Tuesday 31 May 2016

Dúchas adds Cavan & Longford material to Schools' Collection

The National Folklore Collection's free website, Dúchas, has added material from County Cavan and County Longford to its online Schools' Collection. The latter comprises material collected and written by schoolchildren across the Republic of Ireland in 1937 to 1939.

More than 200 schools in County Cavan and over 70 schools in County Longford took part, resulting in a combined total of 85 manuscript books full of folk legends, weather lore, local history, proverbs, pastimes, trades and crafts... all collected from the children's local communities. Each entry records the name of the student's informant – typically grandparents or older members of their family or neighbours.

The Cavan and Longford stories join folklore material already online from counties Dublin, Mayo, Donegal, Waterford, Galway, Leitrim, Kildare, Kerry, Sligo, Limerick, Monaghan, Laois, Kilkenny, Louth, Tipperary and Clare. Material from the remaining eight counties is scheduled to be online by the end of this year.

When the three-year digitisation project ends, the online Schools' Collection will consists of over half a million pages recorded by around 50,000 primary school pupils in the 26 counties.

Public holiday, 6 June: opening/closing arrangements

Monday 6 June is a public holiday
in the Republic of Ireland
There's a long weekend coming up in the Republic of Ireland. If you were planning on using the time to carry out some research, be aware that most relevant institutions will be operating on public holiday schedules, as below.

The National Archives of Ireland (and its free Genealogy Service) will be closed on Monday 6 June, reopening at 9:15am on Tuesday 6 June.

The National Library of Ireland's Reading Room will operate to normal weekend hours (Saturday 9:30am to 12:45pm; Sunday closed). Neither the Reading Room nor the free Genealogy Service will be available on Monday 6 June.

Exhibitions at the National Library of Ireland will be open on Saturday and Sunday as usual (Kildare Street: Saturday 9.30am–4.30pm; Sunday: 1:00pm–5:00pm. National Photographic Archive in Temple Bar: Saturday 10am–4.45pm; Sunday: 12pm–4.45pm). Bank holiday Monday opening will be from 12pm to 5pm only at both locations.

Dublin City Library & Archive will be closed on Saturday 4 June and Monday 6 June, as will all branch libraries in the Republic.

The General Register Office Research Room at Werburgh Street, Dublin, will not open on Monday 6 June. It will reopen at 9:30am on Tuesday 7 June.

The Research Room of the Representative Church Body Library will be closed on Monday 6 June, reopening at 9:30am on Tuesday 7 June.

NOTE: This bank holiday applies only in the Republic; Northern Ireland institutions (as all in the UK) will be working to normal hours, having had their early summer holiday the previous week.

Monday 30 May 2016

FamilySearch restricts access to image-only collections

Some bad news this morning. You'll remember that I highlighted a few weeks ago (see blogpost) that Griffith's Valuation Surveyors' Books – the same House, Tenure, Field and Quarto Books we've been waiting to appear on the National Archives of Ireland's Genealogy website – were available as a free image-only collection on FamilySearch.

Fellow blogger and ProGenealogist Joe Buggy followed up on his Townland of Origin blog about other Irish collections held in a similar format by FamilySearch, notably Tuam Will Books (1858–1901) and the Irish Reproductive Loan Records (1804–1886).

I attempted to get some response from FamilySearch about these image-only records, hoping to receive a list of collections now online in this format. I heard nothing and was about to follow up when I received notification from two separate sources over the weekend that the Valuation Books are no longer accessible online and can be viewed only at LDS Family History Centers. The same is true of the Irish Reproductive Loan Funds collection.

As of this morning, the Tuam Will Books are still available for browsing, but I'd expect that access to be 'switched off' fairly soon, too, so get in there quickly if these records hold potential for your ancestral research.

This is a very disappointing step by FamilySearch.

UPDATE 31 May 2016: These Valuation Books are destined not only for the National Archives of Ireland's Genealogy website but also for FindMyPast's database. On both websites they will be free to access. The National Archives of Ireland has confirmed to me this afternoon that it did not request FamilySearch to remove public access to these records.

UPDATE 6 June 2016: See statement from FamilySearch explaining its reason for withdrawing (temporarily) access to these images.




Irish genealogy and history events, 30 May – 12 June

Monday 30 May: Public holiday in Northern Ireland. PRONI and all libraries closed. Reopening Tuesday.

Tuesday 31 May: The class, background and role of women in the 1916 Rebellion, with Dr Ann Matthews. Host and venue: Castletown House, Celbridge, Co Kildare. €5, includes refreshments. 7:15pm. Booking required: T (0)1 628 8252 or E castletwon@opw.ie. 8pm. Lecture held in the Hunting Room.

Tuesday 31 May: Launch of 100 Islandmagee seamen, an exhibition. Host and venue: Gobbins Visitors Centre, Middle Road, Islandmagee, Co Antrim. Runs until 28 June.

Wednesday 1 June: 1916: Revolution & Recollection, an exhibition presenting items from Galway County Council Archives. Venue: Clifden Library, Market Street, Clifden, Co Galway. Throughout June during library opening hours. Free.

Wednesday 1 June: Shock, Shell Shock and the 1916 Rising, with Professor Brendan Kelly. Part of the Remembering 1916 lunchtime lecture series at the Ulster Museum. Venue: Lecture Theatre, Ulster Museum, Botanic Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5AB. 1–2pm. Free. All welcome. Booking.

Friday 3 June: Irish women and the fight for Irish independence, an evening of history, poetry, music. Hosted by St Patrick's Birmingham. Venue: The Spotted Dog, 104 Warwick Street, Birmingham, UK. Free. All welcome. Details.

Friday 3 June to Sunday 5 June: Genealogy on the Cutting Edge conference. Host: Ontario Genealogical Society. Venue: Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Excellent programme includes what's new in Irish research, dna, technology and the world of genealogy Details.

Monday 6 June: Public holiday in Republic of Ireland. Most libraries and archives closed. Reopening Tuesday.

Monday 6 June: The merchant seamen of Sailortown, Belfast, 1918, exhibition launch and talk with David Snook (irishmariners.ie). Host and venue: Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, Titanic Boulevard, Belfast. Free. 1pm. Details.

Wednesday 8 June:  Mapping the Rising, with Dr John Borgonovo and Mr Charlie Roche using new maps to explore various aspects of the 1916 Easter Rising. Part of the ‘Atlas of the Irish Revolution’ lecture series. Hosts: University College Cork and National Library of Ireland. Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Free. All welcome. Starts 7pm. No booking required. Details.

Friday 10 June: Researching the Rising Workshop, with Dr Emma Edwards. Advice on researching the collections of theh NLI. Host and venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Suitable for anyone looking to embark on a research project or to enhance research skills in navigating the catalogue, accessing the various collections and interpreting the sources. 11am. Free. Need to book. Details.

Saturday 11 June: FindMyPast's Irish family history records, with Brian Donovan. Host: Manchester Histories Festival's Celebration Day. Venue: Manchester Central Library, St Peter's Square, Manchester UK. Free, but need to book tickets. 12pm to 12:45pm.

Saturday 11 June: Genealogy for advanced researchers, with Audrey Leonard, John Schade and Lois Mackin. Host: Irish Genealogical Society International. Venue: Minnesota Genealogical Society (MGS) Library, 1185 Concord St N, South St Paul, MN, USA. 10:30am. $15 IGSI members/$20 non-members. Details.

Friday 27 May 2016

FindMyPast releases Jutland and Loan Fund records

This week's FindMyPast Friday sees the database enhanced with the following records of interest to Irish family historians.

Ireland, Poverty Relief Loans 1821-1874: This important collection was launched early last year (see blogpost for more detail) with nearly 700,000 records, mostly originating along the western seaboard of Ireland. It's now been updated with an additional 5,000 records, apparently, but no information has been provided about where or what the additions relate to.

British Royal Navy & Royal Marines, Battle Of Jutland 1916 Servicemen: This collection totals more than 38,000 records of Royal Navy/Marine servicemen who took part in the Battle of Jutland (31 May to 1 June 1916), the largest naval battle of WW1. Some 1600 men born in Ireland are included in the collection, nearly a third of them recorded with a birthplace in County Cork.

The collection – created from various records held by the National Archives in Kew, London, and Naval and Military Press, and held in FindMyPast's Britain and World packages – typically hold name, birthplace, date of birth, physical description, original occupation, details of the ships on which they served (and dates), and conduct reports. Some also have photographs; I don't know if it's just the Irish records, but in a random search of around 25 records, I haven't found any with photos.

Thursday 26 May 2016

Quickie 20% discount offer on FindMyPast World subs

FindMyPast is offering another of its FLASH discounts. As always, grab the discount and sign up to a subscription without delay – the reduced price will expire on Saturday 28 May at midnight.

This 20% discount is for all new 12-month subscriptions, whether you choose the World option or the 'local' collection option ie Ireland, Britain, USA, and Australia. Only the World option (purchased through any of the FindMyPast territories) and Britain option include the 1939 National Register of England and Wales.

To claim your discount, click one of the flags or currencies below and enter the discount code 12FLASH20. OFFER HAS EXPIRED.


FindMyPast Ireland
Subscription price after discount:
World €143.60 / Ireland €91.60

FindMyPast USA
Subscription price after discount:
World US$191.60 / USA&Canada US$91.60
FindMyPast UK
Subscription price after discount:
World £124.76 / Britain £95.96

FindMyPast Australia/NZ
Subscription price after discount:
World AUS$191.60 / Australia AUS$91.60

New website launches for digitised Tipperary material

The first fruits of a digitisation project that's been supported by public donations has gone online at a new dedicated website: TipperaryStudies.ie.

Primary source material - most of it consisting of C19th Rate Books for the Poor Law Unions of Cashel, Nenagh and Thurles - is now available, free of charge, in a series of downloadable pdfs.  So, too, are Irish Tourist Association Reports on the county's parishes dating from the first half of the 1940s, and a number of miscellaneous items.

The Rate Books cover various dates from the 1840s to the late 1870s. Librarian Mary Guinan Darmody told Irish Genealogy News that the Rate Books now available from the website cover only a small portion of what is held by the Archive. "At this stage, we've chosen to digitise a selection of volumes to give a good spread of material produced between Griffiths Valuation and the 1901 Census. There's a lot more to follow and my colleagues John O'Gorman and Dr Pat Bracken will be continuing to digitise material and uploading it to the new website at regular intervals."

Among the selection now available for download is a number of Burial Rate Books from the Poor Law Union of Nenagh. As far as I'm aware, Burial Rate Books related to obligations on local ratepayers for an additional charge to fund the interment of those who died in the workhouse.

You can read the library's report of the new website's launch here.

Genealogy on the Cutting Edge: Toronto, 3-5 June

http://www.ogs.on.ca/conference/
The biggest genealogical event in Canada will be taking place next month when members of all 34 branches and special interest groups of the Ontario Genealogical Society and other family historians from across North America get together in Toronto.

The Genealogy on the Cutting Edge conference will present three days of inspiring lectures, workshops, displays, and other learning opportunities on a wide range of topics from Friday 3 June to Sunday 5 June.

There are also hands-on research excursions arranged for the day prior to the start of the conference.

The detailed programme can be viewed here, but I'd just like to call out a lecture that will be of particular interest to Irish family historians. It's 'What's New in Irish Records' and will be presented on the Sunday morning by Dr Maurice Gleeson.

Maurice organises the Genetic Genealogy Ireland conference, which is held as a distinct feature of Back To Our Past each year in his childhood hometown of Dublin, so it's no surprise to find he's also presenting three lectures on DNA and taking part in a dna-themed panel. Busy man is Maurice, and an excellent speaker!

Early release of 1926 Irish census gets another hearing

It's been more than three years since the early release of the 1926 Census of Ireland has been a serious topic of conversation among Irish genealogists. After a couple of years of high hopes that the necessary digitisation could be undertaken and the records released as part of Ireland's 1916 centenary celebrations, most family historians had accepted by mid-2013 that, despite good intentions, the (then) Government could not force through the facilitating legislation.

The dust settled.

Some have decided to not let it lie there. A Private Members Bill (PMB) was introduced to the Dáil on Monday by Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh.

Despite a change of name (to the Statistics (1916 Rising Centenary) Bill 2016), the proposed PMB doesn't seem to offer any new ideas for challenging the seemingly non-negotiable stance of the Central Statistical Office concerning confidentiality. The PMB also repeats a notion that the records should be afforded Special Heritage Status – a suggestion that didn't work any lubricating magic on the CSO's position on a previous outing.

If this PMB succeeds, I'll be delighted, but I won't be getting my hopes up. I suggest others don't either.

You can find out more about the background to the campaign for the early release of the 1926 census, and view a sample of the census return form filled in by householders 91 years ago, on my website, Irish Genealogy Toolkit.


Wednesday 25 May 2016

Kerry 1916: new book explores the county's role

https://kerry1916book.com/A new book – Kerry 1916: Histories and Legacies of the Easter Rising – A Centenary Record – comprehensively details the impact of key 1916 events in Co. Kerry and features biographical details of almost 150 Kerry men and women – most of whom were arrested for their involvement in the rebellion – drawn from first-hand archival accounts, the Bureau of Military History and the Military Service Pensions Collection, among other sources.

Featuring extensive newspaper reports, photographs from the period, first-hand testimonies, and with a foreword by Kerry native and eminent historian Professor JJ Lee, the book sets the pivotal role of Kerry and its people in its rightful context of the wider revolutionary period in Ireland and is a book for everyone with an interest in national and local history.

Compiled and edited by Bridget McAuliffe, Owen O’Shea and Dr Mary McAuliffe, the 320-page book is available in bookstores and online via a dedicated website – kerry1916book.com (Ireland-only). The paperback version costs €25.

The Dublin book launch, a presentation and a panel discussion about Kerry's pivotal role in the Easter Rising will take place this Friday, 27 May, at Boston College, 43 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2 at 7pm. All welcome.

Summer issue of Irish Roots magazine published

http://www.irishrootsmedia.com/shop-product//Issue-98---Summer-2016/167
Click image to visit the Irish Roots online shop.
The Summer edition of Irish Roots magazine has been published.

Once again, it has a good spread of features designed to help readers make progress with their family history research and to learn about their Irish heritage. Continuing the sacred sites series is an article focussing on the Hill of Tara, once home to the High Kings of Ireland and a site connected to many early myths and legends, while the series looking at the family histories of the leaders of the 1916 Rising concentrates on the backgrounds of Cornelius Colbert, Edward Daly, Seán Heuston and Thomas Kent.

A third series covering C19th Care of the Poor records in the United States turns its attention to the care of military veterans and orphanages, while the Australian records series casts its detailed eye over records of Irish-Australian sportsmen and women.

This issue's county of focus for genealogists is the beautiful Garden of Ireland, County Wicklow, with a round up of the best collections of local record sources, while an in-depth record collection feature makes sense of the many sources of church records now available online.

There is also an article exploring the value of the 1939 National Register of England and Wales.

This issue carried a lot of news, too, with reports of happenings among the major genealogical societies; my own What's New? Review of record releases and other developments over the last three months; information about researcher-led projects, this year's anniversaries and recent book launches; and details of up-coming heritage events, gatherings, courses, summer schools and conferences taking place this summer/autumn in Ireland.

Add in letters to the editor, suggestions of heritage and historical atrractions to visit, and the helpful Questions and Answers page, and you have plenty of interesting, unbiased and useful reading ahead of you!

Irish Roots magazine is available in print in shops or by post, or you can download a digital version for immediate download. Subscriptions are also available.



Tuesday 24 May 2016

Irish Newspaper Archive celebrates additional 68 years of Munster Express with free download & 15% discount

https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ina_wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Munster-Express-Saturday-July-07-1860-Full-Edition.pdf
It's a big pdf file: 26Mb
The Dublin-based Irish Newspaper Archives (INA) has completed a major update to its database with the addition of another 68 years of the Munster Express.

This publication is one of Ireland's leading regional newspapers, and the INA now holds editions spanning 1860 to 2016. Published (still) in Waterford City, it covers the county of Waterford, southern parts of counties Kilkenny and Tipperary, and into western Wexford.

If you have ancestors from these areas, this paper is an important source of information about the society in which they lived and even the parts they played in their local communities. The birth, marriage and death notices are also particularly useful.

To celebrate this extension of its archive, INA are providing the very first edition of the Munster Express – dated 7 July 1860 – as a free download (click image above).

In addition, INA has a special offer available: a 15% discount on monthly and annual subscriptions to the online archive. To take advantage of this discount, go to the subscription page and use the coupon code MEX15. The offer will expire on 3 June.

Update on plans for Genetic Genealogy Ireland 2016

Maurice Gleeson, organiser of the Genetic Genealogy Ireland (GGI) conference, tells me that this year's lecture programme is almost finalised and should be announced fairly soon. As previously, it will be sponsored by Family Tree DNA.

The conference forms a distinctive feature of the annual Back To Our Past (BTOP) show in Dublin but its plans are typically confirmed some months in advance of BTOP's because the high-calibre of its DNA experts attracts a large and enthusiastic international audience, many of whom need to organise travel and accommodation arrangements.

While the full line-up can't yet be revealed, Maurice  told Irish Genealogy News that Dennis O'Brien has confirmed his attendance as a speaker. Dennis is the Administrator of the O'Brien Surname Project, which has been running for many years and has 485 members.

"Dennis will summarise the results of the project so far and what they tell us about this ancient Irish dynasty," says Maurice. "There will be some surprises when we look at the correlation between the DNA results and the genealogies described in the Ancient Annals. Not to be missed...!"

GGI2016 will be held over the three days (21–23 October) of BTOP in the Serpentine Hall at the RDS in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. 

While we wait for the final GGI2016 programme, the last of the recorded DNA lectures from April's Who Do You Think You Are Live in Birmingham (also co-ordinated by Maurice) have now been uploaded to the dedicated YouTube channel, where they can be freely viewed. (I've also updated my blogpost from earllier this month so that it, too, lists all the individual talks.) 

Lord Mayor's Certificates: Oral History & Local Studies

The Lord Mayor’s Certificate in Oral History will once again be offered at Dublin City Library & Archive, 138-144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2. Classes will be held on Monday evenings from September 2016 until April 2017.

Course tutors are Dr Catherine O'Connor and Dr Mary McCarthy.

The course consists of 65 hours of class-based tuition and two visits to local archive services. It is designed to equip participants with the essential skills for the preparation and conduct of oral history projects, including best practice in the collection and archiving of oral history interviews.

Full details and the topics covered can be found in the programme (download – 662kb pdf).

The closing date for course applications is 5pm on Friday 16 September 2016. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Two bursaries are offered by Dublin City Council for candidates taking this course. See the full details here.

The Lord Mayor's Certificate in Local Studies will also be offered again at Dublin City Library & Archive. This course gives participants a formal and practical training in how to carry out research in local studies, with an emphasis on the history and heritage of local places, and how to write up their findings in the form of a dissertation.

The 85-hour course is taught by Dr Seamas O Maitiu and is held on Tuesday evenings. Three of these evening sessions will involve visits to archive services to explore source material first hand. Included in the 85-hours are also two full-day (Saturday) field trips will take place on dates to be arranged.

Full details and the topics covered can be found in the programme (download – 814kb pdf).

The closing date for receipt of course applications is 5pm on Friday 2 September 2016.

Two bursaries are offered by means of competition in respect of the course. Closing date for applications for a bursary is 5pm on Friday 26 August 2016. Details here (772kb).

Monday 23 May 2016

National Library of Ireland: closures 26 & 27 May

Early warning for those planning to visit any of the National Library of Ireland's venues this week...

On Thursday 26 May, all NLI sites will close at 3:45pm, and the following day, Friday 27 May, they won't open until 2pm. The closures are complete ie all Reading Rooms, exhibitions, Café Joly, Genealogy Room, all library areas.

The changes to normal timetables are to facilitate staff training and development.

Electoral registers 1885–1886: Browse feature added

FindMyPast has added a browse feature to its Irish Electoral Registers 1885–1886 collection.

These registers have been available on FindMyPast since last October (see blogpost) as a fully indexed record set covering about half the island.

The counties featured are Armagh, Fermanagh, Down, Limerick, Mayo, Meath, Tyrone, Roscommon, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow.

You'll find a list of the precise constituency/polling districts here.

Choose how you want to explore this collection:
Electoral Registers Indexed, or
Electoral Registers Browse.



Irish genealogy and history events, 23 May to 5 June

Monday 23 May: Kildare and the American Civil War, with Damian Sheils. Venue: Parish Meeting Room, Kill, Co Kildare. 8pm. Free. All welcome.

Tuesday 24 May: Trace your family history, with the Ulster Historical Foundation. Host: Ballyclare May Festival. Venue: Ballyclare Primary School Pitch and Marquee, Co Antrim. 12pm to 3pm. Free. No booking required. Details.

Wednesday 25 May: What were your family doing in 1916? An afternoon of genealogy with Eneclann/FindMyPast. Host and venue: Carrickmacross Library, Civic Office, Riverside Road, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan. Noon to 5pm. Free. Talks and one-to-one consultations. Booking may be required: T 042 966 1148

Wednesday 25 May: The Centenary of the Honan Chapel, with Virginia Teehan. Last of University College Cork's 'Reconsidering the Rising' Spring Public Lectures. Venue: Ground Floor Theatre, Geology & Geography Building, UCC (off Donovan Rd, near main gate on Western Rd), Cork City. 6pm. Free. All welcome. No booking required.

Thursday 26 May: Introduction to PRONI, a practical workshop covering online sources, use of microfilm, a guided tour and presentation of documents. Host and venue: PRONI, Titanic Boulevard, Belfast. 2–4pm. Spaces limited. Free. Need to book by email to proni@dcalni.gov.uk, or telephone: 02890 534800. Fully booked.

Thursday 26 May: Cumann na mBan in Donegal, with Helen Meeran. Host and Venue: Donegal County Museum, High Road, Letterkenny, Co Donegal. 1pm.

Thursday 26 May and Friday 27 May: National Library of Ireland – Change to standard hours. all venues to close at 3:45 on Thurday afternoon, remaining closed until 2pm on Friday.

Friday 27 May: Kerry's pivotal role in the Easter Rising, with Dr Mary McAuliffe. Presentation and book signing. Host and venue: Boston College, St Stephen's Green, Dublin. 7pm. Free. The event will feature special guests.

Monday 30 May: Public holiday in Northern Ireland. PRONI and all libraries closed. Reopening Tuesday.

Tuesday 31 May: The class background and role of women in the 1916 Rebellion, with Dr Ann Matthews. Host and venue: Castletown House, Celbridge, Co Kildare. €5, includes refreshments. 7:15pm. Booking required: T (0)1 628 8252 or E castletwon@opw.ie. 8pm. Lecture held in the Hunting Room.

Tuesday 31 May: Launch of 100 Islandmagee seamen, an exhibition. Host and venue: Gobbins Visitors Centre, Middle Road, Islandmagee, Co Antrim. Runs until 28 June.

Wednesday 1 June: Shock, Shell Shock and the 1916 Rising, with Professor Brendan Kelly. Part of the Remembering 1916 lunchtime lecture series at the Ulster Museum. Venue: Lecture Theatre, Ulster Museum, Botanic Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5AB. 1–2pm. Free. All welcome. Booking.

Friday 3 June to Sunday 5 June: Genealogy on the Cutting Edge conference. Host: Ontario Genealogical Society. Venue: Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Excellent programme includes what's new in Irish research, dna, technology and the world of genealogy Details.



Friday 20 May 2016

Flash 50% discount on FindMyPast World subs

FindMyPast has announced a 'Flash' 50% discount on new one-month World subscriptions. This reduces the cost of the sub to €7.48 / £6.48 / US$9.98 / AUS$9.98.

As its name implies, the World package includes not only the extensive Irish collection but also records from Britain, the United States and Australia/New Zealand. While the 1939 National Register is not included, the entire British Newspaper Archive database – all 119 Irish titles and 508 British titles – is part of the package.

To take advantage of this half price offer, click one of the flags below to pay in your preferred currency.

Your subscription will last for 30 days. If you do not wish to continue the subscription at the regular price at the end of that period, turn off the auto-renewal instruction in Your Account settings. (It's not complicated to do this, but you need to remember!)

The Flash offer will expire at midnight on Sunday 22 May, so be quick.


FindMyPast Ireland
FindMyPast USA
FindMyPast UK
FindMyPast Australia/NZ

Wednesday 18 May 2016

RootsIreland introduces a 24-hour access option

RootsIreland.ie has introduced a one-day/24-hour subscription offer for those anticipating an intensive genealogy workout.

If you're planning a short and heavy period of Irish family history research, this could be extremely useful, as RootsIreland is the only sizeable online database holding millions of records not only from the Roman Catholic parish registers but also from Church of Ireland, Presbyterian, Baptist and Methodist registers, and those of other smaller denominations, as well as transcriptions from civil registration birth, marriage and death certificates (ie not indexes) covering half the island.

Unlike other databases, most of RootsIreland's church and civil records run well into the 20th century.

It's true that RootsIreland's search facility used to drive researchers to distraction with its restrictive search fields. However, the site has seen many improvements over the last year or so, including a highly successful quality check; personally, I now find it easier to search church and civil records on RootsIreland than on any of the alternatives.

The new 24-hour sub costs €10 / £8 / US$11, and if you sign up for a 1-month, 6-month or 12-month sub within 30 days of your 'workout', the price paid for the 24-hour sub will be deducted from the cost of the new subscription.

Full details here.

IGRS Dublin Open Day: Saturday 21 May

The Irish Genealogical Research Society's Ireland Branch will be holding its Open Day on Saturday 21 May at Dublin City Library & Archive, 138-144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2.

This friendly and informative event will run from 10am to 4pm and will have a slightly different format this year with three full-length lectures followed by three 'lightning talks', as below:
  • Dr Paddy Fitzgerald will discuss the neglected area of Irish internal migration
  • Marita Conlon McKenna's topic will be the famous Gifford sisters, whose lives and loves were so intertwined with the Easter Rising of 1916
  • Mike Maguire will detail the immense online resources of Limerick City Local Studies
  • 'Lightning talks'
    1. Claire Bradley will set out her top tips for searching the census
    2. Aileen Wynne will discuss family tree software
    3. Joanna Fennell will deliver some hints about using immigration records
There will, as always, be plenty of time for Q&As.

The event is open to everyone, members and non-members alike, and there's no need to book.

3,300+ Irish in Ancestry's new US seamen's collection

Ancestry's new US Applications for Seamen's Protection Certificates, 1916-1940, contains more than 315,203 records of seamen issued with certificates at US ocean and Great Lakes ports by customs officials. Nearly 3,350 of the records relate to Irish-born men.

A typical application contains the seaman's name, age, birthdate and birthplace, a physical description and photo. Sometimes they also include the birthplaces and names of parents, and place of naturalisation, if applicable.

While this collection is of obvious interest to anyone with Irish ancestry and maritime connections, I have to have a moan. In the first three pages of search results (ie the first 150 records), I found the following placenames listed as the birthplace of Irish-born sailors: Rey Kjavik, Dullin, Wisklow, Benbridge, Newey, Clenmel, Neptune, Maye, County Loud and Omeath. I think Ancestry needs to find someone who knows Ireland to spend a bit of time going through the transcriptions for this collection!

Tuesday 17 May 2016

National Archives Reading Room closed 18 May

The Reading Room of the National Archives of Ireland in Bishop Street will be closed on Wednesday 18 May. This is a whole day closure.

As a result, the free Genealogy Service, which is provided year-round by Members of Accredited Genealogists Ireland (MAGIs) from Monday to Friday, 10am–1:30pm, will not operate on this day.

(Family historians in need of guidance will find the free Genealogy Service at the National Library of Ireland in Kildare Street open 9:30–5pm on Wednesday.)

British Newspaper Archive adds another Belfast title

http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5895&awinaffid=123532&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
The Belfast Weekly News has joined the online British Newspaper Archive (BNA).

So far, all 52 editions published in 1897 and a full line up from January 1906 to December 1913 have been uploaded to the database and are ready to search. The BNA plans to extend its holding for this title to cover 1855–1914.

The BNA database now holds 628 British and Irish titles (118 are Irish).

If you're quick, you could take advantage of two discount offers – one offering a 30% discount on an annual subscription; the other offering a 50% discount on a one-month subscription or pay-as-you-go credits (follow the links for details). Both offers expire this coming Friday.

UPDATE 19 May: I've amended the wording of the blogpost above where I originally referred to the paper as 'the publication of the Orange Institution'. I based this on an entry in the Longman Handbook of Modern Irish History Since 1800, which described the Belfast Weekly News as the 'organ of the Orange Institution'.

I've been contacted by Edward Connolly who publishes the excellent Eddie's Abstracts website (it's full of bmd notices transcribed from various newspapers plus many news stories, book extracts, church records, records of deceased seamen and more... all free... definitely worth visiting by any family historian with Northern Ireland connections). This is what he had to say:

'While it [the Belfast Weekly News (BWN)] certainly espoused an "Orange" perspective I wouldn't entirely agree with it being referred to as an "organ of the Orange Institution" but perhaps that's more about semantics of language as it carries the implication of being produced by the Orange Institution.

As you know many newspapers had a political or cultural inclination so would be associated with one grouping or another and the news they published would reflect their readership. Given its "conservative" leanings a large percentage of the BWNs readership would probably have had a connection with the Orange institution which is why [the newspaper] produced a round up of events and news aimed at those readers.

As a possible parallel... The Witness, from which I am transcribing various extracts each week currently, was a commercial paper. However it closely associated itself with the Presbyterian Church and would have been reflective of its views and devoted up to half its pages with news from the various congregations throughout Ireland. It would certainly have been regarded as the "Presbyterian" paper but it was still a commercial venture and independent of the Church.'

Thanks, Eddie!

Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives: mid-May update

http://www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/roscommon/photos/tombstones/aughrim/target18.html
Healy/Hennessey memorial in Aughrim Old Graveyard.
Photo courtesy of Dympna Beckett Joyce & IGP
The following transcriptions and photos were added by volunteers to Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives in the first two weeks of May:

IRELAND Genealogy Archives: Education
Pupils in National Institute for Education of Deaf & Dumb Children (1829-31)

MAYO Genealogy Archives: Headstones
Ballinahaglish Cemetery

MEATH Genealogy Archives: Obits/Funeral Entries
Funeral Entry - Newcomen, Katherin 1641

ROSCOMMON Genealogy Archives: Headstones
Aughrim Old Graveyard

SLIGO Genealogy Archives: Headstones
Lavagh Church (Interior & Exterior)
Sligo Cem - Middle Pt, Section B (A-Ki)

TYRONE Genealogy Archives
Vital Records – Death extracts 1869 (updated)
Headstones – Errigal, St. Mary's (CoI) by church

WESTMEATH Genealogy Archives: Headstones
Delvin; Cemetery, Part 2

Monday 16 May 2016

Full GRONI search to become available at PRONI

I am reliably informed of a significant development coming in the second half of the year for family historians using the General Register Office of Northern Ireland (GRONI) and the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI).

Two pieces of news that I reported on at the end of March (see blogpost) are relevant: the abolition of the old Search Fee for users of GRONI's Search Room, and GRONI's move from its city centre offices to Stranmillis, in Belfast's southern suburbs.

While inevitably happy about the cost-cutting new tariff, researchers are not so happy about the distance between the two repositories when they have to pack up their work at one location in order to travel to the other site to continue their research.

A solution has been found. Dedicated computer terminals are to be set up at PRONI to deliver the full GRONI Search Room database from Titanic Boulevard. When I say the full GRONI Search Room database I mean not only the historical bmds currently online (using the 100-75-50 year rule of access), but the same records currently available on screen at the GRONI Search Room's (see details at https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/introduction-groni-and-its-records).

Apparently, the abolition of the search fee was the strategic first step towards achieving this solution. PRONI is set up on a free-to-access basis, so could not charge researchers for access. The new arrangement allows researchers to access and search GRONI's online facility at PRONI without any upfront charge; if researchers then choose to buy credits for enhanced or full views of certificates, they will be able to do so online, direct to GRONI.

It may be a few months before the terminals are up and running, but they will certainly be operational before GRONI's late-2016 move to Stranmillis.

(Thanks to Massey & King Probate Genealogists for the initial tip-off.)

AGI marks its 30th anniversary at the Four Courts

AGI president Máire Mac Conghail announced
a new alliance with the Association of Scottish 
Genealogists & Researchers in Archives (ASGRA)
Accredited Genealogists Ireland (AGI) celebrated its 30th Anniversary on Friday with a reception held in the Reading Room of the former Public Record Office in Dublin. Part of the Four Courts building, the venue is now the Court of Appeal.

As well as marking this worthy milestone, the organisation formally announced a new alliance with the Association of Scottish Genealogists and Researchers in Archives (ASGRA). This new partnership will be further cemented when members of ASGRA join AGI in Belfast in September with two days of lectures and visits to some of the city's repositories and archives.

AGI (formerly the Association of Professional Genealogists in Ireland) was founded on 13 May 1986 in Belfast. It was formed to represent professional genealogists across the island of Ireland. It is the only accrediting body for genealogy in Ireland and works to maintain high standards in professional genealogy throughout the whole island.

Originally named the Association of Professional Genealogists in Ireland (APGI), the organisation changed its name last year to Accredited Genealogists Ireland to more accurately reflect its role and status in regulating professional genealogy in Ireland. There are over 30 accredited members as well as a number of affiliates, associate members, emeritus members and fellows.

Speaking at the reception in the Four Courts, AGI president Máire Mac Conghail said “AGI’s horizons continue to evolve in particular with regard to maintaining the professional standards and skills of its members, together with protecting the interests of their clients.”


Irish genealogy and history events, 16–29 May

Monday 16 May: Genealogy information sessions, with Margaret Bonar and Elizabeth Craven. Morning and afternoon sessions. Morning venue: Raheny Library, Howth Rd, Dublin 5 from 10:30am to 11:45am. Afternoon venue: Donaghmede library, Donaghmede Shopping Centre, Dublin 13 from 2:30pm to 4pm. Free. Bookings to 085 1444883 or impossibleancestors@gmail.com.

Monday 16 May: Battle of the Somme, with Billy Thompson. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Larne Branch. Venue: Larne Bowling & Lawn Tennis Club, 112-120 Glenarm Road, Larne, BT40 1DZ. 7:30pm. €3 for non-members. All welcome.

Tuesday 17 May: What were your family doing in 1916? An afternoon of genealogy with Eneclann/FindMyPast. Host and venue: Central Library, Oliver Plunkett Road, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. Noon to 5pm. Free. Talks and one-to-one consultations. Booking may be required: T 074 9124950.

Wednesday 18 May: 1916 in 2016: an unfinished revolution? with Professor Linda Connolly. Third of University College Cork's Reconsidering the Rising Spring Public Lectures. Venue: Ground Floor Theatre, Geology & Geography Building, UCC (off Donovan Road, near main gate on Western Road), Cork City. 6pm. Free. All welcome. No booking required.

Wednesday 18 May: Reading Room of the National Archives of Ireland will be closed all day. The Genealogy Service will not operate. All back to normal schedules on Thursday. Bishop Street, Dublin.

Thursday 19 May: Con and Eva – launch of exhibition exploring the lives of the sisters Constance (aka Countess Markievicz) and Eva Gore-Booth. Host and venue: PRONI, Titanic Boulevard, Belfast. Launch at 1pm. Free, but booking recommended. All welcome. Details.

Thursday 19 May: The women of 1916, with Liz Gillis. Host Leixlip Local History Club. Venue: Leixlip Library, Captain's Hill, Leixlip, Co. Kildare. 7:15pm. Free. All welcome.

Thursday 19 May: 1916: Memories, commemoration and absences, with Dr Mary E Daly. Part of the Road to the Rising lecture series hosted by Tyneside Irish Cultural Society. Venue: Curtis Auditorium, Herschel Building, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. (Opposite Haymarket Metro Station.) 7:30pm. All welcome. Details.

Saturday 21 May: IGRS Dublin Open Day, with three full-length lectures and three short talks. Host: Irish Genealogical Resarch Society. Venue: Dublin City Library & Archive, Pearse Street, Dublin 2. Registration at 10am. Finish 4pm. Free. All welcome. No booking required. Full details.

Saturday 21 May: A Girl’s Eye View of the Irish Revolution, with Dr Marnie Hay. Host and venue: Marsh’s Library, St Patrick's Close, Dublin 8. Free. 2pm – 3pm. Booking is required as there are limited seats: book your free ticket at https://agirlseyeview.eventbrite.ie.

Tuesday 24 May: Trace your family history, with the Ulster Historical Foundation. Host: Ballyclare May Festival. Venue: Ballyclare Primary School Pitch and Marquee, Co Antrim. 12pm to 3pm. Free. No booking required. Details.

Wednesday 25 May: What were your family doing in 1916? An afternoon of genealogy with Eneclann/FindMyPast. Host and venue: Carrickmacross Library, Civic Office, Riverside Road, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan. Noon to 5pm. Free. Talks and one-to-one consultations. Booking may be required: T 042 966 1148.

Wednesday 25 May: The Centenary of the Honan Chapel, with Virginia Teehan. Last of University College Cork's Reconsidering the Rising Spring Public Lectures. Venue: Ground Floor Theatre, Geology & Geography Building, UCC (off Donovan Rod, near main gate on Western Road), Cork City. 6pm. Free. All welcome. No booking required.

Thursday 26 May: Introduction to PRONI, a practical workshop covering online sources, use of microfilm, a guided tour and presentation of documents. Host and venue: PRONI, Titanic Boulevard, Belfast. 2–4pm. Spaces limited. Free. Need to book by email to proni@dcalni.gov.uk, or telephone: 02890 534800. Fully booked.

Thursday 26 May: Cumann na mBan in Donegal, with Helen Meeran. Host and Venue: Donegal County Museum, High Road, Letterkenny, Co Donegal. 1pm.



Friday 13 May 2016

30% off 12-month subs to British Newspaper Archive

Status report 13 May 2016
In addition to the recently announced half price offer on one-month subscriptions and Pay-As-You-Go credits (see blogpost), the British Newspaper Archive has decided to additionally offer a 30% discount on all 12-month subscriptions to the database.

The online archive now holds 626 newspapers, including 118 Irish titles. The latter span the period 1708 to 1917, with most dating from the C19th.

To take advantage of this offer, click the image below to reach the subscription page and type MAY3050L in the promotion code box.

You'll see the discount automatically applied to the prices shown. It reduces the annual subscription from £79.95 to £55.97.

The offer will end on Friday 20 May.

http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5895&awinaffid=123532&clickref=&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk%2Fpayments%2Fsubscribe

National Library Reading Room closed tomorrow

The National Library of Ireland has advised that its Main Reading Room in Kildare Street will be closed this Saturday while essential maintenance works are carried out.

Exhibitions and tours and Café Joly are unaffected and will operate as normal.

Thursday 12 May 2016

Dublin Metropolitan Police's Prisoners Books released

Another wonderful family history resource has become available thanks to UCD Digital Collections: the Dublin Metropolitan Police (DMP) Prisoner Books.

Schoolboys' caper: larceny of chocolates
Launched yesterday at Liberty Hall, these records date from Ireland's revolutionary era and include all manner of crimes listed in register pages headed 'Prisoners charged with offences involving dishonesty'. Many of the entries report soldiers who'd been picked up having gone AWOL from their regiment and were swiftly handed over to military escorts, but there is also a high proportion of entries for petty theft, such as the 'larceny of chocolates' (see image), for which 13-year old Christopher Boylan and 11-year-old Patrick Creed were arrested in July 1916.

Among the other charges I spotted in a quick review of Prisoner Book 5 were Bigamy (John Brown, soldier who received 8 months imprionment), Palmistry (Christina Brophy, who was handed over to her husband), Cruelty to children (Thomas Darcy, who received 6 months hard labour) and Defence of the Realm (Constance Markieviez and Maud Gonne MacBride, among others, handed over for internment).

Each of the entries in the books records date and place of arrest (DMP station), name, age, occupation, address, alleged offence, name of magistrate/judge and, in most cases, the sentence or outcome of their hearing.

The four books are estimated to hold details of around 30,000 people. There are indexes for each volume, arranged by surname. They're not fully alphabetical, but the surnames are grouped according to their first letter, ie all surnames starting with 'S' are together.

Each book can be downloaded in pdf format and are dated as follows:

Prisoners book 1 : 1905-07 (105 Mb)
Prisoners book 3 : 1911-13 (123 Mb)
Prisoners book 4 : 1913-15 (108 Mb)
Prisoners book 5 : 1916-18 (109 Mb)

See UCD Digital Collections dedicated page here.

Wednesday 11 May 2016

British Newspaper Archive – half price offer to 20 May

Status report on 11 May 2016
For a limited period, the British Newspaper Archive is offering 50% off 1-month subscriptions and Pay As You Go credits.

The online database now holds 626 newspapers, including 118 Irish titles. The latter span the period 1708 to 1917, with most dating from the C19th.

To take advantage of this half-price offer, click the image below to reach the subscription page and type MAY50 in the promotion code box. You'll see the discount applied to the prices.

The offer will end on Friday 20 May.

http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5895&awinaffid=123532&clickref=&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk%2Fpayments%2Fsubscribe

Tuesday 10 May 2016

Timeline to expand its team of genealogy researchers

Timeline Research Ltd., one of Ireland's best-known genealogical research companies, is expanding and is looking to add new Dublin-based researchers to its team.

http://timeline.ieThe business, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, frequently undertakes work for the UK TV programme Who Do You Think You Are? and other media and television projects, as well as carrying out research for private clients around the world.

Director Nicola Morris, a Member of Accredited Genealogists Ireland, told Irish Genealogy News that Timeline is looking for full or part-time freelance researchers. "We undertake a wide variety of genealogical projects for clients at home and abroad," she said. "The researcher can work from home but will be expected to also visit the various repositories and libraries in Dublin City when necessary. Relevant experience or qualifications are essential, but we can provide some training in specific areas, if needed, for the right person."

If you're interested, contact Nicola Morris at research@timeline.ie for more details.

New Family Search webinars on Irish genealogy topics

FamilySearch will present a webinar called More Irish than the Irish themselves on Monday 16 May. The webinar, which is free to attend, will explore Hiberno-Norman Families. It's scheduled for 2pm Mountain Time, which is 9pm Dublin/London time.

You can enter the online classroom as a guest. You just need to turn up about 15 minutes before it's due to start to make sure your connection is working properly.

There are also a few new FamilySearch webinars now available for anytime viewing:

Irish Census and Census Substitutes webinar. Also a pdf Handout
Irish Protestant Church Records webinar. Also a pdf Handout
Irish Roman Catholic Records webinar. Also a pdf Handout

Each of these was presented in March.

BNA adds Incumbered Estates Record newspaper

The British Newspaper Archive (BNA) has added another Irish title to its online database: The Weekly Gazette, Incumbered Estates Record & National Advertiser.

As its name suggests, the paper advertises details of property and land being auctioned via the Incumbered Estates Court (also known as the Encumbered Estates Courts and Landed Estate Court).

In the edition I've looked at, these sale notices made up only one and a half pages of the 16-page publication. The remainding pages are full of news from the Crimean War, including lists of soldiers injured, sick or dead; Quarter Sessions reports; details of markets around the island; railway news; and bmd announcements.

In a statement on the front page (1855), the newspaper says: "We have no connection with, no interest in, any party but the universal nation. This paper knows no Politics, but its readers are furnished with News and Leading Articles of prominent interest from the Times, Chronicle, Post, Observer, Herald, Daily News, Bell's Life, and the leading Irish journals. No Political or Religious bias influences the selection of the articles."

It adds: "Ireland is the only country in which the Press has not heretofore furnished its readers with News on Sunday.... The Gazette removes this glaring inferiority."

The online database holds 29 editions of the paper dating from December 1854 to June 1855. There's no indication that this holding will expand.

Find out more about the Landed Estate Court Rentals collection.

Monday 9 May 2016

RCBLibrary: double late opening on Friday 13 May

The Representative Church Body Library, Dublin, will not open until after lunch this coming Friday (13 May). This is to allow staff to attend the General Synod of the Church of Ireland which is taking place this week in Dún Laoghaire.

The Reading Room's timetabled 'late opening' also falls on the day, and will go ahead as normal.

In brief then, the RCBL will be open this Friday from 2pm to 7:30pm.

DNA lectures from WDYTYA? 2016 now on YouTube

Videos of nine of the Family Tree DNA lectures (plus an introduction) presented at last month's WDYTYA? Live in Birmingham are now available on YouTube.

This series of talks was sponsored by Family Tree DNA and the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG), and they can be found, along with other lectures delivered at the same fair/exhibition/conference in the previous two years, on a dedicated channel called "DNA Lectures - Who do you think you are". In total, there are now 36 lectures (with a handful more to come, see below) freely available ranging from beginner to advanced level: an outstanding opportunity to educate yourself about this fascinating marriage of traditional genealogy and science.

You can watch a three-minute introduction to the video series here, or launch straight in to one of the lecture presentations below:

Autosomal DNA - how to use it in practice, with Maurice Gleeson. 55 mins.

Understanding autosomal DNA testing - the pleasures and pitfalls, with Debbie Kennett. 55mins.

Lessons from a large yDNA project, with James M Irvine. 1hr 5 mins

Genetic genealogy in the 21st century, with Katherine Borges. 27 mins.

Inferring Human History using DNA, with Garrett Hellenthal. 36 mins.

Using SNP Testing & STRs to enhance a genetic genealogy research project Part 1, with John Cleary. 24 mins.  Part 2 (23 mins). Part 3 (18 mins).

Who's your cousin? Using DNA to determine relatedness, with Doug Speed. 59 mins.

Finding Family with DNA testing: a genetic detective story, with Richard Hill. 37 mins.

DNA demystified - A Beginner's Guide to genetic genealogy, with Debbie Kennett. 55 mins.

Did DNA really prove it was Richard III's skeleton in the Leicester car park? with John D Reid. 25 mins.

Maurice Gleeson, the Irish genealogist who co-ordinates the Family Tree DNA lecture series, as well as the Ireland Genetic Genealogy conference usually held at BTOP, tells me that five more lectures are 'in the pipe', and will probably be available within about a week or so. I'll update the list above when this happens.

Above list updated 22 May. 

Irish genealogy and history events, 9–22 May

Monday 9 May and Tuesday 10 May: The Country House and Landed Estate in time of revolution - conference. Host and Venue: Centre for the study of Irish historic houses and Estates, Maynooth University. Venue: Renehan Hall, Maynooth University, Co Kildare. Programme.

Tuesday 10 May: Forgotten but not gone - experiences of returning ex-servicemen in the Irish Free State, with Declan F. Brady. Host: Genealogical Society of Ireland. Venue: Dún Laoghaire Further Education Institute, 17 Cumberland Street, Dún Laoghaire, Dublin, Ireland Dublin 18. 8–9pm. €3. All welcome.

Wednesday 11 May: DNA and family history research, with Patrick Larkin. Host: Western Family History Association. Venue: Lackagh Parish Centre, Lackagh, Co Galway. 8pm. Free. All welcome.

Wednesday 11 May: Models for Movers: Irish Women's Emigration to America, with Ide B. O'Carroll, a discussion on this unique collection of women's oral histories spanning three waves of C20th emigration to America. Host: The CUNY Institute for Irish-American Studies. Venue: Room 5382, CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York City, USA. Free. All welcome. 7–9pm.

Thursday 12 May: ‘Women of the South’: Radicals and Revolutionaries – a HistoryIreland Hedge School, with editor Tommy Graham (chairman), Dr. John Borgonovo, Professor Linda Connolly, Dr. Mary McAuliffe and Dr. Claire McGing. Venue: Farmgate Cafe, the English Market, Cork City. 6pm. Free. Register.

Thursday 12 May: Book launch: "Revolt in Wicklow- A History of County Wicklow 1913-1923", edited by Henry Cairns, with contributions from Jim Rees, Dr. Ruan O' Donnell, Eva O' Cathaoir, Henry Cairns, John Finlay, James Scannell and Robert Butler. Host: Old Bray Society. Venue: Bray Town Hall, Co Wicklow. 7pm.

Friday 13 May: This month's Late Opening at the Representative Church Body Library. Venue: RCBL, Braemor Park, Churchtown, Dublin 14. The Reading Room remains open until 7:30pm. No appointment is necessary. (Exceptionally, the RCBL will be closed until 2pm on this day. See blogpost.)

Saturday 14 May: Mayo family history, with the Mayo Genealogy Group. Host and venue: National Museum of Ireland - Country Life, Turlough, Castlebar, Co Mayo. Free. 11:30am to 1pm. All welcome.

Saturday 14 May: Genealogy for intermediates, with Audrey Leonard, John Schade and Lois Mackin. Host: Irish Genealogical Society International. Venue: Minnesota Genealogical Society (MGS) Library, 1185 Concord St N, South St Paul, MN, USA. 10:30am. $15 IGSI members/$20 non-members. Details.

Saturday 14 May: Researching Uncle Sam: Introductory Genealogy Resources in the USA, with Joe Buggy. Host: Eneclann. Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare St, Dublin 2. 2pm. Free but need to book by email.

Saturday 14 May: Remembering 1916 – legacy and commemoration, a workshop exploring the Easter Rising and the Somme, with Tom Hartley and Philip Orr. National Museum of Northern Ireland.com/1916 Venue: Lecture Theatre, Ulster Museum, Botanic Gardens, Belfast BT9 5AB. 2pm to 4pm. Free, but booking required.

Saturday 14 May: The Black Death in Ireland, with Fin Dwyer. Host: Cobh Readers and Writers Festival. Venue: Cobh Library, Arch Building, Casement Square, Cobh, Co Cork. 2pm. Free. All welcome.

Sunday 15 May: Ireland's Women – Revolution and Remembrance, a three-day conference. Includes lectures, performances, a History Ireland Hedge School, and history events for children. Host: Sligo Field Club. Venue: Lisadell House, Lissadell, Co Sligo. 3pm. Free. Details.

Monday 16 May: Genealogy information sessions, with Margaret Bonar and Elizabeth Craven. Morning and afternoon sessions. Morning venue: Raheny Library, Howth Rd, Dublin 5 from 10:30am to 11:45am. Afternoon venue: Donaghmede library, Donaghmede Shopping Centre, Dublin 13 from 2:30pm to 4pm. Free. Bookings to 085 1444883 or impossibleancestors@gmail.com.

Monday 16 May: Battle of the Somme, with Billy Thompson. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Larne Branch. Venue: Larne Bowling & Lawn Tennis Club, 112-120 Glenarm Road, Larne, BT40 1DZ. 7:30pm. Free. All welcome.

Tuesday 17 May: What were your family doing in 1916? An afternoon of genealogy with Eneclann/FindMyPast. Host and venue: Central Library, Oliver Plunkett Road, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. Noon to 5pm. Free. Talks and one-to-one consultations. Booking may be required: T 074 9124950.

Wednesday 18 May: 1916 in 2016: an unfinished revolution? with Professor Linda Connolly. Third of University College Cork's Reconsidering the Rising Spring Public Lectures. Venue: Ground Floor Theatre, Geology & Geography Building, UCC (off Donovan Rod, near main gate on Western Road), Cork City. 6pm. Free. All welcome. No booking required.

Thursday 19 May: The women of 1916, with Liz Gillis. Host Leixlip Local History Club. Venue: Leixlip Library, Captain's Hill, Leixlip, Co. Kildare. 7:15pm. Free. All welcome.

Thursday 19 May: 1916: Memories, commemoration and absences, with Dr Mary E Daly. Part of the Road to the Rising lecture series hosted by Tyneside Irish Cultural Society. Venue: Curtis Auditorium, Herschel Building, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. (Opposite Haymarket Metro Station.) 7:30pm. All welcome. Details.

Saturday 21 May: IGRS Dublin Open Day, with three full-length lectures and three short talks. Host: Irish Genealogical Resarch Society. Venue: Dublin City Library & Archive, Pearse Street, Dublin 2. Registration at 10am. Finish 4pm. Free. All welcome. No booking required. Full details.

Saturday 21 May: A Girl’s Eye View of the Irish Revolution, with Dr Marnie Hay. Host and venue: Marsh’s Library, St Patrick's Close, Dublin 8. Free. 2pm – 3pm. Booking is required as there are limited seats: book your free ticket at https://agirlseyeview.eventbrite.ie.



Friday 6 May 2016

Two new books for Derry-Londonderry research

Derry specialist Brian Mitchell MAGI, has written two new books that will be of interest to genealogists with connections to Derry City and its county.

The People of Derry City, 1921: Extracted from the Derry Almanac and Directory.
Because the 1926 census for Northern Ireland has been destroyed, the first post-1911 census that survives for the city and county of Londonderry is that of 1937. Under existing legislation, this won't be released to the public until 2038, which leaves the annual editions of the Derry Almanac as the closest surviving census-type documents for Derry city in the period from 1912 to 1936.

Brian has transcribed the 1921 Almanac using five fields: surname of head of household, first name of head of household, street address, house number, and Almanac page number of the respective listing. The resulting book holds details of 8,288 heads of household in the city, creating a useful census substitute for Derry City during a period of political and social turmoil, just before Partition.

Published by Clearfield, the 172-page paperback is available via Amazon.co.uk, price £15.94, or via Genealogical.com for $22.95.

The second book is The Place Names of County Derry, which consists of two parts.

Part One delivers a list of 1,750 place names, in alphabetical order, as recorded in the 1901 census returns for the city and county of LondonDerry. It includes the names of all townlands, and street names for all towns. Against each place name (i.e., townland or town and street) is recorded the following information: District Electoral Division, Parish, Registrar District, Poor Law Union, and the name of the C17th Landowner.

Part Two provides a series of parish reports for the county. For each of its 46 civil parishes, the book details topographical features, population in 1831, the names of its principle towns, the top ten surnames in the mid-C19th, and information about the major record sources for that parish such as church registers (religious denomination and commencement dates); graveyards and their location in the mid-C19th; and census returns and census substitutes dating from 1663 to 1911.

Published by Clearfield, the 106-page paperback is on sale at Amazon.co.uk for £13.16 and Genealogical.com for $18.95.

Brian runs the Derry Genealogy Centre for Derry City and Strabane District Council and is author of several acclaimed books including A New Genealogical Atlas of Ireland (an essential for family historians from beginner to advanced level), A Guide to Irish Parish Registers, and Derry-Londonderry: Gateway to a New World. The Story of Emigration from the Foyle by Sail and Steam.