You can get these manuscripts on CD-ROM for £10 from the Ulster-Scots Agency The U.S.A has a website for the Hamilton / Montgomery at:- http://www.hamiltonmontgomery1606.com/ Ulster-Scots Manuscript Gets Makeover http://www.newsletter.co.uk/story/26139 By Johnny Caldwell Tuesday 14th February 2006 Ancient documents detailing how thousands of Scots came to Ulster in the 17th century have been given a thoroughly modern makeover. An eBook of manuscripts from Hamilton/Montgomery Plantation, which predates the Ulster Plantation and the Flight of the Earls, was launched in Carrickfergus yesterday. Ayrshire Scots James Hamilton and Hugh Montgomery pioneered a massive settlement from the Lowlands of Scotland to Counties Antrim and Down. Starting in May 1606, over 10,000 thousand, mainly Presbyterian, made the short voyage across the North Channel, and in the process helped transform barren Ulster into an industrial powerhouse. Mark Thompson, Ulster-Scots Agency chairman, said: "What today is all about is ensuring that Ulster-Scots is taken seriously in the world of local historians and to this end we've invited representatives from a variety of organisations ,including the Ulster Historical Foundation, the Ulster History Circle and the Federation for Ulster Local Studies. "Believe it or not, there are some people that would say Ulster-Scots and the surrounding history and culture was only invented 10 years ago, however, here we have manuscripts dating from the later part of the 17th century which tell of two Scottish families' key role in the first large-scale migration into Ulster." j.caldwell@newsletter.co.uk <mailto:j.caldwell@newsletter.co.uk> eBook reveals Ulster-Scots background Mon 12th Feb BY STEVEN MOORE s.moore@newsletter.co.uk <mailto:s.moore@newsletter.co.uk> DOCUMENTS that tell the story behind how 10,000 Scots came to settle in counties Down and Antrim 400 years ago have been developed into a cutting edge historical research tool. The family manuscripts from Scots gentry James Hamilton and Hugh Montgomery, who ended up each getting a third of Ulster chieftain Con O'Neill's land after an intriguing rescue plot, are now available in an eBook CD rom format from the Ulster-Scots Agency. The cross-border agency, which responsible for the promotion of the Ulster-Scots language, culture and heritage, today launched the eBook at Carrickfergus Castle to an audience of historians and local government representatives. Ayrshire Scots Hamilton and Montgomery, after arranging the escape of O'Neill from Warrick, began the the first large-scale migration of Scots into Ulster. Agency chairman Mark Thompson said he 1,000 copies of the CD rom was the first ime that historical Ulster-Scots research iocuments had been produced in such a format. "We have produced facsimile, searchable eBook CD rom editions of the two authoritative records of the Settlement," he said. "The advantage with this digital format is that the user will view a facsimile onscreen which, thanks to leading-edge technology, can now be text-searched. "The opportunities for research work are limitless. These will undoubtedly appeal to historians and genealogists alike, and provide a scholarly yet innovative starting point in telling the story of The Dawn of the Ulster-Scots." Mr Thompson, who personally supplied a copy of the Montgomery manuscripts, said the agency had the support of the current Hamilton and Montgomery families in marking the 400th anniversary. The Hamilton Manuscripts and the Montgomery Manuscripts were written by the family historians of the era and were initially published in the early 1700s. The most recent printings of the documents are from around 1860 and are considered valuable collectors items. --- avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean. Virus Database (VPS): 0611-2, 17/03/2006 Tested on: 17/03/2006 17:53:23 avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2005 ALWIL Software. http://www.avast.com