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 (Labour Party) 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- Bill, 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 Senate) 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 Cathaoirleach (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 House of Lords 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 Dublin’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 ’British Empire’ 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.