It is indeed a pleasant and long awaited victory for those who have roots in Cashel & Emly Diocese (as well as Cloyne & Kerry), as well as those who help with the searches; but I haven't seen anything that said the Archbishop was lining his pockets. Carmen-Pittsburgh ----- Original Message ----- From: "donkelly" <ocollaugh@comcast.net> To: <cotipperary@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 2:17 PM Subject: Re: [COTIPPERARY] Archbishop Defeated > Yes, it appears we can put past animosities toward the Archbishop aside. > But I still think it was terrible for him to line his own pockets to begin > with. It had earmarks of a hostage situation, pay me or else. > > Off of the opinion poll. > > -- > don kelly > > -------------- Original message ---------------------- > From: "Richard Callanan" <richard@callanan.demon.co.uk> >> >> Everyone on the list will get great satisfaction from the news below. It >> has >> been a long battle and the list archives will show the previous >> correspondence that I believe played some part in developing the >> groundswell >> that has finally brought results. The Archbishop may still contest the >> National Library's decision in the courts but I am confident that he will >> lose. I am sure we can now put behind us this relic of authoritarianism, >> obstinacy and complacency. And I am changing my holiday travel plans! >> >> Richard Callanan >> London. >> >> ********************************************* >> ********************************************* >> >> Press Release from the Association of Professional Genealogists in >> Ireland. >> >> National Library allows public access to Roman Catholic parish registers >> for >> Cashel & Emly, Cloyne and Kerry. >> >> The Association of Professional Genealogists in Ireland (APGI) welcomes >> today's [27 may 2008] announcement from the National Library of Ireland >> that >> they are once again to allow public access to their microfilm copies of >> Roman Catholic parish registers from the dioceses of Cashel & Emly, >> Cloyne >> and Kerry. >> >> >> >> At APGI's annual general meeting last December the matter of restricted >> access and, in the case of Cashel & Emly, total closure of these >> historical >> records was raised. A resolution was passed calling on the National >> Library >> to immediately lift all such restrictions in accordance with a legal >> opinion >> given as long ago as 1994, when the matter was the subject of an article >> in >> Irish Roots magazine (1994, Number 2, pp.23-24). >> >> >> >> The National Library's collection of microfilms covers the surviving >> pre-1881 baptismal and marriage records of almost all Roman Catholic >> parishes throughout Ireland. These records are fundamental to >> genealogical >> research for most people of Irish descent. The registers were microfilmed >> in >> the 1950s and 1960s. As they then included records of living people, they >> were made available only with the written permission of the relevant >> parish >> priest. In the 1980s, through the intervention of the then Chief Herald >> of >> Ireland, Mr. Donal Begley, this requirement was lifted by the relevant >> bishops for most dioceses, including Cashel & Emly. Having unrestricted >> access to these records revolutionised research for the thousands of >> tourists who visited Ireland each year but who had had limited time for >> family history research. >> >> >> >> In 1991 the new Archbishop of Cashel & Emly, Dr. Dermot Clifford, claimed >> copyright in the manuscript parish registers and stated that he was >> giving >> the Tipperary Heritage Unit (now known as Tipperary Family History >> Research, >> and based in Tipperary town) exclusive rights to provide and market >> information from them. The holders of microfilm copies of the registers, >> primarily the National Library and the Church of Jesus Christ of >> Latter-Day >> Saints (Mormon Church), were informed to withdraw the films from public >> access. In 1992 the National Library did so. For the past sixteen years >> no >> one has been allowed to view the microfilms from Cashel & Emly. >> >> >> >> In 1994 the National Library was supplied with a legal opinion by >> Muireann O >> Briain, S.C., which dismissed the notion of copyright in a manuscript >> which >> were created for the purpose of maintaining records and which was not >> 'the >> work of one person or of joint authorship'. Ms. O Briain further stated >> that >> even if copyright were upheld anyone using microfilm copies of the >> registers >> for research purposes would not be infringing any such copyright. It is >> believed that the National Library subsequently commissioned further >> legal >> opinions which did not differ materially from Ms. O Briain's, but it is >> only >> now that the microfilms are being reopened. >> >> >> >> The reopening of Cashel & Emly records is of major importance to those >> trying to trace their ancestry in an area covering almost half of Co. >> Tipperary as well as a large part of East Limerick. No longer will those >> seeking their heritage have to be denied access to church registers at >> Ireland's National Library. > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > COTIPPERARY-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >