It's already September 29th. Our golf league finished last night so my official duties are pretty much done for this year. The only remaining task is to convert my Mac files to PC format so that everyone else can read them. Maybe Saturday???
Well, maybe not Saturday. The morning offers a meeting on the subject of DNA for Genealogy and as I've had two different DNA tests, both of which prove my substantial Irish heritage. There are also test results for my brother and an Irish cousin, so I'll be attending that presentation. The information from the tests is not exactly enlightening. There seems to be a field of relatives of varying degrees out there. The close ones in the Irish line I had pretty much known from regular research. The French ones I'm not particularly working on for now. However, some very interesting possibilities lurk in those chromosomes.
It seems that Tom and I who are of course a VERY close match being siblings, don't quite match Jim Byrne. Tom does match him VERY closely on the Y-DNA (male) test of the Byrne line. All that means is that our common ancestor is 6 or more generations back. This is not a revelation - we already have five generations worth of data. Interestingly enough, the commonalities increase the farther back we go. Fingers crossed that we're getting close.
Another interesting finding is the "matches in common" with a number of people most of whom are in Ireland. I've been in touch with one lady and am very much looking forward to getting together this winter to try to fit more of the puzzle pieces together. We have some surnames in common but from what I understand at this moment, they are all in-law connections and not blood relatives. Yet, the DNA matches seem to say otherwise.
The mysterious connections remain my greatest pull away from housework and things that need doing at the moment. Pulling from another side is a huge stack of library books. I found a couple of list of books worth reading and using the library website, placed holds. Naturally they all came available at the same time - now! Here I sit torn between two great alternatives. I do need to find something that pulls me to move around rather than sit still. Ah well - another day.
Thursday, September 29, 2016
Monday, September 12, 2016
Genealogist's dream day
Well it started like a regular Monday - but only for the first few minutes. It was finally happening, I had a short time to take a peek at the Irish vital records now online. The first record check was a Bingo! I had found and verified the date and place of death of Luke Byrne, the baker of Coolkenno. He died of pneumonia, in the infirmary in Gorey, Co Wexford, on 17 February, 1917. His occupation was listed as Baker. That's our guy!
Then there was the question of the date of death of his wife, Bridget Murphy Byrne. There had been rumours in the family that she had been despondent over the death of stillborn twin daughters and had thrown herself down the stairs. Hmm - does this record really show that it didn't happen that way?
Now we know that she died in Coolkenno on 9 Nov 1902. The cause of death was listed as "childbirth 7 hours, extreme weakness". Does this rule out Bridget getting out of bed and falling downstairs either accidentally or on purpose?
The mystery still remains, why was that young family in Mohill, Co. Leitrim at the time of birth of their son Edward in 1899 and also recorded in the 1901 census of Ireland. How did they get there? When and why did they return to Coolkenno? That will continue to be difficult to track down.
I had offered to give a little tour of Ottawa to Kyle Betit who had made several presentations at the BIFHSGO conference over the weekend. The records were put aside and the car was put in motion. We had our tour and both being genealogists, and more or less in the neighbourhood, we paid a visit to Notre Dame Cemetery in Ottawa. This is the largest and oldest mainly Catholic cemetery in the area, and the location of the burials of my McGrath ancestors.
I didn't know where their plot was and driving around wasn't helpful. A visit to the cemetery office, after some persuading, resulted in our getting the plot number from the person on duty. There was a card with the list of those buried in that plot and later I was able to get a photocopy. That confirmed the burials of my great grandparents, their three sons and one daughter. The question remained - what about Michael McGrath and Catherine Brennan McGrath, my great great grandparents? When I was able to find the date of death of Michael, lo and behold I also got confirmation that Michael and Catherine were buried in that same plot. At this point I think Michael must have purchased the plot when Catherine died in 1881. That's an investigation for another day. Maybe I'll find a more helpful cemetery attendant.
Armed with a cemetery map and the approximate location of the plot, Kyle and I went to the area and began the search. Well, rather like the gap in church records that is always where your ancestors would have been recorded, there was a gap between tombstones where plot #916 should have been. Or rather there was only a bit of a stone where I would have expected the McGrath stone to be. There was also an almost invisible flat stone in the ground, but it was so covered with earth that I'd have to bring a trowel and spend considerable time scraping to see if it was "ours". Now I'll have to phone Pat in Victoria to see if she knows whether or not there was a stone where her father was buried.
Once we left Notre Dame I began to question why it was so difficult to pry the information out of the staff person on duty. Aren't they there to help? The information was available on a computer if you knew the exact date of death. Heaven forbid an ordinary citizen should get beyond the information window! In providing the date of death of two McGraths I was off by 3 days - and was informed that I had the wrong dates. Well, since the records are ordered by date of death it certainly didn't take long to find the right information just three days off. I had used the funeral date by mistake. Sigh...
Those records also contained information that I could not see on the screen due to where I was standing. Kyle caught a glimpse so we know there is more. So - is there any effort being made to digitize these records? Or even provide a printed book that could be consulted? At Beechwood Cemetery, just around the corner, they trip over themselves to help. AND, their records are online. A long ago visit to Beechwood had a staff member offer to take me to the exact location of my grandparents grave and provide a copy of the record, and a cemetery map.
So - here's my dilemma. There is no headstone. There should be a headstone, shouldn't there? Should I be doing something about that? Of course I don't have a spare few thousand dollars and have no idea of the cost. I suppose I'll let that thought keep me up tonight.
Looking back on the day it was a winner - some confirmations and some 'sort of' discoveries. I had the added bonus of spending several hours with a professional genealogist who works on Who Do You Think You Are. Lots of suggested sources I have yet to explore. Yes indeed, today was a winner!
Then there was the question of the date of death of his wife, Bridget Murphy Byrne. There had been rumours in the family that she had been despondent over the death of stillborn twin daughters and had thrown herself down the stairs. Hmm - does this record really show that it didn't happen that way?
Now we know that she died in Coolkenno on 9 Nov 1902. The cause of death was listed as "childbirth 7 hours, extreme weakness". Does this rule out Bridget getting out of bed and falling downstairs either accidentally or on purpose?
The mystery still remains, why was that young family in Mohill, Co. Leitrim at the time of birth of their son Edward in 1899 and also recorded in the 1901 census of Ireland. How did they get there? When and why did they return to Coolkenno? That will continue to be difficult to track down.
I had offered to give a little tour of Ottawa to Kyle Betit who had made several presentations at the BIFHSGO conference over the weekend. The records were put aside and the car was put in motion. We had our tour and both being genealogists, and more or less in the neighbourhood, we paid a visit to Notre Dame Cemetery in Ottawa. This is the largest and oldest mainly Catholic cemetery in the area, and the location of the burials of my McGrath ancestors.
I didn't know where their plot was and driving around wasn't helpful. A visit to the cemetery office, after some persuading, resulted in our getting the plot number from the person on duty. There was a card with the list of those buried in that plot and later I was able to get a photocopy. That confirmed the burials of my great grandparents, their three sons and one daughter. The question remained - what about Michael McGrath and Catherine Brennan McGrath, my great great grandparents? When I was able to find the date of death of Michael, lo and behold I also got confirmation that Michael and Catherine were buried in that same plot. At this point I think Michael must have purchased the plot when Catherine died in 1881. That's an investigation for another day. Maybe I'll find a more helpful cemetery attendant.
Armed with a cemetery map and the approximate location of the plot, Kyle and I went to the area and began the search. Well, rather like the gap in church records that is always where your ancestors would have been recorded, there was a gap between tombstones where plot #916 should have been. Or rather there was only a bit of a stone where I would have expected the McGrath stone to be. There was also an almost invisible flat stone in the ground, but it was so covered with earth that I'd have to bring a trowel and spend considerable time scraping to see if it was "ours". Now I'll have to phone Pat in Victoria to see if she knows whether or not there was a stone where her father was buried.
Once we left Notre Dame I began to question why it was so difficult to pry the information out of the staff person on duty. Aren't they there to help? The information was available on a computer if you knew the exact date of death. Heaven forbid an ordinary citizen should get beyond the information window! In providing the date of death of two McGraths I was off by 3 days - and was informed that I had the wrong dates. Well, since the records are ordered by date of death it certainly didn't take long to find the right information just three days off. I had used the funeral date by mistake. Sigh...
Those records also contained information that I could not see on the screen due to where I was standing. Kyle caught a glimpse so we know there is more. So - is there any effort being made to digitize these records? Or even provide a printed book that could be consulted? At Beechwood Cemetery, just around the corner, they trip over themselves to help. AND, their records are online. A long ago visit to Beechwood had a staff member offer to take me to the exact location of my grandparents grave and provide a copy of the record, and a cemetery map.
So - here's my dilemma. There is no headstone. There should be a headstone, shouldn't there? Should I be doing something about that? Of course I don't have a spare few thousand dollars and have no idea of the cost. I suppose I'll let that thought keep me up tonight.
Looking back on the day it was a winner - some confirmations and some 'sort of' discoveries. I had the added bonus of spending several hours with a professional genealogist who works on Who Do You Think You Are. Lots of suggested sources I have yet to explore. Yes indeed, today was a winner!
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Some days I'd like to have a clone
My two favourite pastimes - golf and genealogy - competed for my attention all week, and at no time have they been more in conflict than the past few days.
After years of waiting and hoping, the Irish vital records were released - hopefully unlocking some mysteries that have been driving me crazy. I wanted nothing more than some uninterrupted time and maybe a cup of coffee, to peruse them online. They are still waiting for me and one day this week I shall turn off the phones and settle in for a good long excavation of information.
Here it is Sunday evening after an exhilarating, if more than a little bit busy, weekend. I was pulled in two directions. The conflict between playing golf and continuing the family history quest was never more at issue. I needed to be two places at once. In the end, I split the time as best I could and overall I think I made the right time allocations.
Over many hours during the past week, working with my co-organizer, both at home and at the golf club, we got everything ready for the multiple-match play format for our Williams Cup event. This is where a team of ladies from the morning league takes on a team of ladies from the afternoon. We kept the same three match play formats but instead of players being assigned only one format over 18 holes, everyone played three formats, for 6 holes each. Tricky but generally enjoyed by the players.
For the first 5 years of this event the morning ladies have won and only last year did the afternoon ladies wrest the trophy from their grasp. Today the afternoon ladies won by a large margin. To a non-golfer an explanation of the hows and whys would be boring. Suffice it to say that with wide-ranging handicaps it is very hard to find a format where one team does not hold a huge advantage.
It was so much fun today - I was not playing - just setting up, following the matches and doing the scoring, that I never made it to the conference for the very compelling talks that I'd been looking forward to. The promise of tasty snacks afterwards was another reason. They didn't disappoint but I digress. My fingers are crossed that the presentations were successfully recorded and available on the BIFHSGO website where I can "attend" them at my leisure.
The weekend actually started on Thursday evening with a reception at the home of the new Irish ambassador to Canada where we had a special presentation by Maurice Gleason that set the stage perfectly for the conference. The coffee and scones in that beautiful setting topped off the evening.
Friday night the conference had started wonderfully with the Whiteside Lecture about the events in Ireland around 1916 to 1922. I spoke with a few friends of my plans to spend the coming Winter in Ireland, researching and writing. I really want to be in a town with some shops and a library that I could walk to and not have to drive everywhere. My first choice was Bunclody, Co Wexford, still in the heart of Byrne country, and minutes from family. But I'd had no luck finding anything. A chance conversation with Shirley Monkhouse led her to recommend Moss Cottage. So - I checked it out online, sent an inquiry to the owners and Saturday morning's email brought their reply. Moss Cottage would be mine for the winter at a good price, and it has even more space and amenities than I had dreamed of. The day could not have started better.
The talks were terrific and as usual at these events, stirred up the old motivation to keep learning and digging and writing. It is wonderful to re-charge the battery and jump start all those projects I'd been trying to get around to. Saturday evening was nicely wrapped up with a fine dinner at Summerhays Grill with fellow participants, and topped off with the Northern Lights presentation on Parliament Hill. We even managed to get back to the car just as the rain, thunder and lightning were starting their own light show.
Today the plan was to get the Williams Cup event underway at Hylands and send the lady golfers out on their quest to win points for the team then head to the conference. Once that was done it was just so much fun catching up with the team, watching some great shots, recording all of the scores that I couldn't get away for the final conference presentations. The decision wasn't easy but I couldn't pass up the camaraderie at Hylands.
So as I sit here typing I can reflect on a wonderful week that unfolded as it should. Tomorrow I'm looking forward to showing off some Ottawa highlights to an out-of-town speaker from the conference, and then settling down with the Irish vital records at last.
The coming week certainly has the calendar quite filled up but there are spaces for some alone time with the computer. Perhaps I should let it rest now and cool off so I'll call it a day.
After years of waiting and hoping, the Irish vital records were released - hopefully unlocking some mysteries that have been driving me crazy. I wanted nothing more than some uninterrupted time and maybe a cup of coffee, to peruse them online. They are still waiting for me and one day this week I shall turn off the phones and settle in for a good long excavation of information.
Here it is Sunday evening after an exhilarating, if more than a little bit busy, weekend. I was pulled in two directions. The conflict between playing golf and continuing the family history quest was never more at issue. I needed to be two places at once. In the end, I split the time as best I could and overall I think I made the right time allocations.
Over many hours during the past week, working with my co-organizer, both at home and at the golf club, we got everything ready for the multiple-match play format for our Williams Cup event. This is where a team of ladies from the morning league takes on a team of ladies from the afternoon. We kept the same three match play formats but instead of players being assigned only one format over 18 holes, everyone played three formats, for 6 holes each. Tricky but generally enjoyed by the players.
For the first 5 years of this event the morning ladies have won and only last year did the afternoon ladies wrest the trophy from their grasp. Today the afternoon ladies won by a large margin. To a non-golfer an explanation of the hows and whys would be boring. Suffice it to say that with wide-ranging handicaps it is very hard to find a format where one team does not hold a huge advantage.
It was so much fun today - I was not playing - just setting up, following the matches and doing the scoring, that I never made it to the conference for the very compelling talks that I'd been looking forward to. The promise of tasty snacks afterwards was another reason. They didn't disappoint but I digress. My fingers are crossed that the presentations were successfully recorded and available on the BIFHSGO website where I can "attend" them at my leisure.
The weekend actually started on Thursday evening with a reception at the home of the new Irish ambassador to Canada where we had a special presentation by Maurice Gleason that set the stage perfectly for the conference. The coffee and scones in that beautiful setting topped off the evening.
Friday night the conference had started wonderfully with the Whiteside Lecture about the events in Ireland around 1916 to 1922. I spoke with a few friends of my plans to spend the coming Winter in Ireland, researching and writing. I really want to be in a town with some shops and a library that I could walk to and not have to drive everywhere. My first choice was Bunclody, Co Wexford, still in the heart of Byrne country, and minutes from family. But I'd had no luck finding anything. A chance conversation with Shirley Monkhouse led her to recommend Moss Cottage. So - I checked it out online, sent an inquiry to the owners and Saturday morning's email brought their reply. Moss Cottage would be mine for the winter at a good price, and it has even more space and amenities than I had dreamed of. The day could not have started better.
The talks were terrific and as usual at these events, stirred up the old motivation to keep learning and digging and writing. It is wonderful to re-charge the battery and jump start all those projects I'd been trying to get around to. Saturday evening was nicely wrapped up with a fine dinner at Summerhays Grill with fellow participants, and topped off with the Northern Lights presentation on Parliament Hill. We even managed to get back to the car just as the rain, thunder and lightning were starting their own light show.
Today the plan was to get the Williams Cup event underway at Hylands and send the lady golfers out on their quest to win points for the team then head to the conference. Once that was done it was just so much fun catching up with the team, watching some great shots, recording all of the scores that I couldn't get away for the final conference presentations. The decision wasn't easy but I couldn't pass up the camaraderie at Hylands.
So as I sit here typing I can reflect on a wonderful week that unfolded as it should. Tomorrow I'm looking forward to showing off some Ottawa highlights to an out-of-town speaker from the conference, and then settling down with the Irish vital records at last.
The coming week certainly has the calendar quite filled up but there are spaces for some alone time with the computer. Perhaps I should let it rest now and cool off so I'll call it a day.
Saturday, September 3, 2016
Progress suspended due to excess golf activity
Well here it is Labour Day weekend. Someone seems to have flipped the weather switch along with the turn of the calendar to September. It's not nearly so hot and the nights are quite chilly. This is my perfect weather and I hope it lasts.
My duties on the ladies golf executive at Hylands have taken over much of my free time. I'm enjoying it a lot but not getting any genealogy time at all. Next weekend is the conference for my family history association. I had signed up for the two days - Saturday and Sunday - but now my duties will keep me busy on Sunday at the Williams Cup competition at Hylands.
On Thursday evening I, along with many conference attendees, will go to a reception at the Irish embassy. This was a huge success at the conference I missed in 2013 so I'm really looking forward to it. I suspect that I'll need to haul a dress out of the back of the closet.
On Friday I will pick up one of the featured speakers at the airport, which is just minutes from my place, and take him to his hotel. The following Monday we will reverse that route. I'll miss his talk on Sunday so perhaps can persuade him to fill me in a little on the way to the airport.
One reason I'd like to hear it is that it deals with little known sources for Irish research and my plans for the winter in Ireland are making slow progress. If he can point me in some new directions I'll be all ears.
The weather is perfect this weekend and I have a game scheduled for Monday morning. Deep down I just know that I'll be off to the course either today or tomorrow as well.
In a short time I'm off to the post office to mail my passport application, including my current almost-expired passport. It's supposed to take less than 2 weeks so we'll see. In the meantime I can't make any last minute trips to Ogdensburg, NY as my ID will be in the hands of the Feds.
I'm also posting a little package of my favourite children's books to Mairead (Byrne) Parsons at the Rocktavern, Co. Wexford. Her third child is expected in a few weeks. Michael is now in first grade and Tom is off to play school. I think that will give Mairead upwards of three weeks of quiet days until the bump becomes the baby.
Having said very little, it's time to get on with the day and accomplish something. A walk to the post office will start me off and I'll just let the day unfold.
My duties on the ladies golf executive at Hylands have taken over much of my free time. I'm enjoying it a lot but not getting any genealogy time at all. Next weekend is the conference for my family history association. I had signed up for the two days - Saturday and Sunday - but now my duties will keep me busy on Sunday at the Williams Cup competition at Hylands.
On Thursday evening I, along with many conference attendees, will go to a reception at the Irish embassy. This was a huge success at the conference I missed in 2013 so I'm really looking forward to it. I suspect that I'll need to haul a dress out of the back of the closet.
On Friday I will pick up one of the featured speakers at the airport, which is just minutes from my place, and take him to his hotel. The following Monday we will reverse that route. I'll miss his talk on Sunday so perhaps can persuade him to fill me in a little on the way to the airport.
One reason I'd like to hear it is that it deals with little known sources for Irish research and my plans for the winter in Ireland are making slow progress. If he can point me in some new directions I'll be all ears.
The weather is perfect this weekend and I have a game scheduled for Monday morning. Deep down I just know that I'll be off to the course either today or tomorrow as well.
In a short time I'm off to the post office to mail my passport application, including my current almost-expired passport. It's supposed to take less than 2 weeks so we'll see. In the meantime I can't make any last minute trips to Ogdensburg, NY as my ID will be in the hands of the Feds.
I'm also posting a little package of my favourite children's books to Mairead (Byrne) Parsons at the Rocktavern, Co. Wexford. Her third child is expected in a few weeks. Michael is now in first grade and Tom is off to play school. I think that will give Mairead upwards of three weeks of quiet days until the bump becomes the baby.
Having said very little, it's time to get on with the day and accomplish something. A walk to the post office will start me off and I'll just let the day unfold.
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