Both stories in this episode show the importance of acknowledging
and then ignoring county boundaries and, instead, thinking regionally. People
from north Kerry didn't just live, marry, and work exclusively in the county.
They also did these things in neighboring Limerick, along with, of course,
emigrating from the port there. It is important to remember this for anyone who
has found an ancestor living near a county boundary.
This was also the first story in the series that focused on
the passage across the Atlantic in detail. Why they might have chosen Canada,
the types of ships, how they might have heard about the service, and the
conditions of passage were all discussed.
The Ordnance Survey maps, created in the 1830s and then used later in the century for
Griffith's Valuation, are also highlighted. For those who can pin-point their townland of origin in the mid-19th century, these maps provide such detail that
the house of residence in the field can be found in most
circumstances.
Towards the end of her journey Angie touched on a facet that
is experienced by many people in north America tracing their Irish ancestors—their
American and Canadian born relatives of previous generations not talking about
their past, or wanting to acknowledge their Irish ancestry in any great detial. Memories of 19th
century discrimination against the Irish lingered long and this can make it
harder for those with Irish ancestry to research their family history.
So does Angie find her townland of origin by the Shannon? Watch below to find out.
Thanks for the kind words. There was so much more detail and research but unfortunately a lot fell to the cutting room floor due to time constraints. I think there is a great future for this type of programme , a genealogy show that highlights the issues and the history rather than name checking celebrities. Regards Ger Greaney North Kerry Reaching Out and 4UR Genealogy.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work in Kerry, Ger! Thanks for the comment.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Joe