Trish I agree with you 1000%! If we could identify these parcels of origin to walk upon we would not be alone. How many in your family would make the exact same trek? I will answer for mine, MANY. As it is, they stay home, waiting for a place to go. My goal is to deliver that place within their lifetimes, that place they are so proud of but don't know. Too bad for those rural places in west Cork that we originate that could really use the business. In September, I will visit my German homeland for a bicycle tour because they make this information available and they are not afraid to share. My towns in Germany are very rural and still 1000 residents max. Some are as few as 10 houses. If Germany can do it, why can't the Irish? I have German Lutheran and Catholic. It is all available. My mother is a Buckley and the Bishop is a Buckley just to irk me some more. I have zero plans to go Ireland any time soon until I have an origin. John (Grumpy in Lake Placid) On Sun, Jun 14, 2009 at 12:00 PM, Patricia <[email protected]> wrote: > Patsy in New Zeland writes: "I have long argued that it would benefit > Irish tourism if those living overseas could access more readily the > information which might identify a location in Ireland for their ancestors > which they could then visit. Limerick City seems to agree." > > I don't mind paying for records, as long as the cost is reasonable, but > even the US government is now "gouging" people who would order records from > the National Archives. But at least the records are available without too > much "hassle". > > However, the point of my Irish search is to find the land upon which my > great-grandfather walked. I would be there in a "heartbeat" if I could only > locate it. I don't want to make claim to it...don't want anything other > than to walk it myself. But he was apparently from Western Cork...a place > with a large set of records, not even available for purchase, or searching, > unless you know exactly what you want. Now gosh, if I knew that...wouldn't > I be there myself? > > Trish Daly > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

My point exactly John, and it's not just the Bishops unfortunately. Last year I visited a Heritage Centre in person - this particular centre does not hold records of interest to me but I wanted to see how they operated. We saw the files of transcripts lining the bookshelves around the room and looked in one or two while waiting. When I asked about folks coming from around the world to search them, I was told that 'Oh no, they can't do that - we aren't set up for that'. This despite the numerous tables around the room as well as computers. On further asking what would happen when these folk did arrive we were told that they would either be given the 'search form' to fill in and leave for staff to research (cost about 65 Euro and you can do this online) or be sent down the road to the nearest computer cafe or library to do an 'online search' just as we already can from our own homes. If they found a likely entry and wished to view it they would pay of course - 5 Euro per view - having already funded their trip to Ireland from wherever. [Note that searching the microfilms of church records in the National Library or National Archives does not attract any fee at all. Also that the transcripts held by the Heritage Centres have been done largely using public money]. After this experience I found that the Ministry of Tourism also covers Cultural matters and here is an extract from their Arts and Culture Plan 2008 Church Records Computerisation Project It is clear that Ireland needs a comprehensive set of genealogical records on the Internet that can provide a motivation for potential overseas visitors, can enable people living in Ireland to carry out family and social research. It is with this in mind that the ongoing work on the Church Records Computerisation Project assumes a major importance from a tourism and cultural perspective. In time, this project will be coupled with the Census Digitization work of the National Archives to create an integrated database of social and genealogical history for Ireland. [end] So the powers that be are aware of the issue but there is no 'action' in the plan to go with this statement. I have written to the Department seeking an update on this matter and will post any response I receive. Regards, Patsy - New Zealand Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009 7:58 AM Subject: Re: Free availability of Irish Records > Trish > I agree with you 1000%! If we could identify these parcels of origin to > walk > upon we would not be alone. How many in your family would make the exact > same trek? I will answer for mine, MANY. As it is, they stay home, waiting > for a place to go. My goal is to deliver that place within their > lifetimes, > that place they are so proud of but don't know. Too bad for those rural > places in west Cork that we originate that could really use the business. > In September, I will visit my German homeland for a bicycle tour because > they make this information available and they are not afraid to share. My > towns in Germany are very rural and still 1000 residents max. Some are as > few as 10 houses. If Germany can do it, why can't the Irish? I have German > Lutheran and Catholic. It is all available. > My mother is a Buckley and the Bishop is a Buckley just to irk me some > more. > > I have zero plans to go Ireland any time soon until I have an origin. > John (Grumpy in Lake Placid) > >> Patsy in New Zealand writes: "I have long argued that it would benefit >> Irish tourism if those living overseas could access more readily the >> information which might identify a location in Ireland for their >> ancestors >> which they could then visit. Limerick City seems to agree."