Conservation of C18th Vestry Minute Book is focus of RCB Library's January Archive presentation

The January Archive of the Month

The first Archive for the Month presentation for 2017 from the RCB Library in Dublin focuses on a recently completed project: the repair and conservation of a vestry minute book covering the period 1710 to 1806.

Illustrated with photographs, the online presentation takes viewers through the restoration and conservation work carried out on this one volume, showing the painstaking steps undertaken by a specialist team to bring such a unique record back to its former glory.

The project was completed by specialist craftsman Declan Browne of Liturgical Book Restorers. Declan is a well-known public face as he regularly appears in the television broadcast of the Angelus from his studio in Athlone (see RTE Player).

Conservation of the featured vestry minute book cost the Library €1,600.

With public support, the RCB Library, which is the repository and archive of the Church of Ireland, will be able to undertake other projects and thus ensure future public access to these research materials. Donations are always welcome and can be made via a secure online payment link here: RCB Library Conservation Fund.

IGRS Early Irish BMD Indexes reach major milestone

Click for larger view of a sworn declaration made
by Patrick Tierney in 1866 confirming James
Carey's 1844 birthdate.
Source: Civil Service Evidence of Age collection.

The Irish Genealogical Research Society's Early Irish BMD Indexes have reached a new collective milestone of a quarter of a million name entries. All relate to events before the start of civil registration and are drawn from a wide variety of records providing substitute evidence of birth, marriage or death.

These sources include family bibles, army and navy records, wills, letters, newspapers, gravestone inscriptions, court records, deeds, leases, diaries, published works, archives of religious orders, census abstracts, guild records, pension records and so on.

Among the most recent updates to the Early Irish Birth Index were a significant number of entries sourced from the British Civil Service Evidence of Age Index. More than 2,600 Irish BMDs were gleaned from this one resource alone. In the absence of formal written records, would-be civil servants had to find friends and neighbours who were prepared to provide a sworn statement as to their knowledge of the applicant's age. In the case of James Carey from Clonoulty, Co Tipperary, who applied for a Civil Service position in 1866, his neighbour Patrick Tierney was able to confirm James' date of birth as 7 January 1844, commenting: “I can declare to same from the fact that my father died on said day.” (Click on image above to view the Sworn Declaration.)

The latest update to the Early Irish Marriage Index includes entries from Church of Ireland Marriage Licence Bonds. Roz McCutcheon FIGRS, the Society's coordinator for the Early Irish Indexes, said: "Although generally only the indexes remain to Marriage Licence Bonds, they are nevertheless a primary source, and include a surprising number of Catholic marriages. I have recently come across some papers, while cataloguing at the Society of Genealogists in London, which include full abstracts of some early marriages in the Dioceses of Ferns & Derry.

"Thus, whereas the previous entry for the Ferns marriage of Henry Haughton showed him marrying Catherine Cavanagh in or after 1682, the new additional information from the abstract notes the exact date of the bond as 10 June 1682, and that the couple were both from Co Wexford, that Catherine was a spinster, living at Polemounly, while Henry was from Ballyane."

Finally, the Early Irish Death Index has been boosted by 3,260 records noted from newspapers. "It is surprising that newspapers are still a much underyused source for biographical information," said IGRS Chairman Steven Smyrl. "In particular, notices of death become more common from the 1830s onwards as the middle classes begin to grow in strength and numbers," he said. “As the months roll on, it is hoped to add many more entries to the database culled from newspapers, proving that despite the great loss of 1922, there still remain many untapped sources for Irish genealogists to explore.”

Free public access is available to the Early Irish Marriage Index. While the Early Irish Birth and Death Indexes are IGRS members-only resources, non-members can search corresponding free surnames indexes. See the Society's website IrishAncestors.ie for details.

Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives: last 2016 update

Marking the end of 2016, the team of volunteers at Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives has updated its free database of records and photos as follows:

KILDARE Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Quaker Burial Ground, Ballitore
White Abbey, Kildare Town (part)

KILKENNY Genealogy Archives - Headstones
St. Canice Headstones, Kilkenny (update)

LEITRIM Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Gortletteragh Cemetery, Cloone

LONGFORD Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Old Killoe Graveyard

LOUTH Genealogy Archives - Land
Drogheda Rentals & Properies 1835; pg 6-10

SLIGO Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Sligo Cem. - Middle Pt. Section D (I-Z)

Image: McHugh memorial in Sligo Cemetery. Photo courtesy of photographer Kev Murray and IGPArchives. Click to see larger image.

Irish genealogy and history events, 2–14 January

Monday 2 January: The secrets of traditional music, with John Lawson. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Killyleagh Branch. Venue: Masonic Hall, 50 High Street, Killyleagh, Co Down, BT30 9QF. 8pm to 9:30pm. All welcome.

Tuesday 3 January: C4 - NIFHS Research Centre open. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society. Venue: Unit C4, Valley Business Centre, 67 Church Road, Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim, BT36 7LS. 2pm–8pm. Loads of resources to explore. Details.

Wednesday 4 January: Family History Clinics. Two workshops to help beginners with their genealogy research queries. Host & venue: Lisburn City Library, 23 Linenhall Street, Lisburn. 10:30am–12:30pm and 2pm–4pm. Free. Booking essential: 028 9266 9345 or lisburncity.library@librariesni.org.uk.

Saturday 7 January: The Derrynaflan Hoard and its significance, with Raghnall Ó’ Floinn. Host and venue: Tipperary County Museum, Mick Delahunty Square, Clonmel, Co Tipperary. 10:30am. €5. All welcome. Seats allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Saturday 7 January: Webinar: Chain Migration from Ulster and One Name Studies, with Nick Cimino. Host: The Southern California Genealogical Society. Venue: Online. 1pm Eastern Time; 6pm Dublin/London time. Need to register in advance here.

Monday 9 January: "It's All About Me!" - Researching Yourself, with Kathleen Morrison. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Newtownabbey Branch. Venue: Drama Theatre of Glengormley High School, Ballyclare Road, Newtownabbey, BT36 5HP. 7pm–9pm. Free. Details.

Tuesday 10 January: Researching Early Ulster Ancestors, with Dr William Roulston. First of four in lecture series. Host: Ulster Historical Foundation. Venue. Ballymena Central library, 5 Pat's Brae, Ballymena, BT43 5AX. 10:30am-12:30pm. Booking essential: 028 2563 3950, ballymena.library@librariesni.org.uk.

Tuesday 10 January: Databases for genealogical research at Dublin City Library & Archive, with Dr Mary Clark. Host: Genealogical Society of Ireland. Venue: Dún Laoghaire Further Education Institute, Cumberland St, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin. All welcome. €3.

Tuesday 10 January: Using the Newspaper Archives, with Mike McKeag. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Lisburn Branch. Venue: Bridge Community Centre 50 Railway Street, Lisburn, BT28 1XP. 7:30pm–9:30pm. Free. All welcome.

Wednesday 11 January: Researching your family tree, with Denver Boyd. Host: Maghera Historical Society. Venue: Heritage Centre, 17 Coleraine Rd, Maghera, Co Londonderry. All welcome. £5 (members £3), light refreshments included. 8pm.

Thursday 12 January: Delayed Opening at National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. To facilitate a staff development meeting, all NLI locations will be closed until 11am. The free Genealogy Service is included.

Saturday 14 January: Finding and Using Private Land Records, with Tom Rice. Host: Irish Genealogical Society Intl (IGSI). Venue: Minnesota Genealogical Society Library, 1185 North Concord, South St Paul, Minnesota, USA. 10:30am–12 noon. The cost is $15 for IGSI members and $20 for non-members. Need to book.

Saturday 14 January: The Huguenot Jack Family of Ardstraw 1360-2015, with Frank Collins. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Tyrone Branch. Venue: Seminar Room, Omagh Library, Dublin Road, Omagh, Co Tyrone BT78 1HL.

FindMyPast: 10% discount on annual World packages

FindMyPast is offering a 10% discount on its 12-month World subscription. Could be just what you're looking for to get your New Year resolution – the one about making some serious progress with your family history – off to a great start.

To take advanatage of the offer, click on the currency you want to pay in below.

The offer will run only until 23.59 GMT, Saturday 31 December 2016, so don't miss out.

	FindMyPast Ireland – 12-month World subscription for €161.55 (normal price €179.50)		FindMyPast USA/Canada – 12-month World subscription for $215.55 (normal price $239.50)
	FindMyPast UK – 12-month World subscription for £140.36 (normal price £155.95)		FindMyPast Australia/NZ – 12-month World subscription for AUS$215.55 (normal price $239.50)

Big festive savings from Irish Newspaper Archive

Irish Newspaper Archive is offering some big festive savings on access to its 9-million-page database.

Choose from the following discounts:

• For a 15% discount on a one-month subscription, which will reduce the cost from €30 to €25.50, use the code Xmas15, or
  
• For a 30% discount on the price of an annual subscription, which will reduce the cost from €178 to €124.60 – a very useful €63.50 saving – use the code XMAS30.

The Dublin-based and family-owned Irish Newspaper Archive holds 60 historical national, regional and local publications, many of them not online elsewhere.

The discounts will expire on Thursday 29 December.

Christmas closing in Dublin, Belfast and London

Belfast

The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland: PRONI will be closed from Monday 26 December to Wednesday 28 December inclusive. Open Thursday 29 and Friday 30 December. Closed Monday 2 January 2017.

General Register Office of Northern Ireland: GRONI will be closed Friday 23 December to Wednesday 28 December inclusive. Open Thursday 29 and Friday 30 December. Closed Monday 2 January 2017. Reopening on Tuesday 3 January.

Presbyterian Historical Society Library: The Library and Archive will be closed from Wednesday 21 December 2016 until Tuesday 3 January 2017.

Dublin

National Library Reading Rooms: All NLI reading rooms will be closed from Saturday 24 December to Monday 2 January 2017 inclusive. Normal hours from Tuesday 3 January.

National Library Exhibitions: Exhibitions will be closed from Saturday 24 December to Tuesday 27 December inclusive; They will open from 10amd to 4:45pm from Wednesday 28 December to Friday 30 December inclusive. They will be closed from Saturday 31 December to Monday 2 January inclusive. Normal hours from Tuesday 3 January.

National Archives of Ireland: The Reading Room will close at 12:30pm on Friday 23 December and re-open at 9:15am on Wednesday 28 December. Normal hours Thursday and Friday 29 and 30 December. It will be closed Monday 2 January and will re-open at 9:15am on Tuesday 3 January.

RCB Library: The Representative Church Body Library and Archive will close at 4pm on Friday 23 December and re-open at 9:30am on Tuesday 3 January 2017.

Dublin City Public Libraries: All Dublin City Public Libraries will be closed from Saturday 24 December to Monday 2 January 2017 inclusive. They will all re-open to normal hours on Tuesday 3 January.

London

The National Archives, Kew: TNA will be closed from Saturday 24 December to Wednesday 28 December inclusive. It will be open Thursday 29 and Friday 30 December. It will be closed on Monday 2 January 2017.

Society of Genealogists: The SOG will close at 6pm on Thursday 22 December and re-open on Wednesday 28 December. It will be open on Thursday 29 December for one day only, closing at 6pm. It remain closed for annual stocktaking until Tuesday 10 January 2017.

Irish Genealogical Research Society Library: Based at the Society of Genealogists, and open on Saturday afternoons, the IGRS Library will not open on the following dates: 24 and 31 December and 7 January 2017. Back to normal routine on Saturday 14 January.

Troy IGS releases Lot Sale Book records for St Agnes

Troy Irish Genealogy Society in New York has added another very useful database to its free website. This time it's the Lot Sale Book records of St Agnes Cemetery, Menands, New York.

The new collection covers lot purchases in St Agnes from 1867 to 1922 and lists 6,063 names. In addition to names, the details transcribed from the fragile book may include certificate number of purchase and date, date of deed to lot, purchase price, lot number, plot number and square feet of lot. This 108-acre cemetery was open to Catholics, so the records don't include only Irish immigrants, even if they do appear to be the majority, based on the names, especially in the early days.

The Society points out that many of the lot purchasers were joint purchases by individuals with different surnames, which may indicate a family relationship.

RootsIreland adds 2,000 Sligo marriages, 1864-1939

The County Sligo Heritage and Genealogy Society has added more than 2,000 new civil marriage records to its online database on RootsIreland.ie. The new records are for the following civil registration districts and years:

• Boyle No. 2 1864 - 1939
  
• Carney No. 1 1864 - 1938
  
• Carney No. 2 1864 - 1939

With these additions, RootsIreland's Sligo database spans across 16 civil registration districts. You can see the full details of the holding, which also includes Roman Catholic, Church of Ireland, Methodist and Presbyterian records, on the Sligo Sources page.

Tipperary Studies releases gravestone inscriptions for 62 burial grounds

Tipperary Studies, the website of Tipperary Libraries' Local Studies department in Thurles, has launched the second phase of its Digitisation Project (the first phase was in May - see blogpost).

Digitisation has been carried over the last several months and has resulted in a wonderful package of graveyard inscriptions covering no less than 62 burial grounds in North Tipperary and the parishes of Killenaule and Moyglass. These are now available as a library of downloadable parish-by-parish pdfs (most of them seem to be 1.5 to 4Mb). You can find the menu on the Tipperary Studies 'Gravestone Inscriptions' page.