1 December 2005
Eileen O’Byrne, one of Ireland’s most distinguished genealogists, was honoured in 2005 with two fellowships. In September she was informed that she had been elected a Fellow of the Irish Genealogical Research Society. Then, on 1 December at the annual lunch, it was announced that Mrs. O’Byrne had become the second recipient of APGI’s Fellowship.
Eileen’s early career was in the legal profession. She was called to the Bar in the 1940s. After marrying and raising five children she was introduced to genealogy in the 1960s by her good friend Eilish Ellis. Her legal training and her keen, logical brain made her ideally suited to genealogical research. Her most important publication was the Convert Rolls (1981), which she edited for the Irish Manuscripts Commission, and she was a contributor to Irish Genealogy: A Record Finder (1981), a landmark book on Irish family history. However, as she devoted her time mainly to research for individual clients, her published work was a comparatively small part of her prolific output.
As well as being an expert on Irish genealogical records and an excellent researcher, Eileen O’Byrne is known for her generosity and encouragement towards people new to the field. And all the while her self-effacing nature would fool those unfamiliar with her life’s work into thinking that she knows a little about the subject. While Mrs. O’Byrne no longer takes commissions, she is still a member of the panel of consultants that provides the Genealogy Advisory Services at the National Archives and the National Library. Her colleagues hope that she will long remain on that panel. Eileen’s two 2005 awards are long overdue recognition of her valuable contribution to the development of Irish genealogy. In becoming a Fellow of APGI she joins Eilish Ellis in an exclusive club reserved for the very best.
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1 December 2005
The following council was elected at the APGI AGM held on 1 December 2005.
Officers:
President: Pamela Bradley
Vice-President: Paul Gorry
Hon. Secretary: Robert C Davison
Hon. Treasurer: Joan Sharkey
Council:
Henry McDowell, Helen Kelly, Eileen Ó Dúill, Steven Smyrl, John Grenham and Rosaleen Underwood.
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1 December 2005
Hilda McGauley now a member of APGI.
We welcome new member Hilda McGauley, Palmerstown, Dublin. Hilda will be well known to many in genealogical circles.
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Saturday 8 October 2005 & 12 November 2005
Three APGI members will be speaking at the Irish Family History Society’s Autumn programme of lectures which take place in the Dublin City Library & Archive, Pearse St,, Dublin 2. On Saturday 8 October Mary Beglan will speak on “More Irish Genealogy on the Internet” & Pat Moorhead will give a talk on “A case study of a Dublin family with Cork ancestors’. On Saturday 12 November John Grenham, Genealogist-in-Residence at Dublin City Library & Archive will talk on “Developments at the Dublin City Library & Archive”. Full details are available on the IFHS web site http://homepage.eircom.net/~ifhs/
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Tuesday 18 October 2005 2pm
APGI member Helen Kelly will be giving a lecture on Irish Records for Irish Family History.
Venue: FAMILY RECORDS CENTRE
Myddelton Street,
London
EC1R 1UW
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Thursday 22 September 2005
Open Day, Belfast.
APGI is holding an Open Day for genealogists based in Northern Ireland which will provide an opportunity to meet members of APGI. Topics to be discussed will include; historical background to the formation of APGI; various services provided including national representation of genealogical interests; APGI membership application process; standards and ethics etc. It will take place Thursday, 22 September 2005 at the Conference Room in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, 66 Balmoral Avenue, Belfast from 2.30pm to 5.30pm.
Booking is essential and if you are interested in attending please contact us by email at apgi@dublin.com by Friday 15 September 2005
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8 September 2005
Eileen O’Byrne, Máire Mac Conghail and Paul Gorry elected Fellows of the Irish Genealogical Research Society.
Three APGI members, Eileen O’Byrne, Máire Mac Conghail and Paul Gorry, have been elected Fellows of the Irish Genealogical Research Society (IGRS).
Eileen O’Byrne began research for the Genealogical Office in the 1960s and she has been at the vanguard ever since. She was a founder member of and served as its second President. Eileen has long been esteemed as an excellent genealogist with a keen instinct and a comprehensive understanding of sources and context. She is acknowledged by all who know her as a ‘rock of sense’. She has always been helpful and encouraging to people new to the field and she has generously imparted knowledge to very many of her younger colleagues. Most importantly, perhaps, she has taught us by example to strive for the upholding of standards of excellence.
Máire Mac Conghail has been associated with genealogy since she joined the freelance research panel of the Genealogical Office as a student in her late teens. After her marriage she took an extended break from ancestral research while she extended her family tree. Returning to the field more or less full-timein the 1980s Máire became an active member of and the IGRS (Ireland Branch). Having served as Chairman of the latter, she was appointed to the IGRS Council. She has also chaired the Council of Irish Genealogical Organisations (CIGO). Máire is currently on the Irish Manuscripts Commission, the National Archives Advisory Council, the Board of the National Library and the board of IGL. With her colleague Paul Gorry, she is joint author of the HarperCollins guidebook Tracing Irish Ancestors (1997). Like Eileen, she maintains the traditions of the Genealogical Office and encourages new genealogical researchers to develop their skills.
Paul Gorry has worked as a professional genealogist all his adult life. He was a founder member of and served at its first long-term Hon. Secretary. He has also served various terms as a member of its ouncil and is currently the Association’s Vice-President. The Irish Genealogical Congress (IGC), which was first held in 1991, was Paul’s brainchild and would never have happened without his drive and determination. Three further Congresses were held, in 1994, 1997, and finally in 2001. With fellow member Máire Mac Conghail, he is joint author of HarperCollins guidebook Tracing Your Irish Ancestors (1997), a publication which stands head and shoulders above many of its rivals in the field. He is well known as a lecturer in Irish genealogy and frequently answers readers’ queries through the Questions & Answers page of Ireland’s only magazine dedicated to genealogy, Irish Roots.
The IGRS was founded in 1936. It is the oldest and most renowned membership organisation in the field of Irish genealogy. Eileen, Máire and Paul join two APGI members, Henry McDowell and Eilish Ellis, among the Fellows of the IGRS, while our deceased member, Eric McAuliffe, was also among those so honoured.
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3 August 2005
APGI member John Grenham appointed Genealogist-in-Residence at Dublin City Library and Archive.
APGI member John Grenham has been appointed Genealogist-in-Residence at Dublin City Library and Archive, Pearse St., Dublin, for a six months period, to the end of January 2006. This appointment was made under the INTERREG Celtic Tri programme set up to promote the shared culture and documentary heritage of Wales, Waterford and Dublin. This project has been funded by the European Union under the INTERREG 111A programme.
During this period John will be offering consultation and advice on family history to members of the public as well as a number of public lectures. He will also be involved in the digitisation of the Dublin city voters’ lists.
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1 August 2005
The Family Tree series on RTE Radio 1.
The Family Tree returned to the airwaves at 8 p.m. on Wednesday 27 July for a six week run on RTE Radio 1. The series was first produced in the 1990s, when it reflected the growing interest in genealogy within Ireland. Teri Garvey continues her association with The Family Tree as presenter, while Peter Mooney is the producer. Giving advice on the first programme of the new series were APGI’s Máire Mac Conghail and Paul Gorry, and they will be on this week also. Other APGI members who will be featured are Steven ffeary-Smyrl, Eileen Ó Dúill, Helen Kelly and John Grenham.
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18 May 2005
Rosaleen Underwood now a member of APGI.
We welcome new member Rosaleen Underwood, Ballyboden, Dublin. Rosaleen will be well known to many in genealogical circles. Rosaleen will also be coming involved in the Genealogy Advisory Services in the National Library and National Archives.
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1 June to 4 June 2005
APGI member Eileen Ó Dúill cgrs, cgl will be lecturing at the National Genealogical Society Conference in the States in Nashville, Tennessee from 1 June to 4 June 2005.
Her subjects will be:
Introduction to Irish Genealogy: Where Do I start?
Dublin 30 June 1922: Did everything Blow Up?
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16 April 2005
APGI’s Awareness day, – Is it for you?
APGI hosted an awareness day, – Is it for you? on Saturday 16 April 2005 in the Dublin City Library & Archive, Pearse St., Dublin 2, Feedback from those attending the day was that it was most informative and interesting. It is planned to hold another awareness day later in the year in Northern Ireland, probably in Belfast.
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Tuesday 22 March 2005 2pm
APGI member Helen Kelly will be giving a lecture on Irish Records for Irish Family History.
Venue: FAMILY RECORDS CENTRE
Myddelton Street,
London
EC1R 1UW