AskAboutIreland new research facilities

Ask About Ireland, http://www.askaboutireland.ie/show_homepage.do, is an initiative of An Chomhairle Leabharlanna, funded by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, through the Information Society Fund and The Heritage Council. It is a website to assist in finding answers about Ireland, particularly the Irish countryside and Irish heritage. Visitors to the site will find unique access to new information, rare images, and documents from Irish public libraries, museums and archives.

They have introduced some exciting tools for genealogists and family historians doing research on Ireland. These include in the Heritage and History segment. Each of the following is quite interesting and should be explored:

• Architecture
• Big Houses of Ireland
• Built Heritage, 1700 – Today
• Families in History
• Heritage Towns
• Monuments & Built Heritage
• Pages in History
• Poor Law Union

There are also additional facilities on the website which are briefly described here.

Griffith’s Valuation Place Name Search


http://griffiths.askaboutireland.ie/gv4/gv_place_search_form.php

This facility not only allows researchers to locate 'occupants' to see who lived in the locality and were recorded in the Griffith’s Valuation of the 1850d, but also to see a Griffith's Valuation map of the locality. Additionally, for some locations, there is also a facility to see a modern (Google Maps) map. This is an amazing facility and all free of charge.

Irish Times Digital Archive

Ask About Ireland Irish Times Digital Archive provides online access free of charge for internet users within public libraries and schools in Ireland through www.askaboutireland.ie. Every effort has been and is continuing to be made to ensure the highest possible quality of the digital archive images and accuracy of the search. However, please note that due to the condition of the original material in some cases and the technological processes involved, it has not been possible to produce perfect results in every single case.

This service can only be accessed within a public library or school in Ireland, but again, an excellent facility.

Federation Of Genealogical Societies 2008 Conference

John Hamrock of Ancestor.ie will be attending the Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference entitled, “Footprints of Family History”, which will be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from Wednesday, September 3rd through Saturday, September 6th, 2008.

This promises to be an exciting event particularly in helping those in their genealogical professional development. It will also be a great opportunity to speak with the many US genealogy enthusiasts about the future market for genealogy information.

Genealogists and archivists from Ireland will be well represented at the conference.

• Gregory O’Connor from the National Archives of Ireland
• Eileen O’Duíll, CG, Professional Genealogist, speaking on Irish research and professional development
• Seán O’Duíll, Irish Folklorist, speaking on marriage customs in 19th Century Ireland
• John Hamrock, author of Tracing Your Roscommon Ancestors and sponsor of www.ancestor.ie
• Dr. James Ryan of Flyleaf Press who will be displaying Flyleaf’s interesting range of Irish genealogical and family history books at the TIARA exhibition at the conference
• A number of members of the Irish Family History Foundation
• Other professional and amateur genealogists from Ireland

More information about the conference can be obtained at www.fgs.org. Hopefully, we will see you there!

Tracing Your Roscommon Ancestors - Book Review