I'm delighted to say that my new book is now available for pre-order from Pen and Sword at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Researching-Ancestral-Crisis-in-Ireland-Paperback/p/51770, at an introductory price of £12.79 (RRP £15.99) plus postage. The book will be published on February 28th 2025.
Entitled Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland: A Guide for Family Historians, the book looks at the moments in our Irish ancestors' lives where things went wrong, and how they were documented. Here's the back cover blurb:
Ireland is an extraordinarily beautiful island from which millions can
claim their direct ancestry. But Ireland is also an island which has
experienced some truly extraordinary moments of crisis which will have
directly impacted our forebears, helping to shape us into the
individuals that we are today. Whenever such crises happened, whether on
a national scale or within the home, there was invariably somebody
standing close to hand with a quill and parchment to document the
misfortunes that befell so many.
In this latest book, family historian Chris Paton takes a look at some
of the darkest episodes of Irish history over the last four hundred
years, as well as the everyday crises that affected everyone throughout
their lives. He will discuss the impact of many major events on our
ancestors, including colonisation, conquest and rebellion, as well as
the various pressures endured from within the family, the church, and
the state.
Along the way Chris highlights the records that can help us to show the
various trials and tribulations faced by our ancestors, which can help
to vividly bring our family histories to life, including those available
both online and within Ireland's many local and national archives.
And the following is the chapter breakdown:
Introduction
Acknowledgements
Timeline
1. Irish Family History Research Basics
Births, marriages and deaths
Church records
Roman Catholic records
Protestant church records
Census records
Wills
DNA
Gateway sites
Irish archives
British archives
Libraries
Commercial vendors
Newspapers
Societies
Commercial research services
2. Family events and relationships
Births and illegitimacy
'Fallen women'
Mother and baby homes
Foundlings
Orphans
Adoption
Home children
Marital issues
Separation and divorce
Bigamy
Homosexuality
Death
Suicide
3. Law and Order
Brehon laws
English law
The Crown courts
Local courts
Grand juries
Manor records
Church courts
Police and prison records
Transportation
Execution
4. Poverty and health
Poor law
Deportation of Irish paupers from Britain
Public health concerns
Hospitals and public health
Asylums
5. Them and Us
The Plantations of Ulster
The 1641 Rebellion
The Cromwellian Conquest
The Penal Laws
The Great Famine
The Land War
The Home Rule Crisis
The Suffragettes
The Dublin Lockout
The First World War
The Easter Rising
The War of Independence
The Treaty and the Civil War
The Legacy of Conflict
I hope you enjoy the book, I've put a lot into it!
** Please note that the book will be available in the United States from April 2025, retailing at US $28.95 - see https://www.penandswordbooks.com/9781036110376/researching-ancestral-crisis-in-ireland/ for details.
Chris
Order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors in the UK at https://bit.ly/BelfastAncestors. Also available - Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. For purchase in tthe USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, on Threads at @scottishgenesblog and via Mastodon at https://mastodon.scot/@ScottishGENES.
