Another thing that has been on my to do list for a while, is updating the Quick Reference Guides I created in 2018. I did update them in 2019, but they needed another update. The information contained in the new Guides has not dramatically changed, but many of the links were broken and some of the dates for records have changed to be in line with the Irish Data Protection Guidelines. I decided not to print the Guides (which will make them easier to update), but will provide them as PDFs. When you order them from my Store, I will email you the files. The downside of this, is once I email the ..read more

   February was a busy month.  Rather than focus on a family, I spent the month getting my taxes ready for the accountant, and also got a chance to spent a great week with my daughter, visiting from Boston.  Genealogy was not completely missing, as I answered questions from DNA matches and cousins along the way.    But now it is March and my focus turns to the Daly family of Kilvine in County Mayo.  This is my husband’s maternal line…his mother was Catherine Helen Daly.  It is one of the early lines I researched and much of what I have dates back to the ..read more

   I have arrived at the end of January, so it’s time to check in and see how things are going. Getting organized is never as easy as it sounds.  I have cleared up some of my piles, but there are more to go through.  I’ve gotten better at clearing my desktop, at least every other day, of accumulated files.  Did not do as well with clearing my emails every day, but did clear a couple of hundred emails from my inbox.  I still chased a few of those BSO’s.  I also got a few of the items that had been hanging out on my personal to do list completed.  The big ..read more

   2024 is really a New Year for me.  In 2023 I hosted my final group research trip to Ireland with 30 people!  I also reduced my lecture schedule and did my final major presentation at the Celtic Connections Conference in August.  As I turn the page on my professional career, I’m now prepared to focus on my personal research.  Like the shoemaker’s child, my own research has taken a back seat to my professional work and I have some major clean up to do!. I had planned to jump right into my new role when I returned from Ireland, but as usual, life got in the way ..read more

Thank you to all who have followed me this year. Best Wishes for a joyful Holiday Season and a Happy and Healthy New Year to you and your loved ones ..read more

   Who knew that retirement was going to be so busy!  My husband was scheduled for Mohs surgery when I got back from Ireland for a basil cell on the end of his nose.  The surgery went well, Mohs on one day and then the plastic surgeon the next day.  The plastic surgery was more extensive than expected and he hasn’t been able to wear his glasses. That means no golf (home everyday), and he can’t drive.  We’re headed for the final surgery this week and once the stitches are taken out a week later, things will start to get back to normal.    A few weeks ago ..read more

And so, the Irish Research trips have come to an end in 2023 and I am now retired! Some of the group worked until the last minute, closing PRONI at 4:45 while others took advantage of the last day for a bit of sightseeing. It ended with a great dinner at James Street. I appreciate all of the kind comments and the card from my last group. Although I won't be doing any more group trips, I will return to Ireland to work on my own research. It's been a good run. I'm writing this late, as I headed out to Enniskillen early Saturday morning to visit with two new cousins on my Johnston line. At the t ..read more

Today was spent at the North of Ireland Family History Society in Newtownabbey, about 20 minutes from downtown Belfast. In addition to their main location, they have nine additional branches If you have North of Ireland ancestors (including the three additional counties of Ulster) you should consider joining this Society. In addition to their unique library, they are experts in DNA and offer a number of programs (some on Zoom) as well as a week long DNA Summer School. Here is the agenda from this past August. NIFHS is closely aligned with FamilyTreeDNA and sponsors a number of DNA Projects. A ..read more

Lots going on today. Small groups made visits to the Presbyterian and Methodist Historical Societies, while most of the group returned to PRONI to continue their research. Almost all of the Presbyterian records that are public can be found on microfilm at PRONI, however there are a few which still are only housed at PHS. It turned out to be a short visit as the records viewed, did not turn up any additional information. But, even negative evidence is evidence. Now it is known that the family was not in that particular church. Two of the researchers asked if I would make an appointment at the ..read more

The main repository for Belfast is the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland, or PRONI. Created at the time of the partition, it holds not only State records but a large collection of private records such as church and estate records. It can be a bit intimidating when you first begin your research. After everyone obtained their Visitor's Pass (reader's ticket), we were given an orientation, or more like a history lesson by Dr. Desmond McCabe, archivist and historian. Des is quite clear about genealogists being historians first...in order to research our ancestors we must understand the hi ..read more