Friday, February 12, 2016

Tracing Your Irish Ancestors A Summer Family History Conference

Tracing Your Irish Ancestors 
A Summer Family History Conference June 15-22, 2016

Each day of the conference presents delegates with a choice of assisted research in the archives with our team of experienced genealogists or an excursion to a place of historic interest, including Dublin, Giant's Causeway, and Titanic Belfast.

Here is just an example of what one day at the conference looks like:


Research at PRONI or morning and afternoon visit to Titanic's Dry Dock, Pump House and Visitor Centre

09.15 - Transport leaves Ramada Encore for introductions, registration, tour and lectures at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland

11.15  -  Talks by UHF and PRONI staff on useful sources and records or visit to the Thompson Dry Dock (where the Titanic was finished and last rested before the fateful voyage) and Pump-House with its massive pumps and gargantuan hydraulic accumulator

13.00 -  Lunch at PRONI

14.00 -  Afternoon of assisted research at PRONI or trip to Titanic Belfast, the critically acclaimed and world's largest Titanic visitor experience

18.30 -  Evening meal and talk in Belfast's historic Ulster Reform Club




Ulster Historical Foundation has been conducting genealogical research for 60 years and has helped tens of thousands of people learn more about their Irish roots. Throughout their conferences, their experienced and expert research staff will be on hand in the archives to provide you with the advice you need to help find your ancestors. They will be available to direct you to sources that could be helpful in your quest for more information on your forebears, and will be ready to assist with reading difficult handwriting and understanding more about the documents you will be consulting.

In addition, their staff and expert colleagues from kindred organizations will be with delegates during the tours, so even if you are taking a break from actual research, to visit one of the superb attractions, you will still be able to speak with them about your research interests and priorities throughout the week. And when we go to Dublin to visit the archives and repositories their staff will be joined by colleagues, some of the most experienced genealogists in Dublin, to help maximize your time during the day.
 
Delegates are also able to avail of their research assessment service, where they complete a preliminary report, and advise on search strategies for the duration of the conference, for each delegate who submits a completed research questionnaire. These are prepared in advance of the conferences, providing you with the opportunity to consider the contents and plan your research accordingly or peruse the online catalogs for PRONI and the National Library prior to arrival. The research assessment is also an ideal tool to help those with limited archival experience get started in the archives in Belfast and Dublin.

This very practical, hands-on support for family historians, blended with our array of fascinating tours to some of Ireland’s most appealing attractions is what makes attending the Foundation’s family history conference a truly unique and memorable experience.

The price is £749.99. What is included in the price? For all those taking part in Tracing Your Irish Ancestors the following is included:


  • Six evening meals
  • Six lunches
  • Four morning tea/coffee
  • Transport during the event
  • Talks and tours
  • Entrance fees
  • Research assistance by professional genealogists
Please note that travel to and from Northern Ireland and accommodation are not included in the price, and delegates will need to make their own reservations for accommodation during the Tracing your Irish Ancestors event. To allow you to reserve the accommodation of your choice, and which suits your own needs/interests, click here for further information on where to stay.

Tour Information

Please note: As there are capacity limits at many of the sites we will be visiting, there is a maximum number of delegates that can be accommodated on the tours. This is limited to 50 places, (or in the case of the Kilmainham and Trinity College tours in Dublin 35 places).

To avoid disappointment, if you, or your travel companion, wish to be included on any specific tour itinerary, please make sure you confirm your choice of tour as soon as possible after completing your registration.

To help you decide, check the program section of the website for more details on the tour itineraries.

NB: This does not apply to our Saturday excursion to Derry/Londonderry, as all delegates will be traveling together on this day

Be sure to check their website for registration information and alternative conference dates. 

Monday, February 8, 2016

Ulster Historical Society North American Lecture Tour

From March 5 through March 22, 2016  The Ulster Historical Society will be giving lectures in  select locations in North America.

Want to discover your Irish and Scots-Irish ancestors?

Many people believe that researching Irish ancestors is impossible because of the destruction of the Public Record Office in 1922. While many records were destroyed, others survived and large collections have come online in recent years.

Join experts Fintan Mullan and Gillian Hunt from the Foundation during their annual North American lecture tour to learn how to get the most out of Irish resources and records, gain strategies for breaking down brick walls, and grasp important historical context that may help fill in gaps in your research.

Whether you are just beginning your Irish research or have been at it for years, you won’t want to miss these workshops!

Saturday, 05 March Toronto, ON

Location: North York Civic Centre, Memorial Hall, Burgundy Room, North York Civic Centre 5110 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M2N 5W4, Canada
Host: The Toronto Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society and the Canadian Department, North York Central Library
Web: http://torontofamilyhistory.org/…/ulster-historical-found…/…
Tel./e-mail: courses@torontofamilyhistory.org

Sunday, 06 March Boston, Mass.

Location: Courtyard Marriott Hotel, 275 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02116
Host: New England Historic Genealogical Society
Web: http://shop.americanancestors.org/…/irish-family-history-da…
Tel./e-mail: 888-296-3447 education@nehgs.org
Tuesday, 08 March Philadelphia, PA
Location: Moriarty's Pub and Restaurant, 1116 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Host: The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania (GSP)
Web: https://genpa.org/…/celebrating-your-irish-scots-irish-ance…
Tel./e-mail: 215-545-0391 email info@genpa.org

Wednesday, 09 March Leesburg, VA

Location: Thomas Balch Library, 208 W Market St, Leesburg, VA, 20176
Host: Thomas Balch Library
Web: www.leesburgva.gov/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/23391/327
Tel./e-mail: 703-737-7195 balchlib@leesburgva.gov

Thursday, 10 March Newberry, Chicago

Location: The Newberry Library, 60 W Walton St, Chicago, IL 60610
Host: The Newberry Library
Web: www.newberry.org/
Tel./e-mail: +1 312-943-9090 (ask for the Genealogy and Local History department)
Friday, 11 March Salt Lake City, UT
Location: Salt Lake Plaza Hotel, 122 S Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101, United States
Host: Heritage Journeys
Web: www.heritagejourneys.net/…/an-irish-gatherin-salt-lake-cit…/
Tel./e-mail: 801-557-1059 info@heritagejourneys.net

Saturday, 12 March Portland, OR

Location: Milwaukie Center, 5440 SE Kellogg Creek Drive, Milwaukie, Oregon 97222
Host: Genealogical Forum of Oregon
Web: www.gfo.org/IrishSeminar_Mar2016.pdf
Tel./e-mail: seminar@gfo.org
Sunday, 13 March Portland, OR
Location: Genealogical Forum of Oregon, 2505 SE 11th Ave., Suite B-18, Portland, Oregon 97202
Host: Genealogical Forum of Oregon
Web: www.gfo.org/IrishSeminar_Mar2016.pdf
Tel./e-mail: seminar@gfo.org

Monday, 14 March Chehalis, WA

Location: Bethel Assembly of God Church, 132 Kirkland Road, Chehalis, WA 98532
Host: Lewis County Genealogical Society
Web: www.walcgs.org/
Tel./e-mail: 360-219-6912 wa.lcgs@hotmail.com
Wednesday, 16 March Fountaindale, IL
Location: Fountaindale Public Library, 300 West Briarcliff Road Bolingbrook, IL 60440
Host: The Plainfield Public Library and the Fountaindale Public Library
Web: http://host7.evanced.info/fountai…/evanced/eventcalendar.asp
http://www.fountaindale.org/
Tel./e-mail: 630-685-4201 ddudek@fountaindale.org

Thursday, 17 March Memphis, TN

Location: Pickering Center, 7771 Poplar Pike, Germantown, TN
Host: Tennessee Genealogical Society
Web: www.tngs.org/
Tel./e-mail: 901-754-4300 tngs@tngs.org

Saturday, 19 March Pittsburgh, PA

Location: Heinz History Center, 1212 Smallman St. Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Host: Heinz History Center and the Westmoreland County Historical Society
Web: www.westmorelandhistory.org/…/ev…/irish-genealogy-workshop/…
Tel./e-mail: 412-454-6361 history@westmorelandhistory.org

Sunday, 20 March York County, PA

Location: 250 East Market St, York, PA 17403
Host: South Central Pennsylvania Genealogical Society
Web: www.scpgs.org/meetings/
Tel./e-mail: 717-848-1587 or 717-843-7043 scpgswebsite@wildblue.net

Tuesday, 22 March Halifax (Debert), Nova Scotia

Location: The Debert Hospitality Centre, 130 Ventura Dr, Debert, NS B0M 1G0, Canada
Host: Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia
Web: www.novascotiaancestors.ca/cstm_conferenceReg.php
Tel./e-mail: (902) 454-0322 info@novascotiaancestors.ca

What better way to celebrate St Patrick’s Day itself, than by making a start on your Irish and Scots-Irish ancestral quest. Your Irish genealogy is waiting to be discovered.

With sixty years’ experience of serving Irish people everywhere, let the Ulster Historical Foundation help you discover your family’s story.

Please share this information about our lecture tour with your genealogical or historical society and friends on social media.

We know that information about a North American tour is not relevant to those of you who do not live there but we will travel anywhere where we are invited to speak. For example, we are doing a workshop in Manchester, England this weekend so please do get in touch with us if you or your society would be interested in hosting one of our events (enquiry@uhf.org.uk)

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

More Good News for Irish Genealogists

If you are an Irish genealogist and have been frustrated by not having your Monaghan County records available to search on Roots Ireland, it is time to celebrate. 8,000 records have been added to the immense collection that is available on Roots Ireland. 

It is not free to use Roots Ireland, at a minimum it is going to cost $28 for a one month subscription. Now this may seem a bit high but, the records are indexed. You can search at Roots Ireland and then head over to the National Library of Ireland Catholic Parish Records and go to the exact record. If you have all the time in the world, you can do it for free at the NLI but it takes hours and hours. In my opinion, having access to the index is well worth the $28 price. 

However, having said that, don't do it willy nilly. Have all the information you want to find organized and be methodical in your search. Also be prepared to try alternate spelling and possible errors in transcription. I was stymied by Tallent being transcribed as Talon and Moran as Horan in the index. 

Good luck with your search or ádh mór as our Gaelic speaking ancestors would have said.

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Year End Genealogy Review

As we wrap up 2015 and get ready to head into 2016, it is time to assess what you have accomplished in the past year as far as your genealogical research. Personally, I had one of the best years ever. Okay maybe not as good as the really early days when everything was new and I was building my original trees but I have been stuck in a few ruts. Those brick walls can be very hard to overcome.

Here is what I discovered this year. 

My grandmother came to the United States on the Teutonic in 1891. This record has eluded me for 30 years. It brought tears to my eyes to see her, her father John and brothers John and George on the ship as it departed Liverpool for New York on April 22, 1891. 

My ancestor Geoffrey Donahue had two more siblings that I had never known about. A brother Edmund and a sister Hannah. 

My ancestor Julia Tallant did have an older sister named Agnes and her parents are indeed Michael Tallant and Mary Moran. 

My DNA matches me to at least two people with Cavan Roots. I need to concentrate on this a little in the new year 

I am sure that there may be even more that got me thinking this year but I would say that I have broken down a few walls. 

I hope to share a lot more tips and information in the new year. May all of you who follow this blog have as much luck as I have had in breaking down those walls that keep us from getting to know our roots. Happy New Year!!

Monday, December 7, 2015

Get to Know Your Ancestor

Finding and identifying your ancestors is not always straight forward. You may know where you ancestor was or should be but when you check the local records, they aren't there. However, they may be someone else who looks familiar but has a different name. 

One thing you will find as you get deeper into your research is that names can change. There may be good reasons for the change or you may never know why they change, but change they do. 

In order to identify your ancestor you need to build an identity for them. You need to record names, places, dates, relationships, activities and characteristics. 

Relationships can be one of the most helpful things. Know who lives with your ancestors and who lives nearby. People often move in groups and this can help you to recognize when your ancestor has changed their name. 

Try not to get ahead of yourself. Gather as much information as you can about the last known location where you are certain you have the correct ancestor. 

Gather as many documents as you can. Try not to rely on only one source for any facts. Use records like death records to gather information but always be aware that they are not a primary source. 

Once you have your ancestor surrounded by family, friends and neighbors you will be in a better position to follow them back to their previous location. 

Use the census to see who was living in the same community with your ancestor and also who was in the house. Never assume relationships. A child living with a family may not be their child, it can be a relative, neighbor or an orphan. 

Try to avoid going on a fishing expedition, be systematic in your research.