Merriman Research & Training

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...