A Great weekend in store in Listowel..........why not check out BOMBSHELL BELLS on Sunday night

Neutral Shores : Ireland & the Battle of the Atlantic

A lecture by Mark McShane

FRIDAY MAY 3^RD at 8 PM

Venue : Seanchaí – Kerry Literary & Cultural Centre,

The Square, Listowel

Admission - €5.00

Neutral Shores :  Ireland and the Battle of the Atlantic, tells the largely untold story of how many merchant navy ships during the war were attacked and sunk, and their surviving crews left adrift on the hostile Atlantic Ocean in a desperate struggle for survival.

From September 1939 until the last days of the war in 1945 Ireland was host to a constant flow of casualties from the Battle of the Atlantic. Ireland’s unique location situated near the vital shipping lanes of the Western Approaches placed the country in the immediate conflict zone once the war at sea began.

For the fortunate ones sanctuary was found along Ireland’s rugged Atlantic shores, where the local people took these men from the sea into their homes and cared for them without any consideration of their nationality or allegiances to any of the belligerent nations.

The lecture will concentrate on the story behind World War II landings in Kerry.  During the second world war 260 survivors from 13 different ships sunk in the Atlantic were landed in Kerry.  Most of the landings went unreported due to strict wartime censorship. 

About the Author

Dundalk born Mark McShane’s debut Neutral Shores : Ireland and the Battle of the Atlantic,  was penned mainly at sea, where he was serving as chief officer on liquefied natural gas tankers managed by Shell for Nigeria LNG.  Mark qualified as a Merchant Navy office in 1994 and has been at sea for over twenty years.  He lives in Cork.

 Do check out this event!

ANZAC DAY ,APRIL 25TH........Records by Find my past.ie launches Anzac Memory Bank.

About Anzac Day

Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, held on the anniversary of the Gallipoli landing on the 25^th April each year. It is a day to honour those that sacrificed their lives, those that came home and all the families affected by wars all around the world. The Anzac Day Memory Bank provides a place for people to remember the sacrifices of these brave men and women.

Findmypast.ie launches the Anzac Memory Bank

Thousands of new Australian and New Zealand military records added to mark Anzac Day

With Anzac Day fast approaching, Australians and New Zealanders are preparing to reflect on the heroic efforts of their ancestors. To commemorate this important event, leading family history site, findmypast.ie has just launched its inaugural Findmypast Anzac Memory Bank and has also added thousands of new Australia and New Zealand military records to its World Collection.

The updated archives will make it easy for those with Australian and New Zealand ancestors to investigate their family’s past and learn more about their achievements and efforts during Australia’s and New Zealand’s international conflicts. Some of the new records available on findmypast.ie include:

·         Australasian Imperial Expeditionary Forces Roll of Honour – An index to the roll of honour of the soldiers and sailors of Australian Imperial Expeditionary Forces

·         New South Wales Roll of Honour – A comprehensive list of the names of service personnel extracted from honour rolls in schools, public halls, clubs and village war memorials across NSW

·         New Zealand War Medal Roll – An index of returns of Officers and Men of the Colonial Forces who made applications for the New Zealand War Medal for services before 1866

·         New Zealand Boer War Servicemen – A list of New Zealand servicemen who took part in the Boer Wars

The updated military records will be another essential tool for anyone currently using the Anzac Memory Bank available onfindmypast.ie. The Anzac Memory Bank is a commemorative archive, which contains heroic stories, exclusive photos, and expert information about Australian and New Zealand involvement in all wars and conflicts around the world. Users have shared their own personal and family stories, photos and diary entries so that others can learn what it was like to live through these times of turmoil.

Paul Nixon, military expert from findmypast, commented: “The updated military records and the online functionality of the Anzac Memory Bank make it easier than ever for those interested in Australian and New Zealand family history to commemorate the efforts of their bravest ancestors. The simplicity and ease of use make findmypast.ie a fantastic resource for finding out more about your military ancestors.”

Tara McMahon is one of countless Australian and New Zealand descendants who have discovered the phenomenal efforts of their ancestors with findmypast.ie. She said of her great uncle:

“Private Francis McMahon of the 10th Lighthorse Division was killed in action on the third wave at the Battle of Hill 60. Witnessing his death was one of Australia’s first Victoria Cross recipients, Lieutenant H.V Throssell. Through findmypast.ie I found a private letter from Lieutenant H.V Throssell to his commanding officer commending the efforts of my ancestor and three other men who took part in the battle. Lieutenant H.V Throssell spoke about my great uncle for years after the war as he toured Australia recalling the moments resulting in his Victoria Cross award.

“Were it not for findmypast.ie I would never have known of the exceptional bravery and passion that my great uncle displayed. It fills me with pride to know that one of Australia’s bravest men commends my ancestor for his bravery!”

In addition to the updated records on findmypast.ie, Inside History magazine are thrilled to announce a collaboration to produce an exclusive free digital magazine. The digital magazine will showcase new international historical records as well as providing intriguing case studies from around Australia. The free digital magazine is available on iPad by visiting the Anzac Memory Bank onfindmypast.ie.

With even more military records included in the findmypast.ie archives and a new digital magazine it’s easier than ever before for Australian and New Zealand descendants to uncover the lost history of their ancestors.

The new records are available on all of findmypast’s international sites as part of a World Subscription.

-ENDS-

About Anzac Day

Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, held on the anniversary of the Gallipoli landing on the 25^th April each year. It is a day to honour those that sacrificed their lives, those that came home and all the families affected by wars all around the world. The Anzac Day Memory Bank provides a place for people to remember the sacrifices of these brave men and women.

SUMMER SCHOOL IN UCC FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN GENEALOGY

   Ancestral Connections: Names, Places and Spaces

Irish Genealogy Summer School, University College Cork, June 30-July 6, 2013

The full programme can be downloaded at http://www.ucc.ie/en/ace-genealogy/

This genealogy summer school offers a complete course in the latest Irish genealogy research, as one would expect from a summer school held in UCC, one of the world’s leading universities. All aspects of the subject are covered by a series of presentations and ‘hands on’ workshops given by a selection of Ireland’s leading genealogical lecturers and experts. The latest online and offline sources are described and explained in presentations which will be of great interest to the seeker of Irish roots and family history, whether beginner or expert.

Thankfully, it is not all work. A number of trips are offered featuring sites and locations including Fota House, the Queenstown Experience in Cobh, and Spectacular Killarney with its beautiful mountains and lakes. Not forgetting, optional evening tours to sites of interest in Cork itself, ‘the Venice of Ireland’, Blarney Castle and the beautiful harbour town of Kinsale.

The Summer School Ancestral Connections will be completed by a one-day conference offered by the Cork Archaelogical & Historical Society; founded in 1891, the society is one of the oldest local interest societies in Ireland.

Rates – Residential/Non-Residential/Concession
Full residential: Accommodation, Full board at Victoria Lodge, tuition, fieldtrips, excursions and conference: €775.00
Non residential: €575.00 (We can supply a list of recommended providers on request

Concession - Residential - (Historical & cultural groups, students, Over 55's) non residential €658.75
Concession - Non Residential (Historical & cultural groups, students, Over 55's, retired) non residential €488.75

Day rates - €95.00
Day rates concession rate - € 80.75 (Historical & cultural groups, students, Over 55's)

Contact Details UCC:
Ancestral Connections Summer School Co-ordinator: Lorna Moloney at E: l.moloney@ucc.ie or 353-(0)85-8721184 or
Lindy Meldon, Executive Assistant. Programme Assistant T: 353 (0)21 4904700. E: l.meldon@ucc.ie

An evening with Paddy Waldron,a must for all interested in family history

NORTH KERRY REACHING OUT HERITAGE PROJECT

presents

"An Introduction to County Kerry Administrative Divisions And

Genealogical Records"

by Paddy Waldron

Wednesday, 10th April : 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm

The Seanchaí: Kerry Writers Museum, 24 The Square, Listowel, Co. Kerry

Learn all about townlands, electoral divisions, dispensary districts, poor law unions, civil parishes, ecclesiastical parishes, dioceses, baronies, counties and other administrative divisions;

how to find the boundaries of these divisions on maps; and how to work out under which division you will find birth, baptism, marriage, death, census, land and other records for your ancestors.

Members of North Kerry Reaching Out will be available to assist people with starting to build their family tree.

Paddy Waldron is Chairman of the Council of Irish Genealogical Organisations.  He is vice-chairman of Clare Roots Society and PRO of the Kilrush & District Historical Society.

ADMISSION - €5.00

2.5 MILLION CRIMINAL RECORDS TO BE PUBLISHED ONLINE FOR FIRST TIME FIND ANY VILLAINS OR VICTIMS LURKING IN YOUR FAMILY HISTORY

The biggest collection of historical criminal records from England and Wales is being published online for the first time by leading family history site www.findmypast.ie  in association with The UK National Archives.

Over 2.5 million records dating from 1770-1934 will be easily searchable and provide a wide variety of colour, detail and fascinating social history, chronicling the fate of criminals ranging from fraudsters, counterfeiters, thieves and murderers and their victims.

They contain mugshots, court documents, appeal letters, examples of early Edwardian ‘ASBOs’- where habitual drunks were banned from pubs and entertainment venues –and registers from the prison ‘hulk’ ships, which were used when mainland prisons were overcrowded. One such hulk, the ‘Dolphin’, housed 6,000 prisoners between 1829 and 1835.

There are details of Victorian serial killers including Amelia Dyer, who, between 1880 and 1896, is believed to have murdered 400 babies by strangling them with ribbon and dumping them in the Thames. She was hanged at Newgate Prison in 1896 aged 57.

Another particularly gruesome murderer who appears in the Crime, Prisons and Punishment records is Catherine Webster, who killed widow Julia Martha Thomas, 55. She pushed her down the stairs, then strangled her, chopped up her body and boiled it. Julia’s head was found in David Attenborough’s garden in 2010.

Cliona Weldon, General Manager at findmypast.ie, said: “These records provide anyone with roots in the UK an amazing chance to trace criminals and their victims in their family. They feature incredible descriptions of criminals’ appearances, demeanour and identifying marks, giving you a real insight to who each person was. The British newspaper articles also available on findmypast.ie show how the crimes were reported in the press of the day  -  which supplements the criminal records and makes searching through them as enjoyable as it is easy, as you cross-reference one against the other”

Paul Carter, Principle Modern Domestic records specialist at The UK National Archives added: “These records span several government series and show the evolution of the criminal justice system in the nineteenth century as the country dealt with the impact of industrialisation, urbanisation and population growth.

“They record the intimate details of hundreds of thousands of people, beginning with judges’ recommendations for or against pardons, to petitions through which criminals and their families could offer mitigating circumstances and grounds for mercy, and later, licences containing everything from previous convictions to the state of a prisoner’s health.

“As well as the Georgian highway robber, the Victorian murderer and the Edwardian thief, the courts often dealt with the rural poacher, the unemployed petty food thief or the early trade unionist or Chartist. The records are a fascinating source for family, local and social historians.”

The information in the records comes from a variety of UK Government departments including the Home Office, Prison Commission, Metropolitan Police, Central Criminal Court and the Admiralty. The records from 1817-1931 will be published first followed by the period 1770-1934 in the coming months.

The Crime, Prisons and Punishment records are available on findmypast.ie as part of a Britain & Ireland or a World subscription. They are also available online at findmypast.co.uk, findmypast.com and findmypast.com.au .

MARCH HAS BEEN DESIGNATED IRISH –AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

                                                    

American president Barack Obama has launched Irish-American Heritage Month for the whole month of March. People are encouraged to look at the rich history which both countries share and connect with family roots.

                                              

(an extract from Obamas speech) 

“For more than two centuries, America has been made and remade by striving, hopeful immigrants looking for a chance to pursue their dreams,” the President said.

“Millions among them were born in Ireland, separated from our shores but united by their belief in a better day. This month, we celebrate the Irish-American journey, and we reflect on the ways a nation so small has inspired so much in another.

“Generations of Irish left the land of their forebears to cast their fortunes with a young Republic.  Escaping the blight of famine or the burden of circumstance, many found hardship even here.  They endured prejudice and stinging ridicule. But through it all, these new citizens never gave up on one of our oldest ideas: that anyone from anywhere can write the next great chapter in the American story. So they raised families and built communities, earned a living and sent their kids to school.

“In time, what it meant to be Irish helped define what it means to be American. And as they did their part to make this country stronger, Irish Americans shared in its success, retaining the best of their heritage and passing it down to their children. That familiar story has been lived and cherished by Americans from all backgrounds, and it reaffirms our identity as a Nation of immigrants from all around the world. 

“So as we celebrate Irish-American Heritage Month, let us retell those stories of sweat and striving.  And as two nations united by people and principle, may America and Ireland always continue to move forward together in common purpose.” 

Read more: http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/President-Obama-officially-launches-Irish-American-Heritage-Month-2013-194179461.html#ixzz2MZQ1B9WW 

Fancy a Traditional Night Out ;Week of Welcomes 2013

North kerry Reaching Out are holding their first Traditional Music Night of the Year on this Friday Night 22^nd February in Tankers Bar, upper William Street from 9.30.

Admission Free, we welcome all musicians & sings to take part, a great night assured.

WEEK OF WELCOMES 2013

This is the call going out from North Kerry Reaching Out; Heritage project (NKRO) to the Irish Diaspora worldwide for its Week of Welcomes Festival in conjunction with The Gathering which will take place from 2^nd-8^th August 2013.

‘Our Week of Welcomes is an absolutely unique, personal and intimate experience; We will meet & greet you; take you deep into North Kerry, its parishes & town lands; with stops at must see places as well as those that are off the beaten track; we will entertain you with history, stories, music and lively discussions, while also walking in the footsteps of your ancestors, who we will research in advance of your arrival free of charge’ said Ger, NKRO Chairman.

Programme of events is being printed at the moment; package price for all events for the week is * 199euro (this includes airport transfers if required, coach transfer to & from all venues, admission to all events & light refreshments for the day tours).Accommodation is not included but we can help you organise that locally.

Festival events are available in a few ways; a full week package or a special week rate for those who fancy a ‘staycation’ or individually priced events (which will require pre booking to avoid disappointment) for those who would just like a taste of North Kerry. We will cater for everybody’s needs; please do feel free to contact us to discuss them.

Email; northkerryreachingout@gmail.com