Folks, For future reference, the way to get administrative approval for a possibly off-topic post (on this or any other list) is to write to the administrator (me, for CTI) in advance, privately, NOT to post something to the list saying "with the admin's permission" (which can easily be misinterpreted to mean said permission has already been given). For all lists, you can contact the administrator by writing to LISTNAME-admin@rootsweb.com -- in this case, that would be CoTyroneIreland-admin@rootsweb.com. (If anyone is still wondering, no, this post was NOT pre-approved by the administrator). Secondly, let's end this thread NOW. If you agree with Ulster Ancestry that 9 months is an inordinately long closure, and you are activist-minded, send the emails as requested by UA. If you don't care to get involved, or don't think 9 months is unreasonable, DON'T send the requested emails. In either case, let's stop the bickering on the list, NOW, and get back to the purpose of this list -- helping each other with our Co. Tyrone research. Claire K. CTI List Admin. On Sep 22, 2009, at 9:51 AM, Ulster Ancestry wrote: > The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland {PRONI} has just > announced that it will close all public access to the archives for > a period of 9 months from September 2010 to May 2011 to facilitate > a move across Belfast to new headquarters presently being built. > This means in effect that no genealogical research of any kind can > take place in Northern Ireland for almost 1 year. > This decision is outrageous. The closure time is totally > disappropriate to the work involved. Other Archives in London and > Dublin has moved with only minimal disruption to services. We in > Northern Ireland are launching a campaign to have this closure > stopped or curtailed. > With the administrator’s permission can I ask each list member to > send a letter of protest to both > The Minister of Culture Arts and Leisure, Nelson McCausland and > the head of PRONI Aileen McClintock, at the following e mail > addresses. > > Nelson McCausland MLA dcal@dcalni.gov.uk > > Aileen McClintock proni@dcalni.gov.uk > > If this closure is to be stopped we need not only local, but > Worldwide support. > > Many thanks > Robert Williams >