Tuesday, October 21, 2008

John Hamrock Joins Genealogical Speakers Guild

John Hamrock of www.ancestor.ie has recently joined the Genealogical Speakers Guild. The Genealogical Speakers Guild was founded in 1991 to facilitate better communication between speakers and societies. Their on-line directory at www.genealogicalspeakersguild.org is one step toward that goal.

Whereas, the Guild recognizes and respects the prerogatives of existing organizations and societies in the field of genealogy whose missions are to serve societies, educate and protect genealogical consumers, certify professionals, and provide for an exchange of ideas in broadly based avocational, professional, and entrepreneurial activities related to genealogy, the Guild therefore directs its objectives to the following:


To provide a unified, effective voice to promote speakers' interests by providing a forum for the discussion of topics of concern to genealogical speakers.
To broaden the speaker base by identifying, educating and assisting promising speakers.
To raise professional lecture standards.
To aid speakers in understanding and fulfilling their obligations to program planners and to audiences.

The Genealogical Speakers Guild Directory will help you find speakers like John Hamrock you are seeking.

Friday, October 3, 2008

Sarah Palin, Ballykilcline, Kilglass Parish, Co. Roscommon, Ireland, Family Roots?

Sarah Palin, Ballykilcline, Kilglass Parish, Co. Roscommon, Ireland, Family Roots?

A day after the U.S. vice-presidential candidates’ debate between Sarah Palin and Joseph Biden, The Irish Times announced that Sarah Palin may be able to trace her ancestors back to the pre-Famine era Co. Roscommon.

According to a US based genealogist the maiden name of Alaskan Governor Palin’s mother is Sheeran. The ancestors of Sarah Palin were evicted from their Irish townland of Knockhall which is in the Barony of Ballintober North, Parish of Kilglass, Strokestown Poor Law Union, in County Roscommon. The Governor’s Roscommon ancestor was a Michael Sheiran or Sheeran, who crossed the Atlantic in 1844 and subsequently applied for U.S. citizenship on 12 September, 1855. His son, Michael James Sheeran, was born on 10 August 1852 in West Rutland, Vermont.

John Hamrock, the author of Tracing Your Roscommon Ancestors, a genealogist based in Ireland, believes that the work of the American genealogist, Mary Lee Dunn, is credible. For more information on Sarah Palin’s Roscommon Ancestors or to buy a copy of Tracing Your Roscommon Ancestors, contact John Hamrock at john.hamrock@yahoo.ie or visit his website at http://www.ancestor.ie.