Wednesday 30 November 2022

Any specific questions you'd like to see in the 2027 Irish Census?

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has opened a public consultation process for Census 2027 and is seeking submissions from members of the public, organisations and interest groups on suggested questions for the Republic of Ireland’s next census, which will take place in 2027.

Submissions proposing changes to the phrasing of questions used in Census 2022 or suggesting new question(s) for Census 2027 are welcomed as part of the consultation. I'm sure questions that would gather useful data for future genealogists would also be appreciated!

Eileen Murphy, Head of Census Administration, said: “Preparations for Census 2027 have already begun and this public consultation on the questions for the next census is an important part of the process. We are accepting submissions through an online form, via email, or by post, to ensure that as many organisations and individuals as possible can participate. We will acknowledge each submission we receive.

"The CSO has also started work on delivering an online response option for the first time in an Irish census.”

The consultation will close on Wednesday 21 December 2022 and you'll find more information about how to make a submission on the CSO website here.

The 1921 Census of Scotland has been released online

The 1921 Census of Scotland, taken on 19 June of that year, has been released online this morning and is likely to be of interest to many researchers with Irish and Scots-Irish ancestors.

You'll find the collection on the Scotland's People database where you'll need to register if you don't already have an account. There's no charge for searching,and the free information returned in a search should help you identify the individuals of most interest to you.

To view any returns, you'll need to have to buy 'credits'.

The collection holds details of 4.8million people.

Tuesday 29 November 2022

MilitaryArchives releases 13th instalment from the MSPC

Ireland's MilitaryArchives has released its 13th instalment of records from the extensive Military Service (1916-23) Pension Claims collection. This is the largest single pension files release since digitised copies of MSPC material began to make its way online eight years ago.

Today's release features just over 5,000 files representing 1,835 new individuals. (You can download a pdf of those names, with place of residence and reference number, here.)

Among them is the final tranche of 1,658 service pensions claims by women. In total, 6,445 women made a claim for a pension – 25% of them were successful – and all are now catalogued and digitised.

In addition, files relating to 177 men are included in this release.

More than 113,500 MSPC files have now been catalogued and around 46,000 of these are fully digitised. The content of these digitised files, now all online, consists of more than 2,400,000 pages of archival maaterial.

These files are yielding fresh insights into this period our ancestors lived through, and are a rich source of genealogical information.

RootsIreland adds 27,000 land records for County Clare

RootsIreland.ie has added nearly 27,000 names to its County Clare database. They have been transcribed from the Tithe Applotment Books and date from 1824-43. They cover the entire county.

Given the loss of most of the 19th-century census records, the Tithe Applotment Books are a vital source for genealogical research in rural areas for the pre-Famine period. They were compiled in order to determine the amount due from occupiers of agricultural holdings over one acre.

This tithe was then paid to the Church of Ireland, an arrangment that was much hated by the majority Roman Catholic population.

For an up to date list of sources for Clare and to search these records, click the logo above and login or subscribe as required.

RoorsIreland is currently offering a 25% discount on annual subscriptions until Saturday 10 December. Find out more here.



Monday 28 November 2022

Irish genealogy, history and heritage events, 28 Nov. to 11 Dec.

Monday 28 November: The Ulster Settlers Database: a new digital resource for the study of the province and its people, with Dr Richard Fitzpatrick. A hybrid event hosted by Queen's University Belfast, Institute of Irish Studies. In-person venue: QUB, 27 University Square, Belfast BT7 1NN. Online via MS Teams. 4:30pm. Free. All welcome. Need to book.

Tuesday 29 November: GRONI Records, with Kathie Walker. A hybrid meeting hosted by the North of Ireland Family History Society, Causeway Coast and Glens Branch. Venue: Sandel Centre, Knocklynn Road, Coleraine, Co LondonDerry. 8pm. All welcome. Email secretary for online zoom link. Details.

Tuesday 29 November: The Lighthouses of the Shannon Estuary, with Gerald Butler, author of The Lightkeeper. An in-person event hosted by the Kilrush and District Historical Society at Teach Ceoil (Old Church of Ireland), Grace St, Kilrush, Co. Clare. Members free. Non-members €5 on the door. 8pm to 9pm. All welcome.

Tuesday 29 November Gendering Loss in the Irish Civil War, with Professor Lindsey Earner-Byrne who explores the impact on the relatives of those injured or killed as a result of the conflict. Hosted by the National Library of Ireland and University College Cork. A hybrid event. Venue: The Shtepps Lecture Theatre, The Hub, UCC, College Road, Cork City. See details for online link.

Wednesday 30 November: Exploring Victorian Belfast, an in-person event with Dr Alice Johnson, Dr Paul Harron and Stephen Scarth. Venue: Public Record Office of Northern Ireland 2 Titanic Boulevard Titanic Quarter, Belfast BT3 9HQ. 2pm–3:45pm. All welcome. Free but need to register. Details.

Thursday 1 December: Always in the Human Consciousness - Exploring the Memory of Ireland's Revolutionary Period, with Tomás Mac Conmara. An in-person event hosted by the Oral History Network of Ireland. Venue: Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 63 Merrion Square, Dublin 2. 7pm to 9pm. Free but need to book your place. Details.

Thursday 1 December: Mixed marriages in medieval Ireland, with Dr Katherine Simms delivering the Irish Texts Society's Breandán Ó Buachalla Lecture 2022. An online event in partnership with the National Library of Ireland. Free. 6:30pm–7:45pm. All welcome. Need to book.

Thursday 1 December: The cult of St Edmund in Ireland, with Dr Francis Young. An online event. Host: the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland in conjunction with The Ulster Society of Irish Historical Studies. 7pm to 8pm. All welcome. Free. Book here.

Friday 2 December and Saturday 3 December Foundation of the Irish State, a two-day conference hosted by University College Dublin. An in-person event at University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin. 9am–5pm both days. Full details.

RCB

Friday 2 December RCB Library in Churchtown, Dublin, closed from 2pm.

Friday 2 December Members’ Experiences, a series of 10-minute talks about members' family history research, followed by Christmas festivities. An in-person event hosted by North of Ireland Family History Society's Belfast Branch. Venue: St. Donard’s Hall, Beersbridge Road / Bloomfield Road, Belfast BT5 5LT. 7:30pm–9pm.

Friday 2 December Dating Old Family Photographs, an online class with Alison Tait. Hosted by the North of Ireland Family History Society. £10. All welcome. 7pm–8:30pm GMT. Booking.

Friday 2 December British Army operations in Ireland in 1922-1924, an in-person event with Anthony Kinsella. Host: Military History Society of Ireland. Venue: Griffith College, South Circular Rod, Dublin 8. 8pm. Non-members welcome.

Monday 5 December: Local History on Film, with NI Screen. A hybrid event hosted by the North of Ireland Family History Society's Foyle Branch. In-person venue: Lecture Room, Derry’s Central Library, 35 Foyle Street, Derry, BT48 6AL. 7pm–8:30pm GMT. For online access, email the branch secretary at Foyle@nifhs.org. All welcome.

Monday 5 December: The Irish face of British politics: Irish agrarian violence, ultra-Tories, and the end of the Whig government, 1845-1841, with Dr Jay Roszman. A hybrid event hosted by Queen's University Belfast, Institute of Irish Studies. In-person venue: QUB, 27 University Square, Belfast BT7 1NN. Online via MS Teams. 4:30pm. Free. All welcome. Need to book.

Tuesday 6 December: Rebel Statesman: The Life and Times of WT Cosgrave, with Liz Gillis and Cathy Scuffil. Part of the Decade of Centenaries programme from South Dublin County. Hosted online by Ballyroan Library. 7pm to 8pm. Free. All welcome. Need to register.

Wednesday 7 December: The Enigma of Arthur Griffith, with Colum Kenny. An in-person event hosted by Rathmichael Historical Society. Venue: Rathmichael School Hall, Stonebridge Road, Shankill, Co. Dublin. Doors oopen 7:30pm. Members free. Non-members €5. Includes light refreshments. Details.

Thursday 8 December: The Centenary of An Garda Síochanaon, with Dr Liam McNiffe. An in-person event hosted by Meath County Library. Venue: Oldcastle Library, Millbrook Rd, Knockmacoony, Oldcastle, Co. Meath 7pm. Free. All welcome. Need to book: tel 046-8542084 or email oldcastlelib@meathcoco.ie.

Friday 9 December RCB Library in Churchtown, Dublin, closed from 2pm.


Sunday 27 November 2022

Recent updates to English, Scottish & Welsh genealogy collections

Below is a summary of newly released and updated family history record collections for England, Scotland and Wales from the major genealogy databases. (Previous summary, 17 November.)

My regular summary of releases and updates relating to British collections is designed to help family historians whose Irish ancestors migrated, temporarily or permanently, to England, Scotland or Wales.

By default, it will also be useful to anyone carrying out research in those three nations, regardless of the origin of their ancestors.

The figures in parenthesis in the New Collections section are the numbers of records/images in the new record set.

Unless otherwise stated, the figures in parenthesis in the Updated Collections section reflect the number of records added to the collection in the recent update. In some instances, the supplier has not made this figure available. Where two figures are given, the first is the number of additions, the second is the new total.

Please note that I don't usually include updates of fewer than 1,000 records.


NEW COLLECTIONS


Ancestry
BritishNewspaperArchive, and shared with some FindMyPast subscriptions (60 million+ pages)

City of London

FamilySearch

FindMyPast

UPDATED COLLECTIONS


Ancestry

FindMyPast

TheGenealogist

Some of the above content contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you buy via these links. This does not affect the price you pay as a consumer, but it does contribute to keeping Irish Genealogy News online. See Advertising Disclosure tab above.

Thursday 24 November 2022

Three new and updated Irish genealogy collections join Ancestry and TheGenealogist

Both Ancestry and TheGenealogist have recently expanded their Irish collections. Two of the new additions are available elsewhere – let's not forget that fresh transcriptions or redigitised material can often bring new discoveries – while the other is an update to a growing obituary index.

Ireland's Memorial Records, 1914–1918
New to TheGenealogist is a collection of some 50,000 records of Irish soldiers and soldiers with a connection to Ireland who died in World War I.

This collection, which is online at several other databases, was originally compiled by the Committee of the Irish National War Memorial and published in an eight-volume set in 1923, complete with decorative borders designed by Harry Clarke, the renowned stained glass artist and book illustrator.

Each entry gives the name, regiment, rank, date and place of death of the soldier, including in some cases, their date of birth and next of kin.

Ireland, National Army Census, 1922
New to Ancestry, this collection is sourced from Ireland's MilitaryArchives. The records was gathered at midnight on the 13th-14th of November 1922, less than one year since the Partition of the island and at the mid-point of the Irish Civil War, when military leaders needed an accurate count of the strength of their forces to make decisions about feeding, clothing, and arming the troops.

The index holds the details of some 32,000 soldiers and can also be searched by their next of kin's name and address. The records include age, religion, marital status and residence of the soldier and the date and place of attestation.

UK and Ireland, Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current
This index provides data mostly gleaned from death notices and obituaries published in titles held by Ancestry's sister database Newspapers.com. Since arriving on Ancestry about 18 months ago, it is updated every few months and now holds more than 19 million entries. Unfortunately, the proportion of that total with an Irish flavour is tiny.

If you do find a record of interest, however, the genealogical information provided by the index is generous, typically including age, place of birth and death, names of family and funeral attendees.

Wednesday 23 November 2022

25% off annual subscriptions to RootsIreland.ie database

RootsIreland.ie, the single most useful database for Irish genealogists, is offering a 25% discount on its annual subscription. The all-island database gives researchers access to the most complete and accurate set of Roman Catholic church records online, as well as millions of records of Church of Ireland, Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, Quaker and smaller denominations. Many of these church records are not available online anywhere else.

The database, which is managed by the not-for-profit Irish Family History Foundation, holds a total of more than 23 million records, all transcribed from the IFHF's network of 34 genealogy centres. These centres have an unparalleled amount of local knowledge and add to the database regularly. This year, they have added almost 136,000 to the RootsIreland database, and more than 27,000 more are due to be uploaded for County Clare shortly.

The discount offer will run until 11:59pm IST/GMT on Thursday 10 December.

To take advantage of the worthwhile discount, click the logo above.

If you already have a subscription, click the logo, My Account, My Subscription and Start a New Subscription. The 25% discount will then begin when your current sub expires.

Tuesday 22 November 2022

Two more Irish titles join the online British Newspaper Archive

As the BritishNewspaperArchive.co.uk (BNA) approaches a new milestone of 60million pages of historical newspapers, two more Irish titles have been added to the database. They are:

The Roscommon Herald
Established in 1859, the Roscommon Herald is still in circulation and is the County's largest selling local newspaper. It is a weekly print title, produced from Roscommon Town and Boyle and published on Tuesdays. The BNA's holding, when complete, will span 1859 to 1953.

The Midland Reporter and Westmeath Nationalist
This paper was published in Mullingar from 1891 to 1939 and was an important regional paper in its day. The BNA holding, however, seems to be limited to the editions circulating in 1928. only.

In addition to the two new titles above, researchers may also wish to take a look at another historical paper much read by Irish Catholics, especially those who had settled in Liverpool, London and Irish hotspots in the north of England.

The weekly Catholic Times and Catholic Opinion was founded in 1860 in Manchester and went on to became the most widely read Catholic paper in England around the turn of the 19th century. Despite a decline in circulation in the first half of the 20th century, it continued to be published and it was only two years ago that it merged with The Universe.


Monday 21 November 2022

Enjoy 25% savings on all FindMyPast subscription packages

FindMyPast is offering 25% off most of its subscription packages.

The discount will expire on Sunday 27 November at 11:59pm Irish/British Standard Time (IST/BST).

Choose from the FindMyPast 'territories' below and then select your preferred subscription. The sale savings will have been applied so you can see the discounted price you'll pay.

This offer has expired.



FindMyPast Ireland – 25% off any 1- or 12-month subscription.


FindMyPast USA/Canada – 25% off any 1- or 12-month subscription.


FindMyPast UK – 25% off any 3- or 12-Month subscription.


FindMyPast Australia/NZ – 25% off any 1- or 12-month subscription.


Some of the above content contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you buy via these links. This does not affect the price you pay as a consumer, but it does contribute to keeping Irish Genealogy News online. See Advertising Disclosure tab above

 

UHF's online winter Irish Genealogy Essentials course starts soon

Ulster Historical Foundation's last online Genealogy Essentials Course of 2022 will get underway on Wednesday this week and will run until 17 January 2023. There's still time to register... just!

This course consists of:

  • 21 pre-recorded lectures on essential topics relating to Irish genealogical research (over 28 hours of content)
  • Four live "Q and A" sessions/Tutorials with the course lecturers (scheduled at different times to suit different time zones)
  • Downloadable lecture handouts and reading list.

The topics covered by the course are: 19th- and early 20th-century Censuses; Archives and Libraries in Ireland; Irish land divisions; Civil birth, marriage and death records; Church registers; Wills; Estate papers; Griffith's Valuation and revision books; Tithe Applotment Books and Freeholder records; The Registry of Deeds; Workhouse and local government records; Burial records; Pre-1800 census substitutes; The Ulster Plantation; Occupation and Business records; Newspapers and Trade/Street Directories; School and education records; and Law and Order records.

You can view short samples from two of the lectures, and find more information, at ancestryireland.com.

Half price monthly & annual subscriptions to IrishNewsArchive.com

The Dublin-based IrishNewspaperArchive.com is offering 50% savings on its Silver and Gold subscription packages.

A Silver subscription, which will probably suit most family historians, gives you access to some 140 local, regional and national titles that cover the entire island of Ireland. They span 1783 to current editions.

The Gold subscription includes the same Silver package plus the Radical Collection of papers, giving access to a total of 215 titles. 

This is a Black Friday Sale, so don't hang around. A specific date has not been provided for expiry of the discount but I doubt it will run past 28 November.

Irish genealogy, history and heritage events, 21 Nov. to 4 Dec.

Monday 21 November: The Cobains of Kilwaughter, with Norah Crammond. A hybrid meeting hosted by the North of Ireland Family History Society, Larne Branch. In-person venue: Larne Museum and Arts Centre, 2 Victoria Road, Larne, BT40 1RN. Online: email branch secretary for zoom link. 7:15pm - 8:45pm GMT. All welcome. Details.

Tuesday 22 November Estate Records, with Brett Irwin of PRONI. A hybrid meeting of the North of Ireland Family History Society, Belfast Branch. In-person venue: Stranmillis University College, Belfast BT9 5DY. Online via zoom - see details. All welcome. 7pm.

Tuesday 22 November Internal Migration in Ireland, 1600-2000, with Dr Patrick Fitzgerald (Mellon Centre for Migration Studies). Online talk. Host: Libraries NI, Heritage from Home Series 3. 12:30pm. All welcome. Free but need to register, here.

Tuesday 22 November When the Music Stopped: Rethinking the ‘traumatic silence’ of the Irish Civil War. An online event hosted by the National Library of Ireland. 7pm–8pm. Free. All welcome. Need to register.

Wednesday 23 November Burning the Big House – Understanding Civil War Conflagrations, with Professor Terence Dooley. An in-person event hosted by Westmeath Archaeological & Historical Society in association with Westmeath County Council's Decade of Centenaries programme. Venue: Greville Arms Hotel, Mullingar, Co Westmeath. 8pm.

Wednesday 23 November Using Free Websites to Find your Family, with Aiden Feerick MAGI. An online event hosted by Dublin City Culture Club. 11am. All welcome. Free, but need to book.

Wednesday 23 November Exploring the Irish Experience of WW1, an online exhibition tour. Host: National Library of Ireland. 1pm to 1:45pm. Free. All welcome. Need to book.

Thursday 24 November: Twenty ways to find a townland, and other hints and tips, an online event with Georgina Scally MAGI. The final talk in the National Archives of Ireland's lecture series. 6pm. Free. All welcome. Need to book.

Thursday 24 November: "The Bulletin" and "Persons Unknown", an online premiere of two audio plays inspired by once-classified official records, taking us back to a time when military and civilian efforts to control propaganda shaped the relations between Britain and Ireland forever. The plays will be followed by a panel discussion with record specialists from the UK National Archives, writers and members of the production team. 7pm–9pm. Free. All welcome. Need to book.

Thursday 24 November Haunted Histories, with Dr David Hume talking about stories, superstitions and folklore in Ulster. Hosted by the North of Ireland Family History Society, Ballymena branch. 7:15pm–8:45pm GMT. A hybrid meeting. In-person at Michelin Arts Workshop, Braid Arts Centre 1-29 Bridge Street, Ballymena, Co Antrim. Online: email Ballymena@nifhs.org for zoom link. Details.

Thursday 24 November: History and the role it plays in our identity and contemporary politics, an address from Taoiseach Micheál Martin, T.D.. An online event in the Ireland 1922 series hosted by the Royal Irish Academy. Booking essential. Free. All welcome. 7pm to 8pm.

Friday 25 November: Killure-Kilgerrill: Its People and Places. An in-person launch of a new, 726-page local history published by Killure Heritage Group. 7.30pm. Venue: Gullane’s Hotel, Main Street, Ballinasloe, Co Galway. Details. Book on sale locally at Salmons and online via Kennys.ie.

Friday 25 November: Tipperary Cumann na mBan, with Dr Noreen Higgins. An in-person event hosted by Emly Historical Society at St.Ailbes Hall, Emly, Tipperary. 8pm. Refreshments will be served. All welcome.

Tuesday 29 November: GRONI Records, with Kathie Walker. A hybrid meeting hosted by the North of Ireland Family History Society, Causeway Coast and Glens Branch. Venue: Sandel Centre, Knocklynn Road, Coleraine, Co LondonDerry. 8pm. All welcome. Email secretary for online zoom link. Details.

Tuesday 29 November: The Lighthouses of the Shannon Estuary, with Gerald Butler, author of The Lightkeeper. An in-person event hosted by the Kilrush and District Historical Society at Teach Ceoil (Old Church of Ireland), Grace St, Kilrush, Co. Clare. 8pm to 9pm. All welcome.

Tuesday 29 November Gendering Loss in the Irish Civil War, with Professor Lindsey Earner-Byrne who explores the impact on the relatives of those injured or killed as a result of the conflict. Hosted by the National Library of Ireland and University College Cork. A hybrid event. Venue: The Shtepps Lecture Theatre, The Hub, UCC, College Road, Cork City. See details for online link.

Wednesday 30 November: Exploring Victorian Belfast, an in-person event with Dr Alice Johnson, Dr Paul Harron and Stephen Scarth. Venue: Public Record Office of Northern Ireland 2 Titanic Boulevard Titanic Quarter, Belfast BT3 9HQ. 2pm–3:45pm. All welcome. Free but need to register. Details.

Thursday 1 December: Always in the Human Consciousness - Exploring the Memory of Ireland's Revolutionary Period, with Tomás Mac Conmara. An in-person event hosted by the Oral History Network of Ireland. Venue: Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 63 Merrion Square, Dublin 2. 7pm to 9pm. Free but need to book your place. Details.

Thursday 1 December: Mixed marriages in medieval Ireland, with Dr Katherine Simms delivering the Irish Texts Society's Breandán Ó Buachalla Lecture 2022. An online event in partnership with the National Library of Ireland. Free. 6:30pm–7:45pm. All welcome. Need to book.

Thursday 1 December: The cult of St Edmund in Ireland, with Dr Francis Young. An online event. Host: the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland in conjunction with The Ulster Society of Irish Historical Studies. 7pm to 8pm. All welcome. Free. Book here.

Friday 2 December and Saturday 3 December Foundation of the Irish State, a two-day conference hosted by University College Dublin. An in-person event at University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin. 9am–5pm both days. Full details.

Friday 2 December Members’ Experiences, a series of 10-minute talks about members' family history research, followed by Christmas festivities. An in-person event hosted by North of Ireland Family History Society's Belfast Branch. Venue: St. Donard’s Hall, Beersbridge Road / Bloomfield Road, Belfast BT5 5LT. 7:30pm–9pm.

Friday 2 December Dating Old Family Photographs, an online class with Alison Tait. Hosted by the North of Ireland Family History Society. £10. All welcome. 7pm–8:30pm GMT. Booking.

Friday 2 December British Army operations in Ireland in 1922-1924, an in-person event with Anthony Kinsella. Host: Military History Society of Ireland. Venue: Griffith College, South Circular Rod, Dublin 8. 8pm. Non-members welcome.

Friday 18 November 2022

Researchers with County Kildare ancestors are in for a treat!

Kildare County Archives has released online a trio of collections that will give a lift to any genealogist carrying out research in the county. This is the first tranche of county-held material to be digitised by the County Archives service, and you could hardly have asked for a better selection of collections, as you'll see below. They are all free to view and the digitisation has been done to a high standard.

Kildare County Archivist Karel Keily told Irish Genealogy News that she hopes to add more sources over the next year. Some patience is urged; Karel is a team of one!

Here are the newly digitised collections:

Athy Poor Law Union Indoor Relief registers from 1878 to 1918
Each of the 16 registers contains an alphabetical index. Unfortunately, the majority of them have pages missing and some are in poor condition.

Sample from Athy Workhouse register 1878-9. Click for larger view.
Nonetheless, these registers record admission and discharge details of named individuals, along with their register number; age; marital status; occupation; religion; name of spouse and number of children, if relevant; the nature of any disability; townland of residence; date admitted; condition ie health on admission; and date of death or discharge.

A striking feature of the registers is the high proportion of people being admitted from counties other than Kildare.

One earlier volume, dating from September 1875 to August 1879, is held by Kildare County Archives but has not been digitised due to conservation issues.

Naas Poor Law Union Minute books from 1839 to 1858
This collection holds the Minutes of proceedings at the weekly meeting of the Naas Board of Guardians from April 1839 to June 1859. It contains weekly statistical information on the state of the workhouse eg numbers of inmates , numbers admitted during the week, numbers discharged or died, numbers of lunatics and idiots, etc, plus the numbers provided for by outdoor relief.

Each meeting records certain accounting reports such as the costs of provisions, clothing accounts and a report from the Master of the Workhouse. Other business likely to be reported included staff absences, sick leave, adverts for tenders, and medical expenses for the dispensary districts. Each minute book contains an alphabetical index.

Interment Registers
Digitised registers are now available for 15 burial grounds across the county. These include Ballybracken, Kildangan; Crosspatrick, Kilmeague; Fontstown, Athy; Laraghbryan, Maynooth; St. Conleth's, Newbridge; St. Corban's, Naas; Nicholastown, Athy; and Yewtree, Monasterevin. The span of dates varies from graveyard to graveyard with the earliest dating from 1887.

The Archives hold records for a further five municipal burial grounds.

A number of the registers contain parchment paper pages and are semi-translucent. This results in the text on the underside of some pages being visible and some entries may be difficult to read or indecipherable. Also some registers contain only one or two pages.

Thursday 17 November 2022

Two weeks of new/updated English, Scottish & Welsh collections

Below is a summary of newly released and updated family history record collections for England, Scotland and Wales from the major genealogy databases. (Previous summary, 4 November.)

My regular summary of releases and updates relating to British collections is designed to help family historians whose Irish ancestors migrated, temporarily or permanently, to England, Scotland or Wales.

By default, it will also be useful to anyone carrying out research in those three nations, regardless of the origin of their ancestors.

The figures in parenthesis in the New Collections section are the numbers of records/images in the new record set.

Unless otherwise stated, the figures in parenthesis in the Updated Collections section reflect the number of records added to the collection in the recent update. In some instances, the supplier has not made this figure available. Where two figures are given, the first is the number of additions, the second is the new total.

Please note that I don't usually include updates of fewer than 1,000 records.


NEW COLLECTIONS


Ancestry
BritishNewspaperArchive, and shared with some FindMyPast subscriptions (59 million+ pages)

DeceasedOnline

FamilySearch

FindMyPast

MyHeritage

TheGenealogist

UPDATED COLLECTIONS


Ancestry

DeceasedOnline
  • Wolverhampton: Bilston Cemetery (64,600); Bushbury Cem / Crem (19,973 / 75,023)

FindMyPast

Some of the above content contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you buy via these links. This does not affect the price you pay as a consumer, but it does contribute to keeping Irish Genealogy News online. See Advertising Disclosure tab above.

.

Wednesday 16 November 2022

Release date for the 1926 Census of Ireland announced

The Irish Government has today announced that the 1926 Census of Ireland will be released online and free in April 2026. The project will be carried out by the National Archives of Ireland.

This is music to many Irish genealogists ears because, with the clock ticking down and no official word about the necessary digitisation getting underway, many researchers had become a bit twitchy about whether its publication would be on time. We had false promises from politicians back in 2016 about an early release, and we've signed petitions a-plenty since, but at least we can now look forward to the timely arrival of the material. It won't be early. It will be on time.

Some €5M in state funding is being provided for the digitisation and publication project, which will involve the release of more than 700,000 individual return sheets containing data from the 26 Republic of Ireland counties (see map right - the coloured counties make up RoI).

The 1926 Census was the first census undertaken following the foundation of the state, and gathered information on the population's age, occupation, religion, housing and use of the Irish language.

It was taken on 18 April 1926, when the population stood at 2,971,992, down 5.3% on the previous census in 1911. Only County Dublin recorded an increase in its number of inhabitants; all other counties recorded a loss.

In 1926, a total of 92.6% of the population was Catholic and 18.3% could speak Irish. Of those employed, 51% were in agricultural occupations, 4% were fisherman, 14% were in manufacturing and 7% were domestic servants. Very different times. Details are available at the Central Statistics Office website.

Speaking at the official announcement today, Catherine Martin, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, said: "The €5M funding will provide for the complex, time consuming and multistage process to digitise all of the information collected by the first census of the Irish State. I am confident that work will be completed in time for release 100 years after the census was taken.

"Given the success of the digitised 1901 and 1911 census returns, I’m sure that the 1926 Census will be equally as popular and have a significant global reach once released. The census is a fundamental part of our national heritage and collective knowledge.”

Monday 14 November 2022

Irish genealogy, history and heritage events, 14 - 27 November

Monday 14 November My Ruiger Family Heritage, with Joe Lavery. An online event hosted by North of Ireland Family History Society, Newtownabbey Branch. All welcome. 7pm–8:30pm GMT. Those wishing to attend should e-mail Newtownabbey@nifhs.org and they will be sent the link.

Tuesday 15 November: Garda na Pobal – The foundation of An Garda Siochana, 1922, with Dr John Reynolds. An in-person event and part of the Tipperary People and Places Lecture series no.16. Host: Tipperary Studies, the local history dept. of Tipperary County Librairies. 7pm. Free. Venue: Gallery of the Source Library, Thurles. Tea and coffeee served. All welcome. Details.

Tuesday 15 November: The Civil War Legacy: Ireland in the 1920s and 30s, an online lecture by Professor Fearghal McGarry, QUB. Host: National Library of Ireland. All welcome. 7pm GMT. Free, but need to book.

Tuesday 15 November: Dr. Ella Webb (1877-1946): "Children need help and I am going to help them," an in-person event with Dr Declan Warde. Host: Foxrock Local History Society. Venue: Foxrock Pastoral Centre, Kill Lane, Foxrock, Co Dublin. 8pm. All welcome. Members free. Non-members €5 on the door.

Wednesday 16 November: A long hard road: a story of Famine Migration, an online talk with John Grenham. Host: Libraries NI, Heritage from Home Series 3. 12:30pm. All welcome. Free but need to register here.

Thursday 17 November: Book Launch: Irish Women in Religious Orders, 1530-1700 Suppression, Migration and Reintegration, by Dr Bronagh Ann McShane. Host: Moore Institute, University of Galway. In-person venue: The Bridge Room First Floor, Hardiman Research Building. Galway. 5pm. Free. Followed by reception. Need to book.

Thursday 17 November: Genealogy advisory evening at Wicklow Local Studies, Salthouse Lane, Wicklow Town. An in-person, drop-in event. Free. All welcome. First come, first served. 6:30pm to 8:30pm.

Saturday 19 November: Wading through blood: de Valera and the Civil War, an online lecture with David McCullagh. Host: Decade of Centenaries programme of South Dublin County Libraries. 1pm. Free but need to book. Booking and details.

Saturday 19 / Sunday 20 November: Irish Genealogy Education Day, an in-person and online event. Presentations from Dublin genealogist Claire Bradley and Geraldene O’Reilly. Host: New Zealand Genealogical Society, Irish Interest Group - Lower North Island. Venue: Collective Community Hub, 1/33 Johnsonville Road. Johnsonville. Wellington. NZ. All welcome. Starts Saturday 10pm GMT / Sunday 10am NZDT. Booking and details.

Monday 21 November: The Cobains of Kilwaughter, with Norah Crammond. A hybrid meeting hosted by the North of Ireland Family History Society, Larne Branch. In-person venue: Larne Museum and Arts Centre, 2 Victoria Road, Larne, BT40 1RN. Online: email branch secretary for zoom link. 7:15pm - 8:45pm GMT. All welcome. Details.

Tuesday 22 November Estate Records, with Brett Irwin of PRONI. A hybrid meeting of the North of Ireland Family History Society, Belfast Branch. In-person venue: Stranmillis University College, Belfast BT9 5DY. Online via zoom - see details. All welcome. 7pm.

Tuesday 22 November Internal Migration in Ireland, 1600-2000, with Dr Patrick Fitzgerald (Mellon Centre for Migration Studies). Online talk. Host: Libraries NI, Heritage from Home Series 3. 12:30pm. All welcome. Free but need to register, here.

Tuesday 22 November When the Music Stopped: Rethinking the ‘traumatic silence’ of the Irish Civil War. An online event hosted by the National Library of Ireland. 7pm–8pm GMT. Free. All welcome. Need to register.

Wednesday 23 November Burning the Big House – Understanding Civil War Conflagrations, with Prof. Terence Dooley. An in-person event hosted by Westmeath Archaeological & Historical Society in association with Westmeath County Council's Decade of Centenaries programme. Venue: Greville Arms Hotel, Mullingar, Co Westmeath. 8pm.

Wednesday 23 November Using Free Websites to Find your Family, with Aiden Feerick MAGI. An online event hosted by Dublin City Culture Club. 11am. All welcome. Free, but need to booke.

Wednesday 23 November Exploring the Irish Experience of WW1, an online exhibition tour. Host: National Library of Ireland. 1pm to 1:45pm. Free. All welcome. Need to book.

Thursday 24 November: Twenty ways to find a townland, and other hints and tips, an online event with Georgina Scally MAGI. The final talk in the National Archives of Ireland's lecture series. 6pm. Free. All welcome. Need to book.

Thursday 24 November: "The Bulletin" and "Persons Unknown", an online premiere of two audio plays inspired by once-classified official records, taking us back to a time when military and civilian efforts to control propaganda shaped the relations between Britain and Ireland forever. The plays will be followed by a panel discussion with record specialists from the UK National Archives, writers and members of the production team. 7pm–9pm. Free. All welcome. Need to book.

Thursday 24 November Haunted Histories, with Dr David Hume talking about stories, superstitions and folklore in Ulster. Hosted by the North of Ireland Family History Society, Ballymena branch. 7:15pm–8:45pm GMT. A hybrid meeting. In-person at Michelin Arts Workshop, Braid Arts Centre 1-29 Bridge Street, Ballymena, Co Antrim. Online: email Ballymena@nifhs.org for zoom link. Details.

Thursday 24 November: History and the role it plays in our identity and contemporary politics, an address from Taoiseach Micheál Martin, T.D.. An online event in the Ireland 1922 series hosted by the Royal Irish Academy. Booking essential. Free. All welcome. 7pm to 8pm.

Friday 25 November: Killure-Kilgerrill: Its People and Places. An in-person launch of a new, 726-page local history published by Killure Heritage Group. 7.30pm. Venue: Gullane’s Hotel, Main Street, Ballinasloe, Co Galway. Details. Book on sale locally at Salmons and online via Kennys.ie.

Friday 25 November: Tipperary Cumann na mBan, with Dr Noreen Higgins. An in-person event hosted by Emly Historical Society at St.Ailbes Hall, Emly, Tipperary. 8pm. Refreshments will be served. All welcome.


Friday 11 November 2022

FindMyPast delivers a mix of Military records from World War 1

With Veterans' Day and Remembrance/Armistice weekend now upon us, FindMyPast has released a handful of small collections that may help you to learn more about your ancestors and their experiences in the British military during the First World War. Brief details are below with direct links to each record-set.

The War Pictures Weekly has joined
FindMyPast's British Newspaper Collection

Prisoners Of War Sound Recordings 1916-1918
This collection, the first of its kind to join the FindMyPast database, offers 56 sound recordings of servicemen held in German prison camps in the First World War. Among the recordings are a 22-year-old boxmaker from Cork (Daniel Kiely) and a 36-year-old shoemaker from Belfast (John McCrory).

Prisoners Of War, General Correspondence, 1915
If you've located ancestors that were captured and imprisoned in German camps, this collection will give you an insight into the hardships endured by POWs. It comprises official government documents, reports, and personal letters from loved ones. Many of these records describe concern over the conditions of the camps, as well as some first-hand accounts of imprisonment. A few named individuals also appear.

British Rolls Of Honour and Nominal Rolls, WW1
Some 251 records from Coventry, in the English Midlands, have been uploaded to this collection, which now holds more than 310,000 entries.

The War Pictures Weekly and the London Illustrated Weekly.
This newspaper was published from 1914 to 1916 in London. It featured an array of illustrations from the First World War, ranging from German infantry; land, sea and air battles; troop trains; food riots at Home and the impact of reduced police numbers after so many officers enlisted. It's relatively short text features brought details of how the war was progressing militarily and how people at Home were managing.


Some of the above content contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you buy via these links. This does not affect the price you pay as a consumer, but it does contribute to keeping Irish Genealogy News online. See Advertising Disclosure tab above.

Thursday 10 November 2022

Enjoy a long research weekend with free access to FindMyPast

FindMyPast is opening up its entire database (bar just one collection... see below) this weekend. This means you have free access to billions of records across the range - census, BMDs, military, institutions, newspapers, probate, crime, Poor Law, transportation and emigration, directories and much, much more.

Free Access has ended

The only collection that will not be part of the free access is the 1921 Census of England and Wales. Other than that, whether your focus is the USA, Canada, Ireland, the UK, or Australia and New Zealand, you can dive in and search and view records.

What's not to like?

Choose your preferred FindMyPast website from the options below. The same collections will be available, free, in all of them, so it doesn't much matter which one you choose.



FindMyPast Ireland


FindMyPast USA/Canada


FindMyPast UK


FindMyPast Australia/NZ

Free access to Findmypast runs to 10am GMT on Monday 14 November. After the free access ends, you can only view records with a valid subscription.

Some of the above content contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you buy via these links. This does not affect the price you pay as a consumer, but it does contribute to keeping Irish Genealogy News online. See Advertising Disclosure tab above.

Wednesday 9 November 2022

Free access to 1950 USA Census available on MyHeritage

MyHeritage is opening up free access to its collection of records from the 1950 federal census of the USA.  The offer marks the company's largest release for this collection, covering 30 million records from the states of Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia.

The addition of these records means there are now more than 150 million records in the collection, and the searchable index includes all the continental United States at the time. (Alaska and Hawaii are included, but they did not become states until nine years after the census). 

Details for enumerated individuals include names, ages, residence addresses, relationships, households, gender, birthplace, maritage status and other facts.

A few million records remain unavailable to search. These, MyHeritage says, are records that couldn’t be scanned and indexed accurately through more automated means and require some additional manual handling. They will be added to the database over the next few months.

Click the image to start searching or to set up a free account.

Big updates to the Irish Registry of Deeds Index Project

Just six weeks on from celebrating the main index reaching a total of half a million entries, the volunteer-managed Registry of Deeds Index Project has received another update over the last few days. It sees the main index grow to a new total of 510,922 entries, transcribed from 53,114 memorials of deeds. The Townland and Grantor Indexes have been updated.

A random sample from the Townland Index freely available
on FamilySearch. Click for enlarged and zoomable view.

A huge update of nearly 55,000 entries has also been made to the Townland Index. As part of this, the earliest three volumes (1708–1820) of townland indexes for County Antrim have been fully transcribed, as have the earliest two volumes (1708–1810) for County Down. 

These transcriptions include Belfast from 1708 to 1820.

"This recent bundle of transcriptions was an enormous task since many of these early pages were severely smudged," explains Project founder and manager Nick Reddan FIGRS. 

"A great deal of detective work was required to recreate the text. "Moreover, during this work, more than 900 errors were found in the original indexes. These have been corrected in the transcription index, which now holds 362,200 entries."

"By contrast, the Townland Index books are quite legible from 1811, and transcribing them is straightforward."

The Grantor Index has also grown, with more than 1,130 entries recently added. It now holds 46,637 entries.

To join the band of volunteers, click the link above, where you'll find details, how-to guides and more. 

Tuesday 8 November 2022

RootsIreland adds more Catholic records for the parish of Dingle

RootsIreland.ie has added 16,531 Roman Catholic baptism records from Dingle parish to its Kerry database. They run from 1823 to 1899. Marriage records for the same parish were already available.

For an up to date list of all the online sources for County Kerry, click the image, right.

Monday 7 November 2022

Irish genealogy, history and heritage events, 7 - 20 November

Monday 7 November: The Names Have It, a talk by Moira Concannon. A hybrid event hosted by the North of Ireland Family History Society, Killyleagh Branch. 8pm. All welcome. In-person venue: Killyleagh Masonic Hall, 50 High Street, Killyleagh, Downpatrick BT30 9QF. Details

Monday 7 November: Ferries on the Foyle, with Dr Jim Condren. An in-person and online event hosted by the North of Ireland Family History Society, Foyle Branch. Venue:Lecture Room Derry's Central Library 35 Foyle Street, Derry. 7pm - 8:30pm. Details.

Tuesday 8 November: Lost meeting houses of Belfast, an in-person event with Tom Hartley. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Lisburn Branch. Venue: Bridge Community Centre 50 Railway Street, Lisburn, Co. Down BT28 1XP. 7:30pm–9pm GMT.

Tuesday 8 November: Connemara Irish: Despair in the Heartland of Minnesota, an online talk by Jane Kennedy. Hosted by the Genealogical Society of Ireland (GSI). 8pm. All welcome. Non-members can obtain zoom links by emailing Membership@Familyhistory.ie

Wednesday 8 November: Treasured Heritage - Researching your place of worship, an in-person talk and tour from the National Churches Trust. Host and venue: Public Record Office of Northern Ireland 2 Titanic Boulevard, Titanic Quarter, Belfast BT3 9HQ. 09:15–13:00 GMT. Details.

Wednesday 9 November: Victory through faith – the political activation of the Wehrmacht, an online lecture with Katherine Quinlan-Flatter. Hosts: Public Record Office of Northern Ireland and the Antrim and Down branch of the Western Front Association. 7pm to 8pm. All welcome. Free but need to register in advance. Details.

Wednsday 9 November: Using the Leeds Method – making sense of DNA matches, an online class with Anne Johnston. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society. 7pm. Tickets £10. Need to book. Details.

Wednesday 9 November: Carrickfergus Churchyard: Stories behind the stones, with Dr William Roulston. An in-person event to be held at Carrickfergus Town Hall, Joymount, Carrickfergus, Co Antrim BT38 7DN at 7pm. Hosted by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council. Free. Book your seat by phoning 028 9335 8241 or email carrickfergusmuseums@midandeastantrim.gov.uk.

Thursday 10 November: 'We have found a better way, Boys': Reassessing Anna and Fanny Parnell, with Dr Diane Urquart. An in-person lecture at the Royal Irish Academy, 19 Dawson Street, Dublin 2. 1pm. Free. All welcome. Booking recommended. Phone 01 609 0602.

Saturday 12 November: Family History Research at the National Library of Ireland (NLI), an online talk with Steven Skeldon from the NLI's Family History Services. Host: Irish Genealogical Research Society (IGRS). 14:30–16:00 IST/GMT. All welcome. Free to members. €5 for non-members. Details and booking.

Saturday 12 November: Commemoration and burial practices of the Scots in 17th century Ireland, an online lecture by Dr William Roulston. Hosted by the Church Monuments Society. Everybody welcome. 5pm to 6pm. Free but need to reserve your place. Details and booking.

Sunday 13 November: The Irish Civil War in Colour: Michael B Barry and John O'Byrne in conversation with David McCullagh about their new book. An in-person event. 4pm to 5pm. Venue: RDS Library, Anglesea Road, Dublin 4. Free. Need to register. Details.

Sunday 13 November: Military Archives: A History, a discussion by Tommy Graham, editor of History Ireland, with Zoe Reid and Daniel Alyotis. Part of the Dublin Book Festival. An in-person event. 2pm to 3pm. Venue: RDS Library, Anglesea Road, Dublin 4. Free, but need to register.

Monday 14 November My Ruiger Family Heritage, with Joe Lavery. An online event hosted by North of Ireland Family History Society, Newtownabbey Branch. All welcome. 7pm–8:30pm GMT. Those wishing to attend should e-mail Newtownabbey@nifhs.org and they will be sent the link.

Tuesday 15 November: Garda na Pobal – The foundation of An Garda Siochana, 1922, with Dr John Reynolds. An in-person event and part of the Tipperary People and Places Lecture series no.16. Host: Tipperary Studies, the local history dept. of Tipperary County Librairies. 7pm. Free. Venue: Gallery of the Source Library, Thurles. Tea and coffeee served. All welcome. Details.

Tuesday 15 November: The Civil War Legacy: Ireland in the 1920s and 30s, an online lecture by Professor Fearghal McGarry, QUB. Host: National Library of Ireland. All welcome. 7pm GMT. Free, but need to book.

Tuesday 15 November: Dr. Ella Webb (1877-1946): "Children need help and I am going to help them," an in-person event with Dr Declan Warde. Host: Foxrock Local History Society. Venue: Foxrock Pastoral Centre, Kill Lane, Foxrock, Co Dublin. 8pm. All welcome. Members free. Non-members €5 on the door.

Wednesday 16 November: A long hard road: a story of Famine Migration, an online talk with John Grenham. Host: Libraries NI, Heritage from Home Series 3. 12:30pm. All welcome. Free but need to register here.

Thursday 17 November: Book Launch: Irish Women in Religious Orders, 1530-1700 Suppression, Migration and Reintegration, by Dr Bronagh Ann McShane. Moore institute. Register.

Thursday 17 November: Genealogy advisory evening at Wicklow Local Studies, Salthouse Lane, Wicklow Town. An in-person, drop-in event. Free. All welcome. First come, first served. 6:30pm to 8P30pm.

Saturday 19 November: Wading through blood: de Valera and the Civil War, an online lecture with David McCullagh. Host: Decade of Centenaries programme of South Dublin County Libraries. 1pm. Free but need to book. Booking and details.


Friday 4 November 2022

This week's new/updated collections for England, Scotland & Wales

Below is a summary of newly released and updated family history record collections for England, Scotland and Wales from the major genealogy databases. (Previous summary, 27 October.)

My regular summary of releases and updates relating to British collections is designed to help family historians whose Irish ancestors migrated, temporarily or permanently, to England, Scotland or Wales.

By default, it will also be useful to anyone carrying out research in those three nations, regardless of the origin of their ancestors.

The figures in parenthesis in the New Collections section are the numbers of records/images in the new record set.

Unless otherwise stated, the figures in parenthesis in the Updated Collections section reflect the number of records added to the collection in the recent update. In some instances, the supplier has not made this figure available. Where two figures are given, the first is the number of additions, the second is the new total.

Please note that I don't usually include updates of fewer than 1,000 records.


NEW COLLECTIONS


BritishNewspaperArchive, and shared with some FindMyPast subscriptions (59 million+ pages)

FamilySearch

Fold3

MyHeritage

TheGenealogist


UPDATED COLLECTIONS


Ancestry

FamilySearch

FindMyPast
  • Scotland, Poor Law & Poor Lists: Dreghorn Poor Relief, 1872-1901 | Inverness Poor Relief, 1846-1894 | Wick Poor Relief, 1870-1887 | Stirling & Perthshire Poor Relief, 1816-1899.(16,820 additions)
  • Scotland, Occupations & Professions: Merchants Matriculat in the Company of Merchants of Edinburgh, 1687 | Scotland, Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons 1581-1873 | A history of the Society of Writers to Her Majesty's Signet, 1890 | Scottish Seafarers Index | Fife Shopkeepers and Traders. (16,000 additions)

National Library of Scotland


Some of the above content contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you buy via these links. This does not affect the price you pay as a consumer, but it does contribute to keeping Irish Genealogy News online. See Advertising Disclosure tab above.