ISSN 1649-7937
Cumann Geinealais na hÉireann “Cuimhnigí ar Ár Sinnsir—Remember Our Ancestors”
Ireland’s Genealogical Gazette (incorporating “The Genie Gazette”) www.familyhistory.ie
Vol. 16 No. 5
Bealtaine : Maiatz : May 2021
Decade of Centenaries—Local Publications Thankfully, we are on the road to opening up with the gradual lifting of the Covid-19 restrictions in Ireland. It has been hard on all sections of society and, indeed, much more so on those who have lost loved ones to Covid-19 over the past fifteen months. The pandemic hit during two very important years of the ‘decade of centenaries’ which would have seen many commemorative events, seminars and public lectures organised marking aspects of the War of Independence. However, as we draw towards the dates of the centenaries of some of the more controversial and, possibly still very divisive, events of the Irish revolutionary period, we would have expected a flurry of local history publications and commemorative booklets. Online events and Zoom seminars are excellent, however, they cannot been seen as a substitute for locally produced published works on the period, people and places associated with these historic events. These publications are invaluable contributions to our knowledge and understanding of the period as they are steeped in locally sourced information and sometimes, drawing on inaccessible privately held papers, photographs and, especially, diaries.
The proceedings of any commemorative events that were held online are of immense importance to the study of the period, however, it is unclear how much of this invaluable material has been recorded for future research. The accounts of the organisation of local commemorative events and their accompanying publications, including brochures and invitational booklets, can be lost to a wider research community if care is not taken to record the event and to collect all publications. For example, the recent unveiling by the Cllr. Una Power, Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, of a stunningly impressive newly commissioned statue of Roger Casement, has a very interesting backstory given the previous statue of Casement that was to be erected in Dún Laoghaire now stands in the village of Ballyheigue, Co. Kerry. Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council is to be commended on the commissioning of this work for erection at the site of the old Dún Laoghaire Baths currently undergoing restoration as a new public amenity and coast walkway. Around the country, communities and the local authorities are erecting monuments, plaques or memorials to mark these important centenaries. Whilst, local authorities or state bodies, like Iarnród Éireann (Irish Railways), will ensure that copies of any publications or brochures will end up in the local County Library and, hopefully, the National Library of Ireland, many community organisations may overlook the need to deposit their publications. Hopefully, the County and City Librarians in each area will proactively seek out and collect these publications while they are still available?
OPEN MEETINGS Dún Laoghaire Further Education Institute (but for now via Zoom) Cumberland Street, Dún Laoghaire Tuesday 11 May 2021 (Zoom) —20.00hrs Tuesday 8 June 2021 (Zoom)—20.00hrs _______________________________________________________________________
Royal Marine Hotel (now Zoom) Marine Road, Dún Laoghaire
GENEALOGY HERALDRY VEXILLOLOGY SOCIAL HISTORY Heritage Matters Book Reviews Open Meetings News & Events DATA PROTECTION 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.
IRISH DNA ATLAS Checkout the short video clip and the lectures on the Irish DNA Atlas project on the Society’s YouTube Channel—
www.youtube.com/c/ GenealogicalSocietyOfIrelandGSI
In this issue……. • • • • • • • • • • •
“Archive Drop-Ins” Offer from Mercier Press Précis of April Lecture Reprinted in Paperback Board News & Update Open Meetings up to Sept James Scannell Reports.. DIB—Irish Biographies Maeve Flannery, RIP Mobile Phone Deals GSI Board Members
Wednesday 26 May (Zoom) —11.00hrs
GSI ARCHIVE DROP-IN Wednesdays 11.00hrs UTC+1 via Zoom See page 2
Wednesday 23 June (Zoom)—11.00hrs Contribution €5.00 p.p. (Donations via www.familyhistory.ie)
@GenSocIreland
Monthly Newsletter of the Genealogical Society of Ireland