Family research company Irish World has republished an e-book edition of ‘Heather, Peat and Stone’, a definitive guide to the parishes and town-lands of County Tyrone.  It has done so in conjunction with Canadian company Ulster Heritage, based in Ontario.

Anyone who has ever searched for their Ulster roots will appreciate the value of knowing something about the many territorial divisions, place-names and spellings they will encounter. Being able to navigate this maze of locations and names in search of ancestral connections is an important first step on any genealogical voyage. Sometimes, the name of a village or town-land is the only clue as to where an ancestor might have originated. If we can identify the place and link it to a parish, we are on the way to discovering which church or civil records might reveal more information about our past.

Originally published in 1992, Heather, Peat and Stone has over 160 pages and contains clear maps of every civil parish and Catholic parish in the county, with the town-lands numbered and named on each one. It was the first time that both types of maps had been available in the same format, and the book proved very popular with people of Tyrone origin worldwide. The original print-run soon sold out and in response to repeated requests, it was felt the time was right for re-publication – this time as an e-book. The e-book is an exact facsimile of the original A4 edition and is easily navigated with a built-in word-search facility. Editor, Willie O’Kane, said that people from across the world had found the book a great starting point for their ancestral research and had fired their enthusiasm for finding out more about Tyrone and Ulster in general.

Heather, Peat and Stone also seeks to convey a sense of the wider culture of Tyrone, so there are sections on folklore, history and topography, together with extracts from writings about the county. Tyrone has been well served by its fine writers and poets, and the publishers have sought to bring their voices into the mix so that the reader will encounter a range of the flavours associated with this historic county. The foreword, by the renowned Tyrone poet John Montague who died in early 2017, adds a note of richness and poignancy to the book.

 Heather, Peat and Stone is priced at $12.95 (Canadian) and can be obtained direct from Ulster Heritage as a downloadable, fully searchable PDF file.  Simply go to www.cotyroneireland.com/estore/index.php and download a copy.

NEW RECORDS ADDED!

We have added over 11,000 new records for Co. Wexford:

Monageer RC Baptisms: 1838 – 1910
Piercestown RC Baptisms: 1811 – 1900
Piercestown RC Marriages: 1854 – 1900
Piercestown RC Deaths : From 1785

For a full list of sources for Co. Wexford please click here

To search these records, go to wexford.rootsireland.ie and select Piercestown or Monageer from the ‘Parish / District’ drop down list. Login and Subscribe if required.

NEW RECORDS ADDED!

We have added new records for Moyne/Templetuohy Roman Catholic parish, Co. Tipperary (North)

Baptisms: 1809 – 1899
Marriages: 1804 – 1897

Templetuohy Roman Catholic Church

To search these records, go to tipperarynorth.rootsireland.ie and select the parish Templetuohy (RC) from the ‘Parish / District’ drop down list. Login and Subscribe if required.

Lunchtime lecture with Professor James Stevens Curl:

‘London’s Derrie: The Background to Building and Finance connected with the Londonderry Plantation’

Thursday, 18 January, 12:15-14:00 GMT

Join the Ulster Historical Foundation in Belfast for a lunchtime lecture given by historian and author Professor James Stevens Curl on the historical background and unique story behind the financing of the early Londonderry plantation.

This event is designed for Guild members (though non-members are welcome) to help celebrate the achievements of ‘one of our own’. Prof. James Stevens Curl is a life member of the Guild and was awarded the prestigious President’s Medal by the British Academy in 2017. Everyone is welcome to attend the event, though pre-registration is advised.

How to register for the event

Guild member registration

This event is free of charge to members of the Foundation’s Ulster Genealogical and Historical Guild (the Guild).

To register click here

Non-member registration

Non-members can attend this lecture for just £5.00. Registrations made via Eventbrite will attract an additional charge of £1.84 comprising an administrative fee and VAT, giving a total amount of £6.84.

If you are not a Guild member and wish to register please go to Eventbrite

Alternatively you can contact the Foundation on 028 9066 1988 to arrange payment.

Live streaming

For members/friends living overseas or unable to attend in person the UHF also hope to be able to live-stream all or part of the lecture.

Be sure to check the page closer to the time for a link to view online.

Lunchtime lecture – Prof James Curl, 18 Jan 2018 (LR)

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

Get a 12 month subscription for RootsIreland with one-third off from 24 November to 7 December 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 24 November 2017 to 12 midnight Irish time on 7 December 2017 only. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

Ulster Historical Foundation

Tracing your Irish and Scots-Irish Ancestors – 05-12 September 2018

Tracing your Irish Ancestors 2018 will mark the tercentenary of the 1718 migration and 300+ years of Irish migration with visits to sites and places synonymous with the migration of Ulster and Irish families to the New Worlds (North America, Australasia, South Africa etc).

Our programme is all about helping you to trace your roots

Assisted personal research in the archives with the help of the Foundation’s experienced genealogists, talks, tours and sightseeing are all part of the eclectic, friendly and fun mix of Tracing Your Irish Ancestors.

Tour programme

Trips during our 2018 programme will see you walk on the walls and explore the historic port city of Derry~Londonderry; uncover the stories of some of the earliest people to travel from Ulster to Australia at the Down Museum; visit the Ulster American Folk Park which is dedicated to the story of emigration from Ulster to North America in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The famous Derry-Londonderry City Walls

These tours are also enlivened with visits to other renowned historical sites of interest across the island of Ireland as you will journey into pre-history to marvel at the UNESCO World Heritage site at Newgrange and look out onto the North Atlantic Ocean from the stones of the Giant’s Causeway.

The Giant’s Causeway

You will also be able to visit Kilmainham Gaol, one of Dublin city’s most important monuments and visitor attractions and view the beautifully illustrated Book of Kells at Trinity College. All this and much much more!

Early Bird Offer – register now for excellent savings

Avail now of our early bird registration offer of only £899.99 (GBP) (Full price £949.99 GBP).

Places can fill up fast so reserve your place now, with a deposit of only £299.99 (GBP) per person!

Join us in September and learn about the dramatic history of Ulster and the lives of your Irish ancestors. You will be very welcome. For more information please visit:

www.ancestryireland.com/family-history-conference/autumn

Armagh Ancestry has continued their Church record computerisation throughout 2016/2017. These newly-inputted records have yet to be fully validated which may take some time to complete, so are not yet available to search at www.rootsireland.ie. Instead, Armagh Ancestry are offering to conduct a manual search of these new records (listed below) for a specific ancestor and the fee for this is £10 GBP. Payment can be made online via www.genealogyireland.ie. For further details, contact Armagh Ancestry at Armagh.Ancestry@armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk.

Brian Mitchell from our Derry Centre will be delivering an illustrated talk entitled ‘Derry – the pathway to another life’ to Tyrone Branch of North of Ireland Family History Society on 14 October at Omagh Library at 10 a.m.
http://www.nifhs.org/branches/tyrone

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