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Blog Entries: 1 to 25 of 1700
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No one-stop shopping
There is no “one-stop shopping” in on-line genealogy databases  and not everything has been digitized BUT each week, more and more critical records we need to learn about our Irish ancestors become available.
So, where should you look? Is it worth it to purchase a one-month subscription to FindMyPast, RootsIreland or another database? What makes them unique? What does each contain? Which one(s) will give me the best chance to break down that pesky brick wall?
Join us Saturday, September 11th from 10:30am – Noon (CDT)
for Comparing the Irish-Rich Databases and learn from Mary Wickersham as she takes us through the overlaps and differences between the Irish-rich databases.
$15 for IGSI members/$20 for non-members. Register HERE. |
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Come to the Library!
It will be great to have the Hoffman Research Library open and available to researchers again!
Beginning September 1, the library will return to full hours  of service: Wednesdays 10am - 4pm, Thursdays 10am -
8pm, and Saturdays 10am - 4pm. At the time this was posted, vaccinated persons do not need to wear a mask at the Minnesota Genealogy Center; unvaccinated persons should wear a mask while in the building.
Irish Saturdays will resume at the library on the second Saturday of each month, starting September 11. IGSI members will be available to help you start your family research or perhaps give an assist with a problem point. The IGSI collection of 3000+ items will be available to researchers.
Read more about the Minnesota Genealogy Society and its library here.
Note: Due to the North Star conference, the Hoffman Research Library will be closed on Thursday, September 30, and on Saturday, October 2. |
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Comparing Irish-Rich Databases
Are your Irish ancestors hiding in plain sight? 
Perhaps you have used the free records available in FamilySearch. Maybe you have a subscription to the full version of Ancestry. But did you know there are other subscription databases such as FindMyPast, RootsIreland and JohnGrenham with records you will not find elsewhere?
Join us Saturday, September 11, at 10:30am CDT for Comparing the Irish-Rich Databases with Mary Wickersham to find out what is in each and help identify the differences. Your elusive Irish ancestors may be hiding in one of these!
Register HERE. $15 for IGSI members with Discount Code/$20 for non-members |
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Genealogy Research Course Level 3
The Minnesota Genealogical Society is offering IGSI members discounted tuition to their next Levels course, which starts September 12. This is a great opportunity to take your skills to the next level within a small group setting.
Students will build and practice skills developing a research project; taking their project idea to an actionable research plan; systematically capturing their research findings; and writing their story in the form of a project report or article. A guest speaker will present a special topic in each class.
Prerequisite: Registrants must successfully complete Level Two or demonstrate to the instructor they have the knowledge and skills learned in Level Two by submitting a resume or work sample to lois@loismackin.com.
Pre-course assignment: Ideas for a research project – due Friday September 10th before Class One Answering a specific question about a person or family Options: undertaking a larger project, e.g., surname search in records (land, census, vital)
The series of four progressive 2.5 hour classes will be supplemented with three optional “office hours” coaching sessions. To see the schedule, costs, and to meet your instructors, Lois Abromitis Mackin, Robert Johnson, Paula Stuart Warren, Shirleen Hoffman and Elizabeth Gomoll, visit https://mngs.org/event-4443966
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Names--Scottish or Irish?
Every Sunday a Letter from Ireland arrives in my email box from Mike Collins. In this week's letter, a reader named Hamish asked a question: how can you tell if a name is Scottish or Irish?
Collins replied with an example of how Scottish and Irish names sometimes grew apart over time:
"...Starting at the beginning:
- James (originally known as Jacob) was one of the 12 apostles from the bible.
- King James 1st made the name popular as a boy’s name when he assumed the throne of Scotland in the 1600s. Its popularity grew further when he became King of a united Scotland and England.
- However, the Irish language has a problem pronouncing the "J" sound in "James" - and so changes it to a "Sh" sound. As a result, James became "Séamus" (pronounced "Shay-mus") in Irish/Scots Gaelic. This was also the way for a number of other biblical names - such as "John" which became "Seán" (pronounced "Shawn").
- Now, bear with me on this step. When you address someone with their Irish/Gaelic name - the grammar changes a little. If I wanted to say: "How are you, James?" I would say:
"Conas a tá tú, a Shéamais?" (pronounced "Cunus a taw too a hay-mish?").
- The insertion of the H into the name "Shéamais" causes the sound of the S to disappear! Over time, the name "Seamus" became anglicised as "Hamish" (pronounced "Hay-mish") in parts of Scotland due to this little twist of Gaelic grammar."
You can read past Letters from Ireland and subscribe yourself (free) by clicking here.
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Ancestry changes its terms
Are you confused about all the consternation you're seeing on social media regarding changes in Ancestry's terms and conditions?
Whenever I have a question about legal technicalities related to genealogy, my go-to source is Judy G. Russell and her blog, legalgenealogist.com.
As usual, she's on top of the latest Ancestry issue! Read her August 6 posting as well as comments left by readers, where Ms. Russell responds to their questions. |
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Still time for Irish Genealogy 101
There is still time for…time for you to build your genealogy skills! 
You can register for Saturday’s IGSI webinar Irish Genealogy 101 up until we go live at 10:30am (CDT).
Can’t make it then but want to see it? Register anyway and early next week you will receive a link to the recording and handout from expert speaker Tom Rice.
To register and for more information, click HERE. $15 for IGSI members/$20 for non-members.
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Webtember: Genealogy All September Long
MyHeritage is sponsoring a fun (and FREE!)
online genealogy conference taking place
each Friday in September, with 30 live
and pre-recorded webinars.
You can join live for all four Fridays, or pick
and choose, or enjoy the recorded talks
(FREE) at your convenience through the
end of the month. See the schedule and register here. |
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Irish Genealogy 101 with Tom Rice, CG
Obviously, you are interested in learning more about your Irish heritage or you wouldn’t be reading this! However, over and over we hear that people either don’t have the time or don’t take the time to dig in to learn more about their Irish ancestors. 
It’s not rocket science. You can learn more about who your Irish ancestors were, where they came from in Ireland and where they went. BUT you do need to take the time.
Why not start by registering?
Irish Genealogy 101 with Tom Rice, CG
Saturday, August 7, 10:30 am - Noon (CDT)
This webinar will take you through the process, give you an overview of finding the place of origin, plus give you insights into Irish naming patterns, Irish places and history and provide many hints and links to records and resources in the U.S. and Ireland. It will give you the tools you need to begin or refresh your research.
Register HERE now!! $15 for IGSI members/$20 for non-members. Can’t make it on August 7 th? Register anyway and you will receive a link to the recording and terrific handout within a few days of the live event.
Make the time…take the time! |
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Call for CCC 2022 proposals
 A year ago this week we were revving up for a virtual Celtic Connections Conference 2020.
And now the CCC 2022 planning committee is calling for proposals for Journey Home, to be held virtually between 9 July and 30 Sept 2022. In keeping with the conference theme, successful proposals will address Celtic (Irish, Scots-Irish, Scottish or Welsh) topics, or tools and methodologies useful to Celtic researchers.
Proposals must be submitted by 1 Sept 2021 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. All presentations will be pre-recorded and available for viewing by everyone who registers.
Proposals may be from beginning to advanced levels. All the details can be found at the CCC website.
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Irish Genealogy 101
Irish Genealogy 101 - Saturday, August 7th – 10:30am-Noon (CDT) with Tom Rice, CG
You may be familiar with Ancestry and FamilySearch. But have you heard of Swilson.info?
Shane Wilson's website is a large collection of excellent materials relating to  Irish records, places, name distribution, etc. It's also a key site for such things as linking Roman Catholic parishes to Townlands and for learning about various aspects of Irish genealogy.
You could learn about Swilson.info and a whole lot more at the next IGSI webinar!
Space is limited. Register today HERE. $15 for IGSI members/$20 for non-members.
Can’t make it on the 7th? Register anyway and you will receive a link to the recorded presentation and fabulous handout.
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Happy 10th Anniversary!
 Tin and aluminum--representing durability and flexibility--are traditional materials for a tenth anniversary.
Ten years ago today I posted my first IGSI blog.
Since then I've clicked on Save for nearly 1690 addl postings.
In recent times I've been particularly grateful for the IGSI class announcements drafted by Education Chair Kathleen Foley. And I must admit many postings over the years were items originating with other bloggers and/or published genealogical articles which I've simply shared with our readers. A big thanks to the many sources for blog material!
Along the way, IGSI moved to a new website platform. Converting old blog postings to the new site affected the formats. I've edited some but many still appear as one long paragraph.
This morning I played around with sorting to find the oldest blog entries. At the upper right corner, you'll see there are 68 pages with 25 entries per page. When I went to page 68 and found the entry dated July 19, 2011, I was surprised to see five older entries dated December 31, 1969! Were these remnants of postings from a previous IGSI blogger? Wait a minute. 1969?
A quick scan of the five articles disclosed they did not originate in 1969. In fact they appeared to be pieces of draft postings that didn't properly make the trip from the old website. We've done a little housekeeping to make corrections and demonstrate our durability/flexibility. |
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Unreadable gravestones
In doing research at cemeteries, you may have encountered gravestones with unreadable words or numbers. While I've seen advice about using a mirror to assist in deciphering information on the stone, I hadn't experienced the benefits until recently.
A friend had salvaged a piece of reflective material from an old TV. It was light and unbreakable so she brought it to the cemetery where we sought out an old, particularly discolored headstone. See what a difference the reflected light made. One can much more easily read the name and birth/death dates. It's truly striking when you're there in person.
We'll be restoring the stone's readability with D/2 solution, but using a mirror is a good alternative.
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Are your Irish research skills rusty?
Are your Irish family history skills a little rusty? Have you had “find out where great-grandma Bridget came from in Ireland” on your TO DO list for way too long? Did you or your brother take a DNA test that said you are 37% Irish and you want to know more? Then, our August IGSI webinar is for you! 
Tom Rice will discuss key tools for finding your Irish ancestors: the most important record types, Irish geographic terms, Irish naming patterns, key Irish genealogy websites and books, plus a lot more. Don’t miss this!
Register HERE now! $15 for IGSI members/$20 for non-members
Can’t make it that Saturday? Register anyway and a few days after the live presentation you will receive a link to the recording and handout so you can watch at your convenience.
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Latest issue of Irish Lives Remembered
Do not miss reading the Summer 2021 issue of Irish Lives Remembered.
Online and free, as always.
I haven't yet read the magazine cover to cover, but what I've perused so far has been fascinating!
Start your mid-summer adventure here. |
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Unplanned Irish Emigration to Canada
There is still time for some YOU TIME…time for you to beef up your genealogy skills! .jpg)
You can register for Saturday’s IGSI webinar The Unplanned Irish Emigration to Canada up until we go live at 10:30am (CDT).
Can’t make it then but want to see it? Register anyway and early next week you will receive a link to the recording and handout from expert speaker Melanie McComb.
To register and for more information, click HERE. $15 IGSI members/$20 non-members.
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Fold3 Civil War records FREE til July 18
If you're researching family members who served in the Civil War,
consider exploring Fold3's records while access is free. Here's the
announcement:
In remembrance of the Battle of Gettysburg, we're offering free access
until July 18th.
So if you’re looking for information on the Civil War veterans in your family tree—or doing other Civil War-era research—now is the perfect time to explore service records, pension files, casualty lists and more to discover your Civil War heroes and uncover the stories of the courageous soldiers who served.
Get started here.
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Was George Washington Norwegian?
As we celebrate the Fourth of July, it's fun to consider the ancestry of our founding fathers.
Did you know our first President, George Washington, is said to have descended from Norwegian stock?
Read about this theory here. |
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Irish Emigration to Canada
Take the time! Make the time! Register for the July webinar to help find those elusive ancestors who emigrated from Ireland to Canada.
The Unplanned Irish Emigration to Canada
with Melanie McComb
Saturday, July 10 – 10:30am – Noon (CDT)
Co-sponsored by IGSI and the Canadian Interest Group of the Minnesota Genealogical Society, Melanie will review several
different immigration schemes that brought the Irish to Canada. Learn how to find records about their departure and arrival.
Have you been unable to find where your Irish ancestors landed before they suddenly appeared on the U.S. Census? Perhaps they were part of the Peter Robinson settlers to Ontario or the Monaghan Settlers to Atlantic Canada or even assisted immigration to Quebec!
Melanie McComb is a staff genealogist at the New England Historic Genealogical Society.
Register HERE. $15 for IGSI/CIG/MGS members; $20 for non-members
Unable to attend on July 10th? Register anyway and you will receive a link to the recording and handout within a few days of the live event.
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Cén sloinne atá ort?
Is your Irish a little rusty? Today's blog title can be translated as "What's your surname?"
Occasionally it's productive to backtrack and review basic information. Ireland Reaching Out/Ireland XO recently shared a comprehensive beginner's guide to Irish surnames, shedding light on the Mac's and the O's and Anglicized spellings.
Take a few minutes and make sure you're casting your surname net as widely as possible. Read more here. |
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O Canada...
Did you know that between 1825 and 1970, 1.2 million Irish emigrated  to Canada with at least half of them arriving between 1831 and 1850?
Were any of your ancestors among them?
We invite you to attend our July webinar The Unplanned Irish Emigration to Canada on Saturday, July 10, from 10:30am – Noon (CDT) to learn more.
Co-sponsored by IGSI and the Canadian Interest Group (CIG) of the Minnesota Genealogical Society (MGS), speaker Melanie McComb will help us uncover the migration story and show us how to find records about their departure from Ireland and arrival into Canada.
Space is limited so don’t delay! $15 for IGSI/CIG/MGS members; $20 for non-members.
Not able to attend the live event? Register anyway and you will receive a link to the recording and any handouts within a few days of the live presentation. CIG and MGS members: you must register to view the recording if you cannot attend the day of the presentation. IGSI members – it will be available exclusively to you on the IGSI website.
For more information and to register, click HERE.
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FamilySearch Changes
The following message came from FamilySearch:
FamilySearch is improving the way you can find help and support in your family history efforts by providing you with a better experience and access to the answers you need. Here are some of the enhanced ways you can find help:
- On the FamilySearch Community, you can post questions, receive answers, share information with others, and participate in community discussions.
- Visit the Help Center to find local help and answers to frequently asked questions about the family tree, memories, search, indexing, and much more.
- Here are more details on how to contact FamilySearch Support.
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Unplanned Irish Emigration to Canada
Could any of your Irish ancestors have emigrated to Canada?  Join us for our July webinar!
The Unplanned Irish Emigration to Canada
Saturday, July 10, 10:30am – Noon CDT
Melanie McComb
Melanie McComb is a staff genealogist for the New England Historic Genealogical Society. Join us as she helps to uncover the story of the migration of the Irish to Canada before and during The Great Famine.
Melanie will take us through the different immigration schemes including the Peter Robinson settlers to Ontario, the Monaghan Settlers to Atlantic Canada, and assisted immigration to Quebec. Learn how to find records about their departure from Ireland and arrival into Canada, including quarantine stations at Partridge Island and Gross Ile.
Co-sponsored by IGSI and the Canadian Interest Group (CIG) of the Minnesota Genealogical Society (MGS).
$15 for members of IGSI, MGS and CIG, $20 for non-members.
For more information and to register, click HERE. |
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Shopping? Help IGSI!
Prime Day at Amazon is June 21-22.
 You can make a difference while you shop on Amazon. Simply shop at smile.amazon.com/ch/90-0629967 or with AmazonSmile ON in the Amazon Shopping app and AmazonSmile will donate to the Irish Genealogical Society International. Set up IGSI as your designated non-profit so credit for qualified purchases will add to Amazon's donations to IGSI. go raibh maith agat (Thank you!) |
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MGS Hoffman Library loosens restrictions
The Minnesota Genealogical Society (MGS) recently announced loosening of COVID restrictions at its library in Mendota Heights.
The Hoffman Research Library is now open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursdays from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Covid restrictions have been loosened. Fully vaccinated persons are no longer required to wear masks, and social distancing rules have been eliminated. If you are not fully vaccinated, masks are still required.
Members are no longer required to reserve time slots at the Hoffman Research Library.
Find out more about MGS by visiting the website. |
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