I would like to know how many people who have various books such as Mitchels genealogical Atlas, Grenhams tracing your Irish Ancestry.....which shows RC parishes......actualy understand whatever maps they are looking at. Any book at all........ how many understand the difference between Catholic and Civil parishes, that while a parish exists today - it may not have 100 years ago, that there were parishes 100 years ago not in existence today. how parishes can spread between counties....how a Diocese can cover a number of counties......what one actually looks for when looking for registers from a particular area - given that you have a parish name. Basically, I think what I want ot know is if those of you who have any books relating to genealogical research in ireland find that the books explain all these properly........using their maps. Or, would you be better off if parishes relating to each county specifically and any other source of information relating to divisions such as registration districts per county were listed individually........rather than through maps. Or the association of words and maps - not one standing alone. I'm not looking for anyone to point me in the direction of any books, I would like opinions on how this information is presented in the the books which are out there. I know most of the books. please and thanks, Jane