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Just blogged about physical descriptions of my Dublin great granny and her close family, including both her parents. Fortunately for me all recorded in Irish prison registers. The family was extremely poor, and in and out of prison a lot for petty crimes.
Reminded how many eye colours I know for my Irish ancestors, thanks to them being in prison a lot for minor offences. I need to draw up a family tree annotated with eye colour! Fun task soon. I should also note their hair colour and height. My Dublin g-granny was 4 foot 11 inches per prison records.
Catholic baptisms
Feb. 16th, 2024 03:08 pmDelighted to find Catholic baptisms for siblings of my granddad in Leeds. Though can't see granddad - the records are often very faint, so he may be there but not indexed. Thanks to FindMyPast for these records. I didn't realise until just a few years ago but granddad and his siblings were brought up initially as Catholic, their Dublin-born mum's faith. Sadly she died young in childbirth and there was a huge family split between the children and their dad. So it made tracing the Irish family tree extremely hard. But I managed it. And proved it by DNA testing with Irish cousins. https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/new/leeds-roman-catholic-bmds-ripon-gazette
Lost Dublin book
Oct. 28th, 2023 01:21 pmThe very rare book that I ordered showing lost Dublin streets in pictures and text arrived safely. Huge thanks to Ulysses Rare Books in Dublin. The book is in great condition and was extremely well packed. I am really looking forward to learning more about the streets where my great granny and her family lived. Some of the very poorest parts of the city then, largely demolished and rebuilt over now.
It took me many decades to trace my Irish great granny. For a long time we thought she was from Northern Ireland. Even when I did finally trace her the documentary record was extremely incomplete, combined with zero family knowledge. We needed DNA testing to prove I’d traced her right. Her family was extremely poor, and constantly in and out of the workhouses and prisons. The latter means I have physical descriptions for great granny and both her parents, as well as other relatives! And while many Irish genealogical records were lost, it’s remarkable just how much detail I’ve traced about her family.
It took me many decades to trace my Irish great granny. For a long time we thought she was from Northern Ireland. Even when I did finally trace her the documentary record was extremely incomplete, combined with zero family knowledge. We needed DNA testing to prove I’d traced her right. Her family was extremely poor, and constantly in and out of the workhouses and prisons. The latter means I have physical descriptions for great granny and both her parents, as well as other relatives! And while many Irish genealogical records were lost, it’s remarkable just how much detail I’ve traced about her family.
Dublin Worldcon impressions
Aug. 18th, 2019 10:29 amI’m in Dublin to attend the Worldcon scifi convention. It’s the umpteenth Worldcon I’ve been to, and was too good a chance to miss. With my neurological illness I can only do a small part of the con. When I fly in I need a day of full rest after, then can have a day of activity, then a day of rest, and so on. So I’ve managed two nearly full days at the con. I’ve written up detailed recaps / diaries for my own use / to remember in future, but I thought it would also be nice to post some summary thoughts here.
Venue wise the CCD convention centre is compact, but welcoming, with good room sizes. As a wheelchair user I was acutely aware of access problems on the first day, especially a shortage of lifts, and those there were used by many people without access stickers, causing huge delays, waits and overcrowding. Queueing was chaotic, and there were not enough seats for people who needed them in corridors etc. But the con learned from a lot of that, recruited more wonderful volunteers (I am particularly aware this time of the great part that volunteers play in worldcons) and put in new arrangements for managing queues, and discouraging people from using lifts who could use something else, whether escalator or stairs.
I only attended 4 panels, but enjoyed them all. The history of tabletop gaming was a particular highlight for me. 3 of my 4 panels were my top choice ones, and I attended 3 literary ones, such as the introduction to Irish SFF panel, which as a voracious reader, and one of Irish descent, I had to attend. But on the second day I swapped my plans around, decided to spend more time in the Dealers’ Hall, and plumped for a different panel later. We were also delighted to be able to catch up with a fellow St Andrews CS postgrad alumni from ~25 years ago, and had a marvellous chat.
The Dealers’ Hall was another highlight for me. This seemed more spacious than at some past worldcons, less crowded, and even from my wheelchair I got to see things better than I remember before. I went through twice, to cover everything thoroughly. I mainly bought books, including a new Tolkien one I wanted to look at in person before buying, and decide between hardback and paperback. And I got some steampunk goggles - fab!
Though the CCD is a great venue I have found problems with the distances between that and the Point venue. This greatly discouraged me from attending anything in the latter - it just added to our pushing, and journey back, and we thought long and hard before deciding to stay in the one place. I also know that some wheelchair users on the first day were also having significant problems at the Point. So again I’m glad we avoided this.
On plus though the Irish staff at the venue and other locals elsewhere have been phenomenally welcoming. I’ve very much felt happy to be here, not least because this is my first visit since I cracked my Dublin great granny genealogical brick wall. Later today I’m meeting 3 new Irish cousins at our hotel, all descendants of her siblings. We needed DNA testing in the end to be sure of the link, because my line is missing a lot of key records / information. But DNA proved we’d traced it right. And I feel very at home here.
So yes, a marvellous con. Some teething problems, but largely resolved, and great volunteers. Happy memories. I look forward to future European cons, hopefully Glasgow in 2024. Nice in 2023 would also be nice.
Venue wise the CCD convention centre is compact, but welcoming, with good room sizes. As a wheelchair user I was acutely aware of access problems on the first day, especially a shortage of lifts, and those there were used by many people without access stickers, causing huge delays, waits and overcrowding. Queueing was chaotic, and there were not enough seats for people who needed them in corridors etc. But the con learned from a lot of that, recruited more wonderful volunteers (I am particularly aware this time of the great part that volunteers play in worldcons) and put in new arrangements for managing queues, and discouraging people from using lifts who could use something else, whether escalator or stairs.
I only attended 4 panels, but enjoyed them all. The history of tabletop gaming was a particular highlight for me. 3 of my 4 panels were my top choice ones, and I attended 3 literary ones, such as the introduction to Irish SFF panel, which as a voracious reader, and one of Irish descent, I had to attend. But on the second day I swapped my plans around, decided to spend more time in the Dealers’ Hall, and plumped for a different panel later. We were also delighted to be able to catch up with a fellow St Andrews CS postgrad alumni from ~25 years ago, and had a marvellous chat.
The Dealers’ Hall was another highlight for me. This seemed more spacious than at some past worldcons, less crowded, and even from my wheelchair I got to see things better than I remember before. I went through twice, to cover everything thoroughly. I mainly bought books, including a new Tolkien one I wanted to look at in person before buying, and decide between hardback and paperback. And I got some steampunk goggles - fab!
Though the CCD is a great venue I have found problems with the distances between that and the Point venue. This greatly discouraged me from attending anything in the latter - it just added to our pushing, and journey back, and we thought long and hard before deciding to stay in the one place. I also know that some wheelchair users on the first day were also having significant problems at the Point. So again I’m glad we avoided this.
On plus though the Irish staff at the venue and other locals elsewhere have been phenomenally welcoming. I’ve very much felt happy to be here, not least because this is my first visit since I cracked my Dublin great granny genealogical brick wall. Later today I’m meeting 3 new Irish cousins at our hotel, all descendants of her siblings. We needed DNA testing in the end to be sure of the link, because my line is missing a lot of key records / information. But DNA proved we’d traced it right. And I feel very at home here.
So yes, a marvellous con. Some teething problems, but largely resolved, and great volunteers. Happy memories. I look forward to future European cons, hopefully Glasgow in 2024. Nice in 2023 would also be nice.
