A couple of days ago I visited the new Public Record Office of Northern Ireland in Belfast. Stephen Scarth of PRONI kindly spared a few minutes to show me around, and allowed me to video him to give a quick run down of new features.
(With thanks to Stephen!)
Chris
Thursday, 31 March 2011
RootsIreland offers ships lists
From RootsIreland (www.rootsireland.ie)
Irish Ship Passenger Lists
The Irish Family History Foundation's Online Research Service (ORS) is pleased to announce the availability of a new source of records. The Centre for Migration Studies, Omagh, Co. Tyrone, has provided over 227,000 names of Ship Passengers. The records are of passengers, mostly of Irish origin, on ships travelling from Irish and British ports to ports in North America (United States and Canada) from 1791 to 1897. Just go to the following site and login using your existing IFHF login details. http://cms.rootsireland.ie
1901 Census for Country Leitrim
The 1901 Census of County Leitrim is now also available, adding an additional 69,000 records to our online database. The records have been carefully analysed and inputted by staff at Leitrim Genealogy Centre using a Standard Surname field to increase the speed and accuracy of searches. Go to http://leitrim.rootsireland.ie
NB: I'm not really sure why people might want to pay for transcriptions of the 1901 census when it is freely available at www.census.nationalarchives.ie, along with the original images, but I suppose it does offer another option if there is an index issue with the NAI site.
(With thanks to RootsIreland)
Chris
Irish Ship Passenger Lists
The Irish Family History Foundation's Online Research Service (ORS) is pleased to announce the availability of a new source of records. The Centre for Migration Studies, Omagh, Co. Tyrone, has provided over 227,000 names of Ship Passengers. The records are of passengers, mostly of Irish origin, on ships travelling from Irish and British ports to ports in North America (United States and Canada) from 1791 to 1897. Just go to the following site and login using your existing IFHF login details. http://cms.rootsireland.ie
1901 Census for Country Leitrim
The 1901 Census of County Leitrim is now also available, adding an additional 69,000 records to our online database. The records have been carefully analysed and inputted by staff at Leitrim Genealogy Centre using a Standard Surname field to increase the speed and accuracy of searches. Go to http://leitrim.rootsireland.ie
NB: I'm not really sure why people might want to pay for transcriptions of the 1901 census when it is freely available at www.census.nationalarchives.ie, along with the original images, but I suppose it does offer another option if there is an index issue with the NAI site.
(With thanks to RootsIreland)
Chris
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Welcome to 21st century PRONI
Today the new Public Record Office of Northern Ireland building in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter opened to the general public after an eight month closure for its relocation from Balmoral Avenue. Yours truly was very kindly invited to attend a stakeholders’ event of the new facilities yesterday, and armed with curiosity, and both stills and video cameras, I made my way in.
A wee note to the wise first! I flew over from Glasgow Airport to Belfast, arriving at 7.30am. Although fortuitous, in that I arrived at my destination bang on time, it wasn’t quite as successful on the location front! Having worked out that it was Glasgow I was flying from and not Prestwick, it never occurred to me to think about the other end. Suffice to say that the City Airport, next door to PRONI is brilliantly located for PRONI, but sadly Ryanair no longer flies there. I had assumed that Easyjet did. It didn’t. I can confirm though that the International Airport at Aldergrove was a sight to behold at 7.30am, and you certainly can’t beat that fresh smell of the country. Neither can you beat the £40 taxi fair or £7 bus trip 40 minutes down the road to ‘actual Belfast’ i.e. Belfast International Airport is as much in Belfast as Glasgow Prestwick is in Glasgow!
Anyway, the event was not due to start until 12.30pm, and so I had a cunning plan. I decided that over yesterday and today I would go grave hunting in three different city based cemeteries to look for some of my lot, thanks to the fact that Belfast City Council now has a database online listing all burials for City Cemetery, Roselawn and Dundonald. I had intended to do Roselawn first thing, then PRONI and Dundonald in the afternoon, and then City Cemetery today. I arrived at Roselawn at 8.30am and for this had fortunately been a bit more successful on the planning front, having phoned ahead to ask if the cemetery staff could provide any additional info on who may be in the lairs I had identified of interest. They did me proud, and having checked in at the gatehouse I was given a great deal of information and exact details to the individual lairs. Unbelievably I managed to find all four of interest within 25 minutes, and also managed to get some religion in, by paying my respects to a football God, George Best, buried nearby. Having finished so early I popped back to the office and asked how long they thought it might take to walk to Dundonald Cemetery. “An hour”, I was told by staff member Kay, “but sure I’m heading over there now anyway, so hop in!” Ulster does a great line on friendly people! Ten minutes later I was at Dundonald, and once again the staff had information waiting for me, and I successfully located another plot. All accomplished by 11am.
At 12.00 I arrived early at PRONI and got chatting to someone from Northern Ireland Libraries, who told me that Carrickfergus Library in my home town had just been renovated and that there was some digitisation work being taken by the authority (no further details on that, but I have the contacts and will chase up!). At 12.30 crowds of Belfast’s finest on the genie and archives front arrived. Whilst talking to Janet Hancock from PRONI, who I had recently interviewed at WDYTYA in London, I was approached by Stephen Scarth, PRONI’s Head of Communications. It turns out Stephen reads this blog, and no sooner had I said “So Stephen, what’s the craic?”, than I was being whisked off on a very welcome personalised tour of the place! Stephen showed me the lecture rooms, the information area, and then the reading rooms, and allowed me to video a chat with him explaining it all (which will go online tomorrow).
It’s difficult to describe just how 21st century new PRONI is. It is like TNA at Kew but with bells on. It isn't TNA of course in terms of size - it's only a wee Province! - but it is certainly as fit for purpose. (Think of it as TNA's "Mini-me!") Perhaps I can put it like this – I absolutely and utterly hated visiting old PRONI, so much so that my last trip there must have been about 7 years ago, after which I decided to concentrate on my Scottish ancestry instead. Old PRONI was very wooden, dark and dreary, I never found it that inviting, and it was a pain in the neck to get to. New PRONI, on the other hand, is quite simply ‘les testicles du chien’. I will definitely be returning…!
When you arrive at PRONI you will need to get a readers ticket, which will allow you to go between the search rooms (you need to swipe your card to gain entry to a room). Details on what you need to obtain a ticket can be found on the facility’s website at www.proni.gov.uk. There are three computers in a dedicated information area by reception to orientate you about the premises. The reading rooms are on the first floor, and there is WiFi access in the building in the café on the ground floor (possibly elsewhere also, didn’t quite get the detail on that). The café does Bewleys Coffee.
(Sorry, just to repeat that - the café does Bewleys Coffee. This is important to the returning Ulster emigrant!)
Throughout the premises are screens with a welcome ticker tape running along the bottom stating when certain ordered documents and microfilms are ready per table (similar but different to TNA’s system for checking order progress). In one of the reading rooms there is a scanner you can use yourself to photograph documents, which can be saved to a USB stick. There is a fee of 30p per scan, and discount for a larger block, and you will need to sign a disclaimer copyright form (as you do at NAS). The images can be used for private research but cannot be used for publication without consent from PRONI – in fact the images bear a PRONI watermark, so that you will need to contact them if you need an image for a professional purpose. Steven told me PRONI will be selling its own PRONI own brand USB sticks (I think we may be one ahead on that front though with ScotlandsPeople producing its own chocolate bars!). Unfortunately, the one downside is that you cannot take your own photos with a digital camera in the way that the National Archives at Kew and the NAS allow you to do. In time I hope that might be something PRONI could perhaps have another look at, for the simple reason that whatever concerns there may be on that have been addressed in the rest of the UK to the respective institutions’ satisfaction. At NAS the only restrictions are on private papers deposited in the GD collections (Gifts and Deposits), that may well serve as a potentially useful model if there are concerns on that front in Northern Ireland.
Now for the building itself. It has light. That is fundamental for me. The place is bright, modern and you feel that you are going to achieve something just by taking in the atmosphere before you even start. Even on a dreich day like yesterday, it felt extremely vibrant inside. Disabled access is superb – as well as a lift, the height of the tables themselves can be adjusted by the push of a button to suit wheelchair access or those who prefer to stand and have the table higher.
To summarise, for the first time in years I’ve actually become homesick – I want to be able to stay in Belfast just so I can go into this facility and plunder its archives. Belfast itself has changed also. The bad boys don't shoot each other any more, and there is a giant fish statue beside the Lagan. And a few other wee developments!
Just to finish, I left PRONI at 1.45pm, and so headed up the Falls to City Cemetery and was again able to receive some prepared information from the gate lodge. I checked about ten plots (and the cemetery is seriously massive), and managed to get back to Carrickfergus for 6.30pm, meaning that today I was able to do some research at the new library (finding an old photo of my brother and I in the primary school choir we were members of and several photos of my mad golf-mad aunt winning competitions all over the shop!), and even caught up with an old friend and neighbour before flying back. The moral of the story – I was able to visit PRONI and Belfast’s three municipal cemeteries in one day, with time to spare. It is possible to get a full day’s research in and head over and back from Scotland early morning and late evening. I intend to do so again very soon, and may even offer PRONI research into my offerings on the research front in a couple of months time. I always believed the facilities for Northern Irish research would catch up with the rest of the UK - I never once for a moment thought it would equal or better it!
(With thanks to Stephen Scarth and Deborah Duffy at PRONI)
And now a few wee pics...! (For the video see http://scottishancestry.blogspot.com/2011/03/new-proni-search-room-in-belfast.html)
A wee note to the wise first! I flew over from Glasgow Airport to Belfast, arriving at 7.30am. Although fortuitous, in that I arrived at my destination bang on time, it wasn’t quite as successful on the location front! Having worked out that it was Glasgow I was flying from and not Prestwick, it never occurred to me to think about the other end. Suffice to say that the City Airport, next door to PRONI is brilliantly located for PRONI, but sadly Ryanair no longer flies there. I had assumed that Easyjet did. It didn’t. I can confirm though that the International Airport at Aldergrove was a sight to behold at 7.30am, and you certainly can’t beat that fresh smell of the country. Neither can you beat the £40 taxi fair or £7 bus trip 40 minutes down the road to ‘actual Belfast’ i.e. Belfast International Airport is as much in Belfast as Glasgow Prestwick is in Glasgow!
Anyway, the event was not due to start until 12.30pm, and so I had a cunning plan. I decided that over yesterday and today I would go grave hunting in three different city based cemeteries to look for some of my lot, thanks to the fact that Belfast City Council now has a database online listing all burials for City Cemetery, Roselawn and Dundonald. I had intended to do Roselawn first thing, then PRONI and Dundonald in the afternoon, and then City Cemetery today. I arrived at Roselawn at 8.30am and for this had fortunately been a bit more successful on the planning front, having phoned ahead to ask if the cemetery staff could provide any additional info on who may be in the lairs I had identified of interest. They did me proud, and having checked in at the gatehouse I was given a great deal of information and exact details to the individual lairs. Unbelievably I managed to find all four of interest within 25 minutes, and also managed to get some religion in, by paying my respects to a football God, George Best, buried nearby. Having finished so early I popped back to the office and asked how long they thought it might take to walk to Dundonald Cemetery. “An hour”, I was told by staff member Kay, “but sure I’m heading over there now anyway, so hop in!” Ulster does a great line on friendly people! Ten minutes later I was at Dundonald, and once again the staff had information waiting for me, and I successfully located another plot. All accomplished by 11am.
At 12.00 I arrived early at PRONI and got chatting to someone from Northern Ireland Libraries, who told me that Carrickfergus Library in my home town had just been renovated and that there was some digitisation work being taken by the authority (no further details on that, but I have the contacts and will chase up!). At 12.30 crowds of Belfast’s finest on the genie and archives front arrived. Whilst talking to Janet Hancock from PRONI, who I had recently interviewed at WDYTYA in London, I was approached by Stephen Scarth, PRONI’s Head of Communications. It turns out Stephen reads this blog, and no sooner had I said “So Stephen, what’s the craic?”, than I was being whisked off on a very welcome personalised tour of the place! Stephen showed me the lecture rooms, the information area, and then the reading rooms, and allowed me to video a chat with him explaining it all (which will go online tomorrow).
It’s difficult to describe just how 21st century new PRONI is. It is like TNA at Kew but with bells on. It isn't TNA of course in terms of size - it's only a wee Province! - but it is certainly as fit for purpose. (Think of it as TNA's "Mini-me!") Perhaps I can put it like this – I absolutely and utterly hated visiting old PRONI, so much so that my last trip there must have been about 7 years ago, after which I decided to concentrate on my Scottish ancestry instead. Old PRONI was very wooden, dark and dreary, I never found it that inviting, and it was a pain in the neck to get to. New PRONI, on the other hand, is quite simply ‘les testicles du chien’. I will definitely be returning…!
When you arrive at PRONI you will need to get a readers ticket, which will allow you to go between the search rooms (you need to swipe your card to gain entry to a room). Details on what you need to obtain a ticket can be found on the facility’s website at www.proni.gov.uk. There are three computers in a dedicated information area by reception to orientate you about the premises. The reading rooms are on the first floor, and there is WiFi access in the building in the café on the ground floor (possibly elsewhere also, didn’t quite get the detail on that). The café does Bewleys Coffee.
(Sorry, just to repeat that - the café does Bewleys Coffee. This is important to the returning Ulster emigrant!)
Throughout the premises are screens with a welcome ticker tape running along the bottom stating when certain ordered documents and microfilms are ready per table (similar but different to TNA’s system for checking order progress). In one of the reading rooms there is a scanner you can use yourself to photograph documents, which can be saved to a USB stick. There is a fee of 30p per scan, and discount for a larger block, and you will need to sign a disclaimer copyright form (as you do at NAS). The images can be used for private research but cannot be used for publication without consent from PRONI – in fact the images bear a PRONI watermark, so that you will need to contact them if you need an image for a professional purpose. Steven told me PRONI will be selling its own PRONI own brand USB sticks (I think we may be one ahead on that front though with ScotlandsPeople producing its own chocolate bars!). Unfortunately, the one downside is that you cannot take your own photos with a digital camera in the way that the National Archives at Kew and the NAS allow you to do. In time I hope that might be something PRONI could perhaps have another look at, for the simple reason that whatever concerns there may be on that have been addressed in the rest of the UK to the respective institutions’ satisfaction. At NAS the only restrictions are on private papers deposited in the GD collections (Gifts and Deposits), that may well serve as a potentially useful model if there are concerns on that front in Northern Ireland.
Now for the building itself. It has light. That is fundamental for me. The place is bright, modern and you feel that you are going to achieve something just by taking in the atmosphere before you even start. Even on a dreich day like yesterday, it felt extremely vibrant inside. Disabled access is superb – as well as a lift, the height of the tables themselves can be adjusted by the push of a button to suit wheelchair access or those who prefer to stand and have the table higher.
To summarise, for the first time in years I’ve actually become homesick – I want to be able to stay in Belfast just so I can go into this facility and plunder its archives. Belfast itself has changed also. The bad boys don't shoot each other any more, and there is a giant fish statue beside the Lagan. And a few other wee developments!
Just to finish, I left PRONI at 1.45pm, and so headed up the Falls to City Cemetery and was again able to receive some prepared information from the gate lodge. I checked about ten plots (and the cemetery is seriously massive), and managed to get back to Carrickfergus for 6.30pm, meaning that today I was able to do some research at the new library (finding an old photo of my brother and I in the primary school choir we were members of and several photos of my mad golf-mad aunt winning competitions all over the shop!), and even caught up with an old friend and neighbour before flying back. The moral of the story – I was able to visit PRONI and Belfast’s three municipal cemeteries in one day, with time to spare. It is possible to get a full day’s research in and head over and back from Scotland early morning and late evening. I intend to do so again very soon, and may even offer PRONI research into my offerings on the research front in a couple of months time. I always believed the facilities for Northern Irish research would catch up with the rest of the UK - I never once for a moment thought it would equal or better it!
(With thanks to Stephen Scarth and Deborah Duffy at PRONI)
And now a few wee pics...! (For the video see http://scottishancestry.blogspot.com/2011/03/new-proni-search-room-in-belfast.html)
Chris
Monday, 28 March 2011
Scottish Monumental Inscriptions update
From Scottish Monumental Inscriptions (www.scottish-monumental-inscriptions.com):
These are the latest releases from Scottish Monumental Inscriptions.
Ferryport on Craig Cemetery Fife, over 1500 images dating from 1855
Biggar Church and Cemetery Lanarkshire, over 1480 images dating from 1700
Adamsbrae Cemetery West Lothian, over, 1430 images dating from 1935
Culross Cemetery Fife, over 1500 images dating from 1874
Hayfield Cemetery Fife, over 3400 images dating from 1855
St Andrews Easter Cemetery Fife, over 800 images dating from 1823.
These are all currently available on CD from today.
Burial grounds recently photographed.
Pool of Muchart Churchyard
Glendevon Churchyard
Blackford old Churchyard
Blackford Cemetery
St Mary?s Church Dunblane
Dunblane Cathedral
Doune Churchyard
Mossgreen Cemetery
Burntisland Cemetery
Ballingry Cemetery
Kinglassie Cemetery
Lunan Churchyard
Maryton Churchyard
Rossie Island Church and Extension
Dun Church and Extension
Dun Old Church
Strathcaro Church
Farnell Church and Extension
Kinnell Church.
More due soon.
(With thanks to Helen Grant)
Chris
These are the latest releases from Scottish Monumental Inscriptions.
Ferryport on Craig Cemetery Fife, over 1500 images dating from 1855
Biggar Church and Cemetery Lanarkshire, over 1480 images dating from 1700
Adamsbrae Cemetery West Lothian, over, 1430 images dating from 1935
Culross Cemetery Fife, over 1500 images dating from 1874
Hayfield Cemetery Fife, over 3400 images dating from 1855
St Andrews Easter Cemetery Fife, over 800 images dating from 1823.
These are all currently available on CD from today.
Burial grounds recently photographed.
Pool of Muchart Churchyard
Glendevon Churchyard
Blackford old Churchyard
Blackford Cemetery
St Mary?s Church Dunblane
Dunblane Cathedral
Doune Churchyard
Mossgreen Cemetery
Burntisland Cemetery
Ballingry Cemetery
Kinglassie Cemetery
Lunan Churchyard
Maryton Churchyard
Rossie Island Church and Extension
Dun Church and Extension
Dun Old Church
Strathcaro Church
Farnell Church and Extension
Kinnell Church.
More due soon.
(With thanks to Helen Grant)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Tracing Your Family History on the Internet (Even newer book!)
Sunday, 27 March 2011
2011 Scottish census
I've just filled out the 2011 Scottish census, and used it as an occasion to record just a bit more than was asked! See http://walkingineternity.blogspot.com/2011/03/census-day-2011.html And
FYI - Ancestry.co.uk has extended free access to its UK census collection throughout Monday 28th!
Chris
FYI - Ancestry.co.uk has extended free access to its UK census collection throughout Monday 28th!
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Tracing Your Family History on the Internet (Even newer book!)
Saturday, 26 March 2011
1911 Scottish census update
From ScotlandsPeople (www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk):
Release of the 1911 Census
The 1911 census will be available by 11:00 BST on Tuesday 5 April. Images of the enumeration books will be in full colour and for the first time the enumeration includes the particulars of the marriage, the number of children born from the marriage, the industry or service connected to the occupation and the nationality of the person enumerated. We are also planning to make some scanned historic documents available at www.ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk, for example PDF's of the street index books for the main towns and cities of Scotland, which will show whether a street existed in 1911.
Evening Visit on 5 April at ScotlandsPeople Centre
For those who work full time but who are keen to search the 1911 census, the ScotlandsPeople Centre in Edinburgh is holding an evening visit from 18:00 to 21:00 on the evening of the 5 April for £10. Telephone 0131 314 4300 to book your place or email enquiries@scotlandspeoplehub.gov.uk if you require further information.
Extension of validity period for credits plus increase in cost of credits
We are pleased to announce that from 1 April 2011, any credits purchased will be valid for one year rather than 90 days. Remember that you do not lose any un-used credits when the period of validity has expired; when you buy more credits they will simply be added to your existing credits.
Remember also that from 1 April 2011 the cost of 30 credits will rise to £7 and the cost of an Extract will rise to £12. These changes have been necessary to help fund the flexibility and availability of our services as well as fund the cost of providing an Extract and were approved by the Scottish Parliament through the Registration Services (Fees) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2010.
Please note that it will still cost 1 credit to view up to 25 index entries and 5 credits to view an image of the statutory or census records. It will also cost 5 credits to view images of the forthcoming 1911 census when it is released on 5 April 2011.
FYI, a search at one credit will cost 23.3p from April, up from the previous 20p, whilst an image view will now cost £1.17, up from the previous £1. The maths used to be a lot easier when it was £6 for 30 credits, so hope that helps...!
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Tracing Your Family History on the Internet (Even newer book!)
Release of the 1911 Census
The 1911 census will be available by 11:00 BST on Tuesday 5 April. Images of the enumeration books will be in full colour and for the first time the enumeration includes the particulars of the marriage, the number of children born from the marriage, the industry or service connected to the occupation and the nationality of the person enumerated. We are also planning to make some scanned historic documents available at www.ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk, for example PDF's of the street index books for the main towns and cities of Scotland, which will show whether a street existed in 1911.
Evening Visit on 5 April at ScotlandsPeople Centre
For those who work full time but who are keen to search the 1911 census, the ScotlandsPeople Centre in Edinburgh is holding an evening visit from 18:00 to 21:00 on the evening of the 5 April for £10. Telephone 0131 314 4300 to book your place or email enquiries@scotlandspeoplehub.gov.uk if you require further information.
Extension of validity period for credits plus increase in cost of credits
We are pleased to announce that from 1 April 2011, any credits purchased will be valid for one year rather than 90 days. Remember that you do not lose any un-used credits when the period of validity has expired; when you buy more credits they will simply be added to your existing credits.
Remember also that from 1 April 2011 the cost of 30 credits will rise to £7 and the cost of an Extract will rise to £12. These changes have been necessary to help fund the flexibility and availability of our services as well as fund the cost of providing an Extract and were approved by the Scottish Parliament through the Registration Services (Fees) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2010.
Please note that it will still cost 1 credit to view up to 25 index entries and 5 credits to view an image of the statutory or census records. It will also cost 5 credits to view images of the forthcoming 1911 census when it is released on 5 April 2011.
FYI, a search at one credit will cost 23.3p from April, up from the previous 20p, whilst an image view will now cost £1.17, up from the previous £1. The maths used to be a lot easier when it was £6 for 30 credits, so hope that helps...!
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Tracing Your Family History on the Internet (Even newer book!)
Scottish Genealogist magazine index
An index to the Scottish Genealogist, the publication of the Scottish Genealogy Society, covering the years 1953-2005, is available as a download from the society in PDF format at www.scotsgenealogy.com/Library/IndextotheScottishGenealogist.aspx
Back issues can be purchased from the society at http://shop.scotsgenealogy.com/acatalog/Other.html, though in some cases they may be in photocopy format where the original print edition has sold out. A complete collection of the publication for the period 1953 to the present date can be purchased at £75.
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Tracing Your Family History on the Internet (Even newer book!)
Back issues can be purchased from the society at http://shop.scotsgenealogy.com/acatalog/Other.html, though in some cases they may be in photocopy format where the original print edition has sold out. A complete collection of the publication for the period 1953 to the present date can be purchased at £75.
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Tracing Your Family History on the Internet (Even newer book!)
Thursday, 24 March 2011
Update on more Irish records
The Irish Genealogy News blog is reporting progress on additional records to be added to the www.irishgenealogy.ie website imminently. This is a southern Irish Government backed project which is basically putting online transcripts of records for some of the counties not participating in the RootsIreland web project (www.rootsireland.ie) - but unlike RootsIreland, they are free of charge to view.
The update: Work is complete on the remaining records from Cork, and Ross Roman Catholic records, with the exception of records from Cork City completed by Cork County Library. For Dublin, May 2011 should see the final Roman Catholic records for the city go online. And for Monaghan, work is underway to finish the Roman Catholic records for the county, estimated at taking a few more weeks to finish.
Bear in mid that the National Library of Ireland is also planning to digitise its collection of RC records for the island - and I've just got wind of something else stirring on that front also which I can't share yet. Watch this space!
(With thanks to the BI-Gen blog and Irish Genealogy News)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Tracing Your Family History on the Internet (Even newer book!)
The update: Work is complete on the remaining records from Cork, and Ross Roman Catholic records, with the exception of records from Cork City completed by Cork County Library. For Dublin, May 2011 should see the final Roman Catholic records for the city go online. And for Monaghan, work is underway to finish the Roman Catholic records for the county, estimated at taking a few more weeks to finish.
Bear in mid that the National Library of Ireland is also planning to digitise its collection of RC records for the island - and I've just got wind of something else stirring on that front also which I can't share yet. Watch this space!
(With thanks to the BI-Gen blog and Irish Genealogy News)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Tracing Your Family History on the Internet (Even newer book!)
Northern Health Service Archives open days
News from Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archive's Facebook page that Northern Health Services Archives, which looks after the archives of NHS Grampian, is holding two drop-in days for people wishing to know more about resources in its collection which may help with local and family history research.
The venue is Victoria Pavilion, Woolmanhill Hospital, Aberdeen, on Monday and Tuesday, 11th & 12th April 2011, from 9.30am - 3.30pm.
Resources available include:
* Display of historical hospital photographs
* Exhibition of records for family historians
* General information and ‘How to’ leaflets
* Catalogues, indexes and reference works
* Expert advice on individual queries.
(With thanks to Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives, and the Aberdeen and North East Scotland FHS)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Tracing Your Family History on the Internet (Even newer book!)
The venue is Victoria Pavilion, Woolmanhill Hospital, Aberdeen, on Monday and Tuesday, 11th & 12th April 2011, from 9.30am - 3.30pm.
Resources available include:
* Display of historical hospital photographs
* Exhibition of records for family historians
* General information and ‘How to’ leaflets
* Catalogues, indexes and reference works
* Expert advice on individual queries.
(With thanks to Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives, and the Aberdeen and North East Scotland FHS)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Tracing Your Family History on the Internet (Even newer book!)
Ulster Scots lecture in Ardrossan
On Saturday 14th May, the Ulster Scots Lecture will be held at The Whitlees Community Centre, Carrick Place, Ardrossan, North Ayrshire, at 7.00pm. The main speakers will be historian and ex-Ulster Unionist MLA Fraser Agnew from Newtonabbey, Co. Antrim, and historian James Devenney in County Donegal, with a short film on The Cairncastle Ulster-Scots Folk Festival in County Antrim shown by Robert Acheson.
The event is being organised by the recently formed Ardrossan Ulster-Scots Historical and Cultural Society, in association with Cairncastle Ulster-Scots Folk Festival and the East Donegal Ulster-Scots Association. To take part, call 01294 608557 / 601147 or 471550.
Although I wish the venture well, as someone from Northern Ireland's protestant community I have always been uncomfortable with the classification of culture and identity in Ulster on both sides. As a student almost 20 year ago I actually made a documentary about the politicisation of Irish Gaelic by both Sinn Fein and the British Government, which has done it more harm than good in the fact that the language has become so polarised by both communities in Ulster. Some Irish Protestants, such as Robert McAdam, actually helped to save it from virtual oblivion in the 19th century. And try telling someone in my home town of Carrickfergus that the original 'Scotch' of the town's Scotch Quarter were actually Protestant Gaelic speakers from Scotland, and you'll likely get lynched! Nothing is ever so black and white as 'they had their culture' and 'we had ours', and I must admit that I have been uncomfortable about the DUP's and others' attempts to politicise the Ullans dialect of Scots and its culture for similar reasons.
However, there is and was an Ulster Scots history that certainly should be commemorated - I've actually written about the history of the long established links between Ireland and Scotland on my website at www.scotlandsgreateststory.bravehost.com/ulsterscots.html - it is certainly worth exploring and commemorating. The Americans know this - ten of their first presidents all came from Ulster-Scottish stock (or Scotch-Irish as they refer to it), and George Washington once stated that if he was ever going to go down fighting, he wanted to do so surrounded by Scotch-Irish fighters. I suspect their definition of Ulster Scot means something different to today's Ulster Scots still resident in the country. Many of the Ulster Scots who fled to America did so to avoid the oppression of Presbyterianism by the Anglican state in Ireland.
I must admit though that my heart slightly sank when I was handed a leaflet last night about this new Ardrossan based society which states the following: "Please note: We are striclty non-sectarian and non-political". It's a very welcome statement, and I wish the venture well, but I would humbly suggest that it probably did not help that the leaflet containing that statement was printed on orange paper. Maybe the fact that as a protestant Ulster Scot myself I find that the colour orange does not represent me or my heritage, is proof that one shoe size does not fit all, and that maybe our identity is just a bit more complicated than all of that...
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Tracing Your Family History on the Internet (Even newer book!)
The event is being organised by the recently formed Ardrossan Ulster-Scots Historical and Cultural Society, in association with Cairncastle Ulster-Scots Folk Festival and the East Donegal Ulster-Scots Association. To take part, call 01294 608557 / 601147 or 471550.
Although I wish the venture well, as someone from Northern Ireland's protestant community I have always been uncomfortable with the classification of culture and identity in Ulster on both sides. As a student almost 20 year ago I actually made a documentary about the politicisation of Irish Gaelic by both Sinn Fein and the British Government, which has done it more harm than good in the fact that the language has become so polarised by both communities in Ulster. Some Irish Protestants, such as Robert McAdam, actually helped to save it from virtual oblivion in the 19th century. And try telling someone in my home town of Carrickfergus that the original 'Scotch' of the town's Scotch Quarter were actually Protestant Gaelic speakers from Scotland, and you'll likely get lynched! Nothing is ever so black and white as 'they had their culture' and 'we had ours', and I must admit that I have been uncomfortable about the DUP's and others' attempts to politicise the Ullans dialect of Scots and its culture for similar reasons.
However, there is and was an Ulster Scots history that certainly should be commemorated - I've actually written about the history of the long established links between Ireland and Scotland on my website at www.scotlandsgreateststory.bravehost.com/ulsterscots.html - it is certainly worth exploring and commemorating. The Americans know this - ten of their first presidents all came from Ulster-Scottish stock (or Scotch-Irish as they refer to it), and George Washington once stated that if he was ever going to go down fighting, he wanted to do so surrounded by Scotch-Irish fighters. I suspect their definition of Ulster Scot means something different to today's Ulster Scots still resident in the country. Many of the Ulster Scots who fled to America did so to avoid the oppression of Presbyterianism by the Anglican state in Ireland.
I must admit though that my heart slightly sank when I was handed a leaflet last night about this new Ardrossan based society which states the following: "Please note: We are striclty non-sectarian and non-political". It's a very welcome statement, and I wish the venture well, but I would humbly suggest that it probably did not help that the leaflet containing that statement was printed on orange paper. Maybe the fact that as a protestant Ulster Scot myself I find that the colour orange does not represent me or my heritage, is proof that one shoe size does not fit all, and that maybe our identity is just a bit more complicated than all of that...
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Tracing Your Family History on the Internet (Even newer book!)
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