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Irish Genealogical Research | Dwight Radford

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They Said Nothing More Could be Done. Oh Really…

12 Dec By Leave a Comment

A professional genealogist friend commented to me; “I contacted the [blank] Heritage Centre and they said nothing could be done because the church registers didn’t go back far enough.” I said, “Oh really!” I proceeded to learn more.

It turns out the Catholic immigrant family had children born in the 1820s. So the centre was correct there would be no further church registers. However, they found one child christened; probably the last one. I asked if the christening record provided a townland (address) where the family was living in the parish, as well as sponsors (godparents) names. The answer was yes.

If the centre staff meant there were no further church registers, then they stand correct. If they meant no further records at all, then the staff was incorrect. I’ve worked with most of the genealogical centres in Ireland and Northern Ireland by now, and the majority are informative and helpful. They’ve helped me find all kinds of non-church records from which to continue my search.

In this case, I told my friends they had to look at their pre-church records Irish research in a similar fashion as one would do Southern United States research or African American slave research. In the case of Southern US, church registers may or may not exist. So you may build a lineage while never looking at church registers. This means looking at land, tax, probate, voters, or anything else you can get your hands on to build a case. In the case of African American slave research, you look for the slave by researching the plantation records kept by the owner.

Irish research is a combination of both strategies. The landlord papers, called “Estate Records” may contain leases and rent books. This can document your family in the townland. When these have not survived, then you go to any other record you can get your hands on. This takes digging to see what is even available.

So my friends left encouraged their research wasn’t finished. The point is once there are no more church registers, then think in terms of what else may be available.

Royal Irish Constabulary (1816-1921)

14 Sep By Leave a Comment

The Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) was Ireland’s armed police force. Some 85,028 men passed through its ranks. It operated alongside the Dublin Metropolitan Police (1836-1925) which had its own forces. Londonderry and Belfast also had their own forces, but they were disbanded by 1870. The RIC assumed their duties. The RIC included both Catholic and Protestant men. The RIC was used as a model in establishing the Canadian North West Mounted Police, the Victoria Police force in Australia, and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary in Newfoundland, Canada.

It was created in 1816 and consisted of Irish born men. After 1900 they recruited men from England, Scotland, United States and Wales. The original records can be quite detailed including not only recruitment information, but also birth information and emigration data.

An ongoing index to the collection (1816-1921) is being created by Ancestry.com: www.ancestry.com from the microfilm of the records at the Family History Library (FHL). Their database “Ireland, The Royal Irish Constabulary 1816-1921” should be referenced constantly for updates. Without an index, the originals can be difficult to access. The Ancestry index lists the name, age, birthplace, year enlisted, FHL microfilm, and page number. It’s enough to get you into the microfilm of the original record.

This is an important genealogical topic; with no shortage of information online. There is an online “The Royal Irish Constabulary Forum” for descendants of the RIC: www.irishgenealogyqueries.yuku.com Irish genealogy blogger Donna Moughty also has a nice presentation on the RIC on her Monday July 18, 2011: www.moughty.com Other information can be found on the National Archives (KEW) website concerning their collection: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/royal-irish-constabulary.htm Also, do not overlook the RIC website: www.royalirishconstabulary.com

The RIC was disbanded in 1922 and replaced in the Irish Free State by the Garda Siochana and in Northern Ireland by the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

Lists of Townlands in Poor Law Unions (1885)

1 Sep By Leave a Comment

Often I encounter a townland name in Irish Civil Registration that the spelling is so mutilated that none of the databases help me. If on a birth, marriage or death certificate you encounter this, then there’s help on the horizon. Civil Registration was compiled by Poor Law Union, which is the same as the Superintendent Registrars’ District in civil registration.

To keep track of all this, in 1885 the government produced a series of pamphlets for 63 Poor Law Unions listing the Registrars’ District, the Electoral Division within the Registrar’s District, and then a list of townlands within each Electoral Division. Where more than one civil parish is involved the townlands within the Electoral Division are divided accordingly. 

This really isn’t as confusing as it sounds. The pamphlets created a reference work the officials could utilize in completing the civil registration forms. It’s all laid out on paper with the correct government recognized spellings. Yet, how often the officials ignored this reference work is anybody’s guess. 

How I use this work is if I cannot read a place name, then I go to this 1885 work, reference the pamphlet on the Poor Law Union I’m interested. Then I reference the Registrars’ District and start looking for anything familiar. The main categories are on the certificate anyway, so referencing the correct pamphlet is not a problem. Then I see what my options are supposed to be according to the government for recognized townland names. This is how I find what I’m looking for as some townland in my options will look like what I’m seeing on the certificate.

These pamphlets have been brought together and published by George B. Handran, C.G. as Townlands in Poor Law Unions (Salem, Massachusetts: Higginson Book Co., 1997). This excellent reference tool is available on CD.

Tithe Defaulters (1831)

30 Aug By Leave a Comment

The Tithe Applotment (1823-37) is a standard resource in Irish genealogical research. However, what about those who refused to pay the tithe? Remember, the Tithe went for the support and upkeep of the state religion which was the Protestant Church of Ireland. Persons of all faiths had to pay. The church was responsible for the upkeep of the parish and the poor. Yet, to have funds be demanded for the support of a church that many people resented led to the Tithe War (1831-38).

In 1830-31 an increasing number of people in particular counties refused to pay their tithes. Due to the loss of revenue by the Church of Ireland clergy, the Government set up the Clergy Relief Fund in 1831. There the clergymen would claim loss revenue based upon a person who refused to pay.

For genealogical purposes, the Tithe Defaulters list would preserve the name of the defaulter, where they lived, or representatives if deceased, and how much was owed. The records include 1,061 pages, 29,027 names from 232 parishes. Defaulter statistics from counties represented are as follows: Carlow (437), Cork (2,115), Kerry (20), Kilkenny (10,263), Laois (360), Limerick (851), Louth (965), Meath (36), Offaly (23), Tipperary (9,346), Waterford (1,838) and Wexford (2,719).

The Tithe Defaulters (1831) list can be found on several websites. IrishOrigins: www.irishorigins.com  has an excellent database and background to the source. I have utilized their historical survey in presenting this blog. Another excellent presentation and database is on FindMyPast.ie: www.findmypast.ie Both of these are subscription websites.

If you have ancestors in counties such as Cork, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford in the 1831, then be aware these had the highest concentration of tithe defaulters. This source may help you to document them due to the lack of an 1831 Census.

Why Would You Use Irish Dog Licenses?

23 Aug By Leave a Comment

Irish research doesn’t get more bizarre than using dog licenses to solve a genealogical problem. Yet, they can work.

Dog licenses are part of the Petty Session Court records. For the Republic of Ireland, these are at the National Archives of Ireland: www.nationalarchives.ie and on microfilm at the Family History Library: www.familysearch.org For Northern Ireland, they are at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland: www.proni.gov.uk They are labeled as dog licenses, and if someone failed to register their dog, then the court case would appear in the main Petty Session Court records. They date from the 1850s and 1860s.

Think of this source as a “census substitute.”  If your ancestors lived in areas where dogs were used for work, such as in sheep herding, then you have a yearly census of these dog owners. When parish registers are sketchy or non-existent, and civil registration not much better, then these can fill in gaps. Areas such as County Donegal where dogs were needed for the wool industry, provides a perfect example.

Licenses includes: date, owner’s name, residence of the owner, number of dogs for each license, fee paid, dog’s sex, dog’s color, dog’s breed and remarks. If you are tracking movements or death of the owner; licenses can fill in gaps in the immigration and civil records. If tracking a common name, these licenses are a good way to sort through which person is yours.

A list of the courts in the Republic of Ireland can be found on www.findmypast.ie who are scanning and indexing the Petty Session Court registers. At this writing the database is not complete.

This is indeed a fascinating source. If you think of it in terms of a “census substitute” to document an individual year by year then it can indeed be a valued substitute.

Irish Newspaper Databases

14 Aug By Leave a Comment

Currently there are several websites from which to begin your search for newspapers in Ireland and Northern Ireland. None are currently complete, but together you may find what you are looking for.

One up and coming website is “Irish Newspaper Archives” The INA currently has over 2 million pages from 23 titles, making it a website to constantly refer back to see what has been added. They have microfilm for 30 additional titles to be added over the next year. 

Another website is the British Newspaper Archive: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk which has newspapers for both Ireland and Northern Ireland. This website is part of the British Library.

A third major website is the Newspaper Archive: http://access.newspaperarchive.com This database has a large United States presence, but also has a growing worldwide section. They currently have newspapers for both Ireland and Northern Ireland.

For any growing database, sometimes it helps to know what you are looking for. In this case I would refer you to the “Newspaper Database” on the National Library of Ireland website: www.nli.ie/en/catalogues-and-databases-printed-newspapers.aspx This database is taken from the NEWSPLAN Project which makes an effort to microfilm and preserve newspapers in Ireland and the United Kingdom. The resulting database can be viewed by locality, which will then list the newspapers published there, and what years are covered. It can also be viewed by county. From this inventory, you will then know if the newspaper you want has been placed online or if you still need to look at it on microfilm at the National Library of Ireland or another repository.

All of these re growing websites with millions of new pages added on a regular bases. Be aware that not every newspaper is currently available, and you will need to check back to each website to see if what you are looking for has been added.

Irish Naming Patterns

8 Aug By Leave a Comment

People often ask me if there is an “Irish Naming Pattern.” The simple answer is “Yes.” However, it not that simple, as circumstances and individuals tend to mess with our nice little formulas. This blog focuses on traditional Irish Catholic naming patterns which are as follows:

 

 

1st son was named after the father’s father

2nd son was named after the mother’s father

3rd son was named after the father

4th son was named after the father’s eldest brother

1st daughter was named after the mother’s mother

2nd daughter was named after the father’s mother

3rd daughter was named after the mother

4th daughter was named after the mother’s eldest sister

Nice formula on paper, but let’s discuss how it often plays out in real families. If you are already working in the Irish parish registers, be aware that these can be incomplete for all denominations, especially Roman Catholic. So you might only document half or less of the children in a family. That really messes with the formula in a bad way.

Another factor is even if you think you have all the children documented, look for gaps, because so many children were born dead or were miscarried. Thus they were never christened. In other cases, a child would die and the mother would name a later child after the one which died. These can mess with the formula. You may wonder how a stillborn or miscarriage would affect the formula. Well, it all depends on if the family saw the dead child as a child or not. If so, even without being christened, they may have named the child. Also, don’t forget, many children were named after the local favorite saint. It gets complicated.

My advice is to always look for the naming patterns in your research. However, don’t be literal in your approach and don’t set anything in stone. Tomorrow I will be talking about Scottish Naming Patterns.

 

 

Professional Links

Dwight Radford, visit me at: www.thejourneyhomegenealogy.com

Leland Meitzler Publisher of genealogy products and books: www.FamilyRootsPublishing.com

Irish Genealogical Society International: www.irishgenealogical.org  I write articles for their journal The Septs

Kelowna & District Genealogical Society located in beautiful British Columbia: www.kdgs.ca I will be speaking at their conference in September

Mike O’Laughlin author of Irish family history books: www.irishroots.com

Sharon DeBartolo Carmack, MFA, CG professional book editing: www.nonfictionHelp.com  

Come enjoy the December research tour: www.SaltLakeChristmasTour.com I am one of the consultant’s at this wonderful event

Why was Greenock, Scotland so Popular?

5 Aug By Leave a Comment

Map of Greenock, Scotland

The Irish immigrated and formed a community in Greenock. Knowing why the Irish were drawn to this city, may help you in finding your ancestors.

The fares from Ireland to Greenock were relatively inexpensive, making it a destination place even prior to the Potato Famine. The Famine years in 1846-7 saw immigrants flood to Scotland in general. Immigration consisted of both Irish Catholics and Protestants. The “Mother Parish” for Roman Catholics was St. Mary’s which can be traced to 1808, and the Famine swelled its numbers. Protestants had any number of Presbyterian and non-conformist churches to choose from. 

Greenock is in the historic county of Renfrewshire. It is a seaport, and major industrial area. Under the Act of Union (1707), Greenock became the main port on the West Coast, where it prospered through trade with the American Colonies, especially through importing and processing sugar from the Caribbean.

Historically, Greenock was a center for shipbuilding, sugar refining and wool manufacturing. The Irish worked in all these industries. It’s the sugar industry that most researchers do not associate with the Irish. Sugar refining began in 1765. Fourteen refineries operated in the city, and by the end of the nineteenth century, about 400 ships a year were transporting sugar from the Caribbean to Greenock for processing. The 1851 Census showed that 44.3% of the female textile workers were Irish women. The Irish took jobs such as this because many were less skilled, lacked education, and often only spoke Gaelic. This with local prejudice kept them under represented in more skilled trades.

Cardwell Bay and The Holy Loch, Lyle Hill

As a major historical port, Greenock provided the jumping off point for many Irish elsewhere around the world. Don’t be surprised if you find that your Irish immigrant family spent time in Greenock for a short time or for several generations.

 

 

 

Professional Links

Dwight Radford, visit me at: www.thejourneyhomegenealogy.com

Leland Meitzler Publisher of genealogy products and books: www.FamilyRootsPublishing.com

Irish Genealogical Society International: www.irishgenealogical.org  I write articles for their journal The Septs

Kelowna & District Genealogical Society located in beautiful British Columbia: www.kdgs.ca I will be speaking at their conference in September

Mike O’Laughlin author of Irish family history books: www.irishroots.com

Sharon DeBartolo Carmack, MFA, CG professional book editing: www.nonfictionHelp.com  

Come enjoy the December research tour: www.SaltLakeChristmasTour.com I am one of the consultant’s at this wonderful event

 

What does it Mean to be Irish?

4 Apr By Leave a Comment

I’m asked about Irish identity quite often. For descendants of Irish immigrants, especially in melting pot countries, we often look back in time for an identity. So I propose two questions to help address these questions.

Can we define “Irish” by religion? Not so simple, as we can choose our religion. I’ve met Irish descendants who are Catholic, Protestant, Pentecostal, Mormon, Baha’i, Muslim, Buddhist, atheist, and the list is endless. I like to ask: If my mother was Irish Catholic and my father was Irish Protestant, then what am I? I would say – Irish.

Is it where we are born? Well, let me tell you the story of a gun-ho client of mine. In her enthusiasm for being Irish, this American lady tried to convince security at the airport she was Irish. She had landed back in the USA after a trip to Ireland. Her statement of being Irish with an American passport, didn’t square well with customs. A few choice words later, and a very thorough strip search; she told me from now on, at customs, she’s 100%  “American!”

My solution to often sticky questions, like identity, is to understand that none of us can help where we are born, or who our parents were. We can choose what country we live in or what religion we practice. Identity is in the heart. Maybe that’s why in our melting pot countries, we can be Americans or Canadians of Irish, Polish, or Belarus ancestry – all at the same time.

Why I’m Attracted to Irish Family History

23 Mar By Leave a Comment

Irish Genealogy by Dwight Radford

As I ponder why I love Irish family history so much as a professional genealogist, I also have to smile. It simply reflects so much of my personality. It is very difficult by its very nature, which means with each client case I work on, I embark on a new mystery. Yes, there may be only a hand full of primary sources we all use in our research, each case has me utilizing those same old sources in new and exciting ways. The hunt and the challenge keep me going to no small extent.

Common names, fascinating characters, intriguing history, all keep Irish family history from become stale and boring. Combine this with the emigration part of your research, and you have an amazing story. From Australian prisoners, to colonial indentured servants, to soldiers, to pioneers, to the hungry all had reasons for leaving Ireland.

It’s all of their stories that captivate our imaginations. In this blog, I will be discussing various records and how to use them. I will provide important links for your reference. Let me know your discoveries.

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