Hi Folks, Have been reading all the postings from everyone with great interest this past week. Thanks, Jane, for performing such a valuable service by educating all of us who don't live in Ireland and don't have ready access to the records. I greatly appreciate it. I envy you your set-dancing in Coolrain, I'd love to join you! I figured it was about time I put down some information on the Co. Laois ancestors I have. Maybe someone out there can connect to them. GG grandfather James WALSH, baptised in Aghaboe Parish in 1829, son of James WALSH and Judy FITZPATRICK. Married Anne MORTIMER, most likely after they both emigrated to the Troy, New York state area, around 1865. Anne MORTIMER was baptised in Camross in 1843, the daughter of Michael MORTIMER and Catherine PHELAN. I have been able to uncover quite a bit on the Co. Laois MORTIMERS, thanks to a visit to the Camross parish priest, Father Lalor, and also contact with some Mortimers living in the Killinure area. Would love to find out some more about the Walsh clan in the area. My gg grandfather James had 1 known brother, Martin, and 2 known sisters, Frances and Mary. Mary emigrated and also lived in Troy, NY. I have no idea what happened to the other two. When the four siblings mentioned above were baptised (mid 1820's-early 1830's), the family lived in the townland of Derrin. A trip to the Valuation Office in Dublin revealed that sometime after Griffith's was taken, in the early 1860's, a Judy Walsh was residing in the townland of Bockagh, along with a Michael Mortimer, certainly the father of Anne. Keep up the good work, everybody! Lisa Dougherty Castleton, NY USA