Comments on: Irish Roots Genealogy Site - Another Disastrous Waste of Money? http://www.jamesgalvin.com/2008/03/12/irish-roots-genealogy-site-another-disastrous-waste-of-money/ In London there is a man who screams when the church bells ring. Fri, 16 May 2008 04:16:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: James Galvin » Blog Archive » FÁS Jobs Ireland - €1,700,000 Website http://www.jamesgalvin.com/2008/03/12/irish-roots-genealogy-site-another-disastrous-waste-of-money/#comment-52864 James Galvin » Blog Archive » FÁS Jobs Ireland - €1,700,000 Website Fri, 09 May 2008 17:55:18 +0000 http://www.jamesgalvin.com/2008/03/12/irish-roots-genealogy-site-another-disastrous-waste-of-money/#comment-52864 [...] there’s nothing we can do about it. I recently covered the black hole of funding known as Irish Roots, but it gets worse and [...] […] there’s nothing we can do about it. I recently covered the black hole of funding known as Irish Roots, but it gets worse and […]

]]> By: Tom White http://www.jamesgalvin.com/2008/03/12/irish-roots-genealogy-site-another-disastrous-waste-of-money/#comment-49627 Tom White Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:05:06 +0000 http://www.jamesgalvin.com/2008/03/12/irish-roots-genealogy-site-another-disastrous-waste-of-money/#comment-49627 First off I can't think how this will actually hurt tourism. High Euro and low dollar/Sterling will hurt tourism. As someone who would want to visit my forebears, I'd like to be able to view some records online first to ensure that I'm heading to the right place. So at long last we're getting the records online. Thanks to Canada Library, the 1901 and 1911 census's are coming online also. However. You're correct about the website... or should there be a h between the s and i in Website. I was using it at 10 Euro a records, 5 is still too much. The distribution of Irish names in 1800s is very tight so basically when one searches the information given is minimal and forces one to try a needle and haystack approach. Marriage records should return Parish, and other partners name at least. Birth/Baptism records should return Parish and Fathers name at least. Death Records should return Parish and age at least. Finally one should be able to peform a "super search". ie quite often its the case that one wishes to find information about siblings of great great grandparents. The ability to search for all children between a date range with Father x and mother y, and return all the records. OK perhaps this needs some thought as to pricing structure, but in the end it will be to benefit tourism.. If people feel a connection to a place they will come. The transcription of the records helps, the website obscures. First off I can’t think how this will actually hurt tourism. High Euro and low dollar/Sterling will hurt tourism. As someone who would want to visit my forebears, I’d like to be able to view some records online first to ensure that I’m heading to the right place. So at long last we’re getting the records online. Thanks to Canada Library, the 1901 and 1911 census’s are coming online also.
However.
You’re correct about the website… or should there be a h between the s and i in Website. I was using it at 10 Euro a records, 5 is still too much. The distribution of Irish names in 1800s is very tight so basically when one searches the information given is minimal and forces one to try a needle and haystack approach. Marriage records should return Parish, and other partners name at least. Birth/Baptism records should return Parish and Fathers name at least. Death Records should return Parish and age at least.
Finally one should be able to peform a “super search”. ie quite often its the case that one wishes to find information about siblings of great great grandparents. The ability to search for all children between a date range with Father x and mother y, and return all the records. OK perhaps this needs some thought as to pricing structure, but in the end it will be to benefit tourism.. If people feel a connection to a place they will come. The transcription of the records helps, the website obscures.

]]> By: Nancy http://www.jamesgalvin.com/2008/03/12/irish-roots-genealogy-site-another-disastrous-waste-of-money/#comment-49487 Nancy Mon, 14 Apr 2008 03:06:57 +0000 http://www.jamesgalvin.com/2008/03/12/irish-roots-genealogy-site-another-disastrous-waste-of-money/#comment-49487 I found your website because I was looking on the site for Donoughmore - because our family is trying to track our Irish family under "John Murphy" who left for American when he was just a toddler. We only just came accross Donoughmore - as a possible link to where he was born. So when I saw your "John Murphy".. I just had to say hello - because we were both searching the same name... If you have a Father Cornelius and Mother Mary and Brother Andrew to go with that John you were searching for.. let me know! It's amazing being on this side of the pond and wishing you knew where your "roots" were for sure... The best, I found your website because I was looking on the site for Donoughmore - because our family is trying to track our Irish family under “John Murphy” who left for American when he was just a toddler. We only just came accross Donoughmore - as a possible link to where he was born. So when I saw your “John Murphy”.. I just had to say hello - because we were both searching the same name… If you have a Father Cornelius and Mother Mary and Brother Andrew to go with that John you were searching for.. let me know! It’s amazing being on this side of the pond and wishing you knew where your “roots” were for sure…

The best,

]]> By: Launch of Irish Genealogical Website « Cork Genealogist http://www.jamesgalvin.com/2008/03/12/irish-roots-genealogy-site-another-disastrous-waste-of-money/#comment-47531 Launch of Irish Genealogical Website « Cork Genealogist Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:43:20 +0000 http://www.jamesgalvin.com/2008/03/12/irish-roots-genealogy-site-another-disastrous-waste-of-money/#comment-47531 [...] alsowww.jamesgalvin.com for [...] […] alsowww.jamesgalvin.com for […]

]]> By: Margaret Jordan http://www.jamesgalvin.com/2008/03/12/irish-roots-genealogy-site-another-disastrous-waste-of-money/#comment-47530 Margaret Jordan Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:36:06 +0000 http://www.jamesgalvin.com/2008/03/12/irish-roots-genealogy-site-another-disastrous-waste-of-money/#comment-47530 The reply to my email to the IFHF regarding ny question about the possibility of making the Kerry and Cork (excluding N. Cork) records available online was as follows: "At this time there are no plans as there is no functioning centre in Co. Kerry and in the case of the rest of Cork there is no IFHF centre doing those records. There is a centre in Cork City which is computerizing the records of the deaneries of Cork. Perhaps if we can generate some finances we will be in a position to do something about Cork and Kerry. Yours sincerely IFHF" The reply to my email to the IFHF regarding ny question about the possibility of making the Kerry and Cork (excluding N. Cork) records available online was as follows:

“At this time there are no plans as there is no functioning centre in Co.
Kerry and in the case of the rest of Cork there is no IFHF centre doing
those records. There is a centre in Cork City which is computerizing the
records of the deaneries of Cork.

Perhaps if we can generate some finances we will be in a position to do
something about Cork and Kerry.

Yours sincerely
IFHF”

]]> By: catherine Lynch http://www.jamesgalvin.com/2008/03/12/irish-roots-genealogy-site-another-disastrous-waste-of-money/#comment-47410 catherine Lynch Mon, 17 Mar 2008 19:26:12 +0000 http://www.jamesgalvin.com/2008/03/12/irish-roots-genealogy-site-another-disastrous-waste-of-money/#comment-47410 I agree with all the above messages. Hype over substance I'm afraid I agree with all the above messages. Hype over substance I’m afraid

]]> By: James http://www.jamesgalvin.com/2008/03/12/irish-roots-genealogy-site-another-disastrous-waste-of-money/#comment-47221 James Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:50:21 +0000 http://www.jamesgalvin.com/2008/03/12/irish-roots-genealogy-site-another-disastrous-waste-of-money/#comment-47221 Margaret, I agree with you in opposition to the point that deliberately keeping these records offline is a form of censorship and a bad idea. I think it is a good idea that the records are online, and regardless of how well or badly they approached this task, it is done now. 8 million records are sitting in a database on the internet. It is just disappointing that they didn't approach a professional web development firm to build a website that looks good and actually works. Kathryn, while I was harsh in my criticism, this is a new service so I wouldn't give up hope just yet. The potential is huge, and surely they'll be getting a lot of feedback like mine which will encourage them to make some key changes. Margaret, I agree with you in opposition to the point that deliberately keeping these records offline is a form of censorship and a bad idea. I think it is a good idea that the records are online, and regardless of how well or badly they approached this task, it is done now. 8 million records are sitting in a database on the internet. It is just disappointing that they didn’t approach a professional web development firm to build a website that looks good and actually works.

Kathryn, while I was harsh in my criticism, this is a new service so I wouldn’t give up hope just yet. The potential is huge, and surely they’ll be getting a lot of feedback like mine which will encourage them to make some key changes.

]]> By: Margaret Jordan http://www.jamesgalvin.com/2008/03/12/irish-roots-genealogy-site-another-disastrous-waste-of-money/#comment-47205 Margaret Jordan Fri, 14 Mar 2008 08:09:33 +0000 http://www.jamesgalvin.com/2008/03/12/irish-roots-genealogy-site-another-disastrous-waste-of-money/#comment-47205 I am a genealogy enthusiast and quite often dependent on church records for research. For over 10 years, I have been aware of the long slow process involved in making digitized Catholic church records available to the public. The lack of commitment to doing this, seems to be due to the churches not releasing their registers but FAS and the other bodies involved refused to move with the times and use the most modern techniques available. The argument that tourism is affected by making records online is a form of censorship. Does it aim to force people to fly to Ireland, call on various churches, libraries and other repositories, nearly all of which were not geared for this, nor did a lot of them want such visitors. So, we only wanted to help peopel who could afford to travel and who were fit and able to squint at old microfilm, trudge to various outlying parish churches in the hope of finding a welcome. Often old fashioned poor quality microfilm was the best a visitor could hope to find in our National Library or National Archives. Mind you without this microfilm, often done by the Mormons, Ireland would have provided little access to church records. The tourist often left with a bad experience of Ireland and went back to relying on genealogical message boards and help for other people researching Irish family history from a distance. I welcome the online records but I too have had problems with the clunky website. It feels like it was cobbled together in a rush. The cost of €5 (reduced rate for March) seems to step to me as you often have to search many records to find the one you want. €5 per 24 hours would seem more reasonable. Margaret Jordan I am a genealogy enthusiast and quite often dependent on church records for research. For over 10 years, I have been aware of the long slow process involved in making digitized Catholic church records available to the public. The lack of commitment to doing this, seems to be due to the churches not releasing their registers but FAS and the other bodies involved refused to move with the times and use the most modern techniques available. The argument that tourism is affected by making records online is a form of censorship. Does it aim to force people to fly to Ireland, call on various churches, libraries and other repositories, nearly all of which were not geared for this, nor did a lot of them want such visitors. So, we only wanted to help peopel who could afford to travel and who were fit and able to squint at old microfilm, trudge to various outlying parish churches in the hope of finding a welcome. Often old fashioned poor quality microfilm was the best a visitor could hope to find in our National Library or National Archives. Mind you without this microfilm, often done by the Mormons, Ireland would have provided little access to church records. The tourist often left with a bad experience of Ireland and went back to relying on genealogical message boards and help for other people researching Irish family history from a distance. I welcome the online records but I too have had problems with the clunky website. It feels like it was cobbled together in a rush. The cost of €5 (reduced rate for March) seems to step to me as you often have to search many records to find the one you want. €5 per 24 hours would seem more reasonable. Margaret Jordan

]]> By: Kathryn Callahan http://www.jamesgalvin.com/2008/03/12/irish-roots-genealogy-site-another-disastrous-waste-of-money/#comment-47189 Kathryn Callahan Fri, 14 Mar 2008 01:46:27 +0000 http://www.jamesgalvin.com/2008/03/12/irish-roots-genealogy-site-another-disastrous-waste-of-money/#comment-47189 For those of us on the U.S. side of the great pond, what Irish genealogy sites are among the best for researching our Irish ancestors? The project for uploading so many resources for those of us doing research online here seemed too good to be true and so, apparently, it is. Thanks. For those of us on the U.S. side of the great pond, what Irish genealogy sites are among the best for researching our Irish ancestors? The project for uploading so many resources for those of us doing research online here seemed too good to be true and so, apparently, it is.
Thanks.

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