Hello, I belong to several Lists for Ireland because of my ancestors. Last month on one List someone reminded people that it was the anniversary of "The Big Wind" in Ireland. I'm taking this from an old posting on the Ireland List: The Night of the Big Wind is the name given to the night of January 6/7, 1839. It has been well researched and documented, and is the subject of a couple of books. http://pwaldron.bess.tcd.ie/roots/gaothmor.htm The Roman Catholic Church of Killedan Parish, located in Kiltimagh town, was badly damaged during The Big Wind, 6 Jan 1839. Four windows were blown in and destroyed. A large portion of the roof on the western side was blown off and the damage was estimated at £100 - far beyond the means of its impoverished parishioners. http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/IRELAND/2001-01/0978799999 What was mentioned this month was there is an "historical novel" which is based on that. It is called "The Big Wind." Surprisingly, I was able to borrow it from my library yesterday. On the back cover it says: "The Ireland of 1840-1870 that Beatrice Coogan unveils in her .. novel is an Ireland that would be inconceivable to most Irishmen ... today. Then, ruthless landlords could throw the sick, the aged, the dying out of their homes; hundreds of thousands .. were allowed to die of hunger; a man could be sentenced to 20 yrs. of hard labour for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his children. ......." Just offering this as an FYI for researchers who had an ancestor in Ireland in the mid-1800's. My KERR / HENDERSON ancestors left Ireland in the 1820's, so they missed it. But no one has been able to find out about the relatives they left in Ireland, so they might have had relatives who experienced "The Big Wind" ~15 yrs. after they left. Betty (near Lowell, MA, USA) Remember to check the archives of all the Lists and Boards for your surnames and place-names. And, please remember to check the on-line auctions for for your surnames and place-names.