Marie wrote: <snip> Whilst I cannot disagree that there is no substitute for visiting local record offices and archives in pursuit of tracing our ancestors, it is a great leap of faith to believe that we will find such information in any book. Yes, there are a number of excellent guides available, telling us how to set about our research, but none that tell us when our ancestors were born, married and died; where they lived and went to school, or what occupations they had. <snip> Paul's response: I didn't make myself clear if that's what you read from my posting. I meant that reading a book will give you the knowledge to use the records which will provide the answers about your ancestors' dates of birth, marriage and death, etc.. Marie wrote: <snip> Many of us, for various reasons, are unable to travel to Ireland and do the rounds of National and Local archives in pursuit of such information and very few of us could afford the prices charged by "professional" genealogists to do the work for us.<snip> Paul's response: Many finding aids and some actual records from Ireland are available through outlets worldwide, principally through the LDS (Mormon) Church, but also through organisations such as the Society of Australian Genealogists. I presume the use of quotation marks about the word 'professional' is meant to make it disparaging towards me and my colleagues in the profession. Perhaps you should investigate 'prices charged' before you assume that most people on the list cannot afford them. Marie wrote: <snip> Projects like Free BMD, Free Cen, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website and numerous other sites, some of which charge a nominal fee, are invaluable to us. <snip> Paul's response: I couldn't agree more. Marie wrote: <snip> I'd dearly love to see all the parish records fully digitised and made available to the general public.<snip> Paul's response: So would I. For research purposes, digitised images of parish registers are the same as the originals, so you wouldn't be dealing with a mere index or research tool but an actual record. Marie wrote: <snip> A great deal of criticism is hurled at the internet and its users but, in the area of genealogy, it has opened the doors to a wealth of knowledge that many of us would otherwise have missed, not least of all in appreciating our ancestors, their lives, struggles, hardships and sacrifices in order that we may enjoy the lives we do today.<snip> Paul's response: My point is that while the internet opens the doors to a wealth of knowledge it also lets in a lot of misinformation that contaminated that knowledge. People who are just starting to research their family history should not expose themselves to that contamination till they know what they're dealing with. Genealogy is a serious study which is also a hobby, and people for whom it's a hobby contribute to it in compiling pedigrees that others will use in the future. Genealogy is in a more or less unique position in this regard. That's why we need to be very careful about how people new to the subject use information. As someone who loves genealogy I don't want to see it contaminated with misinformation for future generations. A quarter of a century ago genealogy had little respect from academic historians. I can see it going back to that position if genealogists don't do something to stop the circulation of misinformation on the internet. Whether people like Marie recognise it, the internet is spreading misinformation almost as fast as it spreads knowledge. Marie wrote: <snip> In response to Paul's contribution then, all I can say is that there is room for all types of research, including the internet, and no one should feel less "worthy" for having used this wonderful tool to gather whatever information they can upon their ancestors.<snip> Paul's response: I hope others didn't think I was suggesting they were wrong to use the internet for research. What I hope is that people will use actual records and seek advise elsewhere as well as using the internet, so that they can distinguish between factual records and second-hand information.

At the risk here of getting a little flack from those who would like to see these books digitised and placed on the net, I also think that would be great, so before you read on, please be aware that my feelings are the same as everyone elses. But I now draw a point on digitised images of some parish records They would be, impossible to read, having had my hands on several of Wicklows RC and Church of Ireland records, I can now see why the LDS opted to do Church of Ireland for imaging and transcriptions more so than RC. Church of Ireland were easier to read. Roman Catholic Registers Some of these registers as you all know, who have taken the time to spin a reel will see that they are written in every available space, as I guess ink and paper was a valuable comodity. But the hand writing varies from page to page, so therefore transcritions must vary on these free sites also as well as paid sites, as well as by those who are professional researchers. Also for these parish registers to ever become digitised, you will have to cross the boundaries of red tape, enforced by the churches, particularly the RC...................Now before you all decide I am picking on the RC I am not, I am simply telling it as I see it, and I am not a paid reseacher although these days I have earnt my badge as a researcher. Now lets look at Church of Ireland They have been fairly well perused by most, easier to get at and easier in places to read, but once again the red tape to get these digitised is not going to be cut in a hurry by anyone, least of all those who have the registers. Now an overall look at things Registers are accessible on microfilms either from the LDS center nearest you, or unfortunately at the National Library Ireland. Also at the RCB but one must also be there to do one's own research, but I feel this is what this is all about, if you dont see with your own eyes the name in print, how do you know it is yours, I have a hard job knowing if they are mine even when I see the certificate. Now with the coming of the new age of Heritage societies, and research centers, Co Wicklow jumped aboard the bus, and they approached the parish priests ( RC) and collected and made copies of their parish registers on the promise that there would be one for them and one for the parish in question, it has now gone 2005 and that promise has not been fullfilled. ( I wont name the parish priest who shares this with me ) The priest believed that they would receive a digitised copy of all their books on a searchable CD, but thats not happened The parish priest does bless heselfs soul, but he rings on a regular base, still to this day trying to get his copy for his parsih. Now having said all this and digressed from digitizing the registers, I do find that even if you travel the net, looking for resources for Co Wicklow it still takes you back to that WHC and not wishing to open that can of worms again, I have realised that when the looking for ancestors became fashionable, WHC were smarter than most, they collected everything they could and have it housed in their office, and may I say this, they dont move their nether region to search anything than whats in their office, or take a walk to the other county office to get a photo copy of your ancestors for 2 euros and sell it on to you for whatever they like. The problem is there is no fair fee from any of these heritage centers, which by the way and this one in particular, usually only has one full time staffer and a part time staffer so even her work is cut out to meet the demands of the public. Yes first and fore most you need the date and the place to research, but if you dont know this how do you know who are your ancestors even if they ever digitize the parish registers So in fact it is back to reading a book and deciding what townland they were in, what barony they came from , were they in a poor law union area, did they live on a border, were they involved in two parishes covered by one poor law union, yes it is hard to understand how to solve these problems, and very off setting for anyone branching into it all, be it by a book or by the internet. Sorry for rambling Cara

I know we can't all go into Politics, but here is Mark Twain's rather flippant advice: "Why waste your money looking up your family tree, just go into politics and your opponents will do it for you". Regards Inga J.