2014

Early closing at National Archives, 17 September

Early warning! Be sure to put a note in your diary.

The National Archives of Ireland's Reading Room at Bishop Street, Dublin 8, will close early on Wednesday 17 September.

Everyone out by 3pm, please.

Waterford Funeral Book is a great new resource

A fabulous new resource for those with ancestors from Waterford was officially launched last night by Waterford City & County Libraries. It's the funeral accounts of Robert Thompson Funeral Directors, a company that has been in business in the City since 1786.

Unfortunately, the record books don't stretch right back to when the business was established. They start from 1876 and those up to 1918 are available for free download from the County Council's website in a series of four large pdfs (max 56Mb). Watch out for the leap-frogging of dates across the volumes.

They are intriging records, albeit you have to decipher some of the spelling of the accounts clerk. It took me a while to appreciate that the highly popular Ellim, Ellem, Ellam coffins sold by the company were, in fact, made of Elm, and that the herse was not a horse but a hearse. There are many trips to the 'a Silum' (asylum).

Here are a few examples that I cross-checked with the FamilySearch civil registration indexes:

21 June 1888: 'A herse to the a Silum', David Galivan, 5shillings. This probably relates to the death, registered in Q2 of that year, of 55-year-old David Galvin.

Early 1903: Patrick Norris. The funeral expenses of £16 included eight journeys made by Mrs Norris to and fro Killivery, presumably in the week leading up to the funeral, an oak coffin, a hearse and four horses. Each driver was charged out at 2shillings and 6pence. Civil registration index suggests he was 72 years old.

17 March 1880: An elm coffin with hearse and pair and covered carriage was supplied to Kilmacow for Thomas Pender at a cost of £2 and 2shillings. (Death index has him as 26 years old.)

In addition to funeral accounts, there are some odd medicinal recipes dotted about in the books, some lists of drinks supplied to wakes, and many examples of the company sending carriages to collect or deliver people, presumably funeral-goers, to or from the railway station. Fascinating.



Free access to Ancestry's 'New Global Collection'

http://www.ancestry.com/cs/us/international?o_xid=61876
Ancestry is offering five days of free access to its New Global Collection, which includes some one billion new records added in the last week or so.

These new records cover 67 countries, more than half of them brand-new to the Ancestry stable. Given the widely-travelled nature of the Irish Diaspora, this new collection is one all Irish family historians should rummage about in.
http://www.ancestry.com/cs/us/international?o_xid=61876
I've just done a free access search for 'Santry' and found unexpected entries in 'Slovakia, Church and Synagogue Books, 1592-1910', 'U.S. Naval Enlistment Rendezvous, 1855-1891' and the' Belgium, Antwerp Police Immigration Index, 1840-1930'. Less surprising were around 150 entries in regular US, English, Welsh and Irish collections. There were also a few from Argentina that I knew I'd seen before; sure enough, the Argentinian entries, along with most, if not all, of these 'new' global collections, are shared from FamilySearch.

To gain free access to these records, you'll need an account with Ancestry. If you already have one, you can search and view straightaway. If you don't have one, you'll need to create a free account when you want to view a record. You don't have to provide any financial details; just sign up with your name, email address and your chosen password. That's it.

The free access to these records is live now and will continue until midnight (presumably a US time zone), Monday 1 September.

Wednesday 27 August 2014

The 1641 Depositions: seminar and book launches

More details of the three new editions
PRONI and the Irish Manuscripts Commission are to host a seminar from leading academics regarding written records from a pivotal period of Irish history: the 1641 Depositions.

These witness testimonies from the 1641 Irish rebellion capture with vivid immediacy the contrasting experiences of rebellion throughout the northern counties.

The seminar talks are:

Launching the print edition of the 1641 Depositions, with Professor Raymond Gillespie
The context for the 1641 depositions, with Aidan Clarke
The 1641 depositions in a wider context, with Jane Ohlmeyer

A launch of the recently published editions of these documents – they cover the nine counties of Ulster, plus Louth – will follow the seminar.

The seminar will be held at the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI), Titanic Boulevard, Belfast on Tuesday 9 September from 1pm to 2pm. The event is free but booking is essential. Email proni@dcalni.gov.uk or telephone 02890 534800 to reserve your place.

Book early for Dublin Festival of History, 26 Sep–8 Oct

The Dublin Festival of History will take place from 26 September and 8 October, with events being held in local libraries, Dublin Castle (Printworks), City Hall and Dublin City Gallery the Hugh Lane. A number of walking tours and film screenings are also part of the programme, which is organised by Dublin City Public Libraries on behalf of Dublin City Council.

Dublin’s involvement in the First World War will be one of the main themes of this year's programme, which is available in a printed booklet from all branch libraries in the City or can be downloaded here. The Festival's aim is to provide those with an interest in history and who enjoy reading history for pleasure, an opportunity to listen and discuss a variety of history topics with authors and historians of national and international renown.

http://dublinfestivalofhistory.ie/programme

This will be second outing for the Dublin Festival of History. It proved very popular last year and many of the events were quickly sold out, so I'd recommend you look through the programme without delay and book as soon as possible.


Autumn issue of Irish Roots magazine published

https://gumroad.com/irishrootsmagazine
After a busy couple of weeks of family and work commitments, I finally settled down last night to enjoy the latest issue of Irish Roots magazine.

This edition includes features about tracing ancestors in County Kerry, finding online and offline sources for pre-1858 wills, and the surnames of Connacht. In addition, local historian Catherine Corless tells of how she unearthed the Tuam Mother and Baby Home story, a tale that has attracted much worldwide attention and prompted a Government investigation.

There is also my own review of recent Irish genealogy happenings, lots of news from family history societies, details of book launches, a Q&A column, and a thoughtful column of appreciation for the many unsung heroes and heroines who volunteer their time and expertise to help other researchers in all manner of ways.

For those whose ancestors emigrated, there are articles on Irish-Australian singers and their songs, Irish-American World War One records, and the unlikely but potentially rewarding United States Consular collection, which I'd never heard of before.

There is also a delightful story of Margaret Fanning née Clarke who is the fifth member of her family, originally from Loughrea, Co Galway, to celebrate their 100th birthday.

Irish Roots
is now on the shelves of local bookshops and news outlets (€4.50/£3.35). A digital version can be purchased for $3.99; click the cover image above.

Monday 25 August 2014

NAI online catalogue: Name search for Wills 1923-1951

The online catalogue of the National Archives of Ireland (NAI) has been uploaded with a second tranche of indexed testamentary records.

Will Calendars for 1935 to 1949 were indexed in 2012. This second tranche means all Will Calendars from 1923 to 1951 are now available to search by name of the deceased.

Previously, researchers could search the Wills Calendars only by year. If, for example, you were searching for a John Doyle who died in 1924, you would have had to scroll through each calendar from that year to find an entry recording a grant of probate; not such a task if probate was granted quickly but quite a chore if winding up his affairs took ten or fifteen years.

The calendars as yet unkeyed are those for 1922 and 1952–1986. These calendars remain available to browse on the NAI's online catalogue.

The calendars of wills and administrations for 1858 to 1920 are searchable by name and other parameters on the NAI's Genealogy website.



Irish Genealogy News is on Twitter @Irish_Genealogy.

Irish genealogy and history events, 25–31 August

Search for Heritage Week events
With Heritage Week now in full swing, there's absolutely no excuse for not exercising the grey matter or learning more about our ancestors' lives. There are hundreds upon hundreds of excellent history, genealogy and heritage events taking place across Ireland. Just search heritageweek.ie for events in your area.

A goodly-sized number of genealogy events were specificially organised to coincide with Heritage Week and you can find details in my blogpost from a couple of weeks ago. I haven't repeated them all in the list below for no better reason than my weekly events list is collated on an on-going basis by direct notification or serendipitous discovery. In other words, some of the events below be repeated in the earlier blogpost. Others will not. 

Monday 25 August: Limerick and The Great War, with Dr Tadgh Moloney. First of the Limerick and the Great War Lecture Series. Venue: The Hunt Museum, Custom House, Rutland Street, Limerick City. Free. 1pm. Phone: +353 61 312833 Email: education@huntmuseum.com

Monday 25 August: Census-related records on the National Archives website, with Catriona Crowe. Part of the Eneclann/Ancestor Network 20x20 lunchtime series. Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 20-min lecture plus Q&As. Free. No booking. 1:05pm.

Monday 25 August: Royal College of Physicians of Ireland opens its historical home to the public during Heritage Week. Guided tours at 11.30am, 1.15pm, 3.00pm and 5.30pm. Tours will take approximately 40 minutes. Places are limited, so book online to guarantee your place. Venue: RCPI, 6 Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

Monday 25 August: Dungarvan Historic Town Atlas, with John Martin. Hosts: Museum Society and County Heritage office. The town atlas is a project of the Royal Irish Academy, which was first launched in 1981. A number of towns and cities have already been published. John Martin has been commissioned to research Dungarvan. Venue: Town Hall Theatre, Dungarvan. 8pm. Free. All welcome.

Tuesday 26 August: World War One in County Wicklow, with John Goodman, looking at a number of Wicklow men and their frontline experiences, and how the war directly affected life in the county. Venue: Greystones Library, Mill Road, Greystones, Co Wicklow. 7pm. Free. Details: 01-2873548.

Tuesday 26 August: Doing Local History, with Ray Gillespie. Part of the Eneclann/Ancestor Network 20x20 lunchtime series. Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 20-min lecture plus Q&As. Free. No booking. 1:05pm.

Tuesday 26 August: The Shamrock Fund of WW1, with Brian White. Host: Bray Cualann Historical Society. Venue: Bray Library, Eglinton Road, Bray, Co Wicklow. 7pm.

Tuesday 26 to Friday 28 August: Timeline – World War 1, an audiovisual perspective of the events leading up to, during and after the Great War. Also memorabilia, exhibitions, poetry readings. Not suitable for children. Free. Main Hall, City Hall, Terence McSwiney Quay, Cork City.

Tuesday 26 August: Medieval female monasticism in Co Tipperary, with Tracy Collins. Cashel Summer Lecture Series. Venue: Cashel Library, Friar St, Cashel, Co Tipperary. 7:30pm. Free.

Wednesday 27 August: An Irish Family Goes to War, with Dr Deirdre McMahon. Second of the Limerick and the Great War Lecture Series. Venue: The Hunt Museum, Custom House, Rutland Street, Limerick City. Free. 1pm. Phone: +353 61 312833 Email: education@huntmuseum.com

Wednesday 27 August: The map-making of the OS: challenges on every front, with Dr Jacinta Prunt. First of the Mapping City, Town and Country lecture series. Venue: Royal Irish Academy, 19 Dawson Street, Dublin 2. 1-2pm. Free. All welcome. No need to book.

Wednesday 27 August: Finding women in the records, with Mary McAuliffe. Part of the Eneclann/Ancestor Network 20x20 lunchtime series. Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 20-min lecture plus Q&As. Free. No booking. 1:05pm.

Thursday 28 August: Niall of the Nine Hostages and the genetic architecture of Irish surnames, with Dan Bradley. Part of the Eneclann/Ancestor Network 20x20 lunchtime series. Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 20-min lecture plus Q&As. Free. No booking. 1pm.

Thursday 28 August: Introduction to Genealogy Online. Venue and host: Portlaoise Library, Lyster Square, Portlaoise, Co. Laois. 2–3pm. Free but booking required by email to library@laoiscoco.ie or telephone: 057 8622333.

Thursday 28 August: Genealogy seminar, with Sinead Holland. Host: Loais Libraries. Venue: Abbeyleix Library, Main Square, Abbeyleix, Co Laois. 5:30pm to 7:30pm. Free, but booking required. Tel: (0)57 873 0020.

Thursday 28 August: West Cork men and the Great War, with William Casey. Host: Skibbereen Heritage Centre. Venue: Skibbereen Credit Union Conference Room. 8pm. Free but booking essential due to limited space. Call the Heritage Centre on 028 40900.

Thursday 28 August: Workshop - Sources for military personnel in India. Venue: British Library, Euston Road, London, UK. Free. 2pm. Booking required by email.

Friday 29 August: The First World War, 1914-1918: Ireland within the wider European context, with Dr Jerome ann de Wiel. Third of the Limerick and the Great War Lecture Series. Venue: The Hunt Museum, Custom House, Rutland Street, Limerick City. Free. 1pm. Phone: +353 61 312833 Email: education@huntmuseum.com.

Friday 29 August: Tulla Weekend of the Welcomes/Ireland Reaching Out, with Sr deLourdes Fahy. Plus music and light refreshments. Venue: Tulla Courthouse, Tulla, Co Clare. 7:30pm. All welcome. Email for details to tulla@irelandxo.com.

Friday 29 August: Uncovering the Irish of the American Civil War, with Damien Shiels. Part of the Eneclann/Ancestor Network 20x20 lunchtime series. Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 20-min lecture plus Q&As. Free. No booking. 1:05pm.

Friday 29 and Saturday 30 August: The fourth Tudor & Stuart Ireland conference. Venue: National University of Ireland, Maynooth, County Kildare. Details.

Friday 29 August & Saturday 30 August: WDYTYA?Live Scotland. Part of Homecoming Scotland. Exhibition and workshop programme. NIFHS and APGI will be attending. Venue: SEEC, Glasgow.

Saturday 30 August: WW1: a Great War of a good war? History Ireland Hedge School. Venue: Electric Picnic, Stradbally, Co Laois. 3pm. Sold Out.

Saturday 30 August: Researching Your Family History, with Waterford Council Archivist Joanne Rothwell. Venue: Ballymacarbry Community Centre Ballymacarbry, Clonmel, Co Tipperary. 2:30pm. More info: info@ballymacarbry.com & 052 6185483

Sunday 31 August: Guided tour of Old Cobh Cemetery, with Jack Gilmartin. Venue: Old Cobh Cemetery, Cobh, Co Cork. Free. No booking. Meet at the main gate of the cemetery at 2:30pm.

Sunday 31 August: The war to end all wars, 1914-1918, a day of lectures hosted by the Maritime Institute of Ireland and the Heritage Council. Venue: Dun Laoghaire Club, Eblana Lodge, Eblana Avenue, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin. 11:30am to 8pm. Donations requested; recommended €5 per lecture/€20 for the day. Details.

Sunday 31 August: The Great Irish Famine Commemoration. The 15th annual commemoration ceremony. Venue: The Great Irish Famine Monument, Hyde Park Barracks, Macquarie Street, Sydney, Australia. Formal address by former Irish Ambassador Richard O'Brian. Music and flower laying. $10 entry (includes admission to Hyde Park Barracks Museum). Starts 12:30pm. Details.

Symposium on Irish emigration in C19th: 28-29 August

Travelling Irishness in the Long Nineteenth Century is a two-day international, interdisciplinary symposium that will be held Thursday 28 to Friday 29 August at the University of Limerick.

Scholars from universities across Ireland, the UK, the Netherlands and North America will be presenting their work on the ways in which travelling and the relocation of citizens across borders contributed to new perspectives on national identity, cultural production and historical events.

Registration is still open. See the organiser's website. You can download the final schedule here.




Friday 22 August 2014

Researching WW1 – Sources & Resources, PRONI

PRONI - Titanic Boulevard, Belfast
Details of PRONI's conference Researching the First World War – Sources and Resources have been confirmed. 

The event, which will be aimed at community groups and researchers, is designed to illustrate the sources in PRONI for First World War research and the other resources available to groups or individuals planning First World War projects.

The Keynote address will be given by Dr Timothy Bowman of University of Kent, on “Ireland In The First World War”. 

There will also be contributions from Jason Bourke on “East Belfast and the Great War”, and The Museums of the Royal Irish Regiment. 

Speakers from The Living Legacies 1914-18 Engagement Centre at Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland Screen, Community Relations Council and Heritage Lottery Fund will also be attending, and the event will see the official launch of PRONI's WWW1 Source Guide, which was released in July.

The free event will take place on Tuesday 5 September, from 10am to 4:30pm. Booking is essential; to reserve your place, email or telephone 028 90 534800.








Clare County Library: More school roll books released

Clare County Library's excellent website has added some more terrific resources worth checking by those whose ancestors were raised near Kilmihil, in the west of the county.

The following school rolls have been transcribed by Brian Doyle and Peter Beirne, both of the Local Studies Centre, and are available for viewing, free of charge:

Lacken National School Roll Books, boys 1865-1927, and girls 1889-1922.
Leitrim National School Rolls Books, boys 1896-1922, and girls 1888-1922.

The books are searchable by surname or date.



Don't miss the NIFHS Open Day, Saturday 23 August

https://www.facebook.com/NIFHS/photos/a.526994867359272.1073741829.502990193093073/753130048079085/?type=1
Click poster for more details
The North of Ireland Family History Society will be holding its Open Day tomorrow and all genealogists and would-be genealogists are invited, whatever their ages.

A spokesperson told Irish Genealogy News: "This year, in a first for the Society, NIFHS is including the Open Day event as part of the island's Heritage Week initiative. This is because this year's Heritage Week theme – Generations exploring heritage together – is so appropriate. The Society is keen to encourage younger generations to explore their roots and we have introduced a new 'Junior Genie' character that has proved very successful.

"There will also be a focus on World War One. One of our Council members, Mike McKeag, will be helping visitors find more information about their ancestors and encouraging them to submit their relatives' details to the Imperial War Museum's 'Lives of the First World War' project."

The doors to the Society's Research Centre & Library will be open from 10:30am to 4:30pm and the Society's friendly volunteers will be on hand to help members and non-members alike to discover  its many useful resources or to offer some research guidance.

The research centre is at Unit C4, Valley Business Centre, 67 Church Road, Newtownabbey, Co Antrim BT36 7LS.

Ancestry adds Walker's Hibernian Magazine marriages

https://prf.hn/click/camref:1100l4pTC/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2Fsearch%2Fdb.aspx%3Fdbid%3D9141
Ancestry has added an index to Irish marriages announced in Walker's Hibernian Magazine (WHM) from 1771 to 1812. It also includes as an appendix a list of births, marriages, and deaths for the years 1793 and 1794 from the Anthologia Hibernica.

Just under 30,000 entries are in this database, which was indexed by volunteers as one of Ancestry's World Archives Indexing Projects; as such, it is free to users.

The marriages from WHM are listed under both the husband's and the wife's surnames. This double listing optimizes your search capabilities because if you do not know one name, you can search under the other and find out what the spouse's name is.

Some issues of Walker’s Hibernian Magazine are available online on websites like the HathiTrust Digital Library and Google Books, and can sometimes be found in university and other libraries.


Thursday 21 August 2014

New book: Resting in Larne's Green Land

Members of Larne Family History Society (part of the North of Ireland Family History Society) have compiled a new publication that will be of interest to those with ancestral connections to this area of County Antrim.

The book, Resting in Larne's Green Land, contains details of gravestone inscriptions and interments from 1904 to 2012 in the Old Section of Greenland Cemetery, Larne. It is a comprehensive 320-page book which has the names set out in alphabetical order. It also includes a plan of the cemetery and a series of photos of some of the more interesting gravestones.

It will be for sale shortly via the North of Ireland Family History Society's website at a cost of £15.

Wednesday 20 August 2014

FindMyPast releases C19th Australian passenger lists

FindMyPast have added two new collections that could be of interest to those with Irish roots. They are:
The Inward collection comprises some 2.1million records. Those up to 1871 include separate lists for 'Assisted' passengers or migrants travelling on a sponsorship scheme. 'Unassisted' travellers were those who had paid their own fare or were privately sponsored.

The information included varies but most include name, age, nationality, native place (sometimes place of origin, sometimes last residence), date and port of arrival, ship name, and departure port.

The Outward collection includes 1.7million records and holds similar detail as the Inward records.

These two record sets are now part of FindMyPast's Australian & New Zealand collection, and also join the World Collection.


Tonight: WW1 through the sources at PRONI

Two archivists – Dr Ann McVeigh and Ian Montgomery – from the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland will be at Carrickfergus Museum and Civic Centre this evening, delving into PRONI's unique archive of photographs and documents.

The presentations, which will incorporate film footage as well as photographs, will appeal not only to those interested in family history research, but for all those who have an interest in WW1. Dr Ann McVeigh's talk will look at the active role played by women during the First World War, at home in the munitions factories and abroad, in diverse roles from nurses to lorry drivers.

Refreshments will be served, so the Museum needs to know if you intend to come. Please call 028 9335 8049 or email visitorinfo@carrickfergus.org.

Monday 25 August: bank holiday in Northern Ireland

It's a bank holiday in Northern Ireland this coming Monday, 25 August.

All departments of the General Register Office of Northern Ireland (GRONI) and the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) will be closed on that day, reopening at their standard time on Tuesday 26 August.

The Linen Hall Library will be open for normal hours on Saturday 23 August, closed Monday 25 August, reopening Tuesday 26 August.

Similarly, all Northern Ireland public lending libraries will open on Saturday, as usual, close on Monday 26 August and reopen on Tuesday 26 August.



Tuesday 19 August 2014

Ancestors from Kilnaughtin/Tarbert, Co Kerry?

If you have ancestors from the north County Kerry town of Tarbert, you'll be keen to obtain a copy of 200 years of change, a 254-page book newly published by Tarbert Historical & Heritage Society.

The book commemorates two centuries of Kilnaughtin Parish Church (St Brendan's, Church of Ireland) and includes a full list of baptisms from 1793 to 1914 as well as other details that will be of much interest to those with local connections, whatever their ancestors' religion.

You can find out more on Kay Cabell's blog, My Kerry Ancestors, which reproduces part of a note from Dr Declan Downey explaining shy many non-Protestants can be found within the registers, and provides details of where/how the book may be purchased.

(Many thanks to Kay for letting me know about the book's launch.)



The Northern Whig joins British Newspaper Archive

I've just spotted that The Northern Whig has joined the line-up of titles now available online at British Newspaper Archive.So far, some 930-odd issues are available, covering January 1868 to December 1870.

http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5895&awinaffid=123532&clickref=&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk%2Faccount%2Fsubscribe
The Liberal Protestant newspaper was founded in 1824 in Belfast, changed its name to the Northern Whig and Belfast Post in June 1919 and ceased publication in 1963.

This seems a good opportunity to remind you that the British Newspaper Archive is offering a month's full access to its database for just £1. You need to sign up by 24 August. See the full details in last week's blogpost.




Monday 18 August 2014

Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives: mid-Aug update

Beautiful Irish lettering cut into headstone at Inagh.
Image courtesy Michael O'Loughlin
In the first two weeks of August, Ireland Genealogy Projects (IGP-web) have uploaded the following files to their free-to-access Archives:

CLARE Genealogy Archives
Headstones – Inagh Graveyard (partial)

DONEGAL Genealogy Archives
Church Records – Dispensation requests, St Eunan's Letterkenny, 1854

DUBLIN Genealogy Archives
Headstones – Deansgrange Cem., St. Brigids Section, pt 8, Dublin

FERMANAGH Genealogy Archives
Headstones – Castle Archdale; St. Patrick's (CoI) (partial)

LAOIS/QUEENS Genealogy Archives
Military & Constabulary – Irish Constabulary - 1849

LEITRIM Genealogy Archives
Military & Constabulary  – Irish Constabulary - 1849
Headstones – Drumshanbo (R.C.) Cemetery (partial)

OFFALY (KINGS) Genealogy Archives
Military & Constabulary  – Irish Constabulary - 1849

ROSCOMMON Genealogy Archives
Headstones – Dysart Graveyard near Ballyforan (partial)
Military & Constabulary  – Irish Constabulary - 1849

SLIGO Genealogy Archives
Headstones  – Ballymote; Church Of The Immaculate Conception (partial)

TYRONE Genealogy Archives
Headstones – Kilskeery Parish Church (CoI) *updated
Aughnagar, St Patrick’s RC Chapel, Kileeshil Parish (partial)

WICKLOW Genealogy Archives
Headstones – Newcastle Roll of Honour 1914-1918

Irish genealogy and history events, 18-31 August

With Heritage Week kicking off this coming weekend, there are tons of brilliant history, genealogy and heritage events taking place across Ireland. You can search online for events in your area at heritageweek.ie or pick up a copy of the full listing at Failte Ireland tourist offices, libraries, OPW sites, heritage centres, CNCI members, NPWS sites, heritage and county council offices, An Oige hostels, museums, Bus Eireann stations and some hotels.

My blogpost last week listed the genealogy events specifically organised for Heritage Week. The list below includes a mix of event types that I've either been notified of or that I discovered some time before the Heritage Week list was published. Some will have been organised for Heritage Week. Some will not. The list is by no means definitive.

Monday 18 August: Using Ancestry.com to trace your family History, with Rhona Murray. Part of the Eneclann/Ancestor Network 20x20 lunchtime series. Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 20-min lecture plus Q&As. Free. No booking. 1:05pm.

Monday 18 August: Controlling the Carlow corridor during the Middle Ages, with Linda Doran. Host: Rathmichael Historical Society. Venue: Rathmichael NS, Shankill, Dublin. €4. 8:00pm.

Monday 18 August: Excavations at Trim Castle, with Alan Hayden. Host: Rathmichael Historical Society. Venue: Rathmichael NS, Shankill, Dublin. €4. 8:00pm.

Tuesday 19 August: Reading Headstones primary sources carved in stone, with John Tierney. Part of the Eneclann/Ancestor Network 20x20 lunchtime series. Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 20-min lecture plus Q&As. Free. No booking. 1:05pm.

Wednesday 20 August: Book launch: Resting in Larne's Green Lane, Gravestone inscriptions and interments in the Old Section, Larne (Greenland) Cemetery, compiled by Larne FHS, part of the North of Ireland Family History Society. Venue: Centrepoint (behind the library), Larne. 8pm. Light refreshments provided.

Wednesday 20 August: Using the College Archives for family history research, with Ellen O'Flaherty. Part of the Eneclann/Ancestor Network 20x20 lunchtime series. Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 20-min lecture plus Q&As. Free. No booking. 1:05pm.

Thursday 21 August to 6 September: Wicklow's War: the First World War in County Wicklow. A free public exhibition will be on display in Greystones Library, Mill Road, Greystones, Co Wicklow. The National Library of Ireland's exhibition "Gallant Sons", concerning Irish men who fought in WW1 will also be on show. Opening hours.

Thursday 21 August: Digitising Irish newspapers: how we bring Ireland’s past stories back to life, with Ian Tester. Part of the Eneclann/Ancestor Network 20x20 lunchtime series. Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 20-min lecture plus Q&As. Free. No booking. 1:05pm.

Thursday 21 August: How to research your Erris ancestor, a workshop. Venue: Gaol Siar, Main Street, Belmullet, Co Mayo. (Above Carey's.) €35. 11am to 2pm. Need to book. Tel: Barbara on 087 216 9625 or email eolas@gaolsiar.com.

Friday 22 August: Irish in European armies, with Lar Joye. Part of the Eneclann/Ancestor Network 20x20 lunchtime series. Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 20-min lecture plus Q&As. Free. No booking. 1:05pm.

Friday 22 to Saturday 23 August: The Genealogy Event, Strand Hotel, Limerick. Two-day conference and Irish genealogy get-together. Programme and tickets.

Friday 22 to Saturday 23 August: O'Meachair/Maher/Meagher clan gathering. Exhibition, conference, social and genealogy ( one-to-one sessions on Saturday from 2pm to 5pm; no booking). Barony of Ikerrin (northeast County Tipperary). Need to register. Programme and details.

Saturday 23 August: St Paul's Graveyard Trail, with Brian White. Host: Bray Cualann Historical Society. Venue: St Paul's Church, Main Street, Bray, Co Wicklow. 3pm.

Saturday 23 August: Hedge School re-enactment. Host: Ballon Improvement Group. Venue: Sli na Sceach, The Forge, Kilbride, Co Carlow. 2–4pm. Free. Details: Maire George, 087 242 4934.

Saturday 23 August: North of Ireland Family History Society Open Day. Venue: Unit C4, Valley Business Centre, 67 Church Road, Newtownabbey. Co Antrim. Find out more about their fabulous resource centre and meet a friendly, knowledgeable bunch of people. From 10.30am to 4.30pm. See NIFHS website for more details.

Monday 25 August: Limerick and The Great War, with Dr Tadgh Moloney. First of the Limerick and the Great War Lecture Series. Venue: The Hunt Museum, Custom House, Rutland Street, Limerick City. Free. 1pm. Phone: +353 61 312833 Email: education@huntmuseum.com

Monday 25 August: Census-related records on the National Archives website, with Catriona Crowe. Part of the Eneclann/Ancestor Network 20x20 lunchtime series. Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 20-min lecture plus Q&As. Free. No booking. 1:05pm.

Monday 25 August: Royal College of Physicians of Ireland opens its historical home to the public during Heritage Week. Guided tours at 11.30am, 1.15pm, 3.00pm and 5.30pm. Tours will take approximately 40 minutes. Places are limited, so book online to guarantee your place. Venue: RCPI, 6 Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

Monday 25 August: Dungarvan Historic Town Atlas, with John Martin. Hosts: Museum Society and County Heritage office. The town atlas is a project of the Royal Irish Academy, which was first launched in 1981. A number of towns and cities have already been published. John Martin has been commissioned to research Dungarvan. Venue: Town Hall Theatre, Dungarvan. 8pm. Free. All welcome.

Tuesday 26 August: World War One in County Wicklow, with John Goodman, looking at a number of Wicklow men and their frontline experiences, and how the war directly affected life in the county. Venue: Greystones Library, Mill Road, Greystones, Co Wicklow. 7pm. Free. Details: 01-2873548.

Tuesday 26 August: Doing Local History, with Ray Gillespie. Part of the Eneclann/Ancestor Network 20x20 lunchtime series. Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 20-min lecture plus Q&As. Free. No booking. 1:05pm.

Tuesday 26 August: The Shamrock Fund of WW1, with Brian White. Host: Bray Cualann Historical Society. Venue: Bray Library, Eglinton Road, Bray, Co Wicklow. 7pm.

Tuesday 26 to Friday 28 August: Timeline – World War 1, an audiovisual perspective of the events leading up to, during and after the Great War. Also memorabilia, exhibitions, poetry readings. Not suitable for children. Free. Main Hall, City Hall, Terence McSwiney Quay, Cork City.

Tuesday 26 August: Medieval female monasticism in Co Tipperary, with Tracy Collins. Cashel Summer Lecture Series. Venue: Cashel Library, Friar St, Cashel, Co Tipperary. 7:30pm. Free.

Wednesday 27 August: An Irish Family Goes to War, with Dr Deirdre McMahon. Second of the Limerick and the Great War Lecture Series. Venue: The Hunt Museum, Custom House, Rutland Street, Limerick City. Free. 1pm. Phone: +353 61 312833 Email: education@huntmuseum.com

Wednesday 27 August: The map-making of the OS: challenges on every front, with Dr Jacinta Prunt. First of the Mapping City, Town and Country lecture series. Venue: Royal Irish Academy, 19 Dawson Street, Dublin 2. 1-2pm. Free. All welcome. No need to book.

Wednesday 27 August: Finding women in the records, with Mary McAuliffe. Part of the Eneclann/Ancestor Network 20x20 lunchtime series. Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 20-min lecture plus Q&As. Free. No booking. 1:05pm.

Thursday 28 August: Niall of the Nine Hostages and the genetic architecture of Irish surnames, with Dan Bradley. Part of the Eneclann/Ancestor Network 20x20 lunchtime series. Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 20-min lecture plus Q&As. Free. No booking. 1pm.

Thursday 28 August: Introduction to Genealogy Online. Venue and host: Portlaoise Library, Lyster Square, Portlaoise, Co. Laois. 2–3pm. Free but booking required by email to library@laoiscoco.ie or telephone: 057 8622333.

Thursday 28 August: Genealogy seminar, with Sinead Holland. Host: Loais Libraries. Venue: Abbeyleix Library, Main Square, Abbeyleix, Co Laois. 5:30pm to 7:30pm. Free, but booking required. Tel: (0)57 873 0020.

Thursday 28 August: West Cork men and the Great War, with William Casey. Host: Skibbereen Heritage Centre. Venue: Skibbereen Credit Union Conference Room. 8pm. Free but booking essential due to limited space. Call the Heritage Centre on 028 40900.

Thursday 28 August: Workshop - Sources for military personnel in India. Venue: British Library, Euston Road, London, UK. Free. 2pm. Booking required by email.

Friday 29 August: The First World War, 1914-1918: Ireland within the wider European context, with Dr Jerome ann de Wiel. Third of the Limerick and the Great War Lecture Series. Venue: The Hunt Museum, Custom House, Rutland Street, Limerick City. Free. 1pm. Phone: +353 61 312833 Email: education@huntmuseum.com.

Friday 29 August: Tulla Weekend of the Welcomes/Ireland Reaching Out, with Sr deLourdes Fahy. Plus music and light refreshments. Venue: Tulla Courthouse, Tulla, Co Clare. 7:30pm. All welcome. Email for details to tulla@irelandxo.com.

Friday 29 August: Uncovering the Irish of the American Civil War, with Damien Shiels. Part of the Eneclann/Ancestor Network 20x20 lunchtime series. Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 20-min lecture plus Q&As. Free. No booking. 1:05pm.

Friday 29 and Saturday 30 August: The fourth Tudor & Stuart Ireland conference. Venue: National University of Ireland, Maynooth, County Kildare. Details.

Friday 29 August & Saturday 30 August: WDYTYA?Live Scotland. Part of Homecoming Scotland. Exhibition and workshop programme. NIFHS and APGI will be attending. Venue: SEEC, Glasgow.

Saturday 30 August: WW1: a Great War of a good war? History Ireland Hedge School. Venue: Electric Picnic, Stradbally, Co Laois. 3pm. Sold Out.

Saturday 30 August: Researching Your Family History, with Waterford Council Archivist Joanne Rothwell. Venue: Ballymacarbry Community Centre Ballymacarbry, Clonmel, Co Tipperary. 2:30pm. More info: info@ballymacarbry.com & 052 6185483

Sunday 31 August: Guided tour of Old Cobh Cemetery, with Jack Gilmartin. Venue: Old Cobh Cemetery, Cobh, Co Cork. Free. No booking. Meet at the main gate of the cemetery at 2:30pm.

Sunday 31 August: The war to end all wars, 1914-1918, a day of lectures hosted by the Maritime Institute of Ireland and the Heritage Council. Venue: Dun Laoghaire Club, Eblana Lodge, Eblana Avenue, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin. 11:30am to 8pm. Donations requested; recommended €5 per lecture/€20 for the day. Details.


Friday 15 August 2014

Try a one-month sub to FindMyPast for just €1, £1, $1

FindMyPast has a special offer available for each of its 'local' collections. It gives you a one-month subscription to the British collection for £1; the Irish collection for €1, the Australian and New Zealand collection for $1, or the US & Canada collection for US$1.

Try out the Irish collection
Try out the Australian/NZ collection

https://www.findmypast.com/content/1_Dollar_Offer
Try the US/Canada collection
http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=2114&awinaffid=123532&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.findmypast.co.uk%2Fcontent%2F1_Pound_Offer
Try the British collection

It doesn't matter where you're based. You can pick whichever collection you want to check out, whether or not it's your local collection or one holding records for the other side of the world. Just click one of the above 'entry ticket' offers, register and pay by midnight Sunday 31 August. You can have only one of these offers running at a time.

After clicking through to the landing page, you'll see the terms of the offer set out in clear language. Perhaps the most important term is that your subscription will automatically renew after 30 days at the standard monthly rate of 9.95 in the relevant currency. If you don't want to continue the membership, simply un-tick the ‘auto-renew my subscription’ box in the My Account section of the site. It's very easy.

Conservation Internship offered at National Archives

The National Archives, in conjunction with the Valuation Office and the Heritage Council, is offering a nine-month internship in paper conservation to a graduate in paper or archives conservation who graduated in 2013 or 2014.

The internship is intended to give valuable practical experience of work with archival collections, in this case a large (c11,00-item) collection of mid-19th century maps, which needs cleaning, consolidation and flattening in preparation for use by researchers. The intern will be employed by the Valuation Office and will work with an experienced conservator at the National Archives premises in Bishop Street, Dublin, over a 37-hour week from October.

Deadline for applications is 4 September.

Download full details (pdf)

New look and new address for Irish Genealogy News

Regular readers of Irish Genealogy News will have done a double-take this morning when they arrived at the site. Yep, after four years I decided a bit of a freshen up was needed. I hope you like the new look and the new logo.

This seems a suitable occasion to draw attention to the fact the blog now has a custom url: www.IrishGenealogyNews.com. Nice and simple, I think you'll agree.

If you've been using the old 'blogspot' address over the last six weeks, you may not have noticed that you've been seamlessly redirected to the new address. This redirection arrangement won't continue indefinitely, however, so, if you want to be sure of keeping up to date with all the latest developments and news in Irish genealogy, please change your bookmarks, favourites, links and the like as soon as possible.

Thanks!



Maynooth Studies in Local History series: 5 new titles

Five new titles in the excellent Maynooth Studies in Local History series have been published by Four Courts Press.

These small volumes demonstrate the vitality of research into local history in Ireland and reveal the range of possibilities open to anyone interested in studying local history. They also contain a level of detail that many family historians seek in their quest to understand the live and times of their ancestors.

Struggle and strife on a Mayo estate, 1833-1903: The Nolans of Logboy and their tenants, by Michael Kelly. 64 pages. ISBN 978-1-84682-518-7. RRP: €9.95 Details:

The medical profession and the exercise of power in early nineteenth-century Cork
, by Neil Cronin. 74 pages. 978-1-84682-517-0 RRP: €9.95. Details.

Charles Tisdall of County Meath, 1740–51, by Marion Rogan. 68 pages. 978-1-84682-515-6. RRP: €9.95. Details.

Derry Labour in the age of agitation, 1889–1923: 1 – New unionism and old, 1889–1906, by Emmet O'Connor. 64 pages, with illustrations. 978-1-84682-514-9. RRP: €9.95. Details.

Medieval Fore, County Westmeath, by Rory Masterson. 74 pages, with illustrations. 978-1-84682-513-2. RRP: €9.95. Details.

A discount is available for those buying online via the Four Courts Press website.

Take a look also at some of the earlier titles in this series.

(Very) early warning of National Archives closures

The National Archives of Ireland has announced that its Reading Room at Bishop Street will be closed to the public on Wednesday 3, Thursday 4 and Friday 5 December.

This is to allow the annual 'media preview' of Government's departmental records for (mostly) 1984.

Only representatives of newspapers and broadcasting companies will be admitted and invitations have already been issued.

You can't say you weren't given sufficient warning, now!

Thursday 14 August 2014

Heritage Week genealogy events in Ireland

http://www.heritageweek.ie/
Click logo to visit official website
Heritage Week will be getting underway in just over a week so it's definitely time to start booking your events. I've gone through the listings on the organiser's website to find all the genealogy events (there seem to be fewer than in previous years) and I'm presenting them below in a different format.

This may not be a definitive list as events can continue to be added to the official website up to this Saturday.

Saturday 23 August

Beginner's Guide To Family History – Open Day Forum
At this open day, WFHA personnel will be available to help and advise members of the public on how to make a start for tracing family ancestry using land, civil and parish registers. Host: Western Family History Association. Venue : Lackagh Parish Centre, Lackagh, Co Galway. 2–5:30pm. Free. No booking required. Details: opflanagan@eircom.net. Telephone: 091 799258

Family Tree Workshop for Kids
A fun-filled introduction to Family History for the kids of the Glenamaddy Parish. Learn the basics, starting with your own family and learning about your ancestors. 10am–12pm. Free. Host: Glenamaddy Boyounagh Heritage Project. Venue: Town Hall, Glenamaddy, Co. Galway. Booking required. Email.  Tel: 094 9659029.

Discover Your Ancestors
Advice on how to start your family history research. Host: Genealogical Society of Ireland. Venue: An Daonchartlann, Carlisle Pier, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.  10:30am-6pm. Free. For more details, email.

The Genealogy Event
Second day offers general and advanced level sessions on how to trace ancestors in Ireland or to America. One on one consultations with experts in genealogy and exhibitor tables. 9:15am-2pm. and 2:30-5:30pm. Venue: The Strand Hotel,  Ennis Rd, Limerick, Co. Limerick. Ticket prices vary. Details on website or tel:  061 20711.

Open day and Geneology Conference
The Cord Cemetery was the main burial ground for then town of Drogheda for nearly six centuries. It contains in excess of 1,000 headstones, the earliest dated to the 1600's. Host: Drogheda Civic Trust. Venue: Cord Cemetery,  Cord Rd, Drogheda, Co.Louth. 11am-5pm. Free. Booking required by email or tel: 089 4214394.

Genealogy Centre
Come and see old pictures of times gone by in the heritage village of Slane and trace your family roots in our Genealogy Centre. Venue: Slane Ancestry, Slane Village, Co Meath. Free. No booking required. 12pm-4pm. For more details, tel: 087 3425339.

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Sunday 24 August

Discover Your Ancestors
Advice on how to start your family history research. Host: Genealogical Society of Ireland. Venue: An Daonchartlann, Carlisle Pier, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.  10:30am-6pm. Free. For more details, email.

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Monday 25 August

Tracing Your Family Tree - For Beginners
Free genealogy workshop. Tracing your family tree. Best suited for absolute beginners.Venue: Carlow Central Library, Tullow Street, Carlow, Co. Carlow. 11am-12pm. Free. Booking required. Email or tel: 059 9129705.

Tracing Your Family Tree - For Beginners
Free genealogy workshop. Tracing your family tree. Best suited for absolute beginners.Venue: Bagenalstown Library, Main Street, Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow. 11am-12pm. Free. Booking required. Email or tel: 059 9129705.

Introduction to Irish Genealogy
Free genealogy information session discussing the nature and scope of the records available for family history research in west Galway. Host: Galway Family History Society West. Venue: St Joseph's Community Centre, Ashe Road, Galway.  2-3pm. No booking required. For details, tel: 091 860464.

Discover Your Ancestors
Advice on how to start your family history research. Host: Genealogical Society of Ireland. Venue: An Daonchartlann, Carlisle Pier, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.  10:30am-8pm. Free. For more details, email.

Tracing your Ancestors
Introduction to methodologies and sources for tracing your ancestors with emphasis on sources available in the Genealogy Centre. Staff will be available to offer advice and answer queries from 9am to 5pm. Venue: Leitrim Genealogy Centre, Main Street, Ballinamore, Co Leitrim. Free. Booking required by email or tel:  071 9644012.

Genealogy Centre
Come and see old pictures of times gone by in the heritage village of Slane and trace your family roots in our Genealogy Centre. Venue: Slane Ancestry, Slane Village, Co Meath. Free. No booking required. 12pm-4pm. For more details, tel: 087 3425339.

Genealogy Service
The St Mullins Heritage Centre is housed in the former Church of Ireland Church beside the famous monastic ruins and cemetery. Its revamped displays reveal aspects of local history. Guided tours and a genealogy service are available, free, 9am to 5pm, but need to be booked. Email or tel: 087 9977090.

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Tuesday 26 August

Start Your Family History
Free family history beginner's day, with demonstrations, help and advice and hourly lectures. Hosts: FindMyPast and Eneclann. Venue: Dublin City Library and Archive, 144 Pearse Street, Dublin. 11am-4pm. No booking required.  More details FindMyPast

Discover Your Ancestors
Advice on how to start your family history research. Host: Genealogical Society of Ireland. Venue: An Daonchartlann, Carlisle Pier, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.  10:30am-6pm. Free. For more details, email.

Introduction to Genealogy Online
Explore your family tree using free online resources. Venue: Portlaoise Library, Lyster Square, Portlaoise, Co Laois. 2-3pm.  Admission is free but booking is essential by email or tel: 057 8622333.

Research Your Family Tree
Research your family tree using RootsIreland website.This extensive database holds church records, census, land and ship passenger lists. Venue: City Library, John's Quay, Kilkenny, Co Kilkenny. 10am-12:40pm. 20minute one-to-one sessions available but must be booked by email or tel: 056 779 417.

Genealogy Talk 
Gerry Kennedy of the Clare Roots Society will present a general talk on genealogy followed by a questions and answers session. Host: Clare County Library. Venue: De Valera Public Library, Harmony Row, Ennis, Co Clare. 7pm-8pm. Free. No need to book. For details, tel: 065 6846353.

Genealogy Centre
Come and see old pictures of times gone by in the heritage village of Slane and trace your family roots in our Genealogy Centre. Venue: Slane Ancestry, Slane Village, Co Meath. Free. No booking required. 12pm-4pm. For more details, tel: 087 3425339.

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Wednesday 27 August

Discover Your Ancestors
Advice on how to start your family history research. Host: Genealogical Society of Ireland. Venue: An Daonchartlann, Carlisle Pier, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.  10:30am-8pm. Free. For more details, email.

How to Research Your Family History
This talk about online family history research will focus on Midleton/ east Cork. With Tony Harpur. Venue: Midleton Public Library, Main Street, Midleton, Co. Cork. 1-2pm. Free. Booking required. Email or tel: 021 4613929.

Genealogy Talk 
Gerry Kennedy of the Clare Roots Society will present a general talk on genealogy followed by a questions and answers session. Host: Clare County Library. Venue: Sean Lemass Public Library, Shannon Town Centre, Shannon, Co Clare. 1pm-2pm. Free. No need to book. For details, tel: 061 364266.

Memorials of the Dead in County Waterford
A talk by Julian Walton. Monuments in our churches and graveyards are an invaluable source of genealogical information; before civil registration they may provide the only evidence that the people commemorated ever existed. Host: Waterford City and County Library Service. Venue: Central Library, Lady Lane, Waterford City. Free. 6pm-7:30pm. Booking required. Email or tel: 051 849975.

Genealogy Centre
Come and see old pictures of times gone by in the heritage village of Slane and trace your family roots in our Genealogy Centre. Venue: Slane Ancestry, Slane Village, Co Meath. Free. No booking required. 12pm-4pm. For more details, tel: 087 3425339.

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Thursday 28 August

Tracing Your East Galway Ancestors
Monica Hynes of the East Galway Family History Society will give an overview of the research sources and services available at the Woodford Heritage Centre for tracing your east Galway ancestors. Venue: Woodford Heritage Centre, Woodford, Co. Galway 2–4pm. Booking required by email or tel:  090 9749309

Discover Your Ancestors
Advice on how to start your family history research. Host: Genealogical Society of Ireland. Venue: An Daonchartlann, Carlisle Pier, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.  10:30am-6pm. Free. For more details, email.

Family History - Getting Started
With Mary Jackson, local genealogist. Learn how to begin your genealogical research. Lucan Library, SuperValu Shopping Centre, Adamstown Road, Lucan, Co. Dublin. 10:30-11:30am. Booking required, by email or tel: 01 6216422.

Irish Genealogy talk
Sinead Holland, archivist and member of Laois Library staff, will talk about genealogy at Abbeyleix Library, Main Square, Abbeyleix, Co. Laois. Free. 5:30-7:15pm.  Booking required. Email or tel: 057 8730020.

Genealogy at the Guinness Archive
Guinness archivist Deirdre McParland explains the resources available for exploring your family tree at the Guinness Archive. Venue: Guinness Storehouse, Saint James's Gate, Dublin 8. 11am-12pm. Free. Booking is required as places are limited to 30. Over 18s only. Confirmations will be sent to attendees, and should be brought on the day. Email or tel: 01 4084800.

Genealogy Centre
Come and see old pictures of times gone by in the heritage village of Slane and trace your family roots in our Genealogy Centre. Venue: Slane Ancestry, Slane Village, Co Meath. Free. No booking required. 12pm-4pm. For more details, tel: 087 3425339.

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Friday 29 August

Researching your Family Tree Online
Useful information and tips on using online resources to research your Family Tree. Workshop with  Niall Harpur. Venue: Ferrybank Library, Belmont Road, Waterford.  Free. 2:30–4pm. Booking required via email or tel: 051 897200

Discover Your Ancestors
Advice on how to start your family history research. Host: Genealogical Society of Ireland. Venue: An Daonchartlann, Carlisle Pier, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.  10:30am-8pm. Free. For more details, email.

Introduction to Genealogy
Discover the range of resources available to help you explore your family tree. Venue: Mountmellick Library, Mountmellick, Co. Laois. Free. 11am-12pm. Booking essential. Email or tel: 057 864457.

Turning The Pages
Join staff of the Civil Registration Service to turn the pages of the Births, Deaths & Marriages Registers and they will advise you through the creation of modern day records and the researching of their archives from mid-19th century onwards. Venue: Donegal County Museum, High Road, Letterkenny, Co Donegal. Free. 1pm-2pm. No booking required. For details, tel: 074 9124613.

Genealogy Centre
Come and see old pictures of times gone by in the heritage village of Slane and trace your family roots in our Genealogy Centre. Venue: Slane Ancestry, Slane Village, Co Meath. Free. No booking required. 12pm-4pm. For more details, tel: 087 3425339.

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Saturday 30 August

Family History Day

Local experts in genealogy will be present throughout the day to advise you on tracking down those elusive ancestors. All ages welcome. Taking part in the day are Cork Genealogical Society, UCC Ancestral Connections Summer School, Irish Ancestry Research Centre and Cork Branch Western Front Association. Venue: Triskel (Arts Centre) Christchurch, Tobin Street, Cork City. 10am-6pm. Email for more details,  tel: 021 4272022 or see facebook.

Researching Your Family History
Trace the mark left by your family in the history of Waterford by discovering more about how to research your family history. 2:30-3:30pm. Host: Waterford City & County Council. Venue: Ballymacarbry Community Centre, Ballymacarbry, Co Waterford. Free. No need to book. For more details, tel:  052 6185483.

Discover Your Ancestors
Advice on how to start your family history research. Host: Genealogical Society of Ireland. Venue: An Daonchartlann, Carlisle Pier, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.  10:30am-6pm. Free. For more details, email.

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Sunday 31 August

Discover Your Ancestors
Advice on how to start your family history research. Host: Genealogical Society of Ireland. Venue: An Daonchartlann, Carlisle Pier, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.  10:30am-6pm. Free. For more details, email.

Wednesday 13 August 2014

WDYTYA?Live in Glasgow: Revised dates

WDYTYA?Live on Twitter. What a difference four days makes.
Less than three weeks from the doors opening on Scotland's very own three-day Who Do You Think You Are? Live show, the organisers have decided to restrict the event to just two days – Friday 29 and Saturday 30 August.

First word of this came yesterday when the website, carrying no explanation, dropped its Sunday timetable page and amended its Buy Tickets page, and the show's logo took on a new look with the revised dates.

Even by mid-afternoon today, there were several pages on the site still sporting the original dates and information. No one was available to talk when I phoned the organiser's office*.

Late this afternoon/early evening, the website appears to have caught up with events and the organisers have issued this statement:

Dates for Who Do You Think You Are? Live Scotland at Glasgow's SECC have been amended to Friday 29th & Saturday 30th August.

If you have a ticket for Sunday, you would have received an email informing you that you could exchange your ticket for another day or apply for a refund. Please contact us here if you have any further enquiries.

This was an extremely difficult decision for the team behind Who Do You Think You Are? Live to make and we apologise for the inconvenience and disappointment caused for our visitors and exhibitors. Our team are doing all that they can to contact and assist those affected by this closure.


Let's hope the accountants (for it will be they who made the 'difficult' decision) have factored in the knock-on ill-feeling from exhibitors and visitors whose hotel, ferry, train and plane bookings can't be changed so close to the event. I feel especially sorry for the small vendors and especially the family history societies who struggle with the costs of these events in the first place.

WDYTYA?Live's re-location from London to the NEC in 2015 was already a bit of gamble. Might be more of one, now.

UPDATE, 14 Aug: The organisers got back to me this afternoon. They had nothing to add to the above, except a snotty attitude.



Conference: Presbyterians in the trans-Atlantic world

A conference will be held at Queen's University Belfast (QUB) next month to explore the theme Presbyterians in the trans-Atlantic world, 1550-1700. Free and open to all, the conference will be held in the Senate Room, Lanyon Building, QUB. Here's the provisional programme:

Friday 12 September

2:00pm ‘Congregational principles are lost in New England': The drift towards Presbyterian
policy in colonial New England, with Francis J. Bremer (Millersville University, PA)
 3:00–4:30pm   Session 1: English Presbyterians in the Atlantic world
Presbyterians and the Prayer Book in the British Atlantic, with Polly Ha
English Presbyterians and the Covenant, with Elliot Vernon
4:45–6:15pm   Session 2: Scottish Presbyterians in the Atlantic world
‘They hope to find an America in Scotland': An Ulster view of religious freedom on the eve of the Stuart Civil Wars, with Andrew Robinson
Transatlantic sufferings: The American colonies in post-Revolution Scottish martyrology, with Kathleen Middleton
6:30pm   Ascendency and exile: accounting for ecclesiological shifts in ‘Scottish’
Presbyterianism, with R Scott Spurlock (University of Glasgow)
7:45pm   Conference dinner. Molly’s Yard, Botanic Avenue

Saturday 13 September

9:00–10:30pm Session 3: Irish Presbyterians in the Atlantic world
The Irish Mayfair: People, places and problems, with Laurence Kirkpatrick
Thinking like a Presbyterian: Irish Presbyterians in the British Atlantic world, 1689-1707 with Robert Armstrong
11–12:30pm Session 4: Commerce and covenants in the Atlantic world
Covenants and Commerce: Presbyterian Networks in the Atlantic world, with Craig Gallagher
The ‘Radical’ become Revolutionary: Violence as a Means of ‘Salvation’ within Covenanting Political Thought in a British Atlantic World, 1630-1750, with Michael S Griggs
12:30pm Lunch [available locally]
1:30–3:00pm Session 5
David Houston (1633-96) – Disquieter of the Peace, with Thomas Donachie
Covenanter factions in colonial Presbyterianism, with Joseph S. Moore
3:00pm Hunting for ‘presbyterianism’ in puritan New England, then and now, with Michael
Winship (University of Georgia)
4:00pm Conference ends

The conference has been organised by Crawford Gribben of QUB as part of the Radical religion in the trans-Atlantic world: Ulster Scots perspectives project, and is funded by the Northern Ireland DCAL Ministerial Advisory Group on Ulster Scots (2014-15). All enquiries should be emailed to Crawford Gribben at c.gribben@qub.ac.uk.

(Thanks to the Presbyterian Historical Society of Ireland)