Monday 21 August 2017

Irish genealogy & heritage events, 21 August to 2 Sept

This week's fortnightly events listing covers Heritage Week (19-27 August), when more than 2,200 interesting lectures, tours and walks and other events are held across Ireland.

The online programme – click the logo below – filters the events by places and topics, and generally does this job fairly well. Be aware, however, that the filter relies on how organisers 'tagged' or described their event; some events have been filtered only for 'genealogy' and some only for 'family history', while others show up for both terms.

http://www.heritageweek.ie/whats-on/events?where=&when=&type=&order=&q=genealogyIn my listing below, I haven't made any attempt to replicate the full official Heritage Week programme. Instead, I've included more than 25 events that I become aware of in a more piecemeal or organic way, which probably means there is some bias towards places connected with my research and my personal interests. There are also a couple taking place in the USA.

As is usual, the week after Heritage Week is rather light on happenings in the Republic. I'll update the list if I'm notified of any more events that week.

Monday 21 August: Tour of Mount St Lawrence Cemetery. Venue: Meet at Main entrance of cemetery, Limerick. Free. No booking necessary. 3pm to 4pm. More details: tel: (0)61 407017, email: matthew.potter@limerick.ie.

Monday 21 August: Merchants, marriage and mobility, Woodford 1850s to 1920s, with Monica Hynes. Host: East Galway Family History Society. Venue: Woodford Heritage Centre, Bolag, Woodford, Co. Galway. Free. No booking required. 2:30pm to 3:30pm.

Monday 21 August: Genealogy and family history advice service, with Margaret Bonar and Betty Craven. Host: Donaghmede Library, Donaghmede Shopping Centre, Grange Road, Dublin 13 or Raheny Library, if preferred. All welcome but you need to book by phone: 087 6491605. Free.

Monday 21 August: Family history workshop, with Sinead Holland, Laois County Library Archivist. Host: Laois Libraries. Venue: Rathdowney Library, Mill Street, Rathdowney, Co. Laois. Free. 3pm-5pm. Booking required: Tel 0505 46852 or email cafitzpatrick@laoiscoco.ie

Tuesday 22 August: Genealogical evening, with Dr Paul MacCotter. Host and venue: Franciscan Well Brewery pub, North Mall, Cork City. Introduction to Irish genealogy for beginners; family history and surname origins advice for the more advanced. 8:30pm. Free. No booking necessary.

Tuesday 22 August: Irish Genealogy Hour – hands-on research in the computer classroom. Different topic each week. Host and venue: Billings Public Library, 510 North 28th Street, Billings, Montana, USA. Free. All welcome. Noon to 1pm. More information, T: (406) 657-8258.

Tuesday 22 August: Clans and Surnames of East Galway in medieval times, with Dr Joe Mannion. Host: East Galway Family History Society. Venue: Woodford Heritage Centre, Bolag, Woodford, Co. Galway. Free. No booking required. 2:30pm to 3:30pm.

Tuesday 22 August: Historical walking tour of the Grand Canal Dock area, with members of Ancestry's ProGenealogists team. Host: Ancestry. Venue: Meet outside Ancestry's offices at 52-55 Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin 2. 1pm to 2pm. Free. For more details.

Tuesday 22 August: Cillini of West Cork, with William Casey. Host: Skibbereen Heritage Centre. Venue: Skibbereen Credit Union Conference Room, Main Street, Skibbereen, Co Cork. 8pm. Free. Need to reserve a place on 028 40900.

Tuesday 22 August: Launch of new local history website followed by Thomas Adderley's golden years of flax and linen manufacture in West Cork, with Paddy O'Sullivan. Host: Cork County Library. Venue: Bandon Library, Bandon Shopping Centre, South Main Street, Bandon, Co. Cork. 7pm. All welcome. Free but need to book: t (0)23 884 4830, e bandonlibrary@corkcoco.ie.

Tuesday 22 August: Emigration from the port of Sligo, a presentation by Sligo Heritage and Genealogy Society. Venue: County Sligo Heritage & Genealogy Centre, Aras Reddan, Temple Street, Sligo, Co Sligo. 2:30pm to 4:30pm. Free. For more details, phone 071 9143728.

Wednesday 23 August: The early story of brewing in Cork: history and archaeology, a walking tour, with Caen Harris. Host: Cork Historical & Archaeological Society. Meet at Beamish & Crawford Brewery, South Gate Bridge, Main Street, Cork. 7pm. €3 per person.

Wednesday 23 August: Exploring the Holy Wells of Woodford and Ballinakill, a field trip with Dr Christy Cunniffe. Host: East Galway Family History Society. Venue: Woodford Heritage Centre, Bolag, Woodford, Co. Galway. Free. No booking required. 2:30pm to 3:30pm.

Wednesday 23 August: Medieval Riots, Murder and Mayhem, with Finbar Dwyer. Host: Tipperary Local Studies. Venue: Tipperary County Museum, Mick Delahunty Square, Clonmel, Co Tipperary. 7.30pm. Admission is free but places are limited and seats will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Wednesday 23 August: The online revolution in Irish family history, with John Grenham MAGI. Host and venue: Central Library, Lady Lane, Waterford, Co Waterford. 6:15pm to 7:15pm. All welcome. While the event is free, booking is advised by telephone to 0761 10 2975 or email: ecowman@waterfordcouncil.ie.

Wednesday 23 August: Historical walk around Skibbereen Town, with Philip O'Regan. Host: Skibbereen Heritage Centre. Meet at Skibbereen Courthouse. Skibbereen, Co Cork. 6:30pm. Free, but booking essential on 028 40900.

Wednesday 23 August: Family History Curiosities, with Karen O'Riordan. Host: Local Studies, Cork County Library, Carrigrohane Road, Cork City. 1:30pm to 2:30pm. All welcome. Free, but booking required – tel (0)23 4285640 or email localstudieslibrary@corkcoco.ie.

Thursday 24 August: People who made Waterford famous, a miscellany of short talks by members. Host: Waterford Archaeological & Historical Society. Venue: The Tapestry Room, Granville Hotel, Meagher's Quay, Waterford City. 7pm. All welcome. Free.

Thursday 24 August: Historical walking tour of the Grand Canal Dock area, with members of Ancestry's ProGenealogists team. Host: Ancestry. Venue: Meet outside Ancestry's offices at 52-55 Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin 2. 1pm to 2pm. Free. For more details.

Thursday 24 August: Fenians in Skibbereen, with William Casey, marking the 150th anniversary of the Fenian Rising, 1867. Host: Skibbereen Heritage Centre. Venue: Skibbereen Credit Union Conference Room, Main Street, Skibbereen, Co Cork. 8pm. Free. Need to reserve a place on 028 40900.

Thursday 24 August: The Congested District Board in the Sliabh Aughty area (1891-1923) and its work in the Sliabh Aughty area, with Brian Keary. Host: East Galway Family History Society. Venue: Woodford Heritage Centre, Bolag, Woodford, Co. Galway. Free. No booking required. 2:30pm to 3:30pm.

Thursday 24 August: The online revolution in Irish family history, with John Grenham MAGI. Host and venue: Dungarvan Library, Davitt’s Quay, Dungarvan, Co Waterford. 11:15am-12:15pm. All welcome. While the event is free, booking is advised by telephone to 0761 10 2975 or email: ecowman@waterfordcouncil.ie.

Friday 25 August: Conscription and Recruitment during the First World War, an afternoon conference, with Dr Timothy Bowman, Emmanuel Destenay, Stephen Scarth and Bruno Longmore. Host and venue: Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, 2 Titanic Blvd., Titanic Quarter, Belfast, BT3 9HQ. 2pm-4pm. Admission is FREE, however booking is essential as spaces are limited. Register for this event at Eventbrite.

Friday 25 August: Sile na Gig - Midwife of the soul, with Aine Brosnan. Host: Skibbereen Heritage Centre. Venue: Skibbereen Credit Union Conference Room, Main Street, Skibbereen, Co Cork. 8pm. Free. Need to reserve a place on 028 40900.

Friday 25 August: The C19th clergy of Clonfert diocese: folklore, perception and reality, with Declan Kelly. Host: East Galway Family History Society. Venue: Woodford Heritage Centre, Bolag, Woodford, Co. Galway. Free. No booking required. 2:30pm to 3:30pm.

Saturday 26 August: Introduction to genealogy Workshop, a Heritage Week event. Host: Western Family History Association. Venue: Lackagh Parish Centre, Lackagh, Co Galway. 2pm to 5:30pm. All welcome.

Saturday 26 August: History of the Woodford ironworks, with Dr Paul Rondelez. Host: East Galway Family History Society. Venue: Woodford Heritage Centre, Bolag, Woodford, Co. Galway. Free. No booking required. 2:30pm to 3:30pm.

Saturday 26 August: Getting started in genealogy, a workshop. Hosts:Tulla XO and Clare Roots Society. Venue: Upstairs Meeting Room, Tulla Courthouse, Main Street, Tulla, Co. Clare. Free. 10am - 12pm. More information: T - (087) 9771385; E - tulla@irelandxo.com

Sunday 27 August: Family History Day, St. Peter's Exhibition Centre, North Main Street, Cork City, Co Cork. A day of talks and consultations with genealogy experts. Free admission. 11am to 3pm. More information: T: (021) 427 8187, E: info@stpeterscork.ie.

Monday 28 August: Late Summer Bank Holiday in Northern Ireland only. All libraries and repositories closed. Regular opening hours resume from Tuesday 29th. (Normal hours in Republic.)

Tuesday 29 August: Irish Genealogy Hour – hands-on research in the computer classroom, with different topic each week. Host & venue: Billings Public Library, 510 North 28th St, Billings, Montana, USA. Free. All welcome. Noon to 1pm. For more information, T: (406) 657-8258.

Wednesday 30 August: Open Genealogy Session, with Lisa Dougherty. Host: Irish American Heritage Museum. Venue: Paul O'Dwyer Library, Irish American Heritage Museum, 370 Broadway, Albany, New York, USA. Free admission. 11am to 2pm.

Friday 1 September: Women and the Irish Revolution 1917-23: Feminism, Violence, Nationalism, a day conference. Host: Maynooth University. Venue: The Royal Irish Academy, Dawson Street, Dublin 2. 9am to 6pm. Full programme and details. Fully booked, but waiting list registration still possible.

Saturday 2 September: Family History & DNA Fair. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Ballymena Branch. Venue: Braid Film Theatre, The Braid Ballymena Town Hall, Museum & Arts Centre, 1-29 Bridge Street, Ballymena, Co Antrim. 11am to 4pm. Free.