Ireland's Genealogical Gazette (Eanáir : Ionawr : January 2023)

Ireland’s

Presentation to the National Library of Israel

The President of the Genealogical Society of Ireland, Mr. Stuart Rosenblatt, PC, FGSI, formally presented the complete twenty-two volume set of his archival heritage of the Irish Jewish Community to the National Library of Israel on 19th Dec 2022.

Ireland’s Ambassador to Israel, H.E. Mr. Kyle O’Sullivan, was a special guest at this very special ceremony, which also, established the ‘Rosenblatt Collection’ at the National Library of Israel.

Stuart’s lifelong work sourcing, copying, collating and publishing the details of over

70,000 members of the Irish-Jewish community with some records stretching back over two centuries created a ‘magnum opus’ and huge resource for study of the archival heritage of the Irish Jewry.

Making the complete set of his works available to researchers and the general public at the National Library of Israel will hopefully, encourage scholars, students and others to utilize this enormous educational, cultural, social and heritage resource to continue to tell the story of the Irish Jewish Community and its diaspora.

In life, few of us will ever have the unique privilege of ensuring that the narrative of our community is recorded, preserved and be forever told and known to future generations. Congratulations Stuart!!

DATA PROTECTION

Belfast (GSI Stand A22) : Dublin (GSI Stand S16/17) https:///www.holidayworldshow.com

MEMBERSHIP OF THE SOCIETY DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that Membership of this Society is open to all with an interest in family history, heraldry, vexillology (study of flags and emblems) and related subjects?

Did you know that Membership is open to anyone living in Ireland or overseas and with Irish ancestry or with ancestors from anywhere in the world? All are most welcome.

Did you know that Student Membership is also available at 50% off the subscription?

Please checkout: www.familyhistoty.ie

GSI ON YOUTUBE

The Society’s lectures and some informational short videos were uploaded to our YouTube Channel.

To view the videos and hopefully, to ‘Like’ and ‘Share’ them, and to ‘Subscribe’ to our YouTube channel please checkout: www.YouTube.com/c/ GenealogicalSocietyOfIrelandGSI

ON INSTAGRAM

The Society has been expanding its presence across all social media platforms and we’re on Instagram! Please checkout this link: www.instagram.com/ GenSocIreland

The European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force on May 25th 2018. The Board, under Res: 18/05/1380, advises Members that the Society holds the following records on its Members (1) Name; (2) Address; (3) Telephone Number; (4) Email Address and (5) the name of the Associate Member, if applicable, and that such records are only used for the purpose of contacting Members on Society matters and for the dispatch of the Monthly Newsletter and the Annual Journal and furthermore, that these records are only held by the Director of Membership Services and are inaccessible to all other persons and that, the Society does not share this information with any other individual or organisation. Records are also held for contractual necessity to deliver paid services.

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The AGM of the Society will be held at 20.00hrs on Tuesday 14 March 2023 via Zoom. A link will be sent by email to Members and will be available from Membership@familyhistory.ie

YOUNG GENEALOGISTS

Real Asociación de Hidalgos de España (Royal Association of Gentry of Spain) is currently organising the 1st International Congress of Young Genealogists.

It will take place in the wonderful city of Madrid on 17 and 18 February 2023.

The event is hosted in collaboration with the International Confederation of Genealogy and Heraldry, the International Academy of Genealogy, the International Institute of Genealogy and Heraldry and the International Institute of Genealogy and Family History.

The theme of the congress will be "Retrospective, actuality and future of a historiographic science".

For further information, including the submission of congress papers (wonderful opportunity), please see https://www.congresojovenesgenealogistas2023.es/

“ARCHIVE DROP-INS”

The weekly “Drop-Ins” hosted by Eddie Gahan, FGSI, Director of the Outreach Programme, are hugely popular with our Members around the world.

These informal weekly “Drop-Ins” are only for fully paid up Members and are designed to allow you to join the Zoom meeting at any time between 11.00hrs and 12.00hrs on Wednesdays.

The “Drop-In” on the 4th Wednesday is a publicly accessible ‘Drop-In’ for Members and visitors alike.

Visitors can email membership@familyhistory.ie for the link to this Zoom meeting on the 4th Wednesday.

Members receive an email from the Director of Membership Services each week with access details.

Members can send in their research query in advance to Archivist@familyhistory.ie (Please also see page 4)

We’ll All Stay Connected Each Week via Zoom

Major Study on the O’Kellys of Uí Maine

‘The Uí Chellaig lords of Uí Maine and Tír Maine - An archaeological and landscape exploration of a later medieval inland Gaelic lordship’ by Daniel Patrick Curley will be published by Four Courts Press in September 2023. ISBN: 978-1-80151-091-2 : 272pp : H/bk : Large Format : Full-Colour ills : Catalogue price: €45.00 : Web Price: €40.50.

The Ó Cellaig (O’Kelly) lordship of Uí Maine and Tír Maine was a substantial political territory and influential cultural power in later medieval Connacht. This book identifies and reconstructs the physical appearance of the major Ó Cellaig lordly centres from their emergence as one of the principal offshoots of the Uí Maine in c.1100, to the demise of the lordship around the year 1600. It begins with an historical background, which helps to identify the lordly centres (cenn áiteanna) and define the shifting physical boundaries of this territory through the period. The later medieval physical environment is then reconstructed, with an exploration of the resources and economic conditions which underpinned this inland Gaelic lordship. Thereafter, the focus moves to inspect these cenn áiteanna, their siting, forms and surrounding cultural landscapes. In doing so, the writer investigates a broad range of settlement forms, including the continued use of crannóga and promontory forts, before turning to the tower house castle. This book tackles important themes in later medieval Gaelic society and its physical expression, through the lens of these eastern Connacht lords. (FCP Text)

Daniel Patrick Curley is a graduate of the NUIG, with a PhD in Archaeology. He manages the Rathcroghan Visitor Centre in Co. Roscommon, and his research interests lie primarily in the archaeology and cultural heritage of Roscommon and east Galway.

FOUR COURTS PRESS

Irish History, Genealogy, Local History and much more. Checkout the extensive online catalogue for 2023 and the wonderful special offers at www.fourcourtspress.ie note the “back-in-prints” too!!

GSI BOARD NEWS

The Board of Directors held its monthly meeting on Thursday January 12th 2023 at 11.00hrs via Zoom with six in attendance.

A number of directors were absent through illness caused by the current bout of respiratory viruses circulating in the community.

The General Secretary informed the meeting that he too had been laid low by such and requested that, following the completion of the statutory items on the agenda, that only urgent matters be taken. This was agreed with two exceptions an important report by Shane Wilson, MGSI, and another by Gerard Corcoran, MGSI.

After the adopting the Minutes and with Corporate Governance Matters, Correspondence and Accounts finalised, Shane Wilson, MGSI, delivered his report.

Shane Wilson, MGSI, Director of Internet Services, gave a detailed presentation on the extraordinary work currently being undertaken to make the Society’s journals from 2000 accessible electronically to the Members via the Society’s website.

Gerard Corcoran, MGSI, followed on to praise Laura Price, MGSI, for digitising the Society’s Journals. He also stressed that this was only the start of the digitisation process aimed at making as many as possible of the archival collections accessible remotely to our Members at home and overseas.

Gerard Corcoran, MGSI, advised the Board of the allocation of the old Carnegie Library in Dún Laoghaire to the Institute of Art, Design & Technology (IADT) which is destined to be Ireland’s first EU University. He said that this opened up huge potential for this Society to build on its existing collaborations.

Gerard will prepare a detailed proposal for the February Board Meeting. The Board warmly welcomed the news and wish IADT every success with this new acquisition and designation.

He also advised the Board that Clare Roots Society will collect the stock duplicate publications from An Daonchartlann for its library this month.

Eddie Gahan, FGSI, updated the Board on the plans to have stands at the Holiday World Shows in Belfast and Dublin this month and his need for more volunteers for the Belfast stand for January 20, 21 & 22nd. He was somewhat disappointed with the number of volunteers received for the Belfast stand, although, he hoped that will quickly change.

Michael Merrigan formally advised the Board of the receipt of a Grant of Arms from the Chief Herald of Ireland dated 16th December 2022.

The next Board Meeting will be held on Thursday February 2nd 2022 at 11.00hrs via Zoom.

As reported below in ‘GSI Board News’ the Board received a very comprehensive presentation by Shane Wilson, MGSI, Direct of Internet Services, on the ongoing digitisation of the Society’s publications and archival collections.

Laura Price, MGSI, Director of Special Collections, Research & Specialist Groups and Gerard Corcoran, MGSI, Director of Archival Services & Education, have been working away scanning the Society’s journals published since 2000. According to Shane’s report a total of 36 individual publications have been fully scanned and formatted in an manner that provides a search facility and permits retrieval of the articles therein.

Final testing on the system is underway to allow for the these publications and the immensely valuable research material contained in each article to be available electronically to our Members via a Member’s Only section GSI website.

The detailed and very skilled work on this collection untaken by Shane Wilson has also provided the Society with templates for the similar capture, sorting and release of items from our archival collections. Again, this will be a facility for fully paid-up Members to access remotely, however, in person electronic access to such newly digitised material will be available at An Daonchartlann.

Gerard Corcoran, MGSI, continues to identify gaps in our scanning capabilities and these are being addressed as and when resources are available for the purchase of new equipment. However, he also will be seeking more volunteers to undertaken specific scanning and digitisation projects from home. Gerard has exciting plans for the expansion of the digitisation projects. More information next month.

GRANT OF ARMS

Michael Merrigan advised the Board at its meeting on Thursday 12th January 2023 that he received a grant of arms from the Chief Herald of Ireland, Ms. Colette O’Flaherty.

The ’Letters Patent’ dated 16th December 2022 Volume Ab, Folio 28 provide the following heraldic description (blazon) of the arms. (Azure/Blue : Argent/ Silver : Gules/Red) ‘Azure a wolf and a boar combatant Argent langued Gules supporting between them a military pike pointing upward Proper and on a wreath of the colours the Crest a European herring gull rising wings elevated and beak open Proper on a helmet mantled Azure doubled Argent…. With the Motto: Fréamhacha agus Croabhacha Aontaithe’. (‘Roots and Branches United’)

The arms were beautifully designed by Mr. Dónal Burke, herald at the Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland and painted on velum by an heraldic artist commissioned by the office.

The text of the ‘Letters Patent’ is in both the Irish and English languages and records the armiger’s genealogy and that the grant extends to the other descendants of his father, observing the appropriate heraldic differencing as determined by the ‘Laws of Arms’ in Ireland.

ANNUAL JOURNAL 2023

The Board of the Society, under Res: 22/12/1716, established a Select Committee for the production of the 2023 Annual Journal with Paula Jones, MGSI, Deputy General Secretary, as Chair.

Members and readers wishing to submit items for publication in the 2023 issue of the GSI Annual Journal are advised to make contact with the Select Committee.

The Select Committee will advise on the word count, format and the procedures regarding any images accompanying the article. Please email: JGSI@familyhistory.ie

General Secretary

In Brief….

GSI MEMBERSHIP

Join on-line at www.familyhistory.ie

Please note that GSI Membership is open to all interested in genealogy and related subjects.

Discounted membership rates available for under 25s and students at recognised genealogy courses. (proof required)

Full details on the new Membership Package for 2023-2024 were published in the November 2022 issue of this newsletter.

For back issues of the ‘Gazette’ see the Society’s website.

Barry O’Connor, FGSI, Director of Membership Services.

Email: membership@familyhistory.ie

GSI OPEN MEETINGS

Society’s Monthly Open Meetings are held via ZOOM to allow the fullest access by Members from Ireland and overseas.

Tuesday January 10th Evening Open Meeting 20.00hrs (Zoom) - Hilary Tulloch on ‘The Irish in British India’.

Wednesday January 25th Morning Open Meeting 11.00hrs (Zoom) Informal discussion on family history and related matters.

Tuesday February 14th Evening Open Meeting 20.00hrs (Zoom) -Speaker TBA

Wednesday February 22nd Morning Open Meeting 11.00hrs (Zoom)

Informal discussion on family history and related matters.

Tuesday March 14th Evening Open Meeting 20.00hrs (Zoom) - Annual General Meeting Speaker TBA

Wednesday March 22nd Morning Open Meeting 11.00hrs (Zoom) Informal discussion on family history and related matters.

Talks will be posted on YouTube.

ZOOM MEETINGS

Membership Director, Barry O’Connor, FGSI, will email Members to log in to Zoom for the two Open Meetings.

The lectures are open to the public and the access details are available on request by email from Membership@Familyhistory.ie

Suggestions on the Monthly Lecture Programme to: DepGenSec@familyhistory.ie

Members may send their research queries in advance for the Morning Open Meeting by email to Archivist@familyhistory.ie

The Lecture Programme is recorded for the GSI YouTube Channel as a free, publicly accessible educational resource.

We endeavour to have each lecture up as soon as possible after the event.

IRISH DNA ATLAS

Checkout the short video and the lectures on the Irish DNA Atlas project on YouTube Channel www.youtube.com/ c/GenealogicalSocietyOfIrelandGSI

James Scannell Reports...

WICKLOW COUNTY LIBRARIES

Wicklow Local Studies in Salthouse Lane, Wicklow, will host a ‘Drop-in Genealogical Advisory Evening’ with a leading genealogist from 18.30hrs to 20.30hrs on Thursday 12 January and on Thursday 09 February. Admission is free - for further informational call 087-2683724 or email: wicklowlocalstudies@wicklowcoco.ie.

Brian White will present ‘Freedom of the Roads: early motoring in County Wicklow’ at 19.00hrs on Thursday 26 January in the Wicklow Library Exhibition Space, The Mall, Main Street, Wicklow Town. Admission is free but booking is required. Contact Wicklow Library at 040467025 or wicklowlocalstudies@wicklowcoco.ie.

KILMACUD-STILLORGAN LHS

Helen Litton will present ‘Kathleen Clarke – my great aunt’ at 20.00hrs on Thursday 12 January in The Function Room, Glenalbyn, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin. Patrick Salmon will present ‘The Lost Village of Milltown’ at 20.00hs on Thursday 09 February in the same venue. All are welcome – admission €3.00

MILITARY HISTORY SOCIETY

Dr. Daithi Ó Corráin will present ‘Cathal Brúgha; reappraising a founding father’ at 20.00hrs on Friday 13 January in Griffith College, South Circular Road, Dublin 8. Cian Harte will present ‘Heroes or traitors? The Irish deserters of World War 2’ at 20.00hrs on Friday 10 February in the same venue. All are welcome - available on Zoom to members only.

FOXROCK LOCAL HISTORY CLUB

Evelyn Cusack will present ‘The History of Weather Reporting’ at 20.00hrs on Tuesday 17 Jan. in Foxrock Parish Pastoral Centre, Foxrock, Co. Dublin. All welcome admission €5.00

RATHMICHAEL HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Paul Gosling will present ‘River Fords’ at 20.00hrs on Wednesday 01 February in Rathmichael National School, Stonebridge Road, Shankill, Co. Dublin, and on Zoom. All welcome to attend - admission/Zoom fee is €5.00

MOUNT MERRION HIST SOC

Professor Gary Murphy will present ‘Charles Haughey’ at 20.00hrs on Thursday 02 February in The Fitzwilliam Rooms, Mount Merrion Community Centre, Mount Merrion, Co. Dublin. All welcome - admission is €4.00 / Students €2.00

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF IRELAND

Acting Director Katherine McSharry will lead the ‘February Director’s Tour of the National Library of Ireland’ at 14.00hs on Saturday 04 February. Meet in the Entrance Hall, 7-8 Kildare Street, Dublin 2. All are welcome, admission is free and no booking is required. Check www.nli.ie to confirm dates.

THE OLD DUBLIN SOCIETY

Frank Hopkins will present ‘St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin - Its History, Environs, Sights, Sounds, Characters and Events’ at 18.00hrs on www.eneclann.ie

Wednesday 08 February in The Conference Room, Dublin City Library & Archive, 144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2. All are welcome - admission is free.

MALAHIDE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Johnathan Kennedy will present ‘Seatown House’ at 20.00hrs on Tuesday 14 February in St. Sylvester’s Church Parish Centre, Malahide, Co. Dublin. All are welcome - admission €5.00

PUBLICATIONS:

‘Obelisk - Journal of the Kilmacud Stillorgan Local History Society, No. 17, 2023’, published by the Society, pb, 190 pages, ills, ISBN 978-0993278280. Available from Stillorgan Credit Union, at meetings of the Society or from the Society’s website: www.kilmacudstillorganhistory.ie

TRACING

YOUR

IRISH ANCESTORS

by John Grenham, MA, MAGI, FIGRS, FGSI

The Society strongly recommends to anyone embarking on their family history quest that one essential piece of kit must be, without doubt, a copy of the FIFTH edition of ‘Tracing Your Irish Ancestors’. Please checkout the website www.gillmacmillan.com Price €24.99 [RRP].

Monthly Newsletter of the Genealogical Society of Ireland

Some of the Archival Collections in An Daonchartlann, Loughlinstown. (Photo: Tom Conlon)

‘HISTORY IRELAND Magazine’ - OUT NOW!!

James Scannell, FGSI

PRÉCIS OF THE DECEMBER LECTURE

On Tuesday December 13th 2022 'A Comradeship of Heroes' by Joe Mooney of the East Wall History Group. 'The Christy Moore song “Viva la Quinta Brigada” pays tribute to the Irishmen who joined the International Brigades to fight fascism during the Spanish Civil War. Often referred to as the “Connolly Column” (after the 1916 leader), an estimated 240 Irish took part, with almost 70 being killed. East Wall man Jack Nalty was the last to die in September of 1938. He had been among the first volunteers who left Dublin for Spain in December of 1936 , alongside North Inner City men Dinny Coady ( who lived on Marlborough Street) and Tommy Wood (from Buckingham Place) both of whom would die on Spanish soil before that year ended. Others mentioned in the song include Kit Conway and Charlie Donnelly who had both spent time living locally. Future author Brendan Behan had tried to volunteer but was refused due to his young age. Why were these young men prepared to travel and take up arms on a foreign battlefield? What motivated them to sacrifice their lives in defence of the Spanish Republic? This talk will answer these questions and tell the story of the North Inner-City men who joined the “comradeship of heroes”, exploring the backgrounds in the republican, socialist and trade union movements of their native city, and the grim experiences they faced overseas. Tommy Wood, the youngest Irish volunteer to die (aged just 17), in a letter left for his mother explained: “I am very sorry for not telling you where I was going. I am going to Spain to fight with the International Column. Please forgive me for not letting you know. We are going out to fight for the working class.”

Checkout the full lecture coming soon on the Society’s YouTube Channel (see bottom of page 1)

NATIONAL HERALDIC SURVEY Update

At the Board Meeting held on Thursday 12th January 2023, Shane Wilson, MGSI, Director of Internet Services and Laura Price, MGSI, Director of Special Collections, Research & Specialist Groups, outlined the features of the mechanism, by which, participants in the Society’s National Heraldic Survey will be able to capture and record the image, details and location of the use of heraldry throughout Ireland. The objective is for simplicity of use, uniformity of capture and recording, ease of submission and retrievability and, of course, archiving for further study.

The Society’s Honorary Herald, Dr. Antonio Salmerón Cabañas, FHA, FGSI, will be on hand to advise on the correct blazoning of each of the arms recorded, however, as many will have been assumed without necessarily adhering to the rules of heraldic design, this may not always be possible for obvious reasons. Remember, the survey is not about the quality or accuracy of the heraldic design, but simply on the use of heraldry in the community and how Irish people identity with and make use of, heraldry. This survey will be the first of its kind in Ireland and possibly, in Europe

VisitingAn Daonchartlann

An Daonchartlann - Archive & Research Centre operates under the following arrangements.

(1) All visits to the archive, for members and nonmembers, are normally by appointment only to Archivist@familyhistory.ie

(2) However, this appointment system has been gradually relaxed lately and visitors are, once again, welcome to visit the facility.

(3) Maximum time for each visit, is 1 hour for nonmembers and 2 hours for paid-up members.

(4) Gloves supplied in the archive, must always be used while in the archive.

(5) Face mask/covering must always be worn while in the archive. You will be refused admission to the archive without a face mask/covering.

(6) A name and contact phone number will be required from each person visiting.

(7) All visitors, members and non-members must leave the archive as soon as their allocated time has finished.

Please do not visit the archive, if you are feeling unwell or have been in contact with someone, who has been confirmed as having Covid-19 or are waiting for test results.

Gerard Corcoran, MGSI

Our Society is a Registered Charity

During the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, many charities in Ireland and overseas are finding it difficult with reduced funding streams. This Society is funded largely by its Membership Fees and the kind donations received from Members and friends at home and overseas, without which, it simply couldn’t exist.

The Society is a Registered Charity in Ireland and always considers options for fund raising and grant applications. The possibility of crowdfunding for specific projects is being considered. However, in the meantime it was decided to appeal to our Members,

friends and social media followers around the world.

Donations can be made via the Society’s website or by cheque to the Genealogical Society of Ireland and forwarded to the General Secretary: 11, Desmond Avenue, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, Ireland, A96 AD76

If you have already donated Many Thanks!

FOR GSI MEMBERS

IRELAND’S GENEALOGICAL GAZETTE is published by the Genealogical Society of Ireland Company Limited by Guarantee 11, Desmond Avenue, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, A96 AD76, Ireland

E-mail: GAZETTE@familyhistory.ie Charity Ref: CHY 10672 : No: 20027551 Company Registration (CRO): 334884

The Society is a Nominating Body for Seanad Éireann (Irish Senate)

Board of Directors (2022-2023)

John Goggins (Cathaoirleach : Chairperson; Oifigeach na Gaeilge) James Walsh (LeasChathaoirleach : Vice-Chairperson; Group Projects Coordinator) Michael Merrigan (General Secretary, Company Secretary, ‘Gazette’ Editor; & Irish DNA Atlas); Lua Ó Scolaí (Finance & ADF, Philanthropy); Paula Jones (Deputy General Secretary, GSI Lecture Programme, Diaspora Outreach & Oversight of Development Plan); Eddie Gahan (Outreach & Zoom Drop-Ins); Shane Wilson (Internet Services &Online Publications); Barry O’Connor (Membership Services & Cemetery Projects; Building & Utilities, Health & Safety); Gerard Corcoran (Archival Services & Education; Genetic Genealogy & ADF ) and Laura Price, (Special Collections, Research & Specialist Groups, Vexillology &Heraldry).

“HALL’S INDEX”

The “Gazette” is Ireland’s longest running monthly genealogical newsletter and it is read by thousands each month around the world.

The past issues of the Society’s newsletter from 1996 to 2016 had been fully indexed by the late Brendan Hall, MGSI. The “Hall’s Index” now includes all issues right up to date and is available on www.familyhistory.ie

Although we’re not members of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), the team at the “Gazette” always endeavour to operate in accordance with the NUJ Code of Conduct www.nuj.org.uk/about/nuj-code/ and in line with the 'National Policy Statement on Ensuring Research Integrity in Ireland' which was endorsed by the Genealogical Society of Ireland back in June 2014 soon after its launch at the Royal Irish Academy. (see the June 2014 issue of the “Gazette” at www.familyhistory.ie)

GENEALOGY HELP CENTRE

An Daonchartlann, the Society’s Archive and Research Centre is located at the DLR Leisure Centre, Loughlinstown, Co. Dublin.

The use of our extensive archival resources is reserved for fully paid-up GSI members, however, day research membership is always available on request.

The facility is normally open each Wednesday from 10.30hrs to 16.00hrs contact the GSI Archivist on Archivist@familyhistory.ie

Checkout the Society’s website www.familyhistory.ie