Merriman Research & Training

Ancestral Connections 2013 received their award last thurday presented by Cllr. Catherine Clancy, Lord Mayor of Cork. This Irish Genealogy summer school has now attained legacy status and is running with a fantastic programme for 2014. To see the programme go to  An cestral Connections Genealogy school 2014

ANCESTRAL CONNECTIONS: NAMES, PLACES AND SPACES AT UCC 2014 UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK- IRISH GENEALOGY SUMMER SCHOOL, UCC 29 JUNE – 5 JULY 2014  This genealogy summer school offers a complete course in the latest Irish genealogy research, as one would expect from a summer school held by UCC, one of the world’s leading universities. All aspects of the subject are covered by a series of presentations and ‘hands on’ workshops given by a selection of Ireland’s leading genealogical lecturers and experts. The latest online and offline sources are described and explained in presentations which will be of great interest to the seeker of Irish roots and family history, whether beginner or expert. Thankfully, it is not all work. A number of trips are offered featuring sites and locations including Lismore Castle and Garden, the Waterford Experience with Reginalds’ Tower, and the Waterford treasures at the Granary, with the wonderful Waterford Crystal experience. Not forgetting, nearby Dungar...

Gaelic Medieval Historian. – see www.about.me/lorna.moloney This talk concerns the Sept of O'Catháin, part of the larger Clan Owen; a fearless, dominant clan in North east Ulster. At one point almost two-thirds of the present county of Derry was under the control of the O'Catháin Sept. This did not come about by accident, but by skill in politics, diplomacy and war. Above all, it came about because of the strong kinship bonds inherent in Gaelic lordship. This talk analyses the growth of this Gaelic lordship within the framework of anglo-norman conquest and early expansion. It assesses the strategic tools employed by a gaelic lordship to establish an ideological traditional past through genealogy, marriage and propaganda in Medieval Ireland. The concepts of gaelic lordship are comparatively analysed with their European and Irish counterparts. It sets out to tell the story of the Gaelic Lordship of the O'Cathain Sept of Ulster. Descended from the Ui Neill Kings of Ulster, ...

Add Socials -

The McNamara name was one of the most popular names in Co. Clare in the 1901 census with 2736 McNamara’s recorded. Visitors to the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience can enjoy a talk on the McNamara name in Co. Clare on Sunday 23rd June at 3.00pm by Lorna Moloney (Irish Ancestral Research Centre) as part of the celebration of names for the year of the Gathering. There is an ongoing exhibit of 160 names in the Visitor Centre and the most reoccurring names are featured each week for 2013. The McNamara name will be celebrated on 17th June – 23rd June. Visitors with the McNamara name will receive a complimentary commemorative certificate and a goodie bag along with entry for a grand prize at the end of the year. All are welcome. “We shall find that the members of our Sept, from the early part of the fifth to the middle of the seventeenth century, dwelt in a well defined district of Clare, a county which until comparatively recent times was isolated from the rest of Ireland; its southern...

Ancestral Connections: Names, Places and Spaces Irish Genealogy Summer School, University College Cork, June 30-July 6, 2013 This genealogy summer school offers a complete course in the latest Irish genealogy research, as one would expect from a summer school held in UCC, one of the world’s leading universities. All aspects of the subject are covered by a series of presentations and ‘hands on’ workshops given by a selection of Ireland’s leading genealogical lecturers and experts. The latest online and offline sources are described and explained in presentations which will be of great interest to the seeker of Irish roots and family history, whether beginner or expert. We have had some changes to the programme which can be viewed at with Fiona Fitzsimons delivering an extra talk on 'Sources for Fosterage & Adoption records in Ireland prior to 1952' and a change to Friday's schedule with Pedigree charts, family tree and genealogy software explored by Dr Paul MacCotter,...

This looks fascinating, Allenlibrary with some fantastic images of Michael Collins and the like seeing photo identification, well worth printing out the images and seeing if you can contribute, those with elderly relatives would love this exercise. see http://www.flickr.com/photos/allenlibrary

Fascinating research and press release from CSO in Ireland "Jack and Emily were the most popular babies’ names registered in 2012. Jack retains the top position it has held every year since 2007 and Emily has retained the number one spot that it first claimed in 2011. See tables 1 and 2. The top five boys’ names (Jack, James, Daniel, Sean and Conor) have made up the top five since 2007. Four of the top five boys’ names (Jack, Sean, Conor and James) have been in the top five since 1998, with only their order changing from year to year. The top five girls’ names and their order have remained the same as those for 2011. This is the first time since 2004/2005 that the five most popular girls’ names have remained unchanged for two consecutive years. There were three first time entries to the top 100 for boys: Isaac, Danny and Logan. The highest new entry at number 85 was Isaac, rising from 101st place in 2011. The name rising in popularity most was Danny, up 22 places from 114...

The organisers of a world record breaking attempt in Ennis, County Clare, later this month are seeking to arrange the largest ever gathering of persons with the same first name. The Clare Volunteer Centre, supported by the Gathering Clare Steering Committee, is inviting people with the name Claire, Clair or Clare to travel to Ennis to participate in the potentially record breaking feat on 23rd June. 250 people from all over Ireland, the UK, Europe, and as far away as Australia and Hawaii have so far registered to participate in the event with many hundreds more expected to sign up closer to the time. The largest gathering of people with the same first name is 1,096 Mohammeds as part of the Dubai Shopping Festival at Creek Park, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on 10 February 2005. The previous record for a same-name gathering was created by 375 "Marias" in Spain in 2003. According to Sharon Meaney, Manager of the Clare Volunteer Centre: “This is a family event where everyone f...

Great fun promoting ACE courses UCC at City Square, Waterford today and weather was fabulous. Sunny South East for sure.

Irish Genealogy News: Genealogy Day in Skibbereen - booking open : A full week of free-of-charge events to celebrate the Gathering will kick off with a Genealogy Day at Skibbereen Heritage Centre on Saturday...

I am delighted to be giving a talk on The MacNamara - Origins, history and distribution on the Name MacNamara - 23 June 2013 at Cliffs of Moher in 'The Gathering' Surname lectures. MacNamara Name in County Clare “We shall find that the members of our Sept, from the early part of the fifth to the middle of the seventeenth century, dwelt in a well defined district of Clare, a county which until comparatively recent times was isolated from the rest of Ireland; its southern and eastern boundary being formed by the river Shannon, which throughout this part of its course was only fordable at one place situated below the town of Killaloe... The geographical position of the county was such as to preserve its inhabitants from successful invasion, or from being occupied by foreigners until late in the sixteenth century; thus not only did the people of Clare retain their independence but also their old Brehon laws and customs for two if not three centuries after much of the rest of I...

Irish Genealogy News: History & Genealogy Village sets up in Dun Laoghai... : This Friday and Saturday, a History and Genealogy Village will be created as part of the Bratacha (flag) festival in Dún Laoghaire. Exhibi...

Irish Genealogy News: Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives: Recent additi... : Click for larger view of watch inscription Below are details of the most recent additions to Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives. Each ha...

Irish Genealogy News: Gathering gestures for overseas visitors : Yesterday saw the launch of a new app that any overseas visitors to Ireland this year will want to try out before they arrive. It's desi...

Landed families of Britain and Ireland: (35) Adams of Sprowston Hall, baronets : Adams of Sprowston Hall Sir Thomas Adams (1586-1667), Lord Mayor of London in 1645-46, was the second son of a minor gentry family at ...

Lorna Moloney will be delivering a working called 'Famine Genealogy- Eyes and Ears of the Past' at St Cronan's, Tuamgraney, Co. Clare at 7p.m. Admission is free and all are welcome. Lorna will be examining the sources surrounding famine genealogy and showing how such eyewitness testimony to the past can reveal sources pertinent to those exploring their family history. It will examine the concepts of 'eyewitnessing' as standards of 'evidence and proof' or the lack of it. From 'There is such a tendency to exaggeration and inaccuracy in Irish reports that delay in acting on them is always desirable. (Sir Robert Peel, Prime Minister, October 1845) to the reality for the people in Ireland where 'Nothing else is heard of, nothing else is spoken of… Famine must be looked forward to and there will follow, as a natural consequence, as in former years, typhus fever, or some other malignant pestilence. (Dr. Babington, October 1845. Lorna will explore how we c...

Me & Bobby at St Cronan's, Tuamgraney, Co Clare during filming on Lough Derg with Mark C. O'Dwyer - Luxury Yachting Ireland, Killaloe.

Ancestral Connections is a new summer school in Genealogy and will be held at UCC from 30 June to 6 July. The panel of lecturers are renowned in genealogical fields and include Ken Nicholls, Eileen Ó Dúill, Fiona Fitzsimons, Brian Donovan, Dr Paul MacCotter, Dr David Butler, Nicola Morris, Dr Matthew Potter. The genealogy themes deals with basics, lands records, military records, cloud computing, medieval history, geography, and The Irish Famine. Full booking form and schedule can be downloaded at The school is designed to inform and enthral and may trips are inclusive in the school. It is about an enjoyable learning experience. http://www.ucc.ie/en/ace-summer/ For the full schedule go to the link