Thursday, 21 September 2023

County Kildare's Grand Jury Presentment and query books digitised

More than 6,000 pages of Grand Jury Presentments and Query Books have been digitised by Kildare County Archives. They are now online, free to download in pdf format and to explore to your heart's content. 

The Grand Jury system of local government was set up in the medieval period. It was initially concerned with the administration of justice, and juries were made up of wealthy local landowners. The Courts sat just twice a year, at the spring and summer assizes. By the 18th and 19th centuries, the Grand Jury had taken on more responsibilities including the management and maintenance of hospitals, asylums, dispensaries, gaols and some other public buildings, and the provision of roads.

The books contain the names of many individuals: contractors taking on public works, medical staff and those caring for deserted children. 

County Kildare's surviving and newly digitised Grand Jury materials can be downloaded from the link above. 

For more about the Grand Jury, see the People, Place and Power flip-book for an informative read, or view a video (here) of "Beyond 2022: People, Place and Power Grand Jury Records & Local History" event held in May 2021.

Wednesday, 20 September 2023

City Colleges' Certificate course in Family History starts next week

An online Family History course, run in collaboration between Accredited Genealogists Ireland and City Colleges, Dublin, will start on Thursday 28 September. It is a foundation course and will run for 10 weeks.

All lecturers hold credentials as Members of Accredited Genealogists Ireland. Students will be introduced to the building blocks of genealogy such as civil records, church records and census records, and are guided through other exciting resources such as land surveys and historic newspapers.

All training is provided live, online, with real-time instructor-student interaction.

Those who successfully complete the course receive the City Colleges Professional Certificate Award for Family History Research.

An Advanced Level Diploma course will run in the Spring 2024 term. Those that complete the foundation course in the Autumn term will have an option to continue their studies to the higher level.

For details of the course's structure, timetables, modules and lecturers, see the City Colleges website or phone 00 353 1 4160034.

Tuesday, 19 September 2023

More South Tipperary RC marriages join RootsIreland.ie

More than 2,220 marriage recordsd from the Roman Catholic parish of Boherlahan & Dualla have been added to RootIreland.ie's South Tipperary database. They join 11,000+ recently uploaded baptism records from the same parish. Both record sets span 1810–1900.

Take a look at the full menu of online sources for South Tipperary here, or learn more about the Bru Boru Heritage Centre, where these registers were transcribed, by clicking the logo above.

The Genealogist adds County Laois RC parish registers collection

TheGenealogist, best known for its collection of English, Scottish and Welsh records, especially land records, has this week added another big record set to its Irish collection.

The new record-set provides a fresh index to the National Library of Ireland's online images of Roman Catholic parish registers covering County Laois, previously known as County Leix and as Queen's County from 1556 to 1922.

Most of the Laois parishes have records from the 1830s, but there are many that start some time before this date; the parish of Rosenallis, in the north of the county and bordering County Offaly, reaches back to 1765 for marriages and baptisms.

In total, the new index provides entries for more than 500,000 individuals. Each entry links to the NLI's image.

This is the fourth Irish county to be included in the databases collection of RC parish registers. They join indexes and links for parish records in counties Carlow, Kildare and Wexford. You can view the full list of parishes included here.

Monday, 18 September 2023

Two new online resources free to access in County Clare libraries

Here's some great news for genealogists and historians living in or visiting County Clare.

Over the last couple of months, Clare Libraries have been busy rolling out two new resources across the county's 15 branch libraries and one Local Studies Centre. They are (drum roll, please) the Irish Newspaper Archives and FindMyPast, two of the most important digital resources for Irish family historians.

Both databases are now free to access on library computers. Researchers needs to have a library membership card, that's all, and they can then search and download and print or save articles to their account.

For more information visit ClareLibraries.ie or email localstudies @ clarecoco.ie.

2-week update summary for English, Scottish & Welsh genealogy

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

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 parentheses in the New Collections section are the numbers of records (or images, if browse-only) in the new record set.

Unless otherwise stated, the figures in parentheses 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 so the figure is the new total. 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 FindMyPast)

FindMyPast

MyHeritage

UPDATED COLLECTIONS


Ancestry

FamilySearch

FindMyPast

FreeBMD Index

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.

Friday, 15 September 2023

FindMyPast introduces 3-month Premium subscriptions

FindMyPast has launched a 3-month version of its Premum subscription. This new 'bitesize' option provides exactly the same 'all in' access as the annual Premium sub (until now the only option for those wanting to explore the 1921 Census of England and Wales) but for a shorter period.

The 38million records held in the 1921 Census is available online exclusively at FindMyPast.

A 3-month subscription is likely to suit those researchers who, for whatever reason, need only a short and sweet access to this census collection. I imagine it will be popular among Irish family historians whose ancestors may have hopped over the water on a temporary or permanent stay, and those other researchers trying to pin down extended family of their emigrant forbears. 

Whatever the attraction, this new option gives genealogists greater flexibility in planning and approaching their research.

Please note that if existing subscribers who wish to upgrade can do so on a pro-rata basis.

Find out more and place your order for a three-month premium subscription by choosing one of the flags or links below.



FindMyPast Ireland – new 3-month PREMIUM subscription: €69.99.


FindMyPast US/Canada – 3-month PREMIUM subscription: US$89.99.


FindMyPast UK – new 3-month PREMIUM subscription: £59.99.


FindMyPast Aus/NZ – new 3-month PREMIUM subscription: $109.99.


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, 14 September 2023

Irish Registry of Deeds Index Project continues to add records

The free-to-access database of the volunteer-led Irish Registry of Deeds Index Project has been updated. The main index now holds 565,018 indexed entries (up by nearly 35,000 since the start of the year) gathered from 58,403 memorials of deeds.

The Townland Index has also shown impressive growth over the same timeframe.

These indexes are one of the main finding aids for researchers, allowing them to search for memorials according to the townland location of property and land transferred by the paperwork. Just over 60,000 entries have joined the Project's index since January, and the total number is now 436,104.

To help researchers gain greater familiarity with the Registry of Deeds' material (and perhaps become a Project volunteer?), the founder and manager of the Project, Nick Reddan FIGRS, draws our attention to a particular memorial each time he updates the database.

For the most recent update, he has highlighted memorial number 376480, which was registered on 17 May 1804. Nick admits it's a complex one. "It's a little difficult to understand what is said and what is unsaid," he says. "It appears to be a blended family, with the eldest son of Charles Green being assigned rights to a property in county Tipperary having undertaken to make provision, when his father dies, for his stepmother and step-siblings."

View the Index entry here and consult the memorial's full text on the FamilySearch image here.

Tuesday, 12 September 2023

Submissions invited to consultation on creation of National Centre for Research and Remembrance at former Magdalene Laundry

Sorry for the late notification.

If you, or someone you know, wants to be part of a public consultation into how a former Magdalene laundry in Dublin's inner city could best be transformed into a place of commemoration for all those who went through all those who went through Ireland's brutal mother and baby homes and industrial schools, you'll need to submit a completed questionnaire by Friday 15 September.

The building, on Sean McDermott Street in Dublin 1, was the last such laundry to close in Ireland (in 1996). It is still owned by the state, and was saved from commercial redevelopment in 2019 and given the protection of Site of Conscience status.

Last year, the Government gave approval for it to become a National Centre for Research and Remembrance.

The National Centre will comprise:

  • A museum and exhibition space, the development of which will be led by the National Museum of Ireland
  • A research centre and repository of records related to institutional trauma in the 20th century, which will form part of the National Archives; and
  • a garden space for reflection and remembrance.

In addition, social housing units, educational, family and parenting supports will be constructed, which will make a valuable contribution to the social and economic development of Dublin’s North East Inner City.

Work is underway to progress the planning and development stages of the National Centre, and a Steering Group is driving this work. The Group is now inviting submissions from interested parties, to an initial, open consultation process. Anyone who spent time in one of these institutions, as well as the relatives and advocates, is invited to respond, as their feedback will directly inform the ongoing work.

You'll find more information and a link to the questionnaire, on this gov.ie page.

Image courtesy of Google Street View

Tuesday, 5 September 2023

Accredited Genealogists Ireland welcomes two new members

Accredited Genealogists Ireland (AGI), the all-island organisation which both represents the interests of professional genealogists and monitors the standard of their work on behalf of their clients, has two new Members (MAGIs). Step forward Jillian Van Turnhout and Hilary O’Connor.

Jillian Van Turnhout’s interest in genealogy began almost two decades ago when she completed a course which equipped her to undertake her own family history research. She subsequently honed her skills through undertaking research for family and friends. In more recent times she availed of AGI’s Affiliate Programme, before successfully applying for formal Membership. Jillian is a former senator in the upper chamber of Ireland’s parliament, the Oireachtas, and in 2015 she was given Politician of the Year Award. Find out more, here.

Hilary O’Connor holds a Masters in History of Family (receiving 1st class hons.) from University of Limerick. In 2019 she founded her business Lifetimes Research, but before moving into professional genealogy she had a successful career in marketing where she specialised in consumer research. Although she undertakes research throughout Ireland, she particularly specialises in counties Dublin, Wexford and Wicklow. Find out more, here.

Congratulations to both.

Monday, 4 September 2023

More than 600,000 records for Glasnevin Cemetery join Find A Grave

Over the last week an estimated 620,000 records of individuals buried in Glasnevin Cemetery have been uploaded to the free-to-access Find A Grave (FaG) Index. There were previously under 50,000 indexed entries in the database, so this huge delivery of records is a significant development for Irish family history research.

And still growing...!

This morning, the total number of Glasnevin entries in FaG stood at 689,832, all of the new ones with Plot References and basic details about the deceased ie name, birthdate (if known) and date of death. Those in the new bundle are not currently accompanied by a headstone photo.

A further 2,222 records have been added since I took the screengrab, right.

I was alerted to this exciting news by BowWow, a regular contributor to the excellent Boards.ie's Genealogy forum. BowWow has since discovered that the uploader of these records is a Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and the total upload could top 800,000 new entries when finished.

The Boards conversation is on-going. Follow this link if you want to join in (it's free and you'll need to register... it's worth it).

Many thanks to BowWow for passing on the information to IrishGenealogyNews.


English, Scottish & Welsh genealogy: a 2-week summary of releases

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

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 parentheses in the New Collections section are the numbers of records/images in the new record set.

Unless otherwise stated, the figures in parentheses in the Updated Collections section reflect the number of records added to the collection in the recent update. Sometimes the supplier does not made this figure available so the figure provided is the new total. 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 FindMyPast)
  • Four new titles: Farnworth Chronicle  |  Western Echo   |  Skelmersdale Reporter   |  Sutton & Epsom Advertiser

MyHeritage

The Genealogist

UPDATED COLLECTIONS


Ancestry

FamilySearch

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.

Save 25% on a one-year subscription to RootsIreland.ie

RootsIreland.ie, the database widely regarded as the single most essential for Irish family historians, has the most complete and most accurate set of Roman Catholic church records online. It also offers access to the largest online collection of Church of Ireland, Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, Congregational and Quaker records, plus census substitutes, land records and headstone inscriptions.

The site's user-friendly index holds more than 23 million records in total and additions join the database throughout the year. This year alone, more than 100,000 records have been added from Counties Kerry, Armagh, Tipperary, Mayo, Clare, Cork, Monaghan and Galway.

You can check the online sources available for each county here.

To take advantage of this offer, click the image above, register or login and then subscribe.

If you already have a subscription, click My Account, My Subscription and Start a New Subscription. When your current subscription expires, the special deal sub will start.

The 25% discount will be available until 11:59pm (Irish time) on Sunday 17 September.

Friday, 1 September 2023

Four new and updated Irish collections on Ancestry

Ancestry has added two new Irish record collections this week and updated two more.

Both debutantes are newly created indexes to record-sets held by the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. While the records have been searchable via PRONI's free online Name Search facility for some years, Ancestry's new index will extend access to more researchers.


NEW

Ireland, Ulster, Census of Protestant Householders, 1740 The original collection was destroyed in the 1922 fire in Dublin and only some transcripts survive. They include 46 parishes across Antrim, Armagh, Down, Donegal and Tyrone, and all parishes in County Londonderry. The returns record only the names of heads of household (no other personal information). Ancestry's new index holds 15,951 entries. See PRONI, here, for more information.

Ireland, Index of Religious Census, 1766
This new index holds 20,506 transcriptions of census returns from 35 parishes in the counties now in Northern Ireland, plus 38 parishes in counties now in the Republic of Ireland. The returns recorded religion as 'Roman Catholic' (also referred to as ‘Papists’) or Protestant.
Protestants were sometimes distinguished between 'Church of Ireland' and 'Dissenter', the latter usually meaning Presbyterian. For more details, see PRONI, here. See sample, right.


UPDATED

UK and Ireland, Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current This collection has grown by more than six million entries in the last three months. As usual with Ancestry's UK and Ireland Indexes, it's difficult to calculate how many entries relate to the island of Ireland. I can't even hazard a guess. Search return information is pretty good, although there may be more available in the full obituary, which you can view on Newspapers.com if you have an appropriate subscription.

Ireland, Royal Hospital Kilmainham Pensioner Discharge Documents, 1724-1924. This newly updated index holds 104,638 transcriptions of discharge documents for pensioners who served between 1724 and 1924. For each record, details may include a brief description of the pensioner together with age, place of birth, particulars of service and the reason for discharge. Searching the index returns good information (see right) but if you want to view an image of the document you'll need a Fold3.com or Ancestry All Access 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.

Seven counties feature in August updates to IGP Project Archives

The resources below have been donated by volunteers and uploaded to the ever-growing database of Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives during August. They are also free to access.

Stone in Kilfergus graveyard, Glin, Co Limerick
commemorating Dublin Metropolitan Police Constable Patrick
Sheahan's bravery (1905). Photo courtesy of Larry Kehoe and
IGP Archives. Click photo for enlarged view.

CORK Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Holy Rosary Cemetery, RC, Midleton, Part 14

DONEGAL Genealogy Archives - Church Records
Urney Alt Presbyterian Baptisms 1845-1920

FERMANAGH Genealogy Archives - Church Records
Slavin Chapel of Ease (CoI) Marriages 1845-1921

KILDARE Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Confey Cemetery, Section S

LIMERICK Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Kilfergus Graveyard, Glin, Parts 5 & 6 - Completed

TIPPERARY Genealogy Archives - Church Records
Fethard Baptisms 1822-1823

TYRONE Genealogy Archives - Civil Marriages
Strabane Register Office 1845-1921


Wednesday, 30 August 2023

Autumn edition of Irish Roots magazine has been published

The latest edition of Irish Roots magazine, Ireland's only independent magazine dedicated to Irish genealogy, has been published.

It is, as always, filled with helpful guidance, informative features and all the latest news and developments to help researchers discover more about their ancestral heritage, whether their family remained on the island or emigrated to near or distant new homes.

You'll find the following articles in the new issue:

Click to find out more and to download a sample.
  • Discover Local Resources For Tracing Your County Sligo Ancestors
  • Discovering A ‘Not Parent Expected’ Shock In Your Dna Research
  • Ancestral Research Tips From The Irish Genealogical Research Society
  • Making The Most Of Your Trip To The Representative Church Body Library
  • Discover The History And Origins Of Surnames From Co. Sligo
  • New Resource for Deaths: MemsDead.com
  • Australian Irish Connection: Melbourne In The Early Days
  • What’s New? Review - The Latest Irish Genealogy Record Releases

In addition, you'll find genealogical comment and observation from Stephen Smyrl MAGI; Letters to the Editor; a Reader's Research Experience; Dates for your diary; the Editor's Book Selections, and much more.

The magazine is available in both paper and digital formats on subscription, or by one-off single edition purchase or as part of a 'bundle'. If you click the front cover image, above, you'll find all the details to place your order. You can also download a free sample to whet your appetite!

Monday, 28 August 2023

National Library of Ireland: Saturday openings to end of year

The National Library of Ireland has announced the Saturday dates when both the main Reading Room and the Ticket Office will be open to researchers with a Reader's ticket. Opening hours are 9:30am–13:00pm and the dates are as follows:

  • 9 September
  • 23 September
  • 7 October
  • 21 October
  • 4 November
  • 18 November
  • 2 December
  • 16 December

Full instructions for obtaining a Reader's Ticket are at NLI.ie.

Irish News Archives marks new titles from the 1700s with discounts

The Dublin-based Irish Newspaper Archives has had a very busy summer. Over the last month, several new titles from the 1700s have been added to the database. While they are short runs of publication, they hold excellent historical content and are sure to be of great value to Irish family history researchers.

These latest additions, with years of publication in parenthesese, are as follows:

  • Waterford Today 1995-2005
  • General Evening Post 1783
  • Hibernian Chronicle 1783
  • Hibernian Journal / Chronicle of Liberty 1776-1792
  • St James Chronicle / British Evening Press 1794
  • Madras Courier 1789
  • Morning Post or Dublin Courant
  • Oracle 1796-1797
  • The Dublin Chronicle 1787-1792
  • The English Chronicle

The mark this upload of such historical papers, Irish Newspaper Archives is offering savings on its subscriptions, with a 25% discount (use promotional code AUG25) on a Silver package, and a 30% discount (use promotional code AUG30) on the Gold package. The latter gives you access to all the historical newspapers in the Silver package, plus the full Radical archive.

For more savings on genealogical and dna products, click on the Current Special Offers tab above.

Tuesday, 22 August 2023

National Archives of Ireland catalogues personal Injuries claims, 1919-55

Following archival and conservation work, the first tranche of a new collection – Compensation (Personal Injuries) Committee Claims, 1919–1955 – is available for consultation at the National Archives of Ireland. The files were transferred to the NAI from the Department of Finance in November last year and a hard copy catalogue is available in the Reading Room in Bishop Street.

Sample Personal Injuries claim. Photo courtesy of NAI.
Click for enlarged view.

As its name suggests, the collection of compensation claims contains first-hand accounts by claimants, including medical and personal data, and provides an insight into a turbulent period in the island's history.

While the hardcopy catalogue provides access to all 700 files, the online catalogue currently includes details of only 500; the remaining 200 will be added soon.

The NAI reference is Reference Code is FIN/COMP/4/2022/28/. (In the Advanced Search field, just type 2022/28/1 and so on up to 2022/28/500.)

At the present time there are no plans to digitise the collection.

I've nosed around the online listing, which isn't arranged by either location or surname, but rather in the order in which the files were received by the NAI. Here are a few random samples:

  • Personal injuries claim by Mary Jane Gaughran on behalf of Bernard Gaughran, 20 Hill Street, Dundalk, County Louth, deceased. Reference: 2022/28/15 Date: Sep 1922-Jun 1928. Bernard Gaughran was shot by National forces from an armoured train when he was mistaken to be an Irregular on 17 August 1922 while on the Dublin Road Railway Bridge, Dundalk. Award granted.
  • Personal injuries claim by Mary Sisk on behalf of John Sisk, Dunkereen Upper Upton, County Cork, deceased.Reference: 2022/28/7 Date: Mar 1921-Feb 1924. John Sisk was shot by rifle fire while working as a signalman for Cork Bandon and South Coast Railway when a train was ambushed at Upton Station, Dunkereen on 15 February 1921. Award granted.
  • Personal injuries claim by Ellen Dunlea, Ballycoe House, Dungarvan, County Waterford. Reference: 2022/28/8 Date: Mar 1922-Nov 1924. Ellen Dunlea suffered personal injuries when her home was raided by Crown forces resulting in the destruction of her home on 24 and 25 March 1921. No award granted.
  • Personal injuries claim by Isabella Finlay on behalf of Dean Finlay, Bawnboy, County Cavan, deceased. Reference: 2022/28/19 Date: Nov 1922-Aug 1924. Dean Finlay was killed by a blow to the head by Irregular forces when trying to prevent the destruction of his house on 12 June 1921. Award granted.
  • Personal injuries claim by Sarah Fergus, Cahir, Louisburgh, County Mayo. Reference: 2022/28/331 Date: Jul 1923-Nov 1924. Sarah Fergus's home was raided and members of her family assaulted by the RIC [Royal Irish Constabulary] on 3 March 1921. No award granted.

Monday, 21 August 2023

Late summer offers on Ancestry DNA test kits (IE and UK only)

Ancestry DNA tests are on offer in Ireland and the UK until 11:59pm (Irish/GB time) Friday 8 September.

Up for grabs is a 25% saving, so take advantage while you can... with competition still fierce in the consumer market, Ancestry's discounts don't come along as frequently as they once did. But Ancestry is still, in my opinion, the best autosomal dna test supplier for anyone who's serious about their genealogy research or is merely curious about their family heritage.

Select from the options below. The prices quoted are for the test kit; shipping is extra.

Please note, there may be similar discounts available for US, Canadian or Ozzie researchers but I haven't been advised of them.


Ireland: AncestryDNA test kit €69, reduced from €95. Shipping extra.
UK: AncestryDNA test kit £59, reduced from £79. Shipping extra.

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.

Friday, 18 August 2023

Four weeks of genealogy releases for England, Scotland & Wales

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

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 parentheses in the New Collections section are the numbers of records/images in the new record set.

Unless otherwise stated, the figures in parentheses 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 so the figure is the new total. 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 FindMyPast)
  • Four new Titles: Penzance Gazette  |  Llais Y Wlad  |  Y Dydd  |  Y Gwladgarwr  |  Farnworth Chronicle

Fold3

MyHeritage

The Genealogist

UPDATED COLLECTIONS


Ancestry

FamilySearch

FindMyPast

FreeBMD


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, 17 August 2023

Ancestry adds Index to soldiers treated in Belfast hospital, 1914-16

Random sample search result from Ancestry

Ancestry has uploaded a newly created index and browse facility to another of the collections freely available via the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI).

PRONI calls this collection the First World War Register of the Royal Victoria Hospital; it has been renamed the Belfast, Antrim, Ireland, Royal Victoria Hospital Register, 1914-1916 in the Ancestry database.

The collection contains medical registers for more than 700 soldiers who were treated at the Royal Victoria Hospital between the years 1914 and 1916. Most of the records are in English.

Soldiers from various regiments were treated during this time, so this is not a collection of interest only to family historians with Northern Ireland connections.

While local regiments included the Irish Guards and the Royal Irish Rifles, some of the patients were from the Royal Berkshire Regiment, the Royal Scots Fusiliers and the Welsh Guards. Soldiers from New Zealand, Canada and Australia were also treated.

Records may include some or all of the following information:

  • Name
  • Rank
  • Hospital Admission Date
  • Hospital Discharge Date
  • Military Regiment
  • Battalion Number
  • Attaché Regiment
  • Service Number
  • Register Page Number

PRONI's First World War Register of the Royal Victoria Hospital collection can be searched and viewed on PRONI's website via a downloadable spreadsheet and a pdf, respectively. The repository also offers a useful article containing context and an overview of the collection.

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.

Rootsireland adds RC records for three County Kerry parishes

RootsIreland.ie has added more than 25,600 Roman Catholic baptismal and marriages records to its County Kerry database.

Here's the breakdown, with the number of records shown in parentheses:

  • Killorglin Marriages: 1798-1851 & 1884-1911 (7,986)
  • Ballyheigue Marriages: 1858-1900 (1,142)
  • Dingle Baptisms: 1823-1899 (16,521)

For an up to date list of Kerry sources available in the database, click the logo above.

To search the records, go to kerry.rootsireland.ie and login or subscribe as required.

Wednesday, 16 August 2023

The Ulster Covenant now searchable, free, at Ancestry

Ancestry has created another of its free-to-access 'Web' indexes to a database held on the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI). This follows a move by PRONI in its centenary year to extend awareness of its online collections to more family historians with ancestral connections to the historical Irish counties of Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, LondonDerry and Tyrone.

Click image for enlarged view of a
sample signature page from the Ulster Covenant 1912

The first two PRONI databases to receive the 'Ancestry Web' treatment were the Northern Ireland Valuation Revision Books and the Northern Ireland Freeholders records. These were uploaded in June (see blogpost) and, as with all the 'Web' collections, you don't need to subscribe or even be registered to view them.

The week's upload draws attention to the Ulster Covenant of 1912, a campaign by Ulster Unionists aimed at preventing Home Rule in Ireland. Mobilised at relatively short notice (and thereby sparking panic in Westminster), the campaign attracted nearly half a million signatures, and it is these, along with the address or townland of each signatory, that feature in this collection.

Ancestry's Ulster Covenant home page doesn't provide much of an introduction to the significance of this document. For a good overview, see PRONI's informative article here.

Tuesday, 15 August 2023

Several newly digitised collections have joined TipperaryStudies.ie

My recent ill-health (ongoing but improving, thank you) has meant I have failed to record the many recent additions to the Tipperary Studies digital archive. I shall now correct this situation, and point you towards the material posted below, all uploaded within the last two months by the knowledgeable and hard-working Local Studies team.

Thurles Workhouse Deaths Register 1869-1900.
For enlarged view of a 1871 deaths page, click image.

Killenaule National School records 1871-1954: This collection holds eleven volumes and register books recording daily school attendances, absences, and punishments, plus full registration information including student's date of entry, register number, full name, date of birth, religious affiliation, place of residence, parent's occupation, and last class and school attended. In addition there is an 'observation' book for school inspectors to offer up their opinions on classes, teachers and pupils, and a book of religious instruction certificates, which I'd not come across previously.

Thurles Workhouse Death Registers, 1869–1900: Two registers covering the time span have been digitised to a high quality and are presented in two pdf files which are free to download. The registers record the names and ages of the deceased, the cause and date of death of each individual, plus the length of each coffin and the number of yards of linen required for their shroud.

Thurles Town Football Club match programmes: This collection has just been extended with the addition of another dozen match-day programmes from Thurles Town FC from their time in the League of Ireland. Some programmes consist of only a few pages, containing names of the home team and those of their opponents, plus a few adverts from local sponsors. Other programmes run to 36/42 pages, filled with all kinds of local and general football chat, history, jokes, statistics and even a Meet the Player slot.

Local Government records: Recent additions are the Cashel Town commissioners registry of persons entitled to vote in elections, 1843-49 (these includes names and occupations); an account of expenditure at Lord Caher's election for the county in 1818; receipts and vouchers from Mr Massy relating to the Tipperary Election of July 1852; and Templemore Urban District Council Rate books for 1901-1910. This collection, which contains the names of occupiers/tenants, owners, street names, rates and land valuation, may be particularly useful to researchers in view of the loss of UDC material in the Town Hall fire of 1920.

Stanwix Trust Minute Books for the Widows' Homes in Thurles, 1890–1930: This material is a genealogical gem for those researching the stories of the widows, the members of the Board of Trustees, and the tenants who lived on the Stanwix Estate. The trust was set up by Emma Stanwix to build and run a hospital and alms-houses for poor old widows from the revenue of the Stanwix estate in Moycarkey, Co. Tipperary. Some 19 houses were built in 1889 in red brick Arts & Crafts style. The minute book, which refers to the widows admitted to the Stanwix Almshouses as “inmates”, helps paint a picture of life in this institution. The trustees took turns selecting widows as candidates for residency in the almshouses, with all nominations meticulously documented in the minute book. It lists the name of each nominated widow, along with her age and address, and on rare occasions, her deceased husband’s name and profession.

Monday, 14 August 2023

It's National Heritage Week across Ireland: 1,800+ events on offer

With National Heritage Week already underway (it runs to Sunday 19th August), there's absolutely no excuse for not finding something interesting to do, learn and enjoy, either on your own or with a group, indoors or out. More than 1,840 events on the theme of Living Heritage are on offer, every one free.

Living Heritage is defined as the practices, knowledge and skills that have been passed from one generation to the next, and are still part and parcel of Irish life and society.

Given the number of events across the island, there's plenty to choose from no matter your particular areas of curiosity.

You'll find guided walks learning about foraging, local history, bats and whales; guided tours of heritage buildings; lectures, exhibitions and one-to-one family history consultations; launches of books, exhibitions, archive collections and websites; and all manner of cultural traditions and history being presentated, demonstrated and brought to life.

The National Heritage Week website holds details of all events (click logo above). They can be searched by keyword and county to help you narrow down your favourites. If you can't attend in person, there are a number of Digital Projects' to explore, all within the theme but presented online.

Thursday, 10 August 2023

Last month's updates to Ireland Genealogy Project Archives

A little late (mea culpa), here's the list of materials added to Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives in July. It was a nicely varied package, and the Pub Ledger from Larkins Cross is a charming oddity. I'm sure there must be a few researchers out there wanting to make some sense of it and marry the names to the tipples! The entries start in December 1897, so maybe the individuals can be identified in the 1901 census...?

CLARE Genealogy Archives - Miscellaneous
Larkins Pub Ledger, Larkins Cross

CORK Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Holy Rosary Cemetery (RC) Part 13

DUBLIN Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Kilbarrack Graveyard, Sutton - 6a

LIMERICK Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Kilfergus Graveyard, Glin, Part 4

TYRONE Genealogy Archives - Church
Barons Court CoI Marriages 1858-1921

Ancestry adds indexes to two online Irish burial record collections

Ancestry has added new indexes to two Irish burial register collections. Together, some 236,000 records have been indexed. These are not brand-new records making their debut online. They are indexes, created by Ancestry, to burial registers already online at two well-established, free to access, standalone websites: DiscoverEverAfter.com and EnfieldGraveyards.com.

While the indexes won't be free on Ancestry, their presence in such a major database will probably drive more researchers to the source material and enable more family historians to locate their deceased ancestors and extended family.

Ancestry has named the bigger of the two collections the Ireland Cemetery Collection 1865–2023. The index holds 225,711 entries to the burial registers held on DiscoverEverAfter.com after that team had carried out PlotBox surveys in a number of graveyards. The index does not include ALL the burial grounds included on the source website. Among those included in the Ancestry Index are Deansgrange and Shanganagh, both in Dublin, St Peter's RC cemetery in Drogheda, Co Louth, and several burial grounds in County Carlow. The records relate to burials between the years 1865 and 2023

The smaller collection – the Meath and Kildare, Ireland, Graveyard Collection, 1554-2014 – is an index of records transcribed from burial registers held on the Enfield & District Graveyards website at EnfieldGraveyards.com. There are 11,961 entries in the index from registers from Counties Meath and Kildare.

Third upload from RootsIreland this month is from Co Clare

Here's the third county database upload to RootsIreland this month! This time, it's the County Clare database that's in the limelight, with a mixed bag of some 6,500 records, as follows:

Click image for menu of sources for County Clare

  • Bridgetown civil births: 1881–1941 (2500 records)
  • New Quay RC baptisms, 1846–1900 (2102 records)
  • Bodyke RC marriages, 1832–1900 (858 records)
  • Carriagholt RC marriage, 1832–1900 (1075 records)

To search these records, go to https://rootsireland.ie/clare/ and login or subscribe as required.