The second annual conference in memory of John Bradley, Kilkenny-born archaeologist, historian and lecturer at Maynooth University, will take place in Kilkenny on 20th-21st October 2017.  The theme is the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

John Bradley Memorial Conference.

October 20/21^st 2017.

Theme: 500^th Anniversary of the Reformation.

Friday 20^th October.

Venue: The Parade Tower, Kilkenny Castle.

Official opening

Speakers:         Welcome: Mr. Pat Nolan, President, Kilkenny Archaeological Society.

Official opening: Chairman Co. Council. Mr. David Fitzgerald.

Dr. Raghnall Ó Floinn, Director, The National Museum.

‘ An appreciation of Mr John Bradley’.

Bishop Michael Burrows:

‘Today’s church and the foot print of the Reformation: An ecumenical and pastoral reflection’.

The Club House Hotel – Conference dinner.

Saturday 21^st October.

Venue:             The Chapter Room, St. Mary’s Cathedral.

Opening address and welcome:         Mr. Pat Nolan, President, KAS.

Chair for morning session:                 Mr. Frank Lanigan, Chairman, KAS.

Speakers:         Dr. Colm Lennon, Emeritus Professor of History, Maynooth:

‘The impact of the Reformation on the urban community’.

Tea/Coffee

                        Dr. Elizabethanne Boran, Librarian, The Edward Worth Library, Dublin:

‘Persecution and Deliverance in Sixteenth-Century Kilkenny: The Vocacyon of  John Bale, 1553′.

 Summary of morning session.

Lunch at Chapter House Cafe.

Chair for afternoon session:   Monsignor Michael Ryan, Administrator, Diocese of                                                            Ossory and P.P. Castlecomer Parish.

Speakers:         Dr. David Edwards, Senior Lecturer, U.C.C.

‘Religious reform and Ormond patronage, 1536-1614’.

Rev. Dr. Fearghus Ó Fearghail, P.P. Windgap Parish and Lecturer in Theology.

‘The re-organisation of the Diocese of Ossory, 1600-1635′.

Venue:             St. Canice’s Cathedral.

Speaker:          Mr. David Forde, Deputy Principal Carlow Institute of Further Education and Director of St. Canice’s Cathedral Choir.

‘Liturgical music, how it changed post Reformation’, followed by Evensong.

Conference fees:

The all-in charge inclusive of Friday evening reception admission to all lectures, Saturday lunch guided tour of Rothe House inclusive of incidental teas and coffees is just €45.00 or inclusive of conference dinner on Friday evening €60.00 Registered student’s concession price €47.50.

Registration and all details from Rothe House, telephone 056 77 22 893

Email reception@rothehouse.com

Outside normal office hours enquiries and bookings please ring 087 24 11 955

Genealogy Courses from Ulster Historical Foundation

Irish Genealogy Essentials: A Family History Course

Irish Genealogy Essentials: A Family History Course introduces family historians to the unique nature of Irish genealogical research. It is the most comprehensive Irish-focused genealogy course offered in the UK or Ireland.

Delivered by the Ulster Historical Foundation’s experienced and expert staff in Belfast’s historic Cathedral Quarter the course will include 3.5 days of engaging genealogy classes complemented by 1.5 days of assisted research in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI). It is ideal if you:

• Have little/no experience of Irish family history research
• Have some experience of genealogical research, but want to develop your skills and knowledge further
• Consider yourself a more experienced genealogical researcher who wants to learn new techniques and learn about lesser known sources

The course will include topics such as: nineteenth and early twentieth century census returns; church and civil records; Griffith’s valuation and tithe records; estate records; as well as wills and testamentary papers, plus an in-depth look at other lesser known sources.

Priced at only £399.99 (or £374.99 for members of the Foundation’s Guild) the classes are delivered by the Foundation’s staff who between them have some sixty years’ experience in helping individuals to trace their Irish family history research.

In just five days the course will equip you with background knowledge on archival sources for Irish genealogy; suggest research techniques and tips; and provide practical experience of using the archives, notably PRONI.  It will help to give you the skills and experience to further explore your family history and help you find your elusive Irish and Scots-Irish ancestors.

If you are interested in gaining more research experience Irish Genealogy Essentials is an enjoyable, rewarding and inexpensive way to learn from one of the leading research agencies on the island of Ireland.

Don’t just take it from us, here are some comments from previous attendees:

‘Enjoyable, informative and worth every penny.

R. Stephenson, England

‘The course was inspirational, well-run and also relaxed enough to be fun. We had great input from all our lecturers and a really lovely group of participants – everyone was serious about Irish genealogy but also keen to assist fellow class members too. The lectures were divided into sections and were unfailingly entertaining and very useful. I think the whole group felt like they had been on a successful journey together at the end of the week.’

S. Miller, England

‘The Essentials course for Genealogy offers exactly what it says on the box; a well-balanced, information filled course by a highly qualified team leaving one with the tools to take one’s research to the next level.’

G. Winder

The next course runs from 9-13 October 2017. For more information or to register go to:  www.ancestryireland.com/irish-genealogy-essentials/

Towns in the Ulster Plantation – A4 Leaflet Folded (3)

A special one-day conference dealing with the Towns of the Ulster Plantation organised by Cumann Seanchais Bhreifne (Breifne Historical Society) and Cavan Genealogy will be held in the Johnston Central Library, Farnham Street, Cavan, on Saturday 14 October.

Line up:

Session 1: The archaeology and geography of Ulster plantation towns

10 a.m.: Dr Rachel Tracey (Queen’s University Belfast): ‘Uncovering Ulster Plantation towns: rhetoric, reality and resonance’.

10.25 a.m.: Dr Jonathan Cherry (Dublin City University): ‘Ulster’s Plantation towns: a geographical perspective’.

10.50-11.05: tea and coffee

Session 2: Urban administration

11.05 a.m.: Dr Brendan Scott (Roots Ireland): ‘The Town Book of Belturbet, County Cavan, 1657-1700: administration in an Ulster Plantation town’.

11.30 a.m.: Dr Bríd McGrath (Trinity College Dublin): ‘Creating and managing a new town: Coleraine 1623-1669’

11.55: 5 minute break

Session 3: Case Studies

12 p.m.: Dr William Roulston (Ulster Historical Foundation): ‘“The Scottish town”: Strabane in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries’.

12.25 p.m.: Dr Annaleigh Margey (Dundalk I.T.): ‘Building early modern property portfolios: London’s urban influence in seventeenth-century Ulster’.

12.50-2 p.m.: Lunch

Session 4: Urban Plantation Society

2 p.m.: Professor Raymond Gillespie (Maynooth University): ‘The marketplaces in Ulster plantation towns’.

2.25 p.m.: Dr Paddy Fitzgerald (Mellon Centre, Ulster-American Folk Park): ‘Urban Ulster, Dublin and the problem of the poor in the early modern period’.

2.50 p.m.: 5 minute break

Session 4: Religion

2.55 p.m.: Professor Robert Armstrong (Trinity College Dublin): ‘Planting Protestantism in urban Ulster’.

3.20 p.m.: Professor Colm Lennon (Maynooth University): ‘Catholicism and Ulster Plantation towns’.

VENUE: Johnston Central Library, Farnham Street, Cavan

DATE: Saturday 14^th October

TIME: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

TO BOOK: Contact Cavan Genealogy

First Floor, Johnston Central Library and Farnham Centre, Farnham Street, Cavan

Hours: Monday to Friday 9.00am to 1.00pm / 2.00pm to 5.00pm

Phone: +353 (0)49 436 1094

Email: cavangenealogy@eircom.net

Fee: €10.00

Fee is non-refundable and must be paid in full at time of booking. To guarantee your seat, early and full booking is essential. All major credit cards including Visa, Mastercard and Laser are accepted.

One-third off a 12 Month Subscription for RootsIreland for a limited time in September 2017.*

Get a 12 month subscription for RootsIreland with one-third off from 7 September to 17 September 2017.

To obtain this offer just go to the following link and login using your existing RootsIreland login details: http://www.rootsireland.ie. If you currently have a subscription, click My Account, My Subscription and Start a New Subscription.

If you have any questions please check our Help section and if this does not provide an answer, then you may contact us or one of the county centres. You can check what is available on our site for each county here.

*Offer applies from 12 midnight Irish time on 7 September 2017 to 12 midnight Irish time on 17 September 2017 only. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

For the fourth year running, the Genealogy Event will be visiting County Limerick. Sponsored by RootsIreland.ie, it runs from Friday 1st September to Saturday 2nd September at Woodlands House Hotel, Adare, County Limerick. It offers a wealth of up to date information on researching your Irish ancestors using familiar genealogical resources, but also some lesser known sources.  For further details, please see www.thegenealogyevent.com.

New R.I.C. Records Added by the Irish World Heritage Centre to the County Tyrone data

R.I.C. group with County Inspector Hetreed 1917 (National Library of Ireland)

Over 58,000 Royal Irish Constabulary records have just been added to the County Tyrone database by the Irish World Heritage Centre. These records cover R.I.C. members from all Irish counties.

To search these records please go to the County Tyrone search page and search under Census Substitutes, or login and click here.

You can choose R.I.C. from the Sources drop down list to search R.I.C. records only.

We have added transcripts of over 30,000 baptismal records to the database of the Galway East Family History Society on our website. These include the following parishes:

Abbey Duniry 1870-1909
Aughrim 1828-1917
Ballinakill 1838-1915
Ballymacward 1841-1900
Carrabane 1831-1902
Craughwell 1847-1895
Fohenagh 1827-1917
Kiltullagh 1884-1901
Kilchreest 1855-1917
Caltra 1840-1917
Clontuskert 1827-1910