The flights could not have gone better and we even arrived half an hour early in Dublin. It was overcast with a little bit of drizzle but we quickly collected our bags, picked up the rental car and set out for Swords Castle.
The GPS was a bit balky and somewhat tardy in letting us know about turns, but eventually we got to Swords Castle only to find it isn't open on Mon or Tues. So off we went to Malahide castle and grounds - after only a bit of a run around. We started with some necessary coffee and tea in the cafe and wanted to take a tour of the castle and grounds.
The tour group was assembled and about to start but the narrative was given in German which is not so helpful for us. The next tour, in English, would have been at noon but that was too late. We managed to hang around the edge of the tour group and follow them so we did see a bit of the castle and took some pictures before deciding to head south. All the while, fatigue was setting in rapidly. It would take something special to keep us awake. And we got it.
By this time Braden had worked out how to change the GPS, that was part of the rental car, from some Scandinavian language, to English. We were heading for Ashford which I knew we'd find once we got on the M50. Getting there was half the fun. Once on the highway, I'm not sure where the GPS was trying to send us, but as I knew the route, we just ignored the instructions. Eventually Braden was able to stop it and we arrived in Ashford around 1.
To say we got a warm welcome is to understate the situation. We had a marvellous time with Mary and Oliver. Of course Mary had made us a delicious chicken dinner and we managed to eat about a quarter of what she would have had us consume. The main course was followed by a number of desserts. Olivia and I had managed to split the main course and dessert, to Mary's chagrin.
Having done a little research on Wicklow town which was nearby, it was on the list of places we wanted to go. Oliver drove and gave a great guiding commentary as we saw the town, the Black Castle (which it seems our ancient O'Byrne clan ancestors invaded) and much to Olivia's delight, was saw Sammy the Seal. The fishmonger from across the street came out with some fish for Sammy and he competed with the seagulls for the treats. Sammy almost always won.
Then on to Rossanna farm, loaded down with goodies from Mary, where Eugene gave us a tour of his little museum/collection and let us get a close look at some of his cows, young calves and the relatively friendly bull. A brief jaunt in a land rover showed Olivia and Braden the Wesley Tree - a giant chestnut which has a 47 foot circumference.
By this point we'd all taken lots of pictures but fatigue has caught up to us and those haven't even been reviewed, let alone sorted and a few chosen to illustrate our amazing introduction to Ireland.
It was off to Minmore Mews where we have now moved into The Loft. Sleep is fast catching up to me and I think my travel companions have already been visited by the sandman. Photos will appear tomorrow. For now, good night.
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
Sunday, September 30, 2018
Time to go again
Hello faithful followers
Tomorrow the next Irish adventure begins. Today the final packing, re-packing, tidying, taking care of last minute stuff, will keep me busy. I've repacked the suitcase about 11 times, in an effort to pack enough of the right items but not too many. Hah! The airline limits the weight of your checked bag to 50 pounds. My ability to lift weights means it will have to be substantially lighter.
Forecast looks pretty good and the current plan is relying on an on time arrival in Dublin at 0825 on Tuesday, Oct 2. Air Canada, are you listening? No flight delays if you please - especially on our first connecting flight out of Ottawa. This time we are flying from Montreal to Dublin, and will have to navigate the Trudeau airport in Dorval in about 90 minutes.
Olivia, Braden and I, at last check, each have a row of three seats to ourselves. That is not likely to be the case by takeoff but we can cross our fingers. A little extra space might help the efforts to actually sleep. My snoring might make sleep a challenge for those nearby. Too bad.
So with accommodations taken care of, rental car reserved and passports and Euros at hand, we're ready for Eire. Mary Harte has been advised of our tentative arrival in Ashford, so she can begin her cooking blitz. Nobody leaves Mary's home hungry no matter how you protest or at what time you get there.
Hopefully I will have wifi access and enough time each day, to make another post. There are probably going to be days when I fall into bed having tried to keep up with the young folks, and the post will just have to wait.
Feel free to comment and if you have suggestions for what we should see, aside from the list of places we've determined are 'musts' then by all means let me know.
Slan,
Ann (or you can call me Aine)
Tomorrow the next Irish adventure begins. Today the final packing, re-packing, tidying, taking care of last minute stuff, will keep me busy. I've repacked the suitcase about 11 times, in an effort to pack enough of the right items but not too many. Hah! The airline limits the weight of your checked bag to 50 pounds. My ability to lift weights means it will have to be substantially lighter.
Forecast looks pretty good and the current plan is relying on an on time arrival in Dublin at 0825 on Tuesday, Oct 2. Air Canada, are you listening? No flight delays if you please - especially on our first connecting flight out of Ottawa. This time we are flying from Montreal to Dublin, and will have to navigate the Trudeau airport in Dorval in about 90 minutes.
Olivia, Braden and I, at last check, each have a row of three seats to ourselves. That is not likely to be the case by takeoff but we can cross our fingers. A little extra space might help the efforts to actually sleep. My snoring might make sleep a challenge for those nearby. Too bad.
So with accommodations taken care of, rental car reserved and passports and Euros at hand, we're ready for Eire. Mary Harte has been advised of our tentative arrival in Ashford, so she can begin her cooking blitz. Nobody leaves Mary's home hungry no matter how you protest or at what time you get there.
Hopefully I will have wifi access and enough time each day, to make another post. There are probably going to be days when I fall into bed having tried to keep up with the young folks, and the post will just have to wait.
Feel free to comment and if you have suggestions for what we should see, aside from the list of places we've determined are 'musts' then by all means let me know.
Slan,
Ann (or you can call me Aine)
Monday, June 4, 2018
Favourite Name - important name
Ah, now here's a subject that can drive genealogists to pull out their hair.
For the past 15 years since I started reconstructing the family tree, I've mumbled and grumbled about the fact that the same names were used in every family. If the Irish naming pattern were strictly adhered to, this is how children would be named.
For the past 15 years since I started reconstructing the family tree, I've mumbled and grumbled about the fact that the same names were used in every family. If the Irish naming pattern were strictly adhered to, this is how children would be named.
Sons
1. The eldest son was named after the child’s paternal grandfather.
2. The second son was named after that child’s maternal grandfather.
3. The third son was named after the father.
4. The fourth son was named after the child’s eldest paternal uncle.
5. Subsequent sons were named after other paternal uncles, in order of the age of the uncles.
Daughters
1. The eldest daughter was named after the child’s maternal grandmother.
2. The second daughter was named after the child’s paternal grandmother.
3. The third daughter was named after the mother.
4. The fourth daughter was named after the child’s eldest maternal aunt.
5. Subsequent daughters were named after other maternal aunts, in order of the age of the aunts.
The family no longer follows the naming pattern although some of the same familiar names have found their way into more recent generations. My name is Mary Ann although I've only ever been called Ann. There are over a dozen women among my various levels of grandmothers, with one or both of my names, yet my parents always claimed I was not named after anyone in particular.
Among my siblings, only Thomas (Tom) was named explicitly for his paternal grandfather and great-grandfather. Maureen's second name was Rita after our mother; and Don's second name is Robert, after our father.
In the Byrne line for instance, my ggg grandfather was Arthur. Of his seven married children, all had sons named Arthur but few of his great-grandsons were named Arthur. The name has not been used in our direct family line for a couple of generations. It is still used among distant cousins.
It was the names Edward, George and Arthur that contributed to thinking/knowing that when we met the Byrne family in Ireland, that we had actually met people we are related to. Subsequent research and a DNA test proved the connection.
In the Sunderland line, it was the use of Stansfield as a forename that helped decide if I was looking at the right family. Sadly the last Stansfield passed away in 1915 but it was important in establishing the right family.
Saturday, May 19, 2018
Making sense of the census
The census is pretty much the bread and butter resource for finding your family. Sometimes they are not where you expected to find them. Sometimes they're in the place you expected, but you can't find them because the enumerator had such awful handwriting that the indexer didn't get the name right. When the name isn't spelled correctly or interpreted correctly when indexing, the family might not be found in a search.
My Walsh ancestors were well hidden until I was looking for one of the sons rather than the parents, and there they all were. Everyone's surname was Walsh but for reasons I'll never understand, the parents' surname was interpreted as "Naesh" and the children were "Walsh". I don't mean to chastise someone who had voluntarily undertaken the task. But if a group of people are all at the same address you would think that if the surnames looked similar they must be the same. In this particular case, only the father's surname was written and his wife and children's surnames were indicated with ditto marks. That did not deter the indexer from transcribing the parents as Naesh and the children as Walsh.
Other folks are there and the surnames are ALMOST correct yet they are not found in a search. In the case of the Fennell family the name was spelled with only one final letter 'l'. However, the person doing the indexing thought the last letter was 'e' instead, resulting in a pronunciation of "Fennie". I only found the family in browsing the entire listing for Elizabethtown (Brockville), while looking for someone else.
My Walsh ancestors were well hidden until I was looking for one of the sons rather than the parents, and there they all were. Everyone's surname was Walsh but for reasons I'll never understand, the parents' surname was interpreted as "Naesh" and the children were "Walsh". I don't mean to chastise someone who had voluntarily undertaken the task. But if a group of people are all at the same address you would think that if the surnames looked similar they must be the same. In this particular case, only the father's surname was written and his wife and children's surnames were indicated with ditto marks. That did not deter the indexer from transcribing the parents as Naesh and the children as Walsh.
Other folks are there and the surnames are ALMOST correct yet they are not found in a search. In the case of the Fennell family the name was spelled with only one final letter 'l'. However, the person doing the indexing thought the last letter was 'e' instead, resulting in a pronunciation of "Fennie". I only found the family in browsing the entire listing for Elizabethtown (Brockville), while looking for someone else.
Friday, April 27, 2018
Family dinners
There are no stories that have been passed down about family dinners prior to my generation.
There is one picture of my great grand uncle George Burns and his family in Ogdensburg, New York, USA, with his family around the dinner table. To be sure that all the children were included, there is a picture of a son who was not there, on the table.
There is one picture of my great grand uncle George Burns and his family in Ogdensburg, New York, USA, with his family around the dinner table. To be sure that all the children were included, there is a picture of a son who was not there, on the table.
Burns family at dinner, Ogdensburg, NY, circa 1921: Left to right:
George(father), Jen, Mary, Anne, Elizabeth Foster Burns (mother), Martin, Kate and Thomas. There is a photo of Jim on the table.
Apparently Elizabeth (Foster) Burns was a good cook. At one point she was a cook at a lumber camp where George was working shortly after their marriage. Son Thomas was born in the camp. This must have been a special occasion, note the fancy folded napkins.
We had family dinners every evening in the kitchen. On holidays and birthdays we ate in the dining room. Occasionally close relatives or family friends would join us. Mom always made a big deal of these occasions, making sure there was an appropriate seasonal tablecloth and centrepiece. We used the "good" dishes. For almost every holiday we had turkey with all the trimmings. For dessert there was usually only once choice on weekdays and weekends, but holidays often brought out some choices.
For the past 40 or so years, our go-to dessert was "chocolate log". This is the recipe on the box of Christie's chocolate wafers. Whipped cream, sweetened with a little bit of sugar and vanilla, was spread between the wafers and the whole thing formed into a log. We wouldn't think of having a family dinner without it.
For many years there was also Pecan Pie - made with Ritz crackers and crushed pecans, topped with whipped cream which softened the pie. It was not the gooey pecan pie one usually finds available in stores and restaurants. Often there were fruit pies, the specialties being raspberry or strawberry-rhubarb. The rhubarb was from our garden.
Longevity on both sides
How old were our oldest ancestors when they passed away?
We have no centenarians in my direct line, or even among the siblings of my direct ancestors. The oldest were in their 90s. In descending order from longest-lived to merely age 90, are listed here in descending order of age. Without a specific date of death for some, I have used only the number of years between year of birth and year of death and not taken into account specific dates.
Mary Elena (Tickie) McGrath: born in Ottawa in 1894; died in Ottawa in 1988. Tickie was my longest living ancestor. She was the younger sister of my grandmother. She was 94 when she died.
Ann Sunderland Bowen: born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England in 1879; died in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 1973. Annie was also 94.
Serena (Irene) Sunderland Madill Cade: born in Ottawa, in 1890; died in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 1984. Like her sister Annie, Irene was 94.
Mary Elizabeth Jean Burns: born in Ottawa in 1915; died in Ottawa in 2009. Jean was 93.
Arthur Byrne: born 1792 in Ireland; died 1884 in Throoptown, Grenville County, Ontario, Canada
Arthur was a wagon maker and tenant farmer on the Coollattin Estate of Earl Fitzwilliam in the 1820s, 30s and early 40s. He moved his family to Canada in 1847 and settled in Throoptown. According to various census records, the family home in Throoptown was a shanty. He survived extreme poverty, a couple of famines, and rough conditions in Ireland and Canada. So far, nobody among his descendants has lived as long as Arthur.
Eliza(beth) Kehoe: born about 1802 in Ireland; died in 1892 in Throoptown. She was Arthur's wife.
Edward Byrne/Burns: born about 1822 in Coolross, Clonegal, Wicklow, Ireland, was Arthur's son. He lived to be 90 years old. Edward came to Ontario with the family in 1847, worked and married in the US for a few years, and returned to Ontario in time for the 1861 census. After retiring as a farmer, he went blind, and moved with his wife Eliza McCullough, into the town of Brockville. Their last home at 93 James Street is still there in 2018.
Bert Dennis Madill: he was the son of Serena (Irene) Sunderland and Granville Madill. Bert was born in Edmonton. Alberta, Canada in 1923 and died there in 2013 at the age of 90.
We have no centenarians in my direct line, or even among the siblings of my direct ancestors. The oldest were in their 90s. In descending order from longest-lived to merely age 90, are listed here in descending order of age. Without a specific date of death for some, I have used only the number of years between year of birth and year of death and not taken into account specific dates.
Mary Elena (Tickie) McGrath: born in Ottawa in 1894; died in Ottawa in 1988. Tickie was my longest living ancestor. She was the younger sister of my grandmother. She was 94 when she died.
Ann Sunderland Bowen: born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England in 1879; died in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 1973. Annie was also 94.
Serena (Irene) Sunderland Madill Cade: born in Ottawa, in 1890; died in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 1984. Like her sister Annie, Irene was 94.
Mary Elizabeth Jean Burns: born in Ottawa in 1915; died in Ottawa in 2009. Jean was 93.
Arthur Byrne: born 1792 in Ireland; died 1884 in Throoptown, Grenville County, Ontario, Canada
Arthur was a wagon maker and tenant farmer on the Coollattin Estate of Earl Fitzwilliam in the 1820s, 30s and early 40s. He moved his family to Canada in 1847 and settled in Throoptown. According to various census records, the family home in Throoptown was a shanty. He survived extreme poverty, a couple of famines, and rough conditions in Ireland and Canada. So far, nobody among his descendants has lived as long as Arthur.
Eliza(beth) Kehoe: born about 1802 in Ireland; died in 1892 in Throoptown. She was Arthur's wife.
Edward Byrne/Burns: born about 1822 in Coolross, Clonegal, Wicklow, Ireland, was Arthur's son. He lived to be 90 years old. Edward came to Ontario with the family in 1847, worked and married in the US for a few years, and returned to Ontario in time for the 1861 census. After retiring as a farmer, he went blind, and moved with his wife Eliza McCullough, into the town of Brockville. Their last home at 93 James Street is still there in 2018.
Bert Dennis Madill: he was the son of Serena (Irene) Sunderland and Granville Madill. Bert was born in Edmonton. Alberta, Canada in 1923 and died there in 2013 at the age of 90.
52 ancestors in 52 weeks
Well like all good procrastinators, I came late to the party. But, I hope to start now and over the next few weeks, catch up with the crowd. The idea to stoke the fires of family history writing, is from Amy Johnson Crow's 52 ancestors in 52 weeks. Each week a new topic will be put forth and the followers are to share by writing or blogging or posting comments about it, possibly on Facebook.
Amy is very good at suggestions for capturing family stories and how to proceed in many aspects of our hobby. This year her mission is to get us to record memories in different ways. Hopefully each topic will lead not only to another topic, but possibly to multiple stories on that topic over time.
Family Photographs
The first actual writing was in Week 2 and the topic was Family Photograph. I have many to choose from - more than some folks and fewer than others. It was difficult to choose so I decided on two related pictures that could be described fairly briefly. I'll get better at this as I go - at least that is the expectation.
Two pictures of the same store. The one on the left from left to right: Harry Donovan, Thomas Leonard Burns, Thomas J Burns. The photo above is Harry Donovan at another time, showing more of the front of the store.
Growing up in Brockville, my Dad, Robert Leonard (Bob) Burns, loved visiting his Grandfather's store on King St in Brockville. His Grandpa, Thomas J. Burns, was a butcher, then a Customs Officer, and after he retired, opened a second butcher shop and grocery store very close to where the first had been.
The reason for opening a second store, was to provide employment for his son Edward. Tom feared that Edward would not find other employment as he was a bit of a loser. Edward was widowed, and had a young daughter to support. He served briefly in WWII but after discharge he was rather footloose.
Meanwhile, Tom Jr. had a good career with the government in Ottawa and was providing well for his young and growing family. He had no plans to follow in Tom Sr's footsteps. However, things don't always work out as planned and the family bond was very strong.
Edward remarried in 1924 and died suddenly a month later. Thomas Sr did not wish to continue alone and asked his son Tom if he'd move back to Brockville and work with him. Feeling that strong family bond, and with wonderful memories of his hometown, he resigned from his good-paying job and moved the family to Brockville.
This store was the site of many a good turn. Tom Sr would never turn away anyone looking for something to eat. He allowed his customers to buy on credit. Many never paid their bills. It also seems to have been the local story-telling centre. Tom's brother William, known as Will, had gone blind, apparently after having been kicked by a horse or literally falling off a wagon. [I will check that out.] He learned his way from home to the store and spent most days holding court with all who dropped by. Most of his stories were tall tales, made up in the moment. Some are really amusing.
Tom Sr, passed away in 1933. For a few years his son tried to carry on the business, but eventually it failed. He returned to Ottawa in 1936 and once settled in a new job, brought the family back there to live. Tom Jr passed away in 1941.
Amy is very good at suggestions for capturing family stories and how to proceed in many aspects of our hobby. This year her mission is to get us to record memories in different ways. Hopefully each topic will lead not only to another topic, but possibly to multiple stories on that topic over time.
Family Photographs
The first actual writing was in Week 2 and the topic was Family Photograph. I have many to choose from - more than some folks and fewer than others. It was difficult to choose so I decided on two related pictures that could be described fairly briefly. I'll get better at this as I go - at least that is the expectation.
Two pictures of the same store. The one on the left from left to right: Harry Donovan, Thomas Leonard Burns, Thomas J Burns. The photo above is Harry Donovan at another time, showing more of the front of the store.
Growing up in Brockville, my Dad, Robert Leonard (Bob) Burns, loved visiting his Grandfather's store on King St in Brockville. His Grandpa, Thomas J. Burns, was a butcher, then a Customs Officer, and after he retired, opened a second butcher shop and grocery store very close to where the first had been.
The reason for opening a second store, was to provide employment for his son Edward. Tom feared that Edward would not find other employment as he was a bit of a loser. Edward was widowed, and had a young daughter to support. He served briefly in WWII but after discharge he was rather footloose.
Meanwhile, Tom Jr. had a good career with the government in Ottawa and was providing well for his young and growing family. He had no plans to follow in Tom Sr's footsteps. However, things don't always work out as planned and the family bond was very strong.
Edward remarried in 1924 and died suddenly a month later. Thomas Sr did not wish to continue alone and asked his son Tom if he'd move back to Brockville and work with him. Feeling that strong family bond, and with wonderful memories of his hometown, he resigned from his good-paying job and moved the family to Brockville.
This store was the site of many a good turn. Tom Sr would never turn away anyone looking for something to eat. He allowed his customers to buy on credit. Many never paid their bills. It also seems to have been the local story-telling centre. Tom's brother William, known as Will, had gone blind, apparently after having been kicked by a horse or literally falling off a wagon. [I will check that out.] He learned his way from home to the store and spent most days holding court with all who dropped by. Most of his stories were tall tales, made up in the moment. Some are really amusing.
Tom Sr, passed away in 1933. For a few years his son tried to carry on the business, but eventually it failed. He returned to Ottawa in 1936 and once settled in a new job, brought the family back there to live. Tom Jr passed away in 1941.
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