CIGO is not the Irish federation as suggested by Paul Gorry - it is however, a forum for constituent member organisations from which delegated representative functions may be performed by its Officers. On this I speak with some authority as I am the author of the CIGO Constitution adopted on the 9th July 1994 in the Royal Marine Hotel in Dún Laoghaire. Indeed, during all negotiations to set up the organisation (CIGO) in 1994 the point that it was NOT a federation was foremost in the submissions by a number of delegates, some suggested that the CIGO Constitution went too far in that direction and, therefore, never participated. However, I too share Mr. Gorry's wish for the success of the 25th Congress and hope that all can support the promotion of same at every opportunity between now and September 2002 -and of course, not forgetting the 2001-A Genealogical Odyssey next September too. M. Merrigan Hon. Secretary, GSI -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------- Genealogical Society of Ireland E-mail: GenSocIreland@iol.ie Website: http://welcome.to/GenealogyIreland Paul Gorry <gorry@indigo.ie> wrote in message news:hZmQ5.15833$Bw1.9144@news.indigo.ie... > > I share the GSI's enthusiasm about the XXV International Congress of > Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences being held in Dublin in September 2002 > (16-21 September; exactly a year after the 4th Irish Genealogical Congress, > also in Dublin). Indeed, great credit is due to Deputy Chief Herald, for > promoting the idea and to the Chief Herald for obtaining the backing of the > Department of Heritage, etc.. > > I note that the GSI's article on the 2002 event suggests that no federation > exists in Ireland comparable to the the French Genealogical Federation. It > somehow slipped the author's mind that the Irish federation, the Council of > Irish Genealogical Organisations (CIGO), has been in existence since 1994. > In fact, its first Chairman back in 1994 was Michael Merrigan of the Dun > Laoghaire Genealogical Society (the GSI's parent organisation). I had the > privilege of being its second Chairman and I'm happy to say that it has > flourished since those early days, especially over the last twelve months. > > Anyway, I'm sure that all the organisations represented by CIGO, as well as > the GSI, will row in behind the Genealogical Office in its staging of the > XXV International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences in two > years time. > > Paul Gorry > > >