In a recent post I shared my excitement about being chosen as a subject for a Wikitree Challenge.  As the event, The 2024 WikiTree Challenge 11,  will be launched on zoom at 2am tomorrow (my time in Australia). My immediate issue is do I go to bed early and set an alarm for 1:30ish or do I try and stay awake? I'll see how my day pans out.  Promo for the WikiTree Challenge I'm now sitting in my geneacave dealing with a range of emotions: * Gratitude for the invitation to have my family chosen as the focus of this project * Delight to have a light shone on my band o ..read more

I know a time-poor genealogist who is easily drawn into undertaking new projects. Sounds like me! It's ten years since I joined the Society for One-Place Studies (SOPS). This is a niche online society for those who have a passion for a particular place be it a road, a cemetery, a village or a town and wish to undertake a project that studies both the family and local history of their place/s. I have admired these researchers, some of whom study more than one place and feel One-Place Studies are a worthwhile exercise. Family and Local History go together like a horse and carriage. It wasn ..read more

This blog has taken a back seat while I was out of the country in May and June. As part of our holiday we took a five day BackRoads tour of the WW1 Battlefields. This was our second such tour but it was superior to the last one we took. With its focus on Australian involvement in the conflict it was a wonderful learning experience that gave us much insight to the bravery and sacrifices young people and their families back home. Since arriving home I have been sorting our travel photos, working on my family history and one-place study and hosting and attending a few genealogy events. I was thri ..read more

Over the last few years I have taken up the April AtoZ Blogging Challenge several times. As I did in 2023 I participated in  the challenge on my personal blog jillballau. My topic Gods' Houses may be of interest to my genimates so I am posting a list of links to my 26 posts published in April below. I hope you enjoy some of my travel snaps.   A-Z Blogging Challenge 2024: A is for Altars A-Z Blogging Challenge 2024: B is for Buddhas, Books and Bells A-Z Blogging Challenge 2024: God's Houses - C is for Candles and Crucifixes A-Z Blogging Challenge 2024: D is for Domes and Dragon ..read more

Back in 2012 I penned a post about Paper Overload in which I lamented about the practice of many speakers to provide handouts, reference lists in hard copy. I said" My plea to presenters is to offer an alternative to hard copy handouts. PLEASE." When I happened across that post this morning I thought about current practice and realise that many speakers provide links to soft copies of their handouts to attendees or event organisers.  The cynic in me thinks that this turnaround is due to Covid when we turned to digital delivery of  genealogy education. It was impossible ..read more

On St Patrick's Day I remember my first visit in 2001 to Ballyfoyle, Kilkenny, and the home of Patrick Kealy, my Great-Great-Grandfather. It was the birthplace of my Great-Grandmother Mary Kealy who emigrated to New South Wales. #genealogy #familyhistory #ireland Standing at the gate of an ancestral home in Ballyfoyle, Kilkenny This post first appeared on the GeniAus blog http//geniaus.blogspot.com ..read more

G'day Genimates,  I am sharing this Save the Date notice on behalf of our friends at The Genealogical Society of Queensland – GSQ. We encourage you all to follow the Connections 2025 Facebook page  for event updates and to show your support to help make this a wonderful, engaging event for history aficionados all over Australia and New Zealand. SAVE THE DATE: March 21-24, 2025. The Australasian Conference - Connections 2025 - will be held in Brisbane over four days in March 2025. Hosted by the Genealogical Society of Queensland, the conference combines the 1 ..read more

This morning I posted on social media news of  the 17th Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry (otherwise known to genies as Congress)  & 5th Queensland History State Conference. As the NSW Ambassador I am thrilled to let you know that the comprehensive website for the combined event, Connections2025, has now gone live. The website gives details of the dates, site, accommodation and keynote speakers plus a program outline. Information for prospective speakers is also available. Connections2025 Website I have been fortunate enough to attend Congress in ..read more

Driving through Italy we passed through the Tonale Pass. Apparently in winter this place is buzzing with the snow lovers who flock to the area  to participate in snow sports. When we visited in autumn the place was deserted, there was a chill in the air but not a snowflake in sight. We made a stop there for a refreshment break and more importantly to pay our respects to those Italian military from the First World War memorialised at the Sacrario militare del Tonale. It was a sobering visit as we reflected on the loss of lives in all countries affected by war. The building is right ..read more

  This post first appeared on the GeniAus blog http//geniaus.blogspot.com ..read more