FindMyPast updates site's BMD subcategories

Across its territories, FindMyPast has made a couple of small but significant website updates.

The Birth, Marriage and Death (BMD) categories have been split between civil and parish record types ie civil deaths and burials; parish baptisms etc. See the partial screenshot, right, to view the nine record types now available in the Life Events/Birth, Marriage, Death category on FindMyPast.ie.

In addition, multiple subcategories can now be selected within the search form.

In making these changes, the database provider says it is responding to subscribers' requests and to allow researchers to control the number of results they see in each search.

Military specialist database Fold3 offers $30 discount

Fold3, Ancestry's dedicated military records sister site is offering a $30 discount on new 12-month subscriptions purchased before the end of the month.

Offer ends 30 September

The site holds more than 487million records, many of them in military collections you won't find elsewhere online. Most come from the US and UK National Archives, and contain not only images of original military documents but also stories, photos and personal documents of the men and women who served in the military.

Among the gems awaiting researchers with Irish-born ancestors are the US Civil War Service records and Widows Pensions collection; World War II draft cards, photos and records; and the British Army WW1 Service Records, War Diaries and ROyal Hospital Chelsea Pensioner records.

In addition to Military records, the site provides access to city directories, newspapers, naturalisation records, and the 1860–1930 US Censuses.

The current offer reduces the annual subscription from US$79.95 to US$49.95 and is available only to new Fold3 subscribers (ie not to renewing subscribers). It will end on 30 September at 11:59pm MDT.

Registry of Deeds Index Project: mid-month update

The Registry of Deeds Index Project has been updated with the latest submissions from volunteers.

It now provides free access to 252,931 index entries from 28,221 memorials of deed.

All entries are contributed by researchers for other researchers.

National Library launches Photo Detectives exhibiton

A new exhibition – Photo Detectives – has opened this afternoon at the National Library of Ireland's Nationl Photographic Archive (NPA) in Temple Bar, Dublin. It is the National Library's first community-sourced exhibition of photographs and stories.

This community sourcing dates back to June 2011 when the National Library (NLI) joined the Flickr Commons to give wider exposure to its images and to encourage the public to help find out more about its photographs by adding comments, descriptions and tags. Contributors from around the globe have acted as virtual detectives and have helped to identify locations and people, established dates and provided context and background information for thousands of photos in the NLI’s collections over the past six years.

The new exhibition includes 26 striking images and stories dating from 1871 to 1970. They reveal almost a century of changing Irish lives, including weddings in Waterford, family holidays in Donegal, the footing of turf in Antrim, and royal visitors to Kilkenny Castle. One particular highlight is a large-scale image of the shopfront of Mortimer’s shop in Waterford, captured in 1916, from the NLI’s Poole Collection. Through interactions with online contributors, it was discovered that the Poole Photographic Studio had scratched out reflections in Mortimer’s window – an early form of photoshopping. The exact address of the shop and the name of the child standing in its doorway were also discovered through online detective work.

Formally launching the exhibition, Sabina Higgins, wife of the President of IreIand, Michael D Higgins, said: “We photograph and document so many moments of our lives online now, but it is important that we keep alive the stories and traditions of life in Ireland before the digital age. It is a testament to the Library and its staff for always looking for innovative ways to do that. Photo Detectives is a wonderful example of using technology to give life to old photos and share their stories.”

Photo Detectives is free to visit, and is open seven days weekly: Monday to Saturday 10am–5pm and Noon–5pm on Sundays. The exhibition runs in the NPA until September 2018.

For more information, visit www.nli.ie.

Genealogy courses starting Autumn 2017, NI & ROI

The trees are starting to show their Autumnal colours, which means the start of the new academic year is just around the corner. Below are some of the genealogy courses due to start shortly across the island.

Belfast
Genealogy - Trace your family tree, an 8-week genealogy course taught by the Ulster Historical Foundation. Venue: Central building, Stranmillis University Collage, Belfast. Part of the college's LifeLong Learning programme. 7pm – 9pm. Starts Tuesday 10 October. Aimed at beginners. £55. Download brochure (see page 19).

Cork City
Genealogy: How to trace your family tree, with Tony McCarthy. Part of University College Cork's Adult Continuing Education programme. A 10-week evening course held on Tuesdays from 26 September. 7pm to 9pm. Venue: Western Gateway Building, Room 304, UCC. The course provides an introduction to the top ten Irish genealogical sources, methodology and historical/social context. Fee €230. Enrol by Monday 18 September. Details.

Dublin City (and online)
Diploma in Family History, with John Grenham MAGI FIGRS. Classroom-based and online, the course runs over 10 weeks, one evening per week from 6:30pm–9:30pm. Next course starts Thursday 28 September. Venue: City Colleges, Wicklow House, 84-88 South Great George's Street, Dublin 2. The Institute of Commercial Management is the awarding body. Course fee from €845 online/€945 classroom, with instalment plans available. Details.

Malahide, Co Dublin
Beginners' genealogy course, with Claire Bradley. Venue: Malahide Community School, Broomfield, Malahide, Co Dublin. The 10-week course will start on Tuesday 26 September. No prior knowledge is required but ability to use a computer and the internet is essential. 7:30pm – 9:30pm. Cost €110. More details.

Newtownabbey, Co Antrim
The North of Ireland Family History Society is offering a range of 16 short courses, all starting between now and the end of November. Venue: Honneyman Room, NIFHS Research Centre, Unit C4, Valley Business Centre, 67 Church Road, Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim, BT36 7LS. The fee for each course is £7 for 1 session, £12 for 2 sessions and £15 for 3 sessions; each session lasts 2 hours. All courses open to members and non-members.Details.

Waterford City
Go back in time and meet your ancestors - an evening course in genealogy, with Tony Hennessy MAGI. Venue: Edmund Rice Heritage Centre, Barrack Street, Waterford. Held on Wednesdays, the course will run for 10 weeks from 4 October. 7pm – 9pm. Fee: €190. To book, contact Tony by tel: 087 152 8582 or email: waterfordorigins@gmail.com.

Irish genealogy, history & heritage events, 11-24 Sept

Monday 11 September: NLI Reading Room and Manuscript Room closed. Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. On-going Monday closures are to facilitate extensive redevelopment of the building. All other services/exhibitons/cafe, including Genealogy Advisory Service, operate as normal. Details.

Monday 11 September: 'The Big Four' of the White Star Fleet, with Mark Chirnside. Hosts: The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland and the Belfast Titanic Society. Venue: PRONI, 2 Titanic Blvd, Titanic Quarter, Belfast, BT3 9HQ. 7:30pm to 9pm. Free. Need to register.

Monday 11 September: NIFHS 101 - An insight to the Society and the C4 Research Centre. 7pm. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Newtownabbey branch. Venue: Drama Theatre, Glengormley High School, 134 Ballyclare Road, Newtownabbey Co Antrim, BT36 5HP. 7pm. Free. All welcome.

Tuesday 11 September: Some residents of Killarney Road, Bray, with Brian White. Host: Genealogical Society of Ireland (GSI). Venue: Dun Laoghaire Further Education Institute, Cumberland Street, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin. 8pm. €3 donation. All welcome.

Tuesday 12 September: Irish Genealogy Hour, hands-on research in the computer classroom, with different topic each week. Host and venue: Billings Public Library, 510 North 28th Street, Billings, Montana, USA. Free. All welcome. Noon to 1pm. Details, tel (406)657-8258.

Tuesday 12 September: Irish Family History Group, monthly meeting. Host and venue: The Core Library, Theatre Square, Homer Road, Solihull, UK, B91 3RG. 10am to Noon. All welcome, for genealogy help and support.

Tuesday 12 September: Beyond the 1901 Census, with Anne Johnston. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Lisburn Branch. Venue: The Bridge Community Centre, 50 Railway Street, Lisburn, BT 28 1XP. 7:30pm. Free. All welcome.

Wednesday 13 September: A unique approach to recording family history, with Mike Kilkelly. Host: Western Family History Association. Venue: Lackagh Parish Centre, Lackagh, Co Galway. 8pm to 10pm. All welcome.

Wednesday 13 September: Flowing Tides: Musical Memory, History and Global Culture in County Clare, with Dr Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin. Host: Gaelic Roots Program at Boston College. Venue: Connolly House, Boston College, 300 Hammond Street, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA. 6:30pm–8:30pm. All welcome; tickets are free but you need to register in advance. Details.

Thursday 14 September: Public tour of WWIreland Exhibition, exploring the Irish Experience at home and abroad. Host and Venue: National Library of Ireland, 2/3 Kildare Street (next door to main building), Dublin 2. Free. 2pm. No booking required.

Thursday 14 September: Drawn from our land: revealing maps from the collections, with Dr Glynn Kelso. Host and venue: PRONI, Titanic Boulevard, Belfast. First of the 'PRONI’s archives unlocked' Thursday lunchtime public talks. 1pm. Free. Need to book as spaces are limited. Details and registration.

Thursday 14 September: The Clogherney boys in World War 1: A mid-Tyrone story, with Robert Corbett. Hosts: Western Front Association and PRONI. Venue: Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, Titanic Boulevard, Belfast, BT3 9HQ. All welcome. £4 donation requested. 6:30pm to 8:45pm. Details.

Thursday 14 September: Using the PRONI Historical Maps Viewer, a practical workshop. Host and venue: The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, 2 Titanic Blvd, Titanic Quarter, Belfast, BT3 9HQ. Free. The workshop runs from 2.15pm to 3pm. Need to register.

Thursday 14 September: Keeping the head down? — the Protestant Folklore Project, a History Ireland Hedge School, with editor Tommy Graham, Deirdre Nuttall, Niall Meehan, Críostoir MacCartaigh and Malachy Hand. Host and Venue: Cavan County Museum, Virginia Road, Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan. 7.30pm.

Friday 15 September: The Irish in Canada: History and Achievements, with Professor Michael Kenneally. Host and venue: The Princess Grace Irish Library, 9 rue Princesse Marie-de-Lorraine, Monaco. 7:30 pm. Reservations are essential due to the limited number of seats; Tel +377 93 50 12 25 or Email pglib@monaco.mc. Entry €10 per person payable at the door. Details.

Saturday 16 September: Headstone Symposium. Host: North Wexford Historical Society. Venue: Ashdown Park Hotel, Gorey, Co Wexford. Registration/tea & coffee from 8:30am-10am. Four expert speakers, lunch, and two coach trips to local burial grounds. Cost per person: £30 euro inclusive. Details.

Monday 18 September: NLI Reading Room and Manuscript Room closed. Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. On-going Monday closures are to facilitate extensive redevelopment of the building. All other services/exhibitons/cafe, including Genealogy Advisory Service, operating as normal. Details.

Monday 18 September: Landed Estate Papers, with Gillian Hunt. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Larne Branch. Venue: Larne Bowling & Lawn Tennis Club, 112-120 Glenarm Road, Larne, BT40 1DZ. Free. 7:30pm. All welcome.

Monday 18 September: Genealogy and family history advice, with Margaret Bonar and Betty Craven. Host: Donaghmede Library, Donaghmede Shopping Centre, Grange Road, Dublin 13 or Raheny Library, if preferred. All welcome but you need to book by phone: 087 6491605. Free.

Tuesday 19 September: Charles Doyle, an 1870s Irish Victorian cad, bounder, conman and convict, with Dr Michael Kennedy. Host: National Archives of Ireland's 2017 Lecture Programme. Venue: Reading Room, National Archives, Bishop Street, Dublin 8. Free. All welcome. 6pm. No booking required.

Tuesday 19 September: Irish Genealogy Hour – hands-on research in the computer classroom, with different topic each week. Host and venue: Billings Public Library, 510 North 28th Street, Billings, Montana, USA. Free. All welcome. Noon to 1pm. For more information, T: (406) 657-8258.

Tuesday 19 September: The Stone Corridor: Cork City's Ogham Collection, with Dr Nora White. Signs and Symbols in Urban Cork lecture series. Host: City Library, Grand Parade, Cork City. 7pm. Free. All welcome. No booking required.

Wednesday 20 September: The early story of brewing in Cork: history and archaeology, with Caen Harris. Talk will be followed by a short guided tour. Host: Department of Archaeology, UCC. Venue: Cork City Library, Grand Parade, Cork City. No booking required. Free. All welcome. 3:30pm to 5:30pm.

Wednesday 20 September: Magheralin in pictures old & new, with Aaron McCormick. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, North Armagh Branch. Venue: Bleary Community Centre, 1 Deans Road, Bleary, Craigavon, Co Armagh, BT66 8TD. Free. 7:30pm. All welcome.

Thursday 21 September: Graham Jackson – Prison records at PRONI, with Graham Jackson. Host and venue: PRONI, Titanic Boulevard, Belfast. Part of the 'PRONI’s archives unlocked' Thursday lunchtime public talks. 1pm. Free. Need to book as spaces are limited. Details and registration.

Thursday 21 September: Art of Remembrance: The Irish Famine and the 1916 Rising, with Richard Kearney and Sheila Gallagher. Host: Boston College Center for Irish Programs. Venue: Boston College, Connolly House, 300 Hammond Street, 300 Hammond St, Chestnut Hill, Boston, MA, USA. Free, but need to register. All welcome. 5:30-7:30pm.

Friday 22 September: Culture Night. An annual extravaganza that sees cultural institutions and venues opening their doors and gates for an all-island celebration of arts, heritage and culture. Extensive programme of free special events, tours, exhibitions, entertainment... Programme.

Saturday 23 September: 19th-century Irish genealogy research: What's available and how to find it, a level II – Intermediate workshop with Miles Davenport. Host and Venue: Irish Cultural Center and McClelland Library (Norton Room), 1106 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona, USA. 10:20am to 1pm. Costs: Library/ICC members $15; non-members $20. Need to register by 16 September. Details.

One-third off 12-month RootsIreland subscriptions

RootsIreland is offering a 12-month subscription to its database with a whopping one-third off the normal price.

Discounts of this size don't come along very often, so be sure to take advantage during the promotion, which runs until 11:59pm (Dublin time) on Sunday 17 September.

The unique RootsIreland database holds more than 20 million records. Among its top treasures are its collection of register transcriptions from Roman Catholic, Church of Ireland and Presbyterian churches, plus many from Methodist, Baptist, Quaker and other smaller denominations. Data from most of these collections is not available at any other website.

In addition, the database holds transcriptions of civil records of birth, marriage and death for more than half of Ireland's historical counties. Again, many of these are exclusive to RootsIreland.

Not for nothing did well-known genealogist and author John Grenham describe RootsIreland as 'the one essential commercial genealogy site for Irish research'.

Although coverage is not uniform across the island, there are collections for all areas others than South West Cork, County Kerry, and Dublin City. You can check each county's holding here.

Subscription payments can be made in Euros, US Dollars and GB Pounds.

Irish genealogy and history events, 4-17 September

Tuesday 5 September: Irish Genealogy Hour – hands-on research in the computer classroom, with different topic each week. Host and venue: Billings Public Library, 510 North 28th Street, Billings, Montana, USA. Free. All welcome. Noon to 1pm. For more information, T: (406) 657-8258.

Saturday 9 September: Out of the Frame and into the Picture, with Sheena McClure, plus Member Registration. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Tyrone branch. Venue: Seminar Room, First Floor, Omagh Library, Dublin Road, Omagh, Co Tyrone, BT78 1HL. 10am. All welcome.

Saturday 9 September: Ship records (and immigration records), with Mary Wickersham. Host: Irish Genealogical Society International. Venue: Minnesota Genealogical Library, 1185 Concord St North, South St Paul, MN 55075, USA. Members $15/ Non-members $20. 10:30am to Noon. Register.

Saturday 9 September: Testing the Links: DNA and the Chain of Irish Ancestry, with Professor Dan Bradley. Host: Seamus Heaney's Human Chain weekend. Venue: Seamus Heaney HomePlace, 45 Main Street, Bellaghy, Magherafelt, Co LondonDerry BT45 8HT. 11.30am. Tickets £3.

Sunday 10 September: History of the Irish and The City of London (The Square mile), a guided walk. Host: London Easter 1916-1924 Centenary Committee. Meet at Holborn tube station, Kingsway, London WC2, UK. Noon to 2:30pm. Free, but donations to hosts appreciated. No booking necessary. Details.

Monday 11 September: 'The Big Four' of the White Star Fleet, with Mark Chirnside. Hosts: The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland and the Belfast Titanic Society. Venue: PRONI, 2 Titanic Blvd, Titanic Quarter, Belfast, BT3 9HQ. 7:30pm to 9pm. Free. Need to register.

Monday 11 September: NIFHS 101 - An insight to the Society and the C4 Research Centre. 7pm. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Newtownabbey branch. Venue: Drama Theatre, Glengormley High School, 134 Ballyclare Road, Newtownabbey Co Antrim, BT36 5HP. 7pm. Free. All welcome.

Tuesday 11 September: Some residents of Killarney Road, Bray, with Brian White. Host: Genealogical Society of Ireland (GSI). Venue: Dun Laoghaire Further Education Institute, Cumberland Street, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin. 8pm. €3 donation. All welcome.

Tuesday 12 September: Irish Genealogy Hour, hands-on research in the computer classroom, with different topic each week. Host and venue: Billings Public Library, 510 North 28th Street, Billings, Montana, USA. Free. All welcome. Noon to 1pm. For more information, T: (406) 657-8258.

Tuesday 12 September: Irish Family History Group, monthly meeting. Host and venue: The Core Library, Theatre Square, Homer Road, Solihull, UK, B91 3RG. 10am to Noon. All welcome, for genealogy help and support.

Tuesday 12 September: Beyond the 1901 Census, with Anne Johnston. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Lisburn Branch. Venue: The Bridge Community Centre, 50 Railway Street, Lisburn, BT 28 1XP. 7:30pm. Free. All welcome.

Wednesday 13 September: A unique approach to recording family history, with Mike Kilkelly. Host: Western Family History Association. Venue: Lackagh Parish Centre, Lackagh, Co Galway. 8pm to 10pm. All welcome.

Wednesday 13 September: Flowing Tides: Musical Memory, History and Global Culture in County Clare, with Dr Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin. Host: Gaelic Roots Program at Boston College. Venue: Connolly House, Boston College, 300 Hammond Street, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA. 6:30pm–8:30pm. All welcome; tickets are free but you need to register in advance. Details.

Thursday 14 September: Public tour of WWIreland Exhibition,exploring the Irish Experience at home and abroad. Host and Venue: National Library of Ireland, 2/3 Kildare Street (next door to main building), Dublin 2. Free. 2pm. No booking required.

Thursday 14 September: Drawn from our land: revealing maps from the collections, with Dr Glynn Kelso. Host and venue: PRONI, Titanic Boulevard, Belfast. First of the 'PRONI’s archives unlocked' Thursday lunchtime public talks. 1pm. Free. Need to book as spaces are limited. Details and registration.

Thursday 14 September: The Clogherney boys in World War 1: A mid-Tyrone story, with Robert Corbett. Hosts: Western Front Association and PRONI. Venue: Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, Titanic Boulevard, Belfast, BT3 9HQ. All welcome. £4 donation requested. 6:30pm to 8:45pm. Details.

Thursday 14 September: Using the PRONI Historical Maps Viewer, a practical workshop. Host and venue: The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, 2 Titanic Blvd, Titanic Quarter, Belfast, BT3 9HQ. Free. The workshop runs from 2.15pm to 3pm. Need to register.

Thursday 14 September: ‘Keeping the head down’? — the Protestant Folklore Project, a History Ireland Hedge School, with editor Tommy Graham, Deirdre Nuttall, Niall Meehan, Críostoir MacCartaigh and Malachy Hand. Host and Venue: Cavan County Museum, Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan. 7.30pm.

Friday 15 September: The Irish in Canada: History and Achievements, with Professor Michael Kenneally. Host and venue: The Princess Grace Irish Library, 9 rue Princesse Marie-de-Lorraine, Monaco. 7:30 pm. Reservations are essential due to the limited number of seats; Tel +377 93 50 12 25 or Email pglib@monaco.mc. Entry €10 per person payable at the door. Details.

Ballincollig Military Men and their families, 1810-1922

Some fabulous family history research awaits discovery in this September's Archive of the Month from the RCB Library, as Church of Ireland registers unlock the stories of military men and their families based at Ballincollig in Co Cork.

Title page from the Ballincollig Garrison Church
combined register of baptisms 1810-1864;
marriages 1823-1842 and burials 1813-1882.
RCB Library P695.1.1.

The details of some 2,187 people recorded in the registers of Ballincollig Garrison Chapel (Carrigrohane parish) have been recovered using the registers of baptisms, marriages and burials between 1810 and 1922, which are now in the safe custody of the RCB Library. A variety of additional resources has further unlocked their hidden stories, and the detailed searchable list is now available for a worldwide audience through the Library’s Archive of the Month slot.

The work has been carried out by local historian Anne Donaldson, who, over the course of several years diligently extracted all of the names and details of the soldiers mentioned in the garrison chapel registers. She then fleshed out details of the individuals using other primary sources and transferred them to a spreadsheet. A pdf copy of this spreadsheet is now available via the above link.

Speaking about the online launch of her work, Anne Donaldson said: ‘As a local historian with a passionate interest to recover the past, I set myself the task of trying to counteract the sad deficiency of lost evidence. This work has been underpinned by two aspirations: firstly to compile a record of as many names as possible for research by historians, genealogists and family members, which through the Church of Ireland website is fully searchable. Secondly the project is about reconciliation, celebrating Ireland’s rich and varied multiculturalism, and cherishing different identities.’

Speaking from the RCB Library, Dr Susan Hood, Librarian and Archivist, said: ‘Anne’s work and effort demonstrate what one person with knowledge and determination can achieve to unlock information from Church of Ireland registers kept safe through the generations, now shared for a worldwide audience. It has been a delight for the Library to collaborate with her on this project’.

Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives: end of August updates

Covering ten counties, the records uploaded in the last two weeks of August to Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives are summarised below:

CARLOW Genealogy Archives - Headstones
St. Mary's (R.C.), Part 1

CAVAN Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Drumlane Priory (Updated)

DONEGAL Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Donneyloop, St Columba’s Graveyard Pts 1 & 2 (A-Ma & Mc-W)
Drumkeen, St. Patrick's Graveyard - Pt 2

DUBLIN Genealogy Archives - Headstones
St. Anne's, Pt 5, Deansgrange

FERMANAGH Genealogy Archives - Church Records
Springfield; Births - Methodist Circuit 1870-1930

MONAGHAN & FERMANAGH Genealogy Archives - Church Records
Clones Parish Registers, Burials 1808-1810 (W. Div.)
Clones Parish Registers, Burials 1811-1816 (W. Div.)

ROSCOMMON Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Aughrim (CoI) Cemetery

TIPPERARY Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Hore Abbey (Additional)

WATERFORD Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Dunmore E., St Andrew's CoI - Plaques *Stained Glass added
Waterford City, St. Otterans - Part 7

WEXFORD Genealogy Archives
Headstones – Hook Church aka St. Dubhans
Newspapers – Wexford Independent, Workhouse Entries & Deaths (Additional)