Small-leaved Shamrock

What's in a name? - at The Catholic Gene

2011-09-12T03:39:00.000-04:00

"The job of a genealogist is much like that of a police detective. Success in both pursuits depends on searching predictable hidden places where evidence would be expected. A true detective genius, however, finds traces of clues out in the open – signs within plain sight yet invisible to the average eye."

So begins my first article at The Catholic Gene, the new blog dedicated to genealogy and the Catholic faith. Stop on over to The Catholic Family Detective: Finding Clues in Given Names to read more. I've shared some stories about the significance of many of the first names within my Catholic family tree. I hope you'll be inspired to look at your ancestors' names in ways you never have before.

Saints preserve us! (and our Catholic genealogy, too)

2011-09-03T06:09:00.000-04:00

This little girl dressed in her finery on First Communion day is here to make a special announcement. She is hanging out over at a new blog and would love for you to come visit!

The Catholic Gene is a brand new project in the works dreamed up by one of my favorite genealogy bloggers: Donna Pointkouski of What's Past is Prologue. The new blog will feature the writings of a chorus of Catholic genealogy bloggers who may already be familiar to you (including myself, pictured here on my First Communion day.)

If you have an interest in family history and (A) are a card-carrying Catholic or (B) have ancestors who were Catholic, do we have a treat for you! Whether the season is one of feasting or fasting, we'll be serving up a bountiful harvest of articles designed to inspire you in your genealogical pursuits related to the Catholic faith.

If you feel moved by the Spirit, take a Sunday drive on over to The Catholic Gene and join us in celebrating the joys of the Catholic faith and Catholic genealogical records. See you there!

Civil War 150: The Cowhey brothers volunteer for the Union

2011-06-10T02:29:00.002-04:00

Only days after President Lincoln's call to arms following the attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861, the men of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania turned out in droves to offer their assistance. The Cowhey brothers were among them: 21-year-old Thomas and his older brother William (Great-Great-Grampa to me), just a few days shy of his 27th birthday on April 29th.

In honor of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, I'll be following along with these two brothers - Thomas, who served only a short three months; and William, who re-enlisted and continued serving in the army throughout the duration of the war.

I hope you'll join me as we remember William's journey as he worked his way through those four trying years defending the Union. Here is one of the documents from his Civil War pension file. It lists his date of enlistment as a volunteer and the date that he ended his three month period of service prior to re-enlisting. You can click on the image of the document to view it up close. I've also transcribed it below for easier reading.

War Department, Adjutant General’s Office
Washington, Aug 1, 1889.

Respectfully returned to the Commissioner of Pensions. William Cowy Jr., a Private of Company “I”, 16th Regiment Pa. Vols. Volunteers, was enlisted on the 26 day of April, 1861, at Harrisburg for 3 Mos. and is reported: on muster out roll of Co. dated at Harrisburg Pa. July 30/61 as mustered out at that date and place as Private. Also borne as William Cowey Jr. Return for May also Books of organization are not on file Muster in and out rolls only records on file No further information. Name of William Cowley is not borne

Key to Transcription:
Black = pre-printed on form
Blue = handwritten

As I mentioned above, these three months were only the very beginning for William. His initial volunteer period would just help him to get his feet wet in the army. Well, actually more than his feet. If you read Thomas' account of their experience crossing the Potomac River at Williamsport, Maryland, you'll understand what I mean. (More to come later on that story.)

In the meantime, stay tuned as I follow the path of my great-great-grandfather and his Union comrades 150 years ago.

150 Years Ago: The Civil War Comes to Schuylkill County

2011-04-12T14:31:00.005-04:00

On April 12, 2011 the United States commemorates the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War with the firing on Fort Sumter. Back in April 1861, it did not take long for the news to arrive in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. In fact, it was the first northern town to hear the news, as Stu Richards explains on his blog Schuylkill County Pennsylvania Military History.

View of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, October 1854
from Gleason's Pictorial Drawing Room Companion

The firing on Fort Sumter had begun on a Friday. By Sunday afternoon, April 14, Union forces had surrendered to the Southerners. The next day, aware of the great danger facing the nation, President Abraham Lincoln issued a call-to-arms for 75,000 able-bodied men.

A portion of the President's proclamation read:

"Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, in virtue of the power in me vested by the Constitution and the laws, have thought fit to call forth, and hereby do call forth, the militia of the several States of the Union, to the aggregate number of seventy-five thousand, in order to suppress the said combinations, and to cause the laws to be duly executed. The details for this object will be immediately communicated to the State authorities through the War Department.

"I appeal to all loyal citizens to favor, facilitate, and aid this effort to maintain the honor, the integrity, and the existence of our National Union, and the perpetuity of the popular Government, and to redress the wrongs already long enough endured."

Abraham Lincoln's April 15, 1861 call-to-arms

Word of Lincoln's proclamation was received that Monday, April 15 in Pottsville at the noon hour. By Tuesday evening, April 16, 1861, a meeting of the citizens of Pottsville convened at the county Court House. The purpose of the meeting was "to take into account the state of the country, and make the necessary arrangements to provide for the families of soldiers then leaving us." That evening, the citizens of Schuylkill County made the following resolution in support of their country:

"Resolved, That the citizens of Schuylkill County, in reply to the Proclamation of the President, adopt as the expression of their sentiments, the address now being signed in the city of Philadelphia, in the following words: - 'The unparalleled event of the past week has revealed to the citizens of the United States, beyond question or possibility of doubt, that a peaceful reconciliation under the form of our Constitution, is repelled and scorned, and that secession means, in the hearts of its supporters, both treason and war, against our country and nation. We, therefore, the undersigned, loyal citizens of the United States and inhabitants of Schuykill County, responding to the proclamation of the President of the United States, hereby declare our unalterable determination to sustain the government in its efforts to maintain the honor, the integrity, and the existence of our National Union and the perpetuity of the popular government, and to redress the wrongs already long enough endured. No differences of political opinion, no name or badge of diversity upon points of party distinction, shall restrain or withhold us in the devotion of all we have, or can command, to the vindication of the Constitution, the maintenance of the laws, and the defence of the Flag of our Country.' "

And their word was good. That very day, Captain Wren and Captain McDonald, both of Pottsville, telegraphed Governor Curtin offering the services of their militia companies: the Washington Artillery and the National Light Infantry. Along with three other companies from southeastern Pennsylvania, they were the first to respond to Lincoln's call, and are known to history as the First Defenders. (Read more about these companies in John David Hoptak's book First in Defense of the Union: The Civil War History of the First Defenders.) The five companies were told to set out for Harrisburg on April 17. The Miner's Journal reported on April 20, 1861 about the day the first troops departed Schuylkill County earlier that week:

"During the whole day the greatest excitement prevailed among our citizens, and the scene at the armories of the respective companies was quite lively and spirited. New recruits were rolling in at every moment, and the lists soon swelled to above the requisite number...

"The day was very cold, raw, and disagreeable; but notwithstanding this, the people flocked in by thousands from all parts of the County, and it seemed as if its whole population had been poured forth to witness the departure of our gallant volunteers, who with a noble spirit of self-sacrifice, have exchanged the comforts of home, for the fatigue and labor of a soldier's life...

"As the companies proceeded down Centre Street, to the depot of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, they were greeted with cheers from thousands who lined each side of the street, and a perfect ocean of handkerchiefs waved by the ladies, who had taken possession of all the windows, and every available situation along the street. All the stores were closed and business entirely suspended. At the depot the crowd was immense, and it was almost impossible to force your way through it. The tops of the passenger and freight cars, the roofs of the depot and neighboring houses, were black with spectators. Never had so great a concourse assembled on any one occasion before in Pottsville...

"The Pottsville Cornet Band, which had escorted the companies to the depot, immediately before the starting of the cars played 'Hail Columbia' and 'Yankee Doodle'. As the train slowly left the depot, cheer upon cheer went up from the assembled thousands. The men were in good spirits, but there were some, who though possessed of manly hearts, who could brave toil and danger without complaint or fear, who could endure suffering with stoical indifference, but who could not prevent the tear from starting to the eye, when called upon to bid farewell to all their friends."

As Francis B. Wallace wrote in his 1865 Memorial of the Patriotism of Schuylkill County in the American Slaveholder's Rebellion:

"The spirit of patriotism that pervaded the County in those April days, when the Government was in imminent danger at the hands of traitors, is illustrated in the fact that an entire brigade of troops was offered, and that gray-haired men, and lads scarcely seventeen years of age, wished to be enrolled as volunteers, and were much depressed when refused. Another gratifying exhibition of the hour, was the spectacle of men of all parties, Democrats, Republicans, etc., vieing with each other in proclaiming their determination to stand by the Government in its hour of trial, in sustaining the Constitution, the Union and the laws."

The brave and patriotic men of Schuylkill County would play a very important role in the defense of the Union during those crucial years 1861-1865. Among them were my great-great-grandfather William Cowhey and his brother Thomas. Stay tuned here at Small-leaved Shamrock as we follow in their footsteps 150 years ago, commemorate their heroism, and remember the years that the young United States of America became a house divided.

Sources:

Wallace, Francis B. Memorial of the Patriotism of Schuylkill County in the American Slaveholder's Rebellion Embracing a Complete List of the Names of All the Volunteers from the County during the War, Patriotic Contributions by the Citizens ... Pottsville, PA: B. Bannan, 1865. Print. (Online here at Internet Archive.)

Lincoln, Abraham. Proclamation on State Militia, April 15, 1861. Digital image. American Memory Collection. Library of Congress. Web. 1 May 2011.

For further reading:

For more on Lincoln's April 15, 1861 call to arms, you might enjoy reading Ted Widmer's Lincoln Declares War on The Opinion Pages of The New York Times website.

Celebrate Irish roots with GeneaBloggers Radio

2011-03-18T16:53:00.000-04:00

The celebration of Irish heritage continues this St. Patrick's week as Thomas MacEntee's GeneaBloggers Radio presents Irish Roots – A St. Patrick’s Day Celebration! tonight from 10:00 - 12:00 p.m. Eastern.

Listen to internet radio with Geneabloggers on Blog Talk Radio
Special guest Brian Mitchell, author of a number of Irish genealogy reference books such as A New Genealogical Atlas of Ireland, 2nd Edition will open the show. He will be followed by myself and several other genealogists and family historians with a focus on Irish genealogy: Sharon Sergeant, Mary Ellen Grogan, Jennifer Geraghty Gorman and Deborah Large Fox.

I hope you'll take time to listen - and call in - to the show as we delve into various topics related to Irish research and heritage!

A St. Patrick’s Day miracle for the Irish/Hungarian genealogy blogger

2011-03-17T12:24:00.003-04:00

You may be thinking, “It’s a miracle! Finally a new blog article from Lisa!”

Though this very well might be a small miracle, there is a real miracle I’d like to share with you in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. It is a documented phenomenon that occurred over three centuries ago that is still remembered and celebrated today. It is close to my heart for a very special reason, as you’ll see when you read on.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day from Smallest Leaf!

As a Catholic and a mother, I often look to Christ’s mother, Mary, for inspiration. She is the perfect example of womanhood. Her life has provided encouragement to women for many generations, including my own and my beloved ancestors’ (on both the Irish and Hungarian/Croatian sides of the family).

In many places throughout the world, Mary is remembered by a special name or title, or honored with a particular statue or painting containing her image. There are countless “names” for Mary. I thought I had heard of most of them.

I was surprised to come across a new title for Mary recently that I absolutely could not believe. As the descendant of Irish and Hungarian ancestors, I was thrilled to discover the Irish Madonna of Hungary. The story behind this title of Mary involves a beautiful painting, two European cities a continent apart, and a documented miracle that is as surprising as it is inspiring.

The village of Clonfert in County Galway, Ireland could not hide from the troubles facing the island during the middle of the 17th century. Oliver Cromwell was imposing his will on the Irish people – often brutally – and many, particularly church leaders, were displaced, persecuted, or killed. Among those was one Irish bishop by the name of Walter Lynch. As history tells us, Bishop Lynch was forced to flee his native Clonfert to Galway city. After the attack and capture of Galway, he was pursued to the island of Inisbofin, and then escaped to mainland Europe. He was in Austria by 1655 – four years after fleeing Clonfert. While in Austria, the good Bishop met the Bishop of Győr, Hungary, who offered him the opportunity to continue his ministry within the Győr diocese until the time when Bishop Lynch could safely return to his homeland.

Sadly, Bishop Lynch, who was making plans to return to Ireland, passed away in Győr in the year 1663, twelve years after leaving Clonfert. During his travels as an exile, the Bishop had carried with him a painting of Mary and the child Jesus (shown below), which he had saved from the Clonfert cathedral. Before his passing, Bishop Lynch had placed the picture in the care of the Bishop of Győr, who put it on display in the Győr cathedral.

Thirty-four years passed with the painting housed in the Győr cathedral. The Hungarian faithful venerated this beautiful image of the Madonna, and felt sure that Mary’s intercession on their behalf had ensured their recent victories over the Turks. By the year 1697, Hungary was enjoying newfound peace. Unfortunately, that same year, Ireland was beginning to face one of its greatest trials: the outlawing of the Catholic faith, the confiscation of its churches, and the banishment of all Catholic clergy from the British Isles.

As historical accounts tell us, on the feast of St. Patrick on March 17, 1697 a miracle occurred in Győr. According to the account of a priest who witnessed the event, “…the picture of the Blessed Virgin in the cathedral began to weep copiously.” Additional details recorded indicate that this “weeping”, or “bloody sweat”, went on for several hours, and that witnesses of various denominations were unable to attribute the occurrence to any natural cause. Eventually, word of the miracle spread throughout the city. It was witnessed by thousands, many of whom signed a document indicating their presence at the time of the miracle. These included the imperial governor of the city, mayor, councilmen, the Bishop, priests, Protestant ministers, a Jewish rabbi and many more. A linen cloth used to soak up the liquid is still on display today in the cathedral. The inscription on the case reads: “This is the true cloth which was used to dry the blood, which this picture shed in this church on St. Patrick’s Day 1697.”

The linen cloth on display in Győr Basilica today
(Image thanks to Győri Egyházmegye - Győr Diocese)

The beautiful image of the Irish Madonna of Hungary, also referred to as the Consolatrix Afflictorum (Consoler of the Afflicted), remains in the cathedral to this day, framed in silver above the altar. For over three centuries, it has played a special role in drawing together the two nations of Hungary and Ireland.

Every March 17 since 1947 (the 250 year anniversary of the miracle), even during the Communist regime, Hungarian priests have made a pilgrimage to the Győr cathedral and visited the Győri Könnyező Szűzanya (Győr Weeping Virgin Mary) or Ír Madonna (Irish Madonna), as they call the painting in the Hungarian language.

Hungarian priests in procession at Győr Basilica
(Image thanks to Győri Egyházmegye - Győr Diocese)

Other special celebrations occur regularly for Hungarian lay Catholics to honor Mary’s weeping image in Győr, and there is even an annual Croatian-speaking celebration. Irish Catholics, too, regularly make pilgrimages to the Irish Madonna of Hungary. The year 1997 (the 300-year anniversary of the miracle) saw a special exchange as the Irish Clonfert Bishop John Kirby was presented a copy of the painting by Győr Bishop Lajos Papai on his visit to the city.

Győr, Hungary's Bishop Lajos Papai giving a copy of the
painting to Clonfert, Ireland's Bishop John Kirby
(Image thanks to Hitvallás)

As Clonfert’s Bishop John Kirby wrote, “The kindness shown to Bishop Walter Lynch has led to an unusual link between the small Irish rural diocese of Clonfert and the large Hungarian diocese of Győr centered in a big industrial city. It has shown us the value of friendship and the way that the consideration shown to a refugee can deepen the understanding between peoples who might otherwise never have known each other. The history of the painting has an even deeper message. It reminds us of the faith and trust in the intercession of Our Lady that existed both in Ireland and in Hungary 350 years ago.”

The Basilica of Győr today

Where were my Irish and Hungarian ancestors 350 years ago? I haven’t determined that yet, but it is interesting to imagine the possibilities knowing the history of the time.

As you may know, Catholics like to choose patron saints for themselves. I think it’s pretty obvious that Mary, the Irish Madonna of Hungary, is the ideal patron saint for this Irish/Hungarian genealogist! I hope that Győr’s Weeping Virgin Mary, the Consoler of the Afflicted, will smile down on my efforts to continue the search for ancestors on both sides of my family tree: those from Bishop Lynch’s beloved native Ireland, and those from Hungary, the country that welcomed him with open arms.

If you'd like to read more about the history of the Irish Madonna of Hungary, check out the following websites and books:

Hitvallás (Creed) 2005, a Győri Egyházmegye folyóirata (the online magazine of the Diocese of Győr) - special online issue in the 350th anniversary year of the painting's arrival in Győr (website in Hungarian and English)
The Irish Madonna of Hungary by Zsolt Aradi from Shrines to Our Lady Around the World published in 1954 by Farrar, Straus & Young (webpage in English)
Győri Egyházmegye (Győr Diocese) (webpage in Hungarian)
Szomorúak vigasztalója : a győri könnyező szűzanya - az ír madonna by Hetény János, Kiss Tamás, Szabó Béla (book published in 2009 in Hungarian; German and English translations available - see this book review in Hungarian)

Note: This article is cross-posted to my Hungarian genealogy blog, 100 Years in America. Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!

Christmas blessings from Small-leaved Shamrock!

2010-12-22T09:14:00.002-05:00

As 2010 comes to a close, I realize that I should have put the "not at home" sign out here at Small-leaved Shamrock months ago. The eternal optimist, I had hoped to keep busy at this humble blog despite a hectic year for my family, even if I could not be as prolific a blogger as I had been in the past.

It was not to be this year!

Here's hoping that 2011 will find me here more often with lots of new family stories and genealogical discoveries. In the meantime, a blessed Christmas to you from Small-leaved Shamrock!

If you'd like to celebrate Christmas with a little bit of Irish flavor, you might enjoy visiting my previously posted articles within my Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories series. Nollaig Shona Duit!

Got an Irish story to share?

2010-08-19T06:26:00.000-04:00

Just a few more days left to send in your submissions for the Irish stories edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture!

The 1st edition of our Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture, published at Small-leaved Shamrock on November 22, 2007, was entitled Everyone Loves a Good Irish Story. That edition gave us an upside-down traffic light (with the green on the top of course), an Irish love story, paddy-whacking, Civil War regiments that flew the Irish flag for America, and more. What fun we had starting out as a carnival!

Now, twenty editions later, we'll be revisiting that same theme: Irish Stories. Everyone loves a good story. Got an Irish one that you can share with us for the carnival? Show us that you've got the gift of gab - tell us a good story! Here are the details:

Of all of the colorful Irish characters that you've learned about throughout your search for family history or your study of Irish heritage in general, surely you've come across some good stories. Share your favorite one about an Irish ancestor or other Irishman or Irishwoman with us for the 21st edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture.

Deadline for submissions to the Irish Stories 21st edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture is Sunday, August 22, 2010. This edition will be published at Small-leaved Shamrock. See you there!

Irish genealogy: A wee bit of advice for the journey

2010-06-30T09:44:00.004-04:00

Welcome to the 20th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture: "I Speak from Experience!"

We are all at different stages of our Irish genealogical research. Some just starting out, others well-seasoned in the search. This short and sweet edition of our carnival focuses on tips and suggestions from submitters who have generously taken the time to write down what they have learned along the journey. I hope you'll find some new information here that you can apply to your own search. If you do, please take the time to comment and let us know. We'll be happy to celebrate your successes with you!

Here are the suggestions from this edition's kind contributors (who hope to save you their mistakes and/or get you further down the road to Irish research):

Jennifer Geraghty-Gorman of 'On a flesh and bone foundation': An Irish History offers Irish researchers 13 Tips + 1 for conducting research in Ireland. She wraps up her suggestions with one simple phrase: "Be well prepared"." Personally, I appreciated her last suggestion (which you won't read in too many Irish genealogy how-to books): what type of pants not to wear if you're a non-resident researcher trying to avoid the tourist look.

Over at the Irish Family History blog, Rachel Murphy (a native of Ireland) shares her Top 10 Tips for Irish genealogical research, many of which can be applied to research into non-Irish branches of the family. Rachel's suggestions include ideas such as how to get your research organized properly, how to use your creativity to find success in genealogy, and more.

Donna Moughty's first "research" trip to Ireland from the United States found her at a loss for what information to search for at the National Library of Ireland - after spending two hours applying for a reader's card. Visit Donna's Genealogy Blog for her suggestions on what to do Before You Go to Ireland, including her best tip: the most important piece of information to learn before you plan your trip. Donna offers many other practical suggestions, including how to correspond with a Catholic church so that you receive all of the information within the records and not just what fits onto their standard response form.

Visit Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski's blog In My Life for a few tips on Irish research, including traditional Irish naming patterns and the surprising place to look for a child's birth record. Cindy writes so poetically about her "favorite brick wall" that you might just find yourself inspired to do a little Irish research!

Frances Ellsworth (aka Hummer) also mentions traditional Irish naming patterns on her blog article posted at Branching Out Through The Years. Although she knows that her "quest is just beginning", she has a few suggestions, including the free online course on Irish research at Family Search. A great resource, Frances. Thanks for suggesting it!

The ongoing search for his McFarland ancestors has kept Bill West busy for a long time. In Searching for McFarlands on Record Search posted at his blog West in New England, Bill shares his latest update. Reading about his steps to success may aid your own personal Irish family research.

Every Irish genealogist hopes to eventually be able to visit Ireland and "trudge through muddy cemeteries in search of ancestors". Geniaus has done just that, but without success. On her blog, Geniaus, she tells briefly about her experience and gives perhaps the best advice we can take to heart while researching our Irish family history: be persistent!

Hopefully you will find some of the tips from this edition's contributors to be of use to you in your own Irish research, and that you can share your own wealth of experience with us for a future edition of the carnival. Want to delve a little deeper? Visit the Irish genealogy how-to page here at Small-leaved Shamrock for more ideas.

Please plan to join us next time as a contributor. For this upcoming edition - our 21st! - we will revisit the theme of our very 1st edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture: Irish Stories. Stop by the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture blog for details. The deadline for submissions is Sunday, August 22, 2010.

Speak out for Irish genealogy!

2010-06-24T12:23:00.000-04:00

The deadline for the upcoming 20th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture is this Sunday, June 27. We hope you'll join us! For this edition, we will again dive back into genealogy. The theme is "I Speak From Experience" and will focus on tips and suggestions for those of us researching our Irish ancestors. Here are the details:

The search for our Irish ancestors, like many a worthwhile pursuit, is made easier with experience. For the 20th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture, let's share tips and tricks that we've learned from our own experience in the genealogical search.

Have a time-saving suggestion that helped you blaze ahead in your Irish research? Let us know how you did it. Have some personal failures you can share with us to save other researchers the same fate? We'll be grateful to hear your story. Want to recommend a particular type of record to shed insight on the Irish family tree? A certain repository or library, or way to organize your research? Let us know - tell us the tip and give us the story behind it. How did it help (or not help) you and why do you recommend (or not recommend) it?

Deadline for submissions to the "I Speak From Experience" 20th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture is Sunday, June 27, 2010. This edition will be published at Small-leaved Shamrock.

A little tribute to Irish poetry

2010-04-29T16:56:00.000-04:00

Open your hearts to this “much-enduring land”

of “gypsy gold" where “fairies dance under the Moon”.

Here “love long endures”, “in sunshine or in shadow”.

It is a place close to our hearts

where “God has spread His sweetness”,
where a generous abundance of spirit resides,

and people know that

“to fast is as good for the soul as to pray”.

Now, as ever, “sweetly lies old Ireland”.

“May Irish hills caress you” as you journey

with your imagination

through the poetry of its people:

"a new music that brightens everything"
and “all the old songs” that refuse

to let our souls leave this beloved land behind.

Welcome to a little Irish poetry celebration otherwise known as the 19th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture. I've written the carnival differently this time: in poetic form! (With help from the poets, both known and anonymous, shared by this edition's contributors: I've borrowed the phrases in quotes above.)

Thanks to each of you that shared an Irish poem or blessing in honor of U.S. National Poetry Month 2010 (I placed links to them within the poem above as well as listed below). Today is Poem in Your Pocket Day. Why not carry one around with you to share with others today? Click on the links within the poem above to find a few possibilities, or write your own!

Thanks to those of you that participated in this edition:

Gwen Rowley-Kubberness - Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture, 19th Edition posted at The Robertson / Kubberness Connection
Alanna Fant - "Oh Danny Boy" posted at Confessions of a Gene-a-holic
Family Tree Gal, Carolyn - Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture, 19th Edition: All in the Family Way posted at Family Tree Gal
Terri O'Connell - Irish Blessings? posted at Finding Our Ancestors
Apple - May love and laughter light your days... posted at Apple's Tree
Katie - St. Patty's Day Series - In Conclusion posted at The Gene Gleaner
Frances Ellsworth - Irish Praises of God posted at Branching Out Through The Years
Jennifer Geraghty-Gorman - "The Emigrant Irish" by Eavan Boland posted at 'On a flesh and bone foundation': An Irish History

After poking around these little pockets of Irish poetry on the web, please make plans to join us for the upcoming 20th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture. Getting back to genealogy, this edition will be entitled "I Speak From Experience". Deadline for submissions is Sunday, June 27, 2010. For details visit the Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture blog.

Last chance: Come celebrate poetry with us!

2010-04-26T11:08:00.000-04:00

Things have been busy for me in the real world - I've hardly had time to pay many visits here to Small-leaved Shamrock, and certainly haven't posted much here lately. One of the projects that I've been busy with is writing poetry this U.S. National Poetry Month 2010. I hope you've spent a little time with poetry yourself this spring.

If not (or if so!) come join us for the upcoming 19th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture: a celebration of Irish verse. Otherwise known as the Small-leaved Shamrock Poetry Party!, here are the details:

The Irish have long been known for the "gift of gab". They have a creative way with words that ranges from the beautifully touching ballad to the belly-laugh limerick. In honor of U.S. National Poetry Month this April 2010, Small-leaved Shamrock will host a Poetry Party.

Have a bit of Irish verse that has touched your soul? Know a hilarious limerick that you'd like to share (in good taste, of course)? How about your favorite Irish blessing? Share a poem in the Irish tradition on your blog, and submit it to the poetry carnival. Can't find something that fits with the theme of your blog? Write a poem of your own and share it with us.

Deadline for submissions to the Small-leaved Shamrock Poetry Party edition of the carnival is Monday, April 26, 2010. This edition will be published at Small-leaved Shamrock on Poem in Your Pocket Day, Thursday, April 29, 2010.

U.S. National Poetry Month 2010 poster

3rd Annual St. Patrick's Day Blog Parade!

2010-03-17T12:31:00.005-04:00

Welcome to the
3rd Annual
St. Patrick's Day
Blog Parade

(otherwise known as the
18th edition of the
Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture)

If you love the history and culture of Ireland, have Irish ancestry, are an Irish citizen - or just love a parade - you've come to the right place this St. Patrick's Day! We'll talk Irish genealogy with some articles from those that are seeking their personal roots in Ireland (or helping others trace theirs). We'll ponder the faith of the Irish people, discuss Irish travel and music, and - last, but not least - take a look at the beloved St. Patrick and his big day: March 17.

It's great to have you with us for the parade! Find yourself a spot with a good view and get ready to watch the entries parade by on this, the day of worldwide celebration of the feast of St. Patrick of Ireland!

On Irish roots

“I showed my appreciation of my native land in the usual Irish way:

by getting out of it as soon as I possibly could.”

- George Bernard Shaw

We'll start our parade off with a look at Irish Genealogy. Donna Moughty warns against believing the fairy tale that "you can't research in Ireland because of the fire". As a professional genealogist in Florida with a specialty is 19th-century Irish research, Donna presents some very good online resources for Irish genealogy. Just getting into genealogy or need some fresh how-to reminders? Take some time to visit the Strategies for Starting Your Family History series on Donna's Genealogy Blog.

Is there anyone among us with Irish heritage who doesn't dream of uncovering a handwritten letter from one of their Irish forebears? Shauna Hicks of Victoria, Australia has done so (more than once). She shares a few of these family treasures with us in her article Letters Home – My Irish Families on her blog Shauna Hicks History Enterprises. Visit her blog to read transcripions of her great-great-grandmother's correspondence to and from her home in Brisbane with family back in County Armagh, Ireland in the early 20th-century.

Another Australian contributor to our carnival is working on tracing her roots in Ireland, this time in County Tipperary. In her article Tierneys on Parade - My Irish Heritage, Geniaus shares what she has learned about her ancestors who settled in Dungog, New South Wales, Australia in the early 19th-century, showing a vintage photograph of their family home. Visit the Geniaus blog for more on her Tierney ancestors and her search for cousins. (Here's hoping that she and I will discover a connection someday between our Tierneys from Tipperary!)

The lack of personal Irish ancestry didn't stop Donna Pointkouski from joining us in celebration of St. Patrick's Day. Within her Surname Saturday series she has included an article on the Irish ancestry of her niece who hails from the McGeehan clan. Visit Donna's Surname Saturday: McGeehan at What's Past is Prologue for an indepth overview of the surname including its history, variations and name distribution, along with some thoughts on her own challenges as she researches her niece's family tree.

A hitching post brought all the way from Ireland and used for a tombstone? That's one family legend from the Conlin and McGowan families of Roscommon, Ireland that Jenna shares about on her blog Desperately Seeking Surnames. Visit the short narrative about these families and learn about their roots in Roscommon, their settlement in Missouri, and one family member who found work on the Panama Canal.

T. Casteel joins our parade Doin' the Happy Jig at the discovery of her first real proof of an ancestor hailing from Ireland. Visit her blog Tangled Trees to learn what she found while researching her French-Canadian ancestry.

On the faith of the Irish people

“If I have any worth, it is to live my life for God so as to teach these peoples; even though some of them still look down on me.”

- St. Patrick

The celebration of St. Patrick’s Day in Londonderry, New Hampshire calls to mind the many connections that the area has to its sister town in Ireland and its own Irish past. Within her blog Nutfield Genealogy, Heather Wilkinson Rojo writes about this town in New Hamphire settled by Irish immigrants in 1715 and its modern day connections to Ireland. She includes a photo of a statue of St. Bridget given to the local St. Mark's Catholic Church from their neighbor, the Londonderry Presbyterian Church, in solidarity for their shared Christian faith.

Knowing the faith of our ancestors often provides the key to understanding more about their lives. In Joan Miller's case, the search for her Kerr ancestors who immigrated to Canada in the mid-19th-century led her to research the Early Irish Methodists during the time of the Great Famine. Visit Joan's blog Luxegen Genealogy and Family History for an introduction to the history of Methodism in Ireland within the context of the potato famine. I found Joan's excerpts from Irish Methodist Reminiscences particularly compelling, especially the comments of the wife of a minister who began: "Oh! the scenes of filth and wretchedness, hunger, nakedness and disease which my dear husband witnessed and tried to relieve..."

Going back even farther into Ireland's history, Katie O. of You Are Where You Came From reminds us that St. Patrick is not the only saintly figure held in great esteem by the Irish people. She shares a paper she wrote examining the native and Christian motifs in Medieval Irish Hagiography (that's a fancy word for the biographies of saints or venerated persons). Based on readings of The Life of Senan, Son of Gerrgenn and The Life of Ciaran of Clonmacnois (taken from a 15th-century manuscript), Katie offers a scholarly look at the legendary genealogies, lives and influences of these heroes of Ireland.

On St. Patrick, the Irish and Ireland

“I've always liked it here. Part of me is Irish. . . .

My family comes from the west coast, so whenever I come to Ireland

I get a wee tingling in my heart that I'm where I belong.”

- Billy Connolly (Scottish Actor)

It's funny how Irish Pride sometimes wells up in us for surprising reasons. In Terri O'Connell's case, it was her German grandmother that encouraged her love of her own Irish heritage each St. Patrick's Day when she was young. Stop by Finding Our Ancestors for Terri's childhood March 17 memories in Chicago including a "cute little green polyester pant suit".

Wearin' O' The Green and St Patrick's Day Tradition is alive within the family of Frances Ellsworth (a.k.a. Hummer) as she shares on her blog Branching Out Through the Years. Stop by to view a collage of her favorite St. Patty's Day family photos and read about her fondness for St. Patrick because of the legendary way he ran the snakes out of Ireland.

The shamrock has long been a beloved symbol of Ireland and St. Patrick. On her blog Celtic Voices Cindy Thomson muses about its probable use by St. Patrick as a tool to explain the Trinity to the Irish people. Visit Cindy's Did St. Patrick Really Use the Shamrock to Prove a Point? and also her article The Shamrock for more on this well-known native Irish greenery.

What would a St. Patrick's Day party be without Irish music? Kerry Dexter of Music Road has some recommendations for us. As Kerry wrote in a previous article, the music of Ireland "goes back centuries, and is still sung, and is still vital. Music about the substance of life is a tradition which continues with today’s musicians as well..." Visit her blog for the scoop on some of the modern Irish musicians that she enjoys most.

How could we celebrate this very Irish holiday without our thoughts turning back to Ireland itself? We all have images of Ireland that stir our imaginations, whether we have visited the island or not. If you do have a trip in your future, you may do well to take some advice from Corey of the Wandering Educators blog. His article Spots the Tourists Miss in Ireland highlights not-so-well-known destinations in Ireland that are worth working into the itinerary.

If you can't make it to the Emerald Isle, why not plan a visit to a place outside of Ireland with a little bit of Irish history? One such place is located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, as Eyelyn Yvonne Theriault explains on her blog A Canadian Family. Visit The Irish And The Queen Victoria Bridge to see a vintage postcard of the Victoria bridge and read about its tie to a special memorial designed by Irish Quebeckers to commemorate their own.

I hope you've enjoyed this 3rd annual edition of the Small-leaved Shamrock St. Patrick's Day Blog Parade! Many thanks to all of our contributors. If you just can't get enough St. Patrick's Day reading, make a visit over to the 2008 and 2009 editions of the parade.

This year's edition was particularly challenging for me to complete thanks to the wee one in my care and the other activities of my family (including this week's Irish dance performances). If you enjoyed reading, please take the time to leave a comment or send an email. I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions.

The topic for the upcoming 19th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture (in honor of U.S. National Poetry Month 2010) is Poetry! Read details about the Small-leaved Shamrock Poetry Party on the Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture blog. Deadline for this upcoming edition is Monday, April 26, 2010.

In the spirit of Irish poetry (which spans from the serious ballad to the silly limerick), here's a traditional Irish "blessing" (if you can call it that!) to take with you on your way:

May those who love us love us,

and those who do not love us,

may God turn their hearts,

and if He cannot turn their hearts

may He turn their ankles

that we may know them by their limping.

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh!

(Ban-ock-tee na fay-lah paw-rig ur-iv)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Irish women in America: Our grandmothers' stories

2010-03-08T10:00:00.006-05:00

I have observed that in various branches of my family the daughters often have had better collections of family photographs, heirlooms and keepsakes than the sons. To me (the eager family historian looking for clues to the lives of my ancestors several generations back) these collections have been a treasure trove of information: drawers and boxes full of items giving me glimpses into a history that would otherwise have been lost.

Agnes (Donnelly) Cowhey's portrait and vanity set

(privately held by the author)

I have appreciated collections saved lovingly by dear great aunts and beloved grandmothers (and sometimes not so much saved lovingly as just stored deep enough down so as not to become the victim of the trash can!). I have often wished that the men in the family had the same interest in collecting - or that I could find the long lost women relations who did collect items for that side of the family.

These wishes can only go back so far, however. I know for a fact that the chances of finding a photograph of a family member taken in the 19th century get slimmer and slimmer the further back I go with my family tree. And what are the odds that family letters or mementos, even if they were saved by a nostalgic great-aunt, would have survived the wear and tear of more than a century?

So, sadly, for the stories of the lives of many of my family members over a century ago, I must turn to government documents and other records (when I can find them). More often than not, these focus on the male members of the family. Information on the lives of the women in my family is often harder to come by.

That's where works of social history come in. Pondering the lives of many of the women who came before me, I was looking for insights into the world of Irish immigrant women in America when I came across an interesting list of titles. As far back as 1996, Helen Fallon compiled and placed on the web a list of books dealing with 19th-century Irish emigrant women. Her assortment of annotated bibliographical references includes not only full books dealing with Irish emigrant women, but references to specific chapters of interest in more general volumes.

Here are a few titles that I plan to look further into:

Irish Women and Irish Migration edited by Patrick O'Sullivan - Two chapters of particular interest to women's history include Dymphna McLoughlin's essay Superfluous and Unwanted Deadweight: The Emigration of 19th-century Pauper Women and Miller, Doyle and Kelleher's For Love & Liberty: Irish Women, Migration and Domesticity in Ireland and America, 1815-1920.

Ourselves Alone: Women's Emigration from Ireland 1885-1920 by Janet Nolan - According to Fallon's annotated bibliography, the book includes descripions of the life of Irish women in the United States during this period.

The Irish in America: A Guide to the Literature and Manuscript Collections by Patrick Blessing - This resource includes twelve pages of sources focused on women in addition to many pages of other interesting topics on Irish-American history.

Erin's Daughters in America by Hasia Diner - This is a book that I had actually begun to read but had not yet finished. Diner's book, which attempts to cover many aspects of the lives of Irish-American women, often negatively focuses on the failures of the Irish but is interesting reading.

Immigrant Women in the United States: A Selectively Annotated Multidisciplinary Bibliography by Donna Gabaccia - A reference work for serious students of women's history, this book's country of origin index lists over 200 entries for Ireland.

Check out Helen Fallon's full annotated bibliography entitled The Emigration of Irish Women in the Nineteenth Century.

Another book not noted on the list that I found while searching for Irish women's history is Women in Ireland 1800-1919: A Documentary History. Using actual letters and documents of the time period (the kind I would like to discover handed down in my family) the book gives a glimpse into the world and lives of Irish women within the last two centuries.

In light of my search for the stories of my great-grandmothers and mothers many generations back I particularly enjoyed reading the admonishments to women written by Margaret Cusack (known as the Nun of Kenmare) as reprinted in Women in Ireland 1800-1918. She wrote in 1874:

"...Every mother is forming the future generation,...every mother is affixing her stamp and seal to the society which will be when she perhaps has gone to her account.

It is an awful thing to think how far we can control and influence the destinies of an entire race, of a race preparing for its future life.

Mothers! arise in the greatness of your power, in the splendour of your strength, and be the regenerators of the world. You have in your hands the making or marring of immortal destinies; do not, I beg you, be content with anything less."

In this month with its focus both on Irish-American heritage and women's history, Small-leaved Shamrock remembers and honors the life of each daughter of Erin who has gone before us and "affixed her stamp and seal" on her society and her family.

Though I may never learn the details of the life stories of many of my women ancestors, I know that they will always be a part of me and that their influence on the history of my family has helped to make me who I am today.

Have additional suggested reading that might open our eyes to the lives and times of the women in our Irish family trees? Please post a comment or send an email to Small-leaved Shamrock.

This article was originally published on March 10, 2008. It has been reposted here in honor of women's history month.

Join us for the 2010 St. Patrick's Day online parade!

2010-02-28T18:57:00.007-05:00

For the past two St. Patrick's Days (2008 and 2009) Small-leaved Shamrock has hosted a St. Patrick's Day parade - in the blogosphere, that is. Each one was great fun and we're planning to do it again.

As you probably know, March is Irish heritage month in many places, thanks to the March 17 celebration of the life of St. Patrick, beloved patron of Ireland. Our "parade", also the 18th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture, will be open to anything and everything about Irish heritage, genealogy and culture. Articles about St. Patrick will be appreciated, but articles related to any meaningful aspect of Ireland's heritage are welcomed. Important note: No Irish heritage is required to participate!

The deadline is Sunday, March 14, 2009. Submit your parade entry here. Then come join us for the parade on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 2009. On the feast of St. Patrick, everyone likes to be Irish, at least for one day. Hope to see you at the parade wearing your green!

Small-leaved Shamrock celebrates Family Tree Magazine's top 40

2010-02-23T14:21:00.007-05:00

Go raibh maith agaibh!

A heartfelt thanks (in Irish Gaelic) to all of you for a great honor. Small-leaved Shamrock, humble birthplace of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture, is proud to reside within Family Tree Magazine's top 5 heritage blogs - a small contingent among their "Fab Forty": Family Tree Magazine's 40 Best Genealogy Blogs (which includes some of my very favorites!).

Maureen Taylor wrote the magazine's announcement and said kindly about Small-leaved Shamrock:

"A lovely photo of the Irish countryside hooks you the moment you land on this blog. The blogger—a self-described Hungarian / Croatian / Irish-ancestored woman named Lisa—offers research tips and compelling stories of Irish life. The Small-leaved Shamrock is home to the Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture: Lisa’s links to participants’ posts."

Thank you to Diane Haddad, Maureen Taylor, and all of the Family Tree Magazine staff for the honor; Jordan McClements for the use of his beautiful photograph of the Irish countryside; my creative daughter for the Top 40 logo above; and you, my faithful readers, who placed your vote for Small-leaved Shamrock or have supported this blog in other ways. I consider you part of my Irish clan! (Although I can't find a way to fit all of you into the pedigree chart.)

When the idea for this blog took root almost three years ago, I had the intent to connect my extended family and help them to rediscover their Irish ancestry. I had no idea where else the journey might take me. Along the way I have discovered an even deeper appreciation of my heritage, a new collection of friends in genealogy along with some newfound cousins, and some accolades from readers and fans: including this very special recognition from one of my absolute favorite magazines.

"From quiet homes and first beginning,
Out to the undiscovered ends,
There's nothing worth the wear of winning,
But laughter and the love of friends."

~ Hilaire Belloc, from "Dedicatory Ode," Verses (1910)

Thanks for visiting this little Irish corner of the web. Don't forget to join us for the upcoming online St. Patrick's Day parade, whether you have Irish heritage or not. The deadline to submit your entry is Sunday, March 14.

Please take the time to read Family Tree Magazine's May 2010 issue highlighting the top 40 genealogy blogs. The list includes some of my very favorites (although many others that I enjoy didn't get a mention this time):

All-Around

Creative Gene by Jasia Smasha
footnoteMaven by footnoteMaven
GeneaBloggers by Thomas MacEntee
Genea-Musings by Randy Seaver

Cemetery

The Association of Graveyard Rabbits by several authors
Granite in My Blood by Midge Frazel

Corporate

Ancestry.com Blog by various authors

Genetic Genealogy

The Genetic Genealogist by Blaine Bettinger

Heritage

George Geder by George Geder
Scottish Genealogy News and Events by Chris Paton
Small Leaved Shamrock by Lisa
Steve’s Genealogy Blog by Stephen Danko
Tracing the Tribe: The Jewish Genealogy Blog by Schelly Talalay Dardashti

How-To

Family Matters by Denise Barrett Olson
Genealogy Guys by George G. Morgan and Drew Smith
Genealogy Tip of the Day by Michael John Neill
The ProGenealogists Blog by various authors

Local and Regional

California Genealogical Society and Library Blog by Kathryn Doyle
Sandusky History by the staff of the Sandusky (Ohio) Library Archives Research Center
Midwestern Microhistory by Harold Henderson

News and Resources

The Ancestry Insider by the Ancestry Insider
DearMyrtle by Pat Richley-Erickson
Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter by Dick Eastman
GenealogyBlog by Leland Meitzler

Photos and Heirlooms

The Family Curator by Denise Levenick
Shades of the Departed by footnoteMaven

Personal and Family

AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors by Miriam Midkiff
Apple’s Tree by anonymous
BeNotForgot by Vickie Everhart
Educated Genealogist by Sheri Fenley
Greta’s Genealogy Blog by Greta Koehl
Heritage Happens by Cheryl Fleming Palmer
Herstoryan by Herstoryan
Janet the Researcher by Janet Iles
Kinexxions by Becky Wiseman
Little Bytes of Life by Elizabeth
Our Georgia Roots by Luckie Daniels
WeTree by Amy Coffin
West in New England by Bill West
What’s Past is Prologue by Donna Pointkouski

Blogs mentioned by Family Tree Magazine in addition to their top 40:

The Chart Chick
Elyse’s Genealogy Blog
Everything’s Relative
Finding the Flock
The Genealogue
Olive Tree Genealogy Blog
Polly’s Granddaughter
Renee’s Genealogy Blog
Seeking Michigan
Think Genealogy

The You Go Genealogy Girls

"I speak with a proud tongue...": A poem for our Irish ancestors

2010-02-04T08:25:00.000-05:00

A great poem that helps to conjure up images of many of our Irish forebears...

Dedication

by Patrick MacGill (1890- )

I speak with a proud tongue of the people who were
And the people who are,
The worthy of Ardara, the Rosses and Inishkeel,
My kindred-
The people of the hills and the dark-haired passes
My neighbours on the lift of the brae,
In the lap of the valley.
To them Slainthé!

I speak of the old men,
The wrinkle-rutted,
Who dodder about foot-weary -
For their day is as the day that has been and is no more -
Who warm their feet by the fire,
And recall memories of the times that are gone;
Who kneel in the lamplight and pray
For the peace that has been theirs -
And who beat one dry-veined hand against another
Even in the sun-
For the coldness of death is on them.

I speak of the old women
Who danced to yesterday's fiddle
And dance no longer.
They sit in a quiet place and dream
And see visions
Of what is to come,
Of their issue,
Which has blossomed to manhood and womanhood -
And seeing thus
They are happy
For the day that was leaves no regrets,
And peace is theirs
And perfection.

I speak of the strong men
Who shoulder their burdens in the hot day,
Who stand on the market-place
And bargain in loud voices,
Showing their stock to the world.
Straight the glance of their eyes -
Broad-shouldered,
Supple.
Under their feet the holms blossom,
The harvest yields.
The their path is of prosperity.

I speak of the women,
Strong hipped, full-bosomed,
Who drive the cattle to graze at dawn,
Who milk the cows at dusk.
Grace in their homes,
And in the crowded ways
Modest and seemly -
Mother of children!

I speak of the children
Of the many townlands,
Blossoms of the Bogland,
Flowers of the Valley,
Who know not yesterday, nor to-morrow,
And are happy,
The pride of those who have begot them.

And thus it is,
Every and always,
In Ardara, the Rosses and Inishkeel -
Here, as elsewhere,
The Weak, the Strong, and the Blossoming -
And thus my kindred.

To them Slainthé!

(This poem can be found in 1000 Years of Irish Poetry: The Gaelic and Anglo Irish Poets from Pagan Times to the Present by Kathleen Hoagland)

Irish Blog Awards taking nominations for 2010

2010-01-15T06:16:00.001-05:00

Time's almost up! Irish Blog Awards 2010 nominations are currently being accepted but will close very soon. Take some time to vote for your favorite Irish blogs and blog posts. Winners will be announced in Galway in March.

"Show and tell": Irish genealogical treasures

2010-01-07T00:00:00.266-05:00

Genealogists are treasure hunters of a different kind. Instead of searching for riches, we dig for information. Instead of prizing gold, we value documents - the visual proof of the life stories of families that have passed before us.

This 17th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture is a chance for some of us to show off the treasures that we have accumulated during our search for family history. Show and tell is always lots of fun, and this one is no exception. Get ready to see some true Irish genealogical treasures and hear the stories behind them. Happy reading!

A family Bible is a rare treasure appreciated by every family historian. Frances Ellsworth (aka "Hummer") presents images of the family Bible that once belonged to her Magill ancestors. Using the information in the Bible, she was able to confirm that the land patent records that she had found listed the correct Magill family. Visit Frances' 17th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture Irish Treasures posted at Branching Out Through The Years to see the Bible pages for yourself and read about the land records Frances found.

Unable to come across the information I was looking for in a family Bible, a state record repository, a county record repository, or church archive, I was thrilled to find it nestled within the pages of my great-great-grandfather's Civil War pension file. View the church document (complete with the parish seal) that I found within that file that listed the birth and baptism dates of many of the Cowhey family members for whom I was searching at my article Family treasure at the National Archives: 19th-century birth records & more here at Small-leaved Shamrock.

Sometimes the rumor of Irish ancestry runs through a family, although the actual proof is hard to find. Debra Osborne Spindle (aka "Tex") finds that to be the case in her family. As she states in Irish Roots at Last. Probably., this author of All My Ancestors "joined the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture on faith", since she has not yet been able to find a primary source document confirming her Mitchell clan's Irish ancestry. She has, however, found a book that includes a mention that her ancestor "emigrated from Ireland in 1752". Visit Debra's blog to read more about the story of her Mitchell ancestors and her quest to confirm her possible Irish roots.

Thomas MacEntee of Destination Austin Family has the type of family document in his possession that Debra is looking for. Visit An Irish Treasure: Citizenship Papers for Matthew McGinnes to see a copy of "one of [Thomas'] most cherished treasures": his great-great-grandfather's original United States citizenship certificate dated 1888.

I have a similar document in my possession (although it is not the original): the naturalization papers of my great-great-grandfather dated 1876. Visit Tierney family treasure: Patrick's naturalization papers, 1876 to see the documents, read their transcriptions, and learn which "item" within these documents that I like the best.

For this "show and tell" carnival Julie Cahill Tarr of GenBlog shares with us an obituary of her great-great-grandmother Margaret "Maggie" Millet Cahill. It states an important piece of information: Maggie's birthplace in County Kilkenny, Ireland. Visit Julie's Irish Genealogy Treasures to read the obituary for yourself.

K. Wech started off her new blog with an entry for our carnival. At Central PA Genealogist she presents the story of her First genealogical trip to Ireland which resulted from the discovery she made in an obituary of an ancestor who died in 1900. Visit her blog to hear the story of the kindnesses she experienced in the people of County Longford, Ireland during a visit there in search of her roots.

Dorene Paul, the Graveyard Rabbit of Sandusky Bay, shares with us the Marriage Record of Thomas F. Larkins and Lula M. Cross, her great-great-grandparents. After an unsuccessful search at the Erie County, Ohio courthouse, she states, "I came across the marriage record for my great-great-grandparents, Thomas F. and Mary Louise Cross Larkins, in Kalamazoo County, Michigan during a Google Search." A happy surprise for Dorene in her search for family history!

Dr. Bill (William L.) Smith wasn't sure he had any Irish ancestry until the discovery of the birthplace of his great-great-great-grandfather way back in 1745 in County Wicklow, Ireland. Visit Dr. Bill Tells Ancestor Stories for more of the fascinating story of John Butler - [Bill's] Irish Ancestor who followed his brother from Ireland to America and fought in the Revolutionary War.

Moving ahead to the middle of the 20th-century, Bill West of West in New England shares the 1949 land deed for the transfer of a Boston home from one family member of The McFarlands of Parker Street, Boston, MA to another. Like my Boston Tierney family and many other extended families of the time, the McFarlands settled together on one street, sometimes renting, sometimes buying, sometimes moving down the street, but often remaining close neighbors with other family members.

Karen Hammer of Ancestor Soup shares with us her most important "treasure" in terms of her Irish ancestry - and the reason that her family has retained pride in their Irish heritage. Visit My Irish Genealogy Treasure to read her story. Those of us that have an "Uncle Jimmy" in our own families certainly can relate.

Alice Keesey Mecoy has a special treat for us at this edition of the carnival. She says, "I don't believe that I have any Irish blood flowing in my veins, but I can share my love and memories of the Irish Crochet my grandmother lovingly created for many, many years." Visit Genealogy Treasure Show and Tell in the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture posted at Alice's John Brown Kin.

Thanks to all of you who contributed to this "show and tell" fun and to those of you who took the time to read. Please plan to join us for the upcoming 18th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture, also known as the:

3rd annual

Small-leaved Shamrock

St. Patrick's Day

Parade of Posts

The topic is anything and everything Irish, so come join in the fun whether or not you have Irish roots! The deadline is Sunday, March 14, 2009. The carnival will be published on St. Patrick's Day, March 17. For more details, visit the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture blog. See you there!

Family treasure at the National Archives: 19th-century birth records & more

2010-01-05T20:24:00.002-05:00

My great-great-grandparents William & Margaret (Foley) Cowhey had many children. Prior to their marriage, William and his first wife also had several children. I had the information from a handwritten family tree that I had been given by a distant cousin. I hoped to sort out and confirm these names, birthdates and mother/child relationships with official birth records.

At first my search was not easy.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health didn't have the information I was looking for. Their records only went back to 1906.

I had no success either when I contacted the Schuylkill County Courthouse.

St. Patrick's Catholic Church of Pottsville, Pennsylvania surely had the information somewhere in their archives, but they wouldn't allow information requests for records of that age due to their fragility. (They had a parishioner who had been painstakingly transcribing those records, but he had passed away and no one had taken his place.)

I had heard of the existence of a Cowhey family Bible (possibly a good source for some of the information) but I had no idea if it had survived the second half of the 20th-century, and if it had, in whose home it might currently reside.

Ironically, it turned out that the records that I was looking for did not reside in Pennsylvania at all - at least not that I could find. Like many Cowhey family descendants who had moved out of state, these birth records had also. I found them (unfortunately after my original research visit) residing happily at the National Archives building in Washington D.C. within the Civil War pension (and widow's pension) file for William Cowhey and his wife Margaret (Foley) Cowhey.

You can imagine how happy I was when I received the envelope in the mail with copies of the documents in this file and found the one below. As part of the paperwork filled out at the time of Williams' death on behalf of his wife Margaret was this Record Proof of Births of Surviving Children of Soldier Under Sixteen Years of Age - a list of eight of their children's names, birthdates and baptism dates taken from the records and bearing the seal of St. Patrick's Catholic Church of Pottsville, Pennsylvania.

As I mentioned in Death comes in threes: The sorrows of Margaret (Foley) Cowhey, William's untimely death had left his 37-year-old wife Margaret a widow and the sole caretaker for their eight youngest children. The Record Proof of Births of Surviving Children of Soldier Under Sixteen Years of Age within the pension file listed Margaret's living children from age fourteen down to eight months. (The couple's two eldest children were not covered by the pension, nor were the children of William Cowhey and his first wife.)

This primary source document was the first that I had found (besides U.S. census records) that validated some of the information in the handwritten Cowhey family tree that I had been given: a true family treasure.

The eight children listed within the Record Proof of Births of Surviving Children of Soldier Under Sixteen Years of Age shown above are Mary, Elizabeth, Thomas, Ambrose, Clara, Charles, Blanche and Isabella Cowhey, born 1881 to 1892. (The youngest, nicknamed Bella, would die a tragic death at a young age only two and a half years following William's death.)

Williams's Civil War pension file also included many other family treasures within its pages, including the handwritten account of he and his brother Thomas' night crossing the Potomac River in 1861. The account was written in Thomas' own handwriting in 1889 and is another one of the family documents that I treasure most.

In search of your own Civil War ancestors' pension file? Check out the resources on this Genealogy Branches webpage to get started. (Note: You might have to try several sources before you find your ancestors' index card. I finally found William Cowhey's on Footnote. Try their Civil War & Later Veterans Pension Index to do your own search.)

Calling all "Irish genealogy treasure" carnival entries!

2010-01-04T10:09:00.001-05:00

Several of us have experienced difficulty with the Blog Carnival website over the last few days. If you have had similar trouble (or you are just plain late!), please email your submissions directly to me for inclusion in the carnival. My email can be found on my profile page.

Look for the 17th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture to be posted this Thursday, January 7. See you there!

Genealogy treasure "show and tell": Deadline Jan. 3, 2010

2009-12-30T16:04:00.000-05:00

The upcoming 17th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture will be a Genealogy treasure "show and tell". Here are the details:

Genealogists are treasure hunters of a different kind. Instead of searching for riches, we dig for information. Instead of prizing gold, we value documents - the visual proof of the life stories of families that have passed before us.

Share with us the image of and the story behind a document (or documents) that have been valuable to you during your search for an Irish branch of your family. How and where did you find these documents? What are their significance to your research and/or why are they special to you? Here's your chance to show off some of your genealogical "loot" at our online "show and tell".

Deadline for submissions to the Genealogy treasure "show and tell" edition of the carnival is Sunday, January 3, 2010. This edition will be published at Small-leaved Shamrock on Thursday, January 7, 2010 .

Genealogists - get ready to show us your stuff at the upcoming show and tell carnival!

For past editions or other information about the carnival, visit the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture blog.

A candle in the window on Christmas Eve (Advent Calendar: Christmas Eve)

2009-12-24T10:31:00.001-05:00

Christmas Eve is a magical time. The waiting of Advent is over and the celebration of the Savior's birth is about to begin.

One beautiful way that the Irish have traditionally kept this holy night is with the lighting of a candle in the window. The warm light from its glow acts as a welcome to all so that no one should be without shelter.

Offering hospitality to others by way of a lighted candle is a tradition as old as ancient Ireland. In more recent centuries during times of persecution in Ireland, the candle offered a welcome to priests that the home was a safe haven and that Mass could be offered there. On Christmas Eve, the candle also symbolizes the willingness of the household to welcome the Holy Family, so that the Infant Jesus and his family would not again be turned away. One Irish belief held that Joseph, Mary and Jesus still wandered the world, seeking a place of refuge from Herod.

The words of The Kerry Carol, written by Sigerson Clifford, admonish us to be sure to provide a welcome for the Holy Family on this special night before Christmas. Below are verses two and seven. I've placed the full version of the song here.

Verse 2
Ná múch an coinneal ard bán,
Ach fág é lásta go geal.
Go mbeidh siad cinnte ar aon
go bhfuil fáilte is fiche roimh cách
Sa teach ar an Oiche Nollag naofa seo!

Don't blow the tall white candle out
But leave it burning bright,
So that they'll know they're welcome here
This holy Christmas night!

Verse 7
Ná cur ar an ndoras ach an laiste anocht!
Agus coimead na gríosaigh beó -
Agus guí go mbeidh siad fén ar ndíon anocht
Agus an domhan 'na chodladh go suan.

Leave the door upon the latch,
And set the fire to keep,
And pray they'll rest with us tonight
When all the world's asleep.

Tim Dennehy, who has recorded The Kerry Carol, has also written a song of his own to be sung in welcome of the Holy Family on Christmas Eve.

Tim has taken a traditional Irish prayer of welcome and added additional verses and a refrain. His song, An Nollaig Theas, begins as follows:

Dia do bheatha 'dir asal is damh gan riar
Dia do bheatha id' leanbh, id Fhlaith gan chiach
Dia do bheatha ód' Fhlaithis go teach na bpian
Dia do bheathasa 'Íosa.

Dún do shúil a Rí an tSolais, dún do shúile ríoga
Dún do shúil a Shaoi an tSonais, dún do shúile síoda.

Translated to English, the words are:

God's greeting to you untended 'tween ox and ass
God's greeting to you Child and Prince serene
God's greeting to you from heaven to the hour of pain
God's greeting to you dear Jesus.

Close your eyes oh King of light, close your regal eyes
Close your eyes oh fount of happiness, close your silken eyes.

You can find the rest of the lyrics to the song on Tim Dennehy's website Sceilig.com.

If you choose to light a candle in your window this Christmas Eve and would like to follow Irish tradition, remember that it requires that the candle be left burning throughout the night. Oh, and it must only be blown out by one having the name of Mary! Or was that the youngest child in the family? Actually it might have been the youngest child who would, of course, be named Mary.

No matter. As long as you get the candle in the window I think any Irishman or woman would be feel welcomed at your home on Christmas Eve, not to mention Mary, Joseph and the Infant Jesus.

Image courtesy of DoChara.com.

This article is part of a series written in celebration of the Advent and Christmas seasons. It will be included as part of the GeneaBloggers Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2009 Day 24: Christmas Eve. Make a visit to Thomas MacEntee's GeneaBloggers website for some additional inspiration to get yourself in the holiday spirit!

The article originally appeared here at Small-leaved Shamrock and was included in Thomas MacEntee's Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2007.

Can't forget Killarney... (Advent Calendar: Christmas Music)

2009-12-21T23:04:00.004-05:00

Speaking of Christmas carols, I can't help but mention one of my favorites. It also evokes a traditional Irish Christmas like the songs I wrote about earlier, but it is certainly a more modern song.

The carol I'm referring to is Christmas in Killarney by John Redmond, James Cavanaugh and Frank Weldon. Bobby Vinton's version of the song conjures up memories for me of my childhood living room: me resting on the floor below the Christmas tree with Christmas in Killarney playing on the stereo system's record player. It might have been the very song that inspired me to learn how to use the record player and place the needle at just the right place so that I could repeat my favorite song, although I remember enjoying all the songs on Bobby Vinton's Christmas album.

Only now listening to it again do I realize all the references to Irish culture in the song: the holly leaves, the ivy green, the mistletoe, the jigs and reels...

Click here for Jim Corbett and Chris Caswell's version of the song, sung with a nice Irish brogue.

Here are the words (a more complete set of lyrics than the ones used in the audio version linked above):

Christmas In Killarney

Verse:
The holly green, the ivy green
The prettiest picture you've ever seen
Is Christmas in Killarney
With all of the folks at home
It's nice, you know, to kiss your beau
While cuddling under the mistletoe
And Santa Claus you know, of course
Is one of the boys from home

Bridge:
The door is always open
The neighbors pay a call
And Father John before he's gone
Will bless the house and all
Our Hearts are light, our spirits bright
We'll celebrate our joy tonight
Is Christmas in Killarney
With all of the folks at home

Repeat Verse

Bridge:
We'll decorate the Christmas tree
When all the family's here
Around a roaring fire
We will raise a cup of cheer
There's gifts to bring,
And songs to sing
And laughs to make the rafters ring
Is Christmas in Killarney
With all of the folks at home

Repeat Verse

Bridge:
We'll take the horse and sleigh all
Across the fields of snow
Listening to the jingle bells
Everywhere we go
How grand it feels to click your heels
And dance away to the jigs and reels
It's Christmas in Killarney
With all of the folks at home

Repeat Verse

Is Christmas in Killarney
With all of the folks at home

This article is part of a series written in celebration of the Advent and Christmas seasons. It will be included as part of the GeneaBloggers Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2009 Day 21: Christmas Music. Make a visit to Thomas MacEntee's GeneaBloggers website for some additional inspiration to get yourself in the holiday spirit!

The article originally appeared here at Small-leaved Shamrock and was included in Thomas MacEntee's Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2007. In the mood for more Christmas carols? Check out footnote Maven's "heavenly host" at A Choir of GeneaAngels. The angel to footnote Maven's right in the center of the choir is standing in for me.

Sing of Christmas! (Advent Calendar: Christmas Music)

2009-12-21T23:03:00.005-05:00

The Irish have long been known for their love of music, their talent for writing poetry, and their devotion to faith. All of these come together beautifully in traditional Irish Christmas carols.

You may not be as familiar with The Wexford Carol and others as with some of the more frequently-played modern-day carols and other traditional favorites. But the richness of the words and the Irish charm of the music may call you to make these carols an important part of your family's Christmas celebration.

The Wexford Carol is one of the oldest Irish carols and may date back to the 12th century. You can find the audio version of the music here or here. These are the words:

The Wexford Carol

Good people all, this Christmas-time,
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done
In sending his beloved Son.

With Mary holy we should pray
To God with love this Christmas day;
In Bethlehem upon that morn
There was a blessed Messiah born.

The night before that happy tide
The noble Virgin and her guide
Were long time seeking up and down
To find a lodging in the town.

But mark how all things came to pass;
From every door repelled alas!
As long foretold, their refuge all
Was but an humble ox's stall.

There were three wise men from afar
Directed by a glorious star,
And on they wandered night and day
Until they came where Jesus lay,

And when they came unto that place
Where our beloved Messiah was,
They humbly cast them at his feet,
With gifts of gold and incense sweet.

Near Bethlehem did shepherds keep
Their flocks of lambs and feeding sheep;
To whom God's angels did appear,
Which put the shepherds in great fear.

"Prepare and go", the angels said.
'To Bethlehem, be not afraid,
For there you'll find this happy morn,
A princely babe, sweet Jesus born.

With thankful heart and joyful mind,
The shepherds went the babe to find,
And as God's angel had foretold,
They did our savior Christ behold.

Within a manger he was laid,
And by his side the virgin maid,
Attending on the Lord of life,
Who came on earth to end all strife.

A newer but also well-loved Irish song, The Kerry Christmas Carol (An Ciarrí Carúl Nollag), was first published in 1955 in a book of poetry entitled Ballads of a Bogman. Written by Sigerson Clifford, it focuses on a traditional Irish Christmas Eve custom. Each household welcomes the Holy Family to their home by lighting a candle and placing it in a window. According to Jack & Vivian Hennessey's Irish Page about the Kerry carol, "There was a pious belief that Joseph and Mary and the Child still wandered the roads of the world, looking for a place to rest from the persecution of Herod. That they should show a preference for the roads of rural Ireland was accepted as a given."

The only online audio version of The Kerry Christmas Carol that I could find is this little snippet from Tim Dennehy's Between The Mountains And The Sea. Here are the words to the song in Irish-Gaelic followed by the English translation (thanks to the Irish Page):

An Ciarrí Carúl Nollag
The Kerry Christmas Carol

Verse 1
Scuab an t-urlár agus glan an teallach,
's coimead na grísaigh beo,
Ar eagla go dtiocfhaidh siad anocht,
Agus an domhan 'na chodladh go suan!

Brush the floor and clean the hearth,
And set the fire to keep,
For they might visit us tonight
When all the world's asleep!

Verse 2
Ná múch an coinneal ard bán,
Ach fág é lásta go geal.
Go mbeidh siad cinnte ar aon
go bhfuil fáilte is fiche roimh cách
Sa teach ar an Oiche Nollag naofa seo!

Don't blow the tall white candle out
But leave it burning bright,
So that they'll know they're welcome here
This holy Christmas night!

Verse 3
Léig amach ar an mbord, arán is feoil,
Agus braonín bainne don leanbh.
Agus beidh beannacht ar an dtine
Agus ar an té a bhruith an t-arán
Agus ar an lamh a dhéin an t-obair dian.

Leave out the bread and meat for them,
And sweet milk for the Child,
And they will bless the fire, that baked
And, too, the hands that toiled.

Verse 4
Beidh Naomh Iósaef túirseach,
Tar éis an turas fada.
Agus aghaidh Mhuire fann, bánghnéitheach
Agus beidh néal codlata aca.
Sar a n-imthígheann siad arís.

For Joseph will be travel-tired,
And Mary pale and wan,
And they can sleep a little while
Before they journey on.

Verse 5
Beidh túirse na mbóthar fada ortha
Agus seans aca a scíth a ligint,
Ó's iomai an míle fada uaigneach
Atá roimh an dtriur aca
Uaidh seo go dtí Beithil.

They will be weary of the roads,
And rest will comfort them,
For it must be many a lonely mile
From here to Bethlehem.

Verse 6
Ó is fada an bóthar 'tá le taisteal aca,
Agus é idir garbh is mín
Agus Cnoch Chalvaire mar ceann scríbe aca,
Agus chroise adhmad indan.

O long the road they have to go,
The bad mile with the good,
Till the journey ends on Calvary
Beneath a cross of wood.

Verse 7
Ná cur ar an ndoras ach an laiste anocht!
Agus coimead na gríosaigh beó -
Agus guí go mbeidh siad fén ar ndíon anocht
Agus an domhan 'na chodladh go suan.

Leave the door upon the latch,
And set the fire to keep,
And pray they'll rest with us tonight
When all the world's asleep.

Another favorite Irish carol is Once In Royal David's City written in 1848 by Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander. You can find an audio version of it at this page. Here are the words:

Once in Royal David's City

Once in royal David's city
Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her baby
In a manger for His bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little child.

He came down to earth from heaven,
Who is God and Lord of all,
And His shelter was a stable,
And His cradle was a stall;
With the poor, and mean, and lowly,
Lived on earth our Savior Holy.

And through all His wondrous childhood
He would honor and obey,
Love and watch the lowly Maiden,
In whose gentle arms He lay:
Christian children all must be
Mild, obedient, good as He.

Jesus is our childhood's pattern;
Day by day, like us He grew;
He was little, weak and helpless,
Tears and smiles like us He knew;
And He feeleth for our sadness,
And He shareth in our gladness.

And our eyes at last shall see Him,
Through His own redeeming love;
For that Child so dear and gentle
Is our Lord in heaven above,
And He leads His children on
To the place where He is gone.

Not in that poor lowly stable,
With the oxen standing by,
We shall see Him; but in heaven,
Set at God's right hand on high;
Where like stars His children crowned
All in white shall wait around.

For more on Irish Christmas carols read Bridget Haggerty's An Irish Christmas - Ding Dong, Merrily on High...

You might also enjoy these Gaelic versions of popular Christmas carols (including Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer) courtesy of Vivian and Jack Hennessey.

This article is part of a series written in celebration of the Advent and Christmas seasons. It will be included as part of the GeneaBloggers Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2009 Day 21: Christmas Music. Make a visit to Thomas MacEntee's GeneaBloggers website for some additional inspiration to get yourself in the holiday spirit!

The article originally appeared here at Small-leaved Shamrock and was included in Thomas MacEntee's Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2007. In the mood for more Christmas carols? Check out footnote Maven's "heavenly host" at A Choir of GeneaAngels. The angel to footnote Maven's right in the center of the choir is standing in for me.