I am in a real panic! I have a very unplanned trip to Dublin coming up this next Wednesday! Although I have been researching Ireland and my Jennings family for years (without much luck, I might add) I didn't dream I would be going there so soon. Does anyone have any advice, genealogical or travel wise that they would like to pass on????? I will have only a day or two in Dublin and I'd like to think a magic carper would escort me to records that would further the family tree. However, I don't hold out much hope. G Grandfather, George Jennings, was reported to have come to USA from Pomeroy, Ireland, in the North. I have his birthdate but nothing more. No parents, no birthplace, I guess he just vaporized. We will be traveling along the southern coastline, staying at B & Bs for one week. I understand it is beautiful and we really look forward to it. Any guidance is gratefully appreciated. Jan in Florida

> I have a very unplanned trip to Dublin coming up snip > G Grandfather, George Jennings, was reported to have come to USA from > Pomeroy, Ireland, in the North. I have his birthdate but nothing more. No > parents, no birthplace I would suggest that you simply travel to the Republic and enjoy absorbing your contact with the people - I guarantee you, you will feel as though you belong there with your heritage! And, soak in the natural beauty of the countryside as you travel along the magnificent coastline. Anything in records that you would find by spending perhaps frustrating hours inside a building, records repository, or reading through ledgers/microfilms can be done right here in the U.S. at a local Latter Day Saints Family History Center. LDS microfilmed/microfiched all availalbe records from all of Ireland, both the Republic and Northern Ireland. You don't state your g-grandfather's birthdate but I would assume that it was after civil records began in 1865. Religious records were kept at the local level usually, and those would be in Northern Ireland. It would take you some research time to find those in any case. When I went to the Emerald Isle on my first trip, I had not done any preliminary work here stateside. And, I thought that on my last day in Belfast I would just pop into the records office and find it all <VBG=Very Big Grin>. For the first 17 days I had driven the circumference of the island from the north to the west to the south and back up the eastern side. It was indeed a gift. I am grateful that I did not begin in a repository! And on my last day I found out that I would not be finding records rapidly - that is NOT their system. Strangely enough, I had thought I would be traveling there only once in my lifetime. I have now returned four more times. I learned from my first trip that the most important thing about travelling to the Emerald Isle is to enjoy the people and the land and the culture = hospitality, unspoiled vistas, and interesting customs different than our own. And now I will be leading a small group tour to Ulster in September! Have a wonderful trip! Cynthia N. Russell ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Visit the Emerald Isle - Travel the Back Roads! Join us as we Visit Co. Antrim, Co. Armagh, Co. Derry, Co. Donegal, Co. Down, Co. Fermanagh, and Co. Tyrone ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ August 29 - September 13, 2001 Request a Tour Brochure crussell@UlsterTour2001.com ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Cynthia N. Russell, Tour Director Ulster Tour 2001 6113 Edmar Drive Traverse City, MIchigan 49686 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jan in Florida, To give you really good advice re research, I'd need more info, like your Jennings greatgrandfather's birthdate, and what sources you've consulted without luck over the years. Pomeroy is in Co. Tyrone, and I have done a lot of research in and around that area (some of my cousins still live in the Pomeroy, Dungannon, and Cookstown areas). If you were going to be in Belfast or Co. Tyrone, there are things you could do in a day (maybe--depends what sources you've already eliminated), but Dublin will only be able to help, at this stage of your research, if he was born, married, or died after 1864 in Ireland (meaning either what is now the Republic or now Northern Ireland) and you know the date(s). If he was born, married, or died in Ireland between 1864 and 1870, you can get all the same information from the LDS (assuming you have access to a FHC in FL) without having to give up vacation time while in Ireland. In Dublin, for instance, you could go to the GRO to look in the indexes for the year of his birth and maybe find a match -- but all the index will tell you is what quarter of the year his birth was registered in (which is not necessarily the quarter in which he was born), the registration district (in his case, Pomeroy) and the volume and page number on which you will find the entry. You can then order a photocopy of the full entry -- but I understand that the GRO no longer gives you the copy on the spot; they only will mail it to you. And you can order the copy by mail from the US, so why bother when you have so little time to enjoy yourself in Ireland? As for travel advice, bring a roll-up raincoat/poncho, some sweaters, and (if, like me, you have weak ankles and plan to do a lot of exploring in the countryside), some ankle boots. If you only have a week and are flying into and out of Dublin, you might want to concentrate on the southwest coast (from Dublin south). Depends what your interests are, though. Do you want to see the Waterford crystal factory? Tour castles? Drive around and enjoy scenery? Base yourself in Dublin and take day trips out to the countryside north, south, and west of Dublin? Buy linens and blankets? Or hike, fish, and do other energetic things? A good tour book (Frommer's isn't bad) should give you some ideas. Hope that helps. Claire in NJ om wrote: > > I am in a real panic! I have a very unplanned trip to Dublin coming up this > next Wednesday! Although I have been researching Ireland and my Jennings > family for years (without much luck, I might add) I didn't dream I would be > going there so soon. Does anyone have any advice, genealogical or travel wise that they would like > to pass on????? I will have only a day or two in Dublin... > We will be traveling along the southern coastline, staying at B & Bs for > one week....Jan in Florida