Duhallow, Co Cork, to create genealogy/history group

There's a Request for Tender notice (id 78314) on TendersIE that may be of interest to genealogists in the North West Cork areas.

IRD Duhallow is looking for applications from service providers who will mentor local amateur genealogists and oral historians in a variety of collaborative research projects. These projects are likely to focus mainly on local issues, families, events etc, but could cover wider research themes, as chosen by the delegates.

A separate RFT notice (id 78328) concerns the supply and delivery of office, computer and software equipment that will be used to set up and run this new local genealogy/history group in Duhallow.

Detailed RFTs can be downloaded from TendersIE by registered suppliers, and applications must be submitted by next Thursday, 12 September.

US National Archives to present virtual genealogy fair

Click poster for details

For the first time, the USA's National Archives is going to host an online Genealogy Fair.

Starting tomorrow at 10am EDT (3pm Dublin time), the two-day virtual fair features live lectures, a telephone help line and online chat. Speakers include genealogy experts from the National Archives and U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services, and handouts are already available for the lectures.

The lecture programme will showcase tips and techniques for using Federal records at the National Archives for genealogy research. Lectures are designed for experienced family history professionals and novices alike and, while the programme doesn't include talks specifically aimed at Irish genealogy, all researchers with ancestral connections in the USA are likely to find something of interest in the programme.

PRONI: A talk, a tour and a boat trip

The Public Records Office of Northern Ireland has announced an unusual event on Friday 13 September.

First up is a talk on the Lagan Canal by Lorraine Bourke at 2pm.

The talk will be followed by a short tour of PRONI's Research and Reading areas, and delegates can apply for a PRONI reader's ticket, which will allow them to start their own ancestral or local history research.

They can then take a boat trip across the Lagan to join historians and presenters on board the Lagan Legacy Barge. The boat will leave the PRONI building at 3:30pm. The boat trip costs £5, and you need to book a seat with Lagan Boat Company on 028 9024 0124.

Location: 2 Titanic Boulevard, Titanic Quarter, Belfast, BT3 9HQ.
Parking: Limited on site. Available at the Odyssey Complex.
Admission: Free
Booking: Email  or tel: (+44) 028 90 534800.

RCBL highlights extraordinary commonplace book

The Representative Church Body Library’s ’Archive of the Month’ for September features the commonplace book of the Revd Alexander Lamiliere.

Commonplace books were popular with ladies and gentlemen in Ireland in the 18th and 19th centuries. They were a convenient way of recording useful and improving pieces of knowledge such as copies of letters, poems, recipes, excerpts from scripture or prayers. Some were substantial, some were slight but all were unique in reflecting the interests of their creators.

Alexander Lamiliere, the creator of this commonplace book, came from French Huguenot stock. He spent his entire ministry in Cork City, being successively Chancellor of Cork, Vicar of Holy Trinity. Archdeacon of Cork, and Vicar of St Peter’s, between 1774 and his death in 1800. He is buried in St Nicholas’ graveyard.

The contents of his commonplace book include an account of the Lamilliere family, written in French, by Lamilliere’s grandmother who was a member of the de Proisy family, copies of letters written to the Cork newspapers reflecting local concerns, and prayers composed by Lamilliere. The volume is likely to be of interest to those concerned with Irish Huguenot families, the Church of Ireland in the late 18th century, and, especially events in the city of Cork.

Milestones of Medieval Dublin lectures now on video

If you've been unable to attend the monthly lunchtime lectures in the series Milestones of Medieval Dublin, you needn't miss out. Videos of the three lectures delivered so far this year are now available to view on the Dublin Heritage website as follows:

• Dublin's First Viking?, with Linzi Simpson.
  
• Dublin's First Coinage with Andy Woods
  
• The Construction of Dublin Castle, 1204–29, with Con Manning.
  

The free series, which is presented by the Friends of Medieval Dublin and Dublin City Council, is now at its mid-way point. The next lecture –The Bruce Invasion, with Seymour Philips – will be on Tuesday 10 September, at the Wood Quay Venue, Civic Offices, Dublin, at 1:05–1:45pm. Details.

Genealogy & history events, first week of September

Monday 2 September: Irish women and WW2, with Mary Muldowney. Celbridge Historical Society. Venue: Celbridge Library, Co Kildare. 8pm. Free.

Wednesday 4 September: Local history resources, a talk followed by a short film from the Digital Film Archive. Brownlow Library, 2 Brownlow Road, Craigavon, Co Armagh BT65 5DP. Free. 11am–12noon. For details, tel: 028 3834 1946.

Thursday 5 September: Resources at the LDS, with Roger Whittaker. Host North of Ireland FHS, Belfast Branch. Venue: Holywood Arches Library, Holywood Road, Belfast, BT4 1NT. 7:30pm–9:30pm. Details.

Thursday 5 September: Young Citizen Volunteers, with Dr Timothy Bowman. Second of the Volunteering in Ireland 1912–1916 lecture series at PRONI, Titanic Boulevard, Belfast. 6:30pm. Free, but booking required.

Friday 6 and Saturday 7 September: Kerry Genealogy Roadshow at the Daniel O'Connell Weekend, Caherciveen. Details.

Friday 6 and Saturday 7 September: Birr Famine Workhouse conference. Host: Birr Historical Society. Venue: Theatre & Arts Centre, Oxmantown Hall, Birr. Conference will be followed by a visit and tour of the workhouse itself.  Fee: €25 per person attending. For more information, email or tel Ann Ward on + 353 (0) 86 305 1697.

Friday 6 and Saturday 7 September: Irish religious history: Catholic, Protestant, and beyond? Host: Centre for the study of Irish Protestantism and Department of History, NUI Maynooth. Venue: Renehan Hall (South Campus). Details.

Saturday 7 September: Royal Irish Constabulary Seminar, with Prof Eunan O'Halpin, Jim Herlihy, Tom Carew, Jim McDonald. Chair: Dermot Meleady. Pascal Donohue, TD, Minister for European Affairs will open seminar at 2pm. Venue: Wynne's Hotel, 35 Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1.

Saturday 7 September: The National Family History Fair, Premier Inn, Newbridge Street, Newcastle, UK. 10am–4pm. Entrance fee £3. Details.

Saturday 7 September: Researching Irish ancestry, with Dr William Roulston. National Family History Fair, Newcastle, UK. 12noon. Advance tickets £4. Details.

Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives: latest updates

Here are the latest updates from IGP-web, uploaded during the second half of August:

Miles Carr, born in Donegal, Ireland

DERRY-LONDONDERRY Genealogy Archives – Memorials
Kilrea Churchyard Memorials

DONEGAL Genealogy Archives – Tombstones
Pennsylvania, USA (CARR, DUGAN & FRIEL - From Donegal)

DUBLIN Genealogy Archives - Court Records
Settlement between John Richmond, Sarah Richmond, Ann Wall & Richard Wall

KERRY Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Ballyferriter; Dun Urlann Graveyard
Kilbannivane Burial Ground (additional)
Kilquane Burial Ground
Old Cloghane Burial Ground

KILDARE Genealogy Archives
Memorial Cards
Churchyard Memorials – Ballysax

LIMERICK Genealogy Archives
From Limerick Chronicle – 4 marriages from 1832

OFFALY (KINGS) Genealogy Archives - Memorial Cards
MARTIN cards

WICKLOW Genealogy Archives
Memorial Cards– HARBOURNE
Headstone Index –
Curtlestown; St. Patricks Church Cemetery, Pt 1 & 2
Additional Headstones for Arklow Cem. Part 3

North of Ireland Family History Society Open Day

The North of Ireland Family History Society (NIFHS) will be opening its doors to all comers tomorrow from 10:30am until 4:30pm. If you have Ulster connections and you're not TOO far from Newtownabbey, you really should clear the other stuff from your weekend and make a vist to the new Research Centre a priority. Members and non-members will be made very welcome.

As well as getting a chance to chat to some of the friendly, knowledgeable volunteers about the direction of your research (whether or not you've actually started it), you'll also be able to visit the Randall Gill Library, which is packed with helpful resources. Among them are many collections of church register transcriptions – the result of much hard work by Society's members, and usually available only to members. There will also be a book sale, so you may be able to grab a bargain.

The NIFHS Research Centre and Library is just six miles from Belfast and easy to find. It's more or less adjacent to the Valley Leisure Centre, and there's no problem with parking. The address is: Unit C4, Valley Business Centre, 67 Church Rd, Newtownabbey, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, BT36 7LS. You'll find directions, and a link to the Library's catalogue, here.

One-week reprieve for GRO Research Room relocation

Just one more week at the Irish Life Centre

The General Register Office's Research Room in Dublin has been given a one-week reprieve! Its smart and conveniently-located office at the Irish Life Centre was due to close today, but it seems the grim gulag in Werbergh Street isn't yet ready for its new residents. Researchers are therefore advised to continue to use the Irish Life office up to 6 September.

For any researcher who's even slightly aware of his surroundings while pawing over the civil registration indexes, the move to Werburgh Street will be a grey day. Just look at the pictures to the right, both taken last week. When I visited the Werburgh Street site, workmen were about and I could hear banging and sawing. Let's hope they've got a spare can of paint to cover over the gruesome Bismarck shade on the exterior walls before Monday-week.

The Future: Recently renovated?

And as for the 8feet-high detention-centre hoardings that almost encircle the building...

It's a depressing sight. Makes the Irish Life building look ravishingly glamorous in comparison.

Responding to recent contact from the Council of Irish Genealogical Organisations, Brian Hayes TD, Minister of State at the Department of Finance, re-iterated the explanation for the money-saving move being part of the state's rationalisation of rented premises.

Describing the new location as a state-owned building 'at the rear of Dublin Castle', he added: 'The building was recently renovated with extensive improvement and used as the Media Centre for the EU Presidency. The Office of Public Works has received a list of requirements from the GRO and is meeting these needs.'

The Research Room will re-open in Werburgh Street on Monday 9 September and will operate the same hours as currently ie 9:30am to 4:30pm.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: See blogpost 7 September
and the latest news 10 September and 13 September.

Flesh & Blood – Genetics meets Genealogy: 1 October

Jim Ryan, publisher of the highly useful Tracing Your Ancestors series of county-focused genealogy books, has advised me of an interesting event organised by BioConnect Ireland.

BioConnect Ireland operates in the life science sector, and will be hosting an afternoon seminar called Flesh and Blood – Genetics meets Genealogy on Tuesday 1st October at the Davenport Hotel in Dublin 2.

Jim is chairman of BioConnect Ireland and warns that the majority of the audience will be approaching the subjects from the biotech and business viewpoint. However, if you take a quick gander at the speakers and the themes of their talks, you won't let that worry you. The lecture titles suggest family historians will be very comfortable!

The seminar starts and 2:30pm and finishes at 6:00pm. Find out more on the Biotech website here.