ISSN 1649-7937

Cumann Geinealais na hÉireann Ireland’s Genealogical Gazette (incorporating “The Genie Gazette”)

Vol. 4. No. 5 www.familyhistory.ie May : Bealtaine 2009 Ombudsman, National Consumer Agency to Examine Heraldic Mess?

Three years ago on May 11th Chairman, eminent barrister, Mr. grants made since 1943. This 2006, Cork based Senator Bren- Gerry Danaher. Serious legal proposed legislation also provided dan Ryan () pub- doubts over the State’s power to a much needed mechanism to lished the Genealogy & Heraldry provide heraldic services caused finally ’clean up’ the State’s he- , 2006 produced by the Genea- the suspension of those services raldic records by removing any logical Society of Ireland. This for a period of eight months in remaining vestiges of the scandal- GENEALOGY Bill sought to provide a proper 2007. On October 25th 2007 the ous ’bogus chiefs’ affair which legislative basis for the State’s then Minister, Mr. Séamus Bren- brought Irish heraldry into such HERALDRY delivery of heraldic services. nan, TD, finally admitted to Dáil disrepute. The Chief Herald These services began in 1943 Éireann that the ’State probably would be empowered to re- VEXILLOLOGY following the transfer by the Brit- had no power to grant Arms’ until examine documentation presented ish government of the manu- May 2005 when the 1997 Act was by applicants for Arms or for SOCIAL HISTORY scripts, records and heraldic para- implemented. This statement confirmations of Arms and, phernalia of the Office of the effectively plunged all grants of should such be found to be defi- Heritage Matters Ulster King of Arms held in Dub- Arms made by successive Chief cient in anyway, to cancel such lin Castle to the custody of the Heralds between 1943 and May grants. Senator White’s proposed Book Reviews State. However, no legislative 2005 into a legal limbo. Though, legislation is a simple and cost measures were enacted in 1943 to Minister Brennan indicated in effective remedy to a deplorable Open Meetings give the State the power to grant October 2007 that he believed that situation which has left the pre- Arms. This position remained a ’short Bill’ would rectify mat- May 2005 clients of the Office of until the enactment of the Na- ters, this Bill has not yet been the Chief Herald with purchases News & Queries tional Cultural Institutions Act, produced. The National Library of doubtful legal standing. Indeed, 1997, however, the provisions of and the Office of the Chief Herald it seems that the Board of the this Act which, was only imple- refer queries regarding the legality National Library and the Office of mented in May 2005, were funda- of pre-May 2005 grants to the the Chief Herald are content to mentally flawed. The Society’s Minister for Arts, Sport and Tour- ignore the plight of their pre-May Bill was debated at Second Stage ism, Mr. Martin Cullen, TD. In 2005 clients whilst simultaneously for two hours in Seanad Éireann order to expedite matters the claiming (on www.nli.ie) an in- (Irish ) on December 12th Genealogical Society of Ireland herited heraldic jurisdiction right 2006 before it was withdrawn at presented proposals for a ’short back to 1552. This ludicrously CONTENTS the request of the Minister Mr. Bill’ to Senator Alex White who contradictory position only serves John O’Donoghue, TD. However, published the National Cultural to further tarnish the reputation of the Minister promised Senators Institutions (Amendment) Bill, Irish heraldry. Is it not time for that the Bill would be examined 2008 in December 2008 to pro- this matter to be examined by the Marsh’s Library A Mirror 2 by the Board of the National vide for a new National Heraldic National Consumer Agency or on the World Library of Ireland, including its Register which would include indeed, the Ombudsman?

An Unexpected Bonus 2

Society’s publications on 2 CD Uachtarán Nua

James Scannell Reports... 3 The College of Fellows of the national and local elections in fixed for the formal inauguration Society has elected former Ca- Ireland. Of the fourteen Fellows of the President where he will thaoirleach, Mr. Rory Stanley, entitled to vote, nine exercised receive the presidential chain of Précis of the April 3 FGSI, to succeed Mr. Tony their franchise in a postal ballot. office bearing the heraldic badge Lecture McCarthy, MA, FGSI as the third The votes were counted at the of the Society. It is expected that President of the Society. Rory was May meeting of the Board and the new President will appoint Diary Dates & Archive 4 (Chairperson) of with five candidates contesting two new Fellows of the Society to News the Society from 1996 to March this election the voting was very mark his inauguration. Whilst, 2008. The election was conducted close indeed. Rory was elected on congratulating Rory on his elec- under the Single Transferable the Third Count. Though the new tion, the Board expressed its deep Permanent Memorial 4 Vote (STV) system of Propor- President assumes office immedi- appreciation to outgoing President Sought tional Representation as used in ately on election, no date has been Mr. Tony McCarthy, MA, FGSI.

Monthly Newsletter of the Genealogical Society of Ireland ISSN 1649-7937

PAGE 2 IRELAND’S GENEALOGICAL GAZETTE (INCORPORATING “THE GENIE GAZETTE”) VOL. 4. NO. 5

Marsh’s Library A Mirror on the World Law, Learning and Libraries, 1650-1750

‘Marsh’s Library A Mirror on the World—Law, David Hayton on Bishops as legislators: Marsh and Putland; Marie-Louise Legg on the Synge library Learning and Libraries, 1650-1750’ edited by Muriel his contemporaries. This essay deals with the Lords catalogue of 1763. Editors:- Muriel McCarthy has McCarthy and Ann Simmons (ISBN 978-1-84682- Spiritual attending the Irish and their been Keeper of the library since 1989. The second 152-3 312pp ills. h/b Price €55.00 or €49.50 on line at impact upon the legislative business of the kingdom. edition of her book on the library, Marsh’s Library: all www.fourcourtspress.ie) This collection of essays Thomas O'Connor on aspects of the role of the Holy graduates and gentlemen , was published by Four celebrates one of ’s finest institutions and Office in Irish church affairs in the seventeenth cen- Courts Press in 2003. Ann Simmons has worked at indeed, one of national and international importance. tury. The role of the Holy Office, or Roman Inquisi- Marsh’s Library for fifteen years and is Deputy Keeper In 1707 an Act of the [Old] Irish Parliament estab- tion, was a sort of doctrinal police that expanded its of the library. MM lished Marsh’s Library as ‘a publick library for ever’. jurisdiction from the Italian peninsula to the wider This volume contains the papers presented at a confer- European context in the early seventeenth century; WEBSITE NEWS ence to commemorate the tercentenary of the 1707 Act Michael Brown on the location of learning in mid- which took place in the library in October 2007. The eighteenth-century Ireland which looks at the reader- As reported last month, the Society’s Director of topics covered by the conference were ‘Parliament and ship of the library and with a burgeoning print culture, Internet Services, Bartosz Kozlowski, MGSI Legislation’, ‘Enlightenment and Counter- it examines Dublin’s public sphere. C.D.A. Leighton Enlightenment’ and ‘Collectors and Collections’. As on Philip Skelton and the Irish origins of the British has uploaded a Members Only Area (MOA) to relatively little attention has been afforded to Ireland in Protestant Counter-Enlightenment; Ruth Whelan on the Society’s website. However, the Board has the ‘Enlightenment’ or indeed, to the wider history of memorials and martyrs in French Protestantism after yet to appoint a Moderator for the MOA and will Ireland in the eighteenth century with the notable the Revocation—the case of Louis de Maroles;; Philip do so at its meeting in June. exception of the period surrounding the Great Rebel- Benedict & Pierre-Olivier Léchot on the library of Therefore, the MOA will op- lion of 1798, this volume is a major contribution to Élie Bouhéreau; Toby Barnard on Bishop John erative by the end of June. The addressing this void. This is especially the case when Stearne's collection of books and manuscripts; Eliza- MOA will enable members to one can actually visit this wonderful institution and bethanne Boran on writing history in seventeenth- view its extensive and rare collections. Essays include century Ireland: Dudley Loftus' annals; Raymond assist each other with research Jack P. Greene on the expanding British world at the Gillespie on manuscript collectors in the age of Marsh problems and to exchange tips turn of the seventeenth century. This explores the which included many Gaelic manuscripts like Richard on sources etc. In the mean- transition from an ’English Empire’ of the late Tudor Plunkett’s Irish dictionary of 1662. Indeed, a catalogue time, Bartosz welcomes com- period to new a ’’ following the 1707 of 1697 included 670 Chinese, oriental and Latin ments and suggestions on the design, layout and Act of Union. W. N. Osborough on 6 Anne, chapter manuscripts in the Library. Archibald Elias on Rich- content of the website. Please contact Bartosz by 19: 'settling and preserving a publick library for ever'; ard Helsham, Jonathan Swift, and the library of John e-mail on [email protected]

AN UNEXPECTED BONUS items would have been used on ceremonial GUILD OF ONE-NAME STUDIES occasions between 2000 and 1900BC and that he considered them to be a very important When members of An Garda Síochána (Irish Michael Merrigan has resigned as Ireland Repre- discovery. Gardaí believe that these items were police) recovered goods stolen from a burglary sentative of the UK based Guild of One-Name part of a safe contents containing drugs, cos- in Strokestown, Co. Roscommon, in a house in Studies, however, he has also recommended a metics and antique jewellery stolen from a Dublin, they discovered two previously unre- possible successor. No doubt, the Guild will make pharmacy. When Gardaí recovered the artefacts corded gold artefacts in the form of a gold an announcement shortly in this regard. The they immediately contacted the National Mu- lunula and two gold sun discs. The lunula is a Guild is the only organisation wholly dedicated to seum of Ireland and two archaeologists from crescent shaped ornament this special aspect of genealogy. Guild members that body are now trying to trace the original of (like the example shown on research the origin, history, distribution etc of these artefacts as it unclear how they would up the right) worn around the particular surnames and their variants. Their in the safe. Under the National Monuments Act, neck or chest on ceremonial research encompasses all events concerning the any artefact discovered should be surrendered occasions and the National surname and not just following particular genea- to the State through the National Museum of Museum of Ireland believes logical links. Whilst, this type of research is quite Ireland and it is expected that in the case of that less than two hundred popular in England, it is less so in the Celtic these artefacts there will be no prosecution lunulae are known to have nations of the archipelago where surnames tend to under the Act and they will now be purchased been made by a small number of master crafts- be patronymics. Much work remains to be done by National Museum. For further information men. The two gold discs are similar in size to a on Irish surnames in particular and therefore, the on the collections at the National Museum see: small saucer. Director of the National Museum Guild is anxious to promote one-name studies in www.museum.ie James Scannell of Ireland, Dr. Patrick Wallace, said that the Ireland. Further info. www.one-name.org

New Publications on CD

The ever increasing costs of printing and postage both Dublin, Ireland – Vol. 1 includes the following just €15.00 including postage. Another new publica- here in Ireland and in Great Britain has forced many graveyards:- Barrington’s Burial Ground; Blackrock tion of immense assistance to those tracing ancestors family history societies to review their publication College; Dominican Convent, Dún Laoghaire; Old in the British forces in Ireland up to 1922 “Memorial policies and programmes. Some have exited the publi- Glencullen; Kiltiernan ; Lough- Inscriptions of Military Personnel and Their Fami- cation arena completed which is regrettable though, linstown; Old Connaught; Rathmichael (Old Church); lies” is now available at €10.00 including postage. It nevertheless completely understandable as costs St. Brigid’s Church of Ireland and Tully Graveyard. has been painstakingly researched by Barry O’Connor mount. Therefore, Board of this Society had some Vol. 2 is a special publication on the Friends Burial and his team. To obtain a copy of either publication hard decisions to make on our own publication pro- Ground, Temple Hill, Blackrock and Vol. 3 contains please send a cheque for the amount required (made gramme and it decided to make many of our publica- the following graveyards: Carmelite Monastery; Car- payable to the Society) to the address (Director of tions available on CD. Thanks to the hard work of rickbrennan Cemetery; Kill of the Grange Cemetery Finance) on the bottom of page 3 of this newsletter. Barry O’Connor and Liam Mac Alasdair, the Society’s and Sion Hill Cemetery. This CD is fully searchable For a full listing of the Society’s publications of me- first publication on CD was launched last month. This and easy to use. Normally these three volumes would morial inscriptions, including other military cemeter- new CD contains all three volumes of the Memorial cost €7.00 each plus postage, however, this new CD ies, please see the Society’s on-line shop on the web- Inscriptions of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown, Co. has been launched at a special introductory price of site www.familyhistory.ie/shop

Monthly Newsletter of the Genealogical Society of Ireland ISSN 1649-7937

VOL. 4. NO. 5 IRELAND’S GENEALOGICAL GAZETTE (INCORPORATING “THE GENIE GAZETTE”) PAGE 3

James Scannell Reports...

THE REMARKABLE CAPT. HALPIN also written a history of Arklow, one on the highly acclaimed plays in addition to prose and Fitzwilliam land clearances and more recently poetry. Shortly before his death in Dublin on 24 On Wednesday 22 April in celebration of the his NUI Maynooth local history studies M.A. March 1909, he got engaged to the actress theme ‘Heritage and Science’ as part of Interna- thesis on the fishing industry in Arklow has Máire O’Neill. Every year a Synge Summer tional Day for Monuments and Sites, the Heri- been published by the Press as part School is held in Rathdrum, Co.Wicklow, in his tage Office of Wicklow County Council of Maynooth series of local history publica- honour. (Heritage Officer Ms. Deirdre Burns) in asso- tions. ciation with ICOMOS hosted a lecture by noted VINEGAR HILL Arklow local historian and author Jim Rees on SYNGE CENTENARY ‘The Remarkable Captain Halpin’ in Tinakilly Concern was expressed at the April meeting of House, Rathnew, Co. Wicklow, which was his When John Millington Synge’s most famous Wexford County Council that an individual had residence in the 1890s. Captain Halpin was work ‘ The Playboy of the Western World’ was been granted planning permission to erect a noted for his navigation and mariner skills and first staged in Dublin’s Abbey Theatre in Au- large metal shed behind his house on the site of played a leading part in revolutionizing world gust 1907, the productions led to riots breaking the rebellion in 1798 at Vinegar Hill. Some communications in the 19th century by laying out in the theatre on the opening night and with Councillors consider the work to be nothing over 2000 miles of transatlantic telegraphic the passage of time is now regarded as a classic more than a desecration of a national heritage cable in 1865 which linked Europe and Amer- play. Synge was born on 16 April 1871 in Rath- site. At a meeting of Enniscorthy Town Council ica for the first time using the former passenger farmham, Co. Dublin, and after graduating from a number of Councillors could not understand liner ‘Great Eastern’ which had been converted Trinity College, Dublin, went to Europe and how officials at the Planning Department could into a cable laying ship. Although Captain was residing in Paris when he met William reach such a decision given that Vinegar Hill Halpin’s residence ‘Tinakilly House’ is now a Butler Yeats who encouraged him to return to had been identified as amongst seventy-five leading restaurant, a great deal of his family Ireland to write. When he returned to Ireland he heritage sites in Ireland as being of historical memorabilia is still on display. Jim Rees’s helped to establish the Irish National Theatre interest under a committee established by Mr. biography on the life and career of Captain Society which in turn later established The , T.D. in 2007 as Minister for the Halpin has run to four editions. Jim Rees had Abbey Theatre. Synge wrote several other Environment, Heritage & Local Government.

Précis of the April Lecture

On Tuesday April 14th 2009, Ms. Jennifer their European context. To date twenty atlases GSI LECTURE PROGRAMME Moore of the Royal Irish Academy gave an have been published including, Kildare, Car- illustrated talk on the Irish Historic Towns rickfergus, Bandon, Kells, Mullingar, Athlone, Tues. May 12 —Church of Ireland records in Atlas as a support for the family history re- Maynooth, Downpatrick, Bray, Kilkenny, Dub- the RCB library, Mr. Raymond Refausee, searcher. The RIA’s Irish Historic Towns Atlas lin, Belfast, Fethard, Trim, Derry/Londonderry, Librarian and Archivist, Representative Church project was established in 1981 with the aim to Dundalk, Armagh, New Ross and the latest Body Library (Church of Ireland). Tues. June record the topographical development of a Tuam published last month. Jennifer outlined 9— The Student Records of Dublin University. selection of Irish towns both large and small. the detail of the maps and in particular, those Alumni Office, TCD. Details on the Guest Each town is published separately as a fascicle features that would be of assistance to genealo- Speaker Programme for the remainder of the or folder and includes a series of maps comple- gists and local historians. Further details on the year will be published in the June issue of this mented by a detailed text section. The Irish Irish Historic Towns Atlas can be obtained by newsletter. However, in the meantime, should Historic Towns Atlas is part of a wider Europe visiting the RIA website www.ria.ie where you have any comments, suggestions or queries project with towns’ atlases containing broadly information on other publications and projects on the lecture programme please contact similar information available for a number of by the RIA may be of considerable interest to Séamus Moriarty, MGSI by e-mail on countries. Thus Irish towns can be studied in genealogists and local historians. [email protected]

Membership of the Genealogical Society

Membership fee renewals fall due in January Members’ prices of up to 50% off selected with similar organisations in Ireland. Another new each year. The Board of the Society at its No- publications. This also includes an optional feature introduced was the offer of one year free vember 2008 meeting conducted the normal second Membership Card for a household mem- membership to persons undertaking accredited annual review of the Membership Fee struc- ber, including voting rights, for an all inclu- genealogy courses on the condition that they ture and under Res: 08/11/632 the Board sive cost of just €40.00 per annum. Therefore, supply a suitable article for the Society’s journal. adopted the following equalised Membership despite tighter economic conditions, there was Also persons under twenty-five years can avail of Package for 2009:- Ireland & Overseas: Of- no increase in the Membership Fee this year. 50% reduction on the membership fee. Member- fering ordinary membership of the Society, Unlike many other similar organisations faced ship can be renewed on-line or, if you prefer, Membership Card, voting rights, use of the with the problem of rising costs of printing and simply download the form and forward it with Society’s Archive, monthly newsletter by mail, postage etc., the Board decided to keep publish- your remittance to the Society’s Director of Annual Journal by mail, and the right to pur- ing the Society’s journal but as an annual publi- Finance, Mr. Denis Ryan, MGSI , 6, St. Thomas chase the Society’s publications at Special cation only. The Membership Fee is now in line Mead, Mount Merrion, County Dublin, Ireland.

Monthly Newsletter of the Genealogical Society of Ireland ISSN 1649-7937

IRELAND’S GENEALOGICAL GAZETTE is published by the GSI Archive News Genealogical Society of Ireland 11, Desmond Avenue, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, Ireland Over the past few months, the Society’s Director of Archive Services, Séamus O’Reilly, MGSI, has successfully relocated the Society’s archival collections from the E-mail: [email protected] Martello Tower at Seapoint to the premises at 111, Lower George’s Street, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. In that time he has also organised the resumption of the cata- Charity Reference: CHY10672 loguing of the collections and indeed, he has formulated a scheme for the sorting and cataloguing of the Society’s extensive manuscript collections. Séamus aims to have the The Society is a Nominating Body for Seanad Éireann catalogue of the Society’s archival collections to be available in the Members’ Only Area of the Society’s website. Currently Séamus and his dedicated team of volunteers are computerising the collections of overseas journals and other publications which are JOIN ON-LINE received on a daily basis from all around the world. At the May meeting of the Board the General Secretary passed the Minute Books of the Society from 1990 to 2004 into @ the custody of the Director of Archive Services. Arrangements are being made for the www.familyhistory.ie/shop transfer to the Society’s Archive of the files of correspondence covering that period. These files, once sorted and catalogued, along with the Minute Books will provide an invaluable resource for the study of the history of the Society and indeed, the story of the development of Irish genealogy generally. Members wishing to assist with the sort- ing and cataloguing of the archival collections should contact Séamus O’Reilly directly DIARY DATES by e-mail on [email protected] or via the Gazette on [email protected] Tuesday May 12th & June 9th 2009 Evening Open Meeting FOUR COURTS PRESS Dún Laoghaire College of Further Education Cumberland Street, Dún Laoghaire Irish History, Genealogy, Local History and much more at.. 20.00hrs—22.00hrs www.fourcourtspress.ie

Wednesday May 27th & June 24th 2009 10% Reduction On-Line Morning Open Meeting Weir’s, Lower George’s Street, Dún Laoghaire FAMILY HISTORY MONTHLY Tracing Your Irish Ancestors 10.30hrs—12.30hrs by John Grenham FAMILY TREE MAGAZINE

Highly recommended by this Society Contribution €3.00 p.p. PRACTICAL FAMILY HISTORY for EVERYBODY researching Irish (Coffee/Tea included at Morning Meetings) family history at home or overseas. Back copies for 75 cent / pence + postage

Contact Pádraic on [email protected] www.gillmacmillan.ie

Permanent Memorial Sought GSI ANNUAL JOURNAL At the May meeting of the Board of Directors of the Society, Sharon Bofin, MGSI was appointed to the position of Director of Publi- cations. Sharon will therefore be the Editor of the Society’s Journal. The appointment was On Easter Monday (April 13th) the Dublin Irish Citizen Army (regarded as the made on an interim basis due to the resignation North Inner City Folklore Project organ- world’s first workers’ militia) the urged of Margaret Conroy MGSI who has held the ized a 1916 Commemoration Event which the public to get behind the campaign for position for the past number of years. Sharon began at Liberty Hall, Dublin. In the pres- the establishment of a permanent memo- has just completed the Annual Journal for 2008 ence of over two hundred people Tom rial to the women of 1916, pointing out and it will be despatched to members shortly. Moran of the Project revealed how Molly that only 13% of the members of the Dáil Articles are now sought for the next Journal. O’Reilly carried messages for James Con- were women some ninety-three years after Subjects could include family histories, biogra- nolly and was a dispatch carrier between the Rising. Calls were made for the pro- phies, military or social histories, resource Dublin City Hall and the General Post tection and preservation of the national information, heraldry or vexillology etc. The publication of your own family history is the Office (Rebellion HQ) on Easter Monday moment site Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street as best way to ensure that future generations will 1916. Her daughter Constance Corcoran flowers were laid outside No 16 which have the benefit of your research. It also allows Crowley said that there was no family was the last headquarters of the GPO gar- for the recording of family lore, special events history of political activity or association rison before the leaders took the decision and, where appropriate, family tragedies such a until her mother got involved. The raising to surrender. Although the site has been losses in war or natural disasters. Biographies of the flag by Mollie O’Reilly in 1916 was declared a national monument, preserva- of family members who may have contributed then reacted when James Connolly-Heron, tion campaigners believe that the Dublin to their community, country or field of endeav- James Connolly’s great grandson, handed City Council decision to grant planning our, should be published in order to record their stories. Black and white photographs or the flag to Susan Healy, a niece of Molly permission for a retail and commercial drawings are also most welcome. Ideally arti- O’Reilly, who climbed up a ladder to raise development around the site could cause cles for publication should be of between 1000 the flag. Then crowd then marched to the major damage to the building. Terry Fagan and 2500 words in length and must not have General Post Office (GPO) carrying a of the North Inner City Folklore Project been published elsewhere and, of course, they banner ‘Honoring all women in the strug- reminded participants that women such as must be original works by the author. There- gle for Irish freedom’ where wreaths were Mary Florence Fitzpatrick, Nurse Eliza- fore, the Board reserves the right to seek assur- laid in front of it and the Proclamation beth O’Farrell, Winnie Carney along with ances on the source, ownership and originality read by Aidan Ring, whose five uncles others had been airbrushed out of history of any article submitted. If you would like to took part in the Rising. Noirín Byrne, and yet played key roles in the Easter submit an article for publication, please do not hesitate to drop the Editor, Sharon Bofin on e- whose grandfather was a captain in the Rising. James Scannell mail [email protected]

Monthly Newsletter of the Genealogical Society of Ireland