This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: mmcusack Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.crystal/30.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Hello, my name is Paula from the parish of Fohenagh in Co. Galway. It borders the parish of Ahascragh. I am part of a local community group, Ireland Reaching Out, searching for people of Irish heritage abroad with a connection to our parish. My reason for writing is to make you aware that we are very interested to learn more about you as someone who is a descendant of someone from our parish. We would like to tell you more about ourselves, and the place where your people come from, and to extend to you an invitation to become part of our extended "virtual" global community. Although we are a small rural Irish community based in the West of Ireland, it is our hope to connect online longer term, the entire Diaspora of our parish worldwide. Indeed, most of us are related by blood. If you have ever been interested in your Irish genealogy, we would be delighted to offer you our help in tracing your own roots at a local parish level here in Ireland. You may also be interested in an initiative which we piloted in Galway last summer called our "Week of Welcomes" where we welcomed back to Ireland people like you whose people first emigrated from here. From 24th-30th June 2012, the parish community of Fohenagh will be part of a Week of Welcomes festival. Activities will include visits to ancestral townlands, talks on local history and tours/leisure activities in the local South East Galway area. Throughout this week, participants will be welcomed to the parish, re-introducing them to their communities and place of origin. As a nominated Week of Welcomes co-ordinator, I have been asked on behalf of the people of the parish of Fohenagh to invite you and members of your family to this exciting event. We hope our invitation is of interest and that you will want to learn much more. We look forward to hearing from you. To sign up for your parish, register here: http://irelandxo.com/user/register and/or register your interst for the Week of Welcomes here:http://www.irelandxo.com/wow/2012 Best wishes Paula email: [email protected] Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.