Irish Family History

The 1911 cenus of Ireland is now completely online - all counties are covered and can be accessed free of charge at http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie

The National Archives of Ireland has announced that the 1911 census will go online at the end of May for the following counties:
Cork
Donegal
Wexford
Galway
King’s County (Offaly)

They also note that there were a number of errors in the three counties that went online in December (Antrim, Kerry and Down) as well as a number of errors in transcription and some missing material. The partners the National Archives are working with are currently reviewing the material relating to these counties with a view to improving accuracy. The updated information for Antrim, Kerry and Down will go online at the end of May also.

The following counties are set to go live in mid-July: Limerick, Mayo,Waterford, Armagh, Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Fermanagh, Kildare, Kilkenny and Leitrim.

It is then hoped that the final tranche of counties will go live by the end of August: Londonderry (Derry), Longford, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Queen’s County (Laois), Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Tyrone, Westmeath and Wicklow.

For further information, please see the National Archives of Ireland website.

 Image of Chapel Lane, Skibbereen,
Illustrated London News 1847

The inaugural National Famine Day takes place on 17 May 2009 and is being hosted in Skibbereen.  Skibbereen has been chosen as the host town for the first provincial National Famine Memorial Day in 2009. There will be a ceremonial event in Skibbereen on Sunday 17 May and a corresponding one held in Canada on 10 May.

Famine Related Events
There is a full week of Famine-related events running from 10-17 May, most of which are free of charge. For full details please download the Famine Memorial programme 2009 from Skibbereen Heritage Centre.
 

Skibbereen and the Famine
Philip O’Regan’s article in the Southern Star addresses the issue of just how Skibbereen came to be so synonymous with the Great Hunger and why it features so prominently in the literature of the Famine 

Dr. Donovan and Dr. Hadden were two dispensary doctors working in Skibbereen and the surrounding area, who worked tirelessly to help the local community during the Famine years. Read the story of Dr. Donovan and Dr. Hadden on the Eneclann website.

5% to Gorta when you buy an Eneclann CD
The team at Eneclann (where I work) have decided to donate 5% of the proceeds from our historical interest CDs sold during Famine Memorial week (10-17 May 2009) to Gorta (the Freedom From Hunger Council of Ireland, whose name means ‘famine’ in Irish).

Our team felt that as well as considering the events of the past, we wanted to do something to help present day famine victims too. For every CD purchased from the Eneclann shop between Sunday 10th and Sunday 17th May 2009 we’ll give 5% to Gorta.

To celebrate 150 years of publication, the Irish Times is giving free access to their digital archive (1859 onwards) between 27 March and 5 April. 

Visit the Irish Times Digital Archive.

This is the 14th most common surname in Ireland, and is found all over Ireland although it is most prevalent in Donegal and the surrounding counties.  This is hardly surprising given the Gallaghers were one of the principal septs of Donegal.

In Irish, the surname is Ó Gallchobair, meaning ‘foreign help’ and, according to MacLysaght there are ‘at least 23 variant spellings in anglicized forms’.

According to Woulfe, the Gallaghers are descended from, Maelchoba the 7th century King of Ireland.  They were marshalls of the O’Donnell’s forces from the 14th century onwards and members of the family were also Bishops of Raphoe and Derry. 

Take a look at previous entries on Irish surnames.

 *****

If you’re interested in Irish surnames, I recommend MacLysaght’s ‘The Surnames of Ireland’ as a useful guide.

Click on your country to take a look at the book: Ireland and UK, Canada and USA. (Select Ireland & UK if your country is not shown).

Dublin City Library and Archive is holding its Family History Day on Saturday 28 March 2009, from 9.30am - 3.30pm.  Admission is free and all are welcome to attend, although when I was in Pearse Street Library earlier this week I heard that places are filling up fast!

Speakers include:

Seán Murphy, experienced genealogist and teacher of the certificate and diploma courses in Genealogy at UCD, who will be discussing ‘Know your Surname’  

John Grenham, M.A.P.G.I. and author of Tracing Your Irish Ancestors, who wil be discussing ‘The New Dublin Freeman and Trade Guild Database’

Douglas Appleyard who will be discussing ‘Searching for the Stoker Family’

Paul Gorry, M.A.P.G.I. who will provide guidance to the question ‘Can I Trace Emigrants?’

Steven Smyrl, M.A.P.G.I. ‘Ireland’s Court Records - What Survived 1922?’

Address: 138-144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2
Tel: (01) 674 4873
email: dublinpubliclibraries@dublincity.ie
For more information, take a look at the Dublin City Library and Archives website.

It is with regret that my colleagues and I learned today of the death of Rosemary ffolliott one of Ireland’s greatest genealogists. 

Miss ffolliott was editor of the Irish Ancestor journal as well as being the author of a number of books and essays on Irish genealogy and other historical topics.  My first encounter with her work was through her essays in Irish Genealogy: A Record Finder, ed. Donal F. Begley (Heraldic Artists Ltd., 1981)  a book that I frequently refer to. 

The significant contribution Rosemary ffolliott made to Irish genealogy is described in an obituary from APGI.

According to tradition, Irish-Americans would wear shamrocks for the St. Patrick’s Day parade in New York - this account in the Irish Times, Saturday 21 March 1925 , describes the parade and also a technical hitch relating to the importing of shamrocks that year… Wishing you a very happy St. Patrick’s Day! 

‘The shipload of shamrock which has just been returned from the United States owing to the regulations of the United States Department of Agriculture, will cause much disappointment to the senders and their American relatives and friends who had anticipated the arrival of the little green boxes for the 17th March.  There will be much wailing over the loss of the little green leaf.  It was always part of the great St. Patrick’s Day parade in New York when the Irish-Americans boasted that they of all races in the United States were the only people who were able to hold possession of the famous route, Fifth avenue, for the Irish National Festival for a day.  Irish organisations and societies, schools etc., led by various bands playing Irish airs and carrying flags and banners, paraded the long route, which is thronged with thousands of sightseers.  At a given point the Mayor of the city, surrounded by politicians eager to favour the Irish vote and Irish prestige, reviewed the procession.’

After the excitement of Who Do You Think You Are? Live, followed by a busy week at work, it was nice to be able to spend some time in the archives again on Friday.

I was looking through some of the Dublin newspapers for a report on an event I am researching and came across this piece in the Dublin Journal (22 September 1824) which I enjoyed:

 RULES FOR YOUNG MAIDS

At fifteen. Affect vivacity, and line your bonnets with pink. If in company with the man you would like for a husband, hold your breath long enough to blush when he speaks to you, and incline your eye downwards in giving an answer.  Be cautious in this age to wear your gowns made higher in the neck, that your charms may be conceived greater.

At sixteen. Seem to have a high spirit, with the most unbounded enthusiasmto the opinion of the favoured one.  You may now look, when in conversation, in the gentleman’s face, but be cautious that the eye-brows are kept well-arched.  Affect a great liking for little babies, and get the credit of being a good nurse.

At seventeen.  Read the news of literature and fashion, and form your opinion of the follies of the day upon its model.  Condemn play-going women, and talk of the happiness of retirement and domestic life.  Simper ‘nimminy pimminy’ to put your lips in a pretty shape, and kiss children voluptuously before gentlemen, to set them longing.  Wear low frocks, but not show off too much.

At eighteen.  Look out for a husband for yourself, and practice making baby linen for a married friend.  Read “Cookery made easy” and “Little poems” in secret.

At nineteen.  Go to routs and parties, but avoid general flirting.  Dress fashionably, but with great decency.  Wear no flowers in the hair, but let the curls be displayed widely.

At twenty. Consider yourself in some danger of not getting a husband, and suit your conduct to your circumstances.

At twenty-one.  Affect every thing - and marry any body.

At twenty-two.  Try the watering places.

At twenty-three. Go to Cheltenham, and look for the old East Indians.  We have done!  You cease to be a young maid at twenty-four.

The National Library has announced today that it will be closed to the public on Thursday 26th February due to Industrial Action being taken by the Civil Public and Services Union.

(More updates soon - am going to the Who Do You Think You Are? Live 2009 show in Olympia so getting prepared for that…)