Thank you Gail, great information! -----Original Message----- From: Bruce Roorda <b.roorda@msc.net> To: Post to Fianna List <FIANNA-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Tuesday, October 14, 1997 3:36 PM Subject: Searching in Tipperary >Dear Fellow Researchers; > >I am sending on account of a journey to Ireland that appeared on another >list(Genire). It is not often that I run across an account of someone who >has been doing Irish research "out in the field so to speak." I am >probably not going to Ireland next week (Big Grin), but I did think there >was a lot of information in this letter that is helpful to those of us who >are trying to search from a distance. The information specifically >concerns research in County Tipperary (someone wrote into the Genire list >and said that it was too bad we didn't have information like this from >every county). However, maybe this will inspire other list members who >have gone to Ireland to write in and tell about their experiences. I do >know that there are several Fianna members besides me whose ancestors come >from County Tipperary. > >"Heloo, All! > >I just wanted to check in and let you all know how the search went while >I was in the homeland. > >Spent a day or so at the National Library searching for ancestors from >Moycarkey Catholic parish in County Tipperary. Much thanks for the >advice from all who contributed! The unfortunate thing about the NL is >that they have rather limited resources in terms of people who can help >you. There was a single nun (her name escapes me, but under the >circumstances, she was a complete saint) who ran the desk in the reading >room and she could tell you where certain things were if you knew what >to ask for, but didn't have the time to get into any specifics on >individual searches. Some of the other helpers were a bit snippy... > >The most unfortunate outcome of that day was the realization that all >the records for the Diocese of Cashel and Emly in Co. Tipperary (which >constitutes about 2/3 of the county, in a big swath across the middle) >are unavailable for viewing at the NL. Darn. And there seemed to be some >doubt as to exactly who had which records. Bru Boru? Northern Tipperary >(in Nenagh)? Turns out the records are spread out between these two and >the Tipperary Heritage Unit in Tipperary town proper, but mostly in the >latter. There is a listing of just who has what at the NL, according to >parish. The Bru Boru mostly only has cemetary inscriptions for the >region (as they were read off the stones themselves, so it's a bit >sketchy and anything but complete). > >The search of the Tithe Applotments and Griffiths Evaluation records >were somewhat helpful, but I hadn't quite done my homework on what the >differences were between the civil and Catholic parishes. There is >Moycarkey Catholic parish, which is large, and Moycarkey civil parish, >which is small and contained within the catholic parish along with >Fertians, Galbooly, and a couple others. A word to the wise - make sure >you know whether the parish you're searching in is the religious or >civil. The Tithe Applotments and Griffiths Evaluation records are >according to civil parishes and the townlands therein. > >By far the most valuable experience I had was at the county library in >Thurles. If anyone wants my advice, skip the NL altogether and just go >there. The woman who works in the genealogical room there (her name is >Mary) was so incredibly helpful I'm thinking about submitting her name >for canonization. She helped me get my arms around the civil/catholic >thing and also how to really make effective use of the Tithe Applotments >and Griffiths and their respective indexes. Furthermore, they really >didn't have anything at the NL that wasn't at the county Library. What >they did have that wasn't at the NL was originals for the 1840 Ordinance >Survey Maps (the microfilms at the NL are terrible) plus the originals >for the Rate Books (similar to Griffiths in content, but covers years >from 1846 through 1899) for the area. Mary also helped me figure out >exactly who had the proper Church records for the area. > >My last stop was at the Tipperary Heritage Unit in Tipperary. They are >affiliated with a separate organization that the Family Heritage group >under which the Northern Tipperary and Bru Boru fall, so if you were >thinking that all the information for Co. Tipperary was in the latter >two, as their Internet sites would have you believe, you'd better give >them a call. The people there were nice enough but very young, so I >didn't exactly have confidence that they knew entirely what they were >doing, though they did their best. Unfortunately, the farther back you >get in the records, the more scanty they get, and there are significant >gaps. If you want my advice, when having them do a search, make sure >that they send you a Xerox copy of the entire set of listings for a >particular surname rather than just information on a single first name. >In some cases, there is information on townland of origin which can help >you make associations with other possible family members you may not >have been aware of. The cost to have them do a search was 15 pounds for >two parishes to 45 pounds for all 46 parishes in the diocese. Few >parishes have records going back farther than 1795, so you may find your >genealogical search coming to an abrupt end after this experience. > >I hope this little travelogue helps some people who are doing searches >in County Tipperary. There are probably some other things that I found >out but failed to mention, so if you want to e-mail me, please do so. > >Good Hunting! >Tim Gorman" > >