IGP UPDATES FOR FEBRUARY

Here are the most recent updates to the databases of the Ireland Genealogy Projects:

 

Antrim Genealogy Archives - Photos
Dunluce Castle & Giants Causeway
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/antrim/photos.htm

Antrim Genealogy Archives - Cemetery Records
Clough Churchyard Memorials - CUPPLES
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/antrim/cem.htm

Clare Genealogy Archives - Land
Canceled Books (Valuations) from Miltown Malbay E.D.
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/clare/land.htm

Donegal Genealogy Archives - Photos
Holy Well
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/donegal/photos.htm

Down Genealogy Archives - Cemetery Records
Magheradrool Churchyard Memorials
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/down/cem.htm

Dublin Genealogy Archives - Headstones
The Church, Mary's Street
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/dublin/photos/tombstones/markers.htm
Feb 08 2013

Dublin Genealogy Archives - Deansgrange Headstones
Deansgrange Cemetery, St. Nessan's Part 6
Deansgrange Cemetery, South Section Part 4
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/dublin/photos/tombstones/deansgrange-ndx.htm

Fermanagh Genealogy Archives - Church
Magheracross, Births recorded in Parish Church, 1800-1891
Magheracross, Deaths recorded at Parish Church, 1800-1890
Magheracross, Marriages recorded in Parish Church, 1800-1838
Births/Baptisms from Templecarn Parish
Marriages from Templecarn Parish (pdf)
Burials from Templecarn Parish
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/fermanagh/church.htm

Sligo Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Calry; Clogher Cemetery (R.C.)
Drumcliffe, St. Columba's Church of Ireland (W.B. Yeats)
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/sligo/photos/tombstones/markers.htm

Tipperary Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Brigid's (R.C.) Church, Clonakenny Feb 2013 Jeanne Pratt
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/tipperary/photos/tombstones/markers.htm

Tipperary Genealogy Archives - Photos
St. Brigid's (R.C.) Church, Clonakenny (8 images)
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/tipperary/photos.htm

Tyrone Genealogy Archives
Ribbonmen) from about 1837
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/tyrone/misc.htm

SINGING AN IRISH FAMILY STORY

     With the Irish penchant for song and dance, is it any wonder that Irish family history can be preserved in musical lyrics? At my talks, I have met a few researchers who have discovered that their ancestors have been immortalized in song.
      One woman went to visit her ancestral townland in Ireland, and heard a band in a local pub singing about the "American wake" held for her three uncles before they emigrated.
     A friend of mine, Carolyn, recently visited County Tyrone. She discovered that some of her relatives are named in a song sung by the Crockanboy String Band.  The "Sally" named in the song was Carolyn's great-grandmother; the "Frankie" and "George" were her great uncles.

"Round by Dr. Devlin's corner & up through Teebane
Here comes the little avenue that leads to Jimmy Ban's
Sally's in the corner with a program in her hand
Frankie plays the violin and George gives command
The girls are good dancers as you can understand
And you would go a good piece to hear the Crockanboy String Band.

***

For more about the song and about Carolyn's fascinating trip, see her blog I Love Ireland!

http://www.iloveireland123.blogspot.com/2011/05/crockanboy-string-band.html

     Another friend recounted how music and singing played an important part in her family gatherings and became the subject of a family story itself. I will allow Kathi to tell the story in her own words. Enjoy this heartwarming account of a singing family!

 

Kathi Zane remembers her family songfest:

     My grandmother’s home was a haven for young Irish immigrants.  Many boarded with her and her family in the tiny overcrowded home until they found work, including her brother Patrick’s daughters, Kate, Nora, and Mary; and her brother Michael’s daughter Kate, and many others.   She became their American home base, their Irish Matriarch in Philadelphia.  In spite of her widowhood and poverty, her house was the center of social enjoyment for friends “who dropped by” to visit or some homesick immigrants brought by others.  There was no money, but they had love, friendship and caring to share.  It was a way of keeping the love of Ireland alive and continuing into the next generation.  It was also a way of helping the young immigrants to find spouses within the Irish Catholic community.  We learned that there’s “always room for one more—I’ll just add another potato to the pot”.

     Someone would play an accordion or fiddle, the carpet was rolled up and the furniture was pushed to the wall--and dancing, singing and fun was shared by all.
     This love of shared music and the joy it brought was instilled in her children and my Mother and Uncle Marty joined with a charity group that performed “Variety Shows” for the poor in the local Charity Cancer Hospital.  My Mom met my Dad there—and the tradition continued. 
     The O’Grady clan gathered at the small family home for holidays and for many Sunday dinners.  Mom-mom was proud of her family and celebrated every happy occasion; however, she always made us 'sing for our supper'. Before we could go home, the grandkids would sing to her--even when she was bedridden! The songs were almost always Irish--and I remember learning the very sad "Irish Soldier Boy" to sing to her when I was about 5 yr old. She also liked the "Boys from the County Mayo" and many others. The children learned to sing the songs as soon as they were able to help clear the table, wash or dry dishes. 
     As each adult chose a song—and continued to sing it at every gathering—it became “their Song”.  If one adult in a family didn’t sing—then it fell to their spouse.  The list of songs is long:  Uncle Marty serenaded us with Rose of Tralee & Rose of Killarney; Uncle Jim sang “An Irishman’s Dream”; Aunt Nora’s song was “Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ra”; Uncle John sang “Shall my soul pass through Ole Ireland”; my mother sang “Moonlight in Mayo”; my dad tortured me with “I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen” and he tried my mother’s patience with “the Irish Beer Song”; we all sang in English “The Irish National Anthem”; my cousins & I took turns singing “Black Velvet Band”;  “Four Green Fields”; “Skibberreen”; “The Wearing Of The Green”; “Cockles and Mussels”;  “Danny Boy”; “If I Were A Raven; and many more. 
     Some of the spouses played accordion or fiddle—and they always brought it out for family times.  My sisters and some cousins were semi-professional Irish step-dancers—and they had to perform.  Those of us with two left feet danced the waltz, polka, “Shoe the Donkey”, and so on.  We learned to bless ourselves in Gaelic, as well as the Our Father and Hail Mary—and thought we were Irish first, and American second!  “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling”  has been sung at every gravesite here in the US—even to some of my generation buried within the past few years—especially if it wasn’t allowed in the church.
     We grew up on the all the Rebel tunes!  So, when we were on a train from Dublin to a small town in County Cork, we hummed along with a group of Irish politicians who’d been celebrating the installation of one of their own to a major government position.  My sister & I were ‘caught’—and the gentleman who was the Magistrate of Limerick demanded we join them.  We had to admit we grew up on Rebel songs which weren’t PC at the current time.  They got us to search our memories for songs and we sang the entire trip to Limerick City.  It was only after the officials left the train that we found out this WASN”T DONE!  The conductor allowed it only because of the high ranking of his passengers!

BLOG 3rd BIRTHDAY!

     I have been so busy with my impending move from Toronto back to the Philadelphia/South Jersey area (and with some of those nasty viruses that hit me in January), that I forgot to celebrate last month the third birthday of Help! The Faerie Folk Hid My Ancestors! This blog has been read almost 100,000 times by wonderful readers who helped Help! to become a Top 40 Genealogy Blog 2011 (Family Tree Magazine). I want to thank every person who took the time to read one of my posts! THANK YOU!

MORE FREE IRISH RECORDS ONLINE: UPDATES TO IRELAND GENEALOGY PROJECTS

     Wow! The tireless volunteers at the Ireland Genealogy Projects have spent these dreary winter months updating the FREE databases. Check them out!

IRELAND General
Genealogy Archives - Foreign Records naming Ireland
Additional area for Non Irish records
http://www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/countrywide/index.htm

IRELAND General Genealogy Archives - Emigration
List of person to Baltimore 14 Apr 1804
"Brothers" to Philadelphia 14 Apr 1804
"William and Jane" 14 Apr 1804
"Jane" for New York 17 Apr 1804
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/countrywide/emigration.htm

CLARE Genealogy Archives - Land
General Valuation, Canceled Books for Miltown Malbay Elec. Dist (In Progress)
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/clare/land.htm

DERRY Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Derry; Crookshank Plaque, Derry Cathedral
Derry; Saint Columb's Cathedral Memorial Plaques
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/derry/photos/tombstones/markers.htm

DUBLIN Genealogy Archives
Addional Memorials from the Dead in Ireland
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/dublin/cem.htm

DUBLIN Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Additional Photos and transcriptions for Saggart Cemetery, Dublin County
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/dublin/photos/tombstones/markers.htm

CLARE Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Assorted Photos of St. Mary's (R.C.) Cemetery, Lahinch,
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/clare/photos/tombstones/markers.htm

CORK Genealogy Archives
Killeagh Churchyard Memorials
Garryvoe Churchyard Memorials
Clenor Churchyard Memorials
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/cork/cem.htm

CLARE Genealogy Archives - Photos
Canny, Denis Joseph 1872
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/clare/photos.htm

DOWN Genealogy Archives - Cemetery Records
Seapatrick Church Memorials & Tullymore Park, James Bligh JOCELYN, R.N.
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/down/cem.htm

DUBLIN Genealogy Archives - Church Records
Asst. Marriages from St. Kevins C. Of I.
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/dublin/church.htm

DUBLIN Genealogy Archives - Headstones - Mount Jerome, Dublin
Dublin - Mount Jerome Part 58
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/dublin/photos/tombstones/mt-jerome-ndx.htm

GALWAY Genealogy Archives - Memorial Cards
John Reynolds Memorial Card
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/galway/memorials.html

GALWAY Genealogy Archives - Headstones.
Rosscahill; Killannin (New) Cemetery
Rosscahill; Killannin (Old) Cemetery
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/galway/photos/tombstones/markers.htm

Kerry Genealogy Archives
Duagh Churchyard, Co. Kerry
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/kerry/cem.htm

LIMERICK Genealogy Archives
Some Memorials from St. Munchin's Churchyard (C. of I), Limerick City
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/limerick/cem.htm

LONGFORD Genealogy Archives - Headstone Photos
Photos taken at Old Killoe Cemetery
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/longford/photos/tombstones/markers.htm

LONGFORD Genealogy Archives - Memorial Cards
Mary Begly Memorial Card.
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/longford/memorials.htm
Jan 20 2013

SLIGO Genealogy Archives - Memorial Cards
MULVANY & COOKE Memorial Cards
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/sligo/memorials.htm

SLIGO Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Kilvarnet Cemetery (3 images)
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/sligo/photos/tombstones/markers.htm

TIPPERARY Genealogy Archives - Cemetery
Thurles Churchyard Memorials (Protestant)
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/tipperary/cem.htm

WEXFORD Genealogy Archives
Dec 1800 3K Jan 2013 Mary Heaphy 1800's List of teachers Barony
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/wexford/misc.htm
Jan 16 2013

WEXFORD Genealogy Archives
Piercestown, St. Martin's (R.C.) Church Memorials
Ballyconnor Castle, Parish of Kilrane
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/wexford/cem.htm

WICKLOW Genealogy Archives - Church
Asst. Marriages from CASTLEMACADAM C. of I. 1727-1828
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/wicklow/church.htm

WICKLOW Genealogy Archives - Cemetery
Powerscourt Old Churchyard - Memorials
Dunganstown; Three Mile Water, Parish of Dunganstown
www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/wicklow/cem.htm