ISSN 1649-7937 Cumann Geinealais na hÉireann Ireland’s Genealogical Gazette (incorporating “The Genie Gazette”) Vol. 8 No. 6 www.familyhistory.ie June : Meitheamh 2013 Seanad Éireann & the Cultural Sector The headline of the January value and wonderful insights to matters this Society has 2011 issue of this newsletter the public discourse on a range achieved remarkable success read ‘Seanad Éireann— of issues, not least, in the realms in terms of Bills initiated and Abused, Legislatively Starved, of arts, heritage and culture. amendments secured through a Ignored and now to be Abol- Sadly, as noted in the 2011 arti- proactive engagement with ished? ’. The lead article out- cle, many fine and imaginative Senators, from all parties and lined aspects of the valuable proposals for the reform of Se- none, on the Society’s various work undertaken by the Se- anad Éireann have been ignored campaigns. Government Min- GENEALOGY anad which is so often ne- by successive governments as isters down through the years glected by the media. Nowhere indeed, was a 1979 referendum have frequently praised the HERALDRY is this more evident than in the decision to extend its franchise. quality of debate, the tabling case of the arts, heritage and However, with the recently pub- of constructive amendments VEXILLOLOGY cultural sectors. Ever since lished Bill to provide for a refer- and the level of research un- the reestablishment of the endum to abolish the Seanad, the dertaken by Senators during SOCIAL HISTORY Seanad in 1938, and indeed in arts, culture and heritage sectors the passage of legislation its predecessor from 1922 to (and maybe the community and through the Seanad. The fact Heritage Matters 1936, these sectors of Irish life voluntary sectors also) must that most of this wonderful benefited enormously from consider whether, in the absence work goes unreported by the Book Reviews informed and comprehensive of Seanad Éireann, that Dáil media has exposed the Seanad debates on legislative matters Éireann would be in a position to ridicule and uniformed Open Meetings impacting on these sectors. As to provide for a similar or in- populist charges of waste of a parliamentary chamber, Se- creased level of informed scru- public money, anachronistic News & Queries anad Éireann (Senate) has tiny of legislation impacting on elitism and political cronyism. provided the much needed in- their sectors. Will the proposed Whereas few supporters of the depth analysis, usually based enhanced Parliamentary Com- Seanad would deny that it on the academic or profes- mittee structures provide for any needs radical root and branch sional experience held by vari- in-depth and informed debate on reform, many argue that much ous Senators, to fully interro- these matters or will they be of this can be achieved through www.eneclann.ie gate legislative proposals deal- simply whipped into line to legislation. Therefore, we must ing with all aspects of Irish life smooth the passage of the gov- question whether the stark and culture. Social, cultural ernment’s legislative pro- choice to be offered in the CONTENTS and indeed, moral issues, have gramme? These are fundamental referendum between outright been publicly examined by questions that must be consid- abolition or the status quo is in Leaders of the City— 2 some of the brightest and most ered by the sectors concerned. the best interests of Irish de- Dublin’s first citzens talented of our country’s legis- As a veteran campaigner on mocracy and of a fully ac- lators who brought exceptional legislative and public policy countable legislative process. GSI Lecture Programme 2 Précis of June Lecture Government U-Turn on 1926 Census? Genealogy Courses 2 Reports have recently emerged hand, while the protecting the confi- the lifetime of the current govern- 1921 Census Released that the Minister of State at the dentiality of Census data and the ment, Deputy Kehoe’s position has Department of An Taoiseach with integrity of CSO procedures on the effectively scuppered any tentative James Scannell Reports .. 3 responsibility for the Central other.” This statement, if accurate, plans Minister Deenihan had for Statistics Office, Mr. Paul clearly points to a U-Turn by the an early release of the 1926 Cen- Irish DNA Atlas Project Kehoe, TD, has effectively en- Government on its commitment in sus in time for the centenary of the dorsed the 100 closure rule for the the 2011 ‘Programme for Govern- 1916 Rising. Notwithstanding the Book on Diarmuid Lynch 3 1926 Census. A posting on the ment’ which states “ We will pro- huge damage inflicted on the 1926 Diary Dates 4 Irish Genealogy News blog pub- mote genealogical tourism by updat- Census campaign by the two lished a letter received from Dep- ing the National Cultural Institu- ‘redaction proposals’ which served The Morpeth Roll— 4 uty Kehoe stating “ I am satisfied, tions Act in relation to the Genea- only to reinforce the 100 year rule, Ireland identified in 1841 therefore, that the 100 years pe- logical office to put it on a proper it’s time now for a strong united riod provided for in the 1993 Act statutory footing, modernise its campaign to seek cross-party Sarajevo Appeal 4 strikes the right balance in facili- operations and to enable publication support for the ‘Statistics (1926 tating legitimate historical and of the 1926 census to stimulate gene- Census) Bill, 2013 sponsored by Vexillology Ireland sociological research on the one alogy tourism.” Obviously given Mr. Seán Ó Fearghail, TD. Monthly Newsletter of the Genealogical Society of Ireland ISSN 1649-7937 PAGE 2 IRELAND’S GENEALOGICAL GAZETTE (INCORPORATING “THE GENIE GAZETTE”) VOL. 8 NO. 6 Leaders of the City—Dublin’s first citizens, 1500-1950 A wonderful new history of the mayors and lord may- matic fall from grace of Dublin’s first Lord Mayor, Sir during the 1930s was Fianna Fáil’s Kathleen Clarke ors of Dublin—‘Leaders of the City—Dublin’s first Daniel Bellingham, 1665. Máire Kennedy (DCLA) who is the subject of Helen Litton’s essay. Each of citizens, 1500-1950’ edited by Ruth McManus and explores the life of Mayor John Exshaw and interde- the essayists provide useful genealogical information Lisa-Marie Griffith (ISBN: 978-1-84682-347-3 : pendence of commerce and political office. Lisa-Marie on their subjects whilst the three appendices include a 224pp : Illustrations : h/bk : Price: €45.00) was pub- Griffith (National Print Museum) looks at the career of listing of mayors, a history of the Mansion House and lished by Four Courts Press last month. Whilst we Henry Gore Sankey which sheds light on the political a description of the Dublin city regalia and Dublin often get new histories of our capital city, few have factions and corruption outside the corporation that city silverware. The select bibliography is exception- concentrated on the lives and times of the individuals shaped politics within civic institutions. Jacqueline Hill ally useful for further research. The illustrations are that occupied the position of chairperson of the city ((NUIM) deals with Thomas McKenny and the often excellent throughout. A most enjoyable and very council as it evolved down the centuries. Therefore, overlooked role that liberal Protestants played in the interesting read indeed. MM this volume provides an exceptional insight into the campaign for Catholic emancipation. Mary E. Clark personal lives, ambitions, achievements, failures and (Dublin City Archivist) explores the fundamental tragedies of Dublin’s first citizens from 1500 as the changes to the office emanating from the election of GSI LECTURE PROGRAMME capital of the Lordship of Ireland; from 1541 to 1801 the most famous Lord Mayor of Dublin, Daniel Tues. 11th June —’The Ordnance Survey Office as a as that of the Kingdom of Ireland; from 1801 until O’Connell, the first Roman Catholic to hold the post th 1922 as the administrative centre of a part of the since the reign of James II. Ciarán Wallace (TCD) Genealogical Resource’; Tues. July 9 – ‘The Sham- United Kingdom and finally, once again, as the capital provides a fascinating account of Joseph Patrick rock Fund in World War 1’ by Brian White ; Tues. August 13 th – ‘Irish and British Maritime Records’ and seat of government from 1922. Although the office Nannetti who was born in Dublin in 1851 to an Italian th of mayor was created in 1229 it was restyled as lord immigrant sculptor and modeller. Lydia Carroll’s by David Snook; Tues. September 10 – ‘Medical Records of the Royal College of Physicians’ by Har- mayor in 1665 after the restoration of Charles II. It’s account of ‘Little’ Lorcan Sherlock, 1912-15, is in- th the title held today by the capital’s first citizen, Cllr. triguing as he was likened to ’a miniature Boss Croker’ riet Wheelock; Tues. October 8 – ‘Rental Records as a Genealogical Source’ by James Ryan; Tues. Naoise Ó Muirí, who contributed the foreword to this with his Mountjoy electoral ward described as Tam- th collection of essays. The joint editors in their introduc- many Hall. Sherlock’s activities leading up to and November 12 – ‘Children in Care – Records of Pre-1952 Adoptions’ by Fiona Fitzsimons; Tues. tion to this volume explore the evolution of the office during the Lockout of 1913 demonstrate the abilities th held by Dublin’s first citizens through a very turbulent and tenacity of the man. Ruth McManus (St. Patrick’s December 10 – ‘The resources of Ancestry.com as a history and the development of municipal government College, Drumcondra) examines the role Lord Mayor support for the Genealogist’ by Eric Booth. VENUE: in Ireland. The essays open with Colm Lennon Laurence O’Neill and Alderman Tom Kelly played in Dún Laoghaire College of Further Education , (NUIM) looking at the life and times of Mayor Francis highlighting the plight of the overwhelming majority of Cumberland St., Dún Laoghaire, Co.