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.