Hi all, Here's an article that was in this week's Clare Champion. I thought it might be of interest. (no author noted) A Genealogical Wealth of Information The provision of a proper information board chronicling the inscriptions of deceased families in old graveyards throughout South-East Clare, could provide a tourism spin-off for local communities. That's according to an Ardnacrusha based local genealogist who has spent the last few years logging the names and details of deceased families from headstones in cemeteries, most of which have been in Meelick and Parteen. Michael McNamara recently met an Australian couple outisde a graveyard in Limerick who learnt their ancestors left Ireland to go to Australia after they had completed a family history. Tracing Irish ancestry has generated huge interest in the U.S. and Australia and Michael believes that this tourism potential could be tapped if relatives found it easier to trace their roots in Ireland. He told the Clare Champion that information displays and an appropriate plaque could be provided in old graveyards, which would prove to be a huge attraction for tourists and visitors who were keen to establish if their family name was mentioned on any headstone. "It would be great if a plaque or information board with inscriptions of deceased families was provided by the council for tourists and people trying to complete their family history. It can be hard to see some of the names which have faded over time and a lot can depend on the way the sun hits an inscription at a particular angle," he said. Over the last few years, he has logged inscriptions in a number of cemeteries including Truagh, Doonass; Kilquane; Meelick Catholic Church Grounds, Church of Ireland, Punchbowl, Meelick and the hill graveyard in Ogonneloe. Battling with undergrowth, briars and other obstacles, he completes this time consuming task during his spare time and subsequently publishes the results in the Slieve Aughty Journal, which is available from the East Clare Heritage Centre, Tuamgraney. He is currently logging the headstones of the old and new graveyard at Craughaun Cratloe, which includes the ruins of an old church and burial chamber in the older section. Members of the BLOOD family, who were well known landlords in Cratloe, were buried in the graveyard. Mr. McNamara's diligent recording work has been welcomed by local historian, Donal O'Riain, who also agreed that a permanent structure with inscriptions of deceased families would be extremely useful for people trying to trace their ancestry. All the best Jennifer ----------------------------------------------------------------- Find the home of your dreams with eircom net property Sign up for email alerts now http://www.eircom.net/propertyalerts