A celebration of Irish names: What clan are you?

The Irish have always been a proud people, and many of us who have Irish roots mixed with other heritage continue to carry on that Irish pride. As a child I was able to stand taller and beam with pride when someone asked me on St. Patrick's Day if I was really Irish. "Yes, thank-you," I could answer truthfully, "I'm half Irish!"

Here at the 13th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture we've taken that question one step further and shared the names of the Irish clans from which we hail.

Surnames were adopted in Ireland before many other countries: at least a century before the Normans set foot on Irish shores. As Edward MacLysaght states in his well-respected Irish Families: Their Names, Arms, and Origins, "Irish surnames [are] more mixed than those of a nation with a less disturbed history." This is because of "the successive invasions of Ireland from Strongbow to Cromwell, culminating in the final destruction of the Gaelic order and the long drawn out subjection of the Irish people under the eighteenth century penal code, together with the plantations of foreign settlers and the more peaceful infiltration of Englishmen in the commercial life of the country."

Historic Arms of Ireland poster thanks to the Celtic Dragon Pub Company

You can see the turbulent history of Ireland showcased in the assortment of Irish surnames that have been listed here within our carnival.

Are you part Aylward, Borodell, Bowe, Boyle, Cahill, Clune, Coffey, Connolly, Conway, Corrigan, Cowhey, Cregan, Cronin, Curry, D'arcy, Degnan, DeHority, Denison, Dillon, Donahue, Farrell, Finnegan, Fitzgerald, Galvin, Gleeson, Harrington, Harrison, Hogan, Irwin, Kealy, Larkin, Livingston, McCann, McFarland, McMahon, McWade, Moffet, Molloy, Moore, Mulligan, Mulvaney, Nugent, O'Loughlin, O'Neil, Ryan, Thompson, Tierney, Toner or Wade?

Then read on for some submissions from your cousins. However distant they may be, they share your Irish pride and possibly even some of your genealogical lines and DNA. They may be spread throughout the globe (from the United States to Canada to Australia), but you might find a connection that links you both back to the shores of the Emerald Isle. Enjoy reading!


First we'll start with a few lessons on the deeper history of some Irish surnames. Earline Bradt took some Ancestral Notes on the background of the surname O'Neil (Uá Niáll) and shares them with us at Irish Names - O'Neil. She says, "My Irish surname is one that has been the ruling monarchy of Ireland for centuries. It is associated with legends and lore and much more." I, too, have O'Neil roots and you may also - it is a very common Irish surname. Visit Earline's article for the scoop on the O'Neil name and its glorious history.

Here at Small-leaved Shamrock I've shared a little history lesson on the Cowhey surname in my own family and its connection to the Coffey name (in Gaelic they are both Ó Cobhthaigh). I've included the origins of the Cowhey branch in Cork (not to mention their appearance in Pennsylvania thanks to my family's immigrant ancestor, Patrick Cowhey). Read On the happiness of being a Cowhey for the story.

The Fitzgerald surname is the focus of much of Alanna's Genealogy Research and she shares what she has learned about its background at Fitzgerald: What's in a Name. Alanna shares a few online sources for information about the origin of her surname that you may find helpful in researching your own.

Our Aussie contributor, Geniaus, shares with us the origins of her uncommon Irish surname, D'arcy (Ó Dorchaidhe). She writes, "Of the Irish surnames in my tree I am fascinated by D'arcy, a French sounding name from County Tipperary." The author gives us a little background on its history within Ireland and back to the late 1700s in her own family at If you’re enough lucky to be Irish... You’re lucky enough! Geniaus also mentions the following Irish surnames in her family tree: Bowe, Connolly, Cregan, Curry, Gleeson, Harrington, Kealy, Molloy, Moore, Ryan, Tierney and Wade.

The Farrell (Ó Fearghail) name is the not-so-surprising focus of Alana Farrell's contribution to our carnival posted at her blog A Twig In My Tree. At Farrell or Fearghail she shares background on her surname, including its coat of arms. Alana also gives us a little intro into the history of Irish surnames in general.

Stephanie Varney, author of the new and very Irish of genealogy blogs Irish Genealogical Research, has focused on the surname in her tree which she is currently working on most: Dillon (her branch emigrated to New Garden, Pennsylvania). The name changed from the Norman French de Leon to the Gaelic O’ Duilleain and then to the more modern Dillon that we know today. Visit Stephanie's article Irish Surname Spotlight: Dillon to learn more and discover which county in Ireland actually has the nickname "Dillon's County". While you're visiting, take some time to browse around for lots of tips on Irish family history research.

Mary Beaulieu shares an interesting tale of family history at her blog AncestorTracking. Her DeHority surname has seen many changes from the original ÓDochartaigh (including Dehorty, Doherty, and Daugherty), and Mary turned to DNA testing to ensure that her supposed Irish roots were truly Irish and not French as she had originally guessed. Read her article An Irish Name for the family legend about a group of young men, including a Doherty, who may have been kidnapped from the coast of Ireland and brought to America in the 18th-century to work as indentured servants.

The Harrison, Irwin, Livingston and Moffet surnames in her family tree are the focus of M. Diane Rogers' submission to this edition of our carnival. She gives a little background on each surname within her family and mentions several sources which give a deeper history of the names, all of which appear to have been derived from English or Scottish surnames. Also read her article Irish Names! Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture - HARRISON, IRWIN, LIVINGSTON, MOFFET, County Cavan posted at CanadaGenealogy, or, 'Jane's Your Aunt' to learn about some of the given names on the Irish side of her family tree, including the woman's name which she would most like to learn more about: Delina.

Speaking of given names, Katie of You Are Where You Came From shared her submission with the note: "This is my first carnival submission, about Julia, the one name that has brought my the most insight into my Irish family's genealogy. (Names and naming patterns are my other big hobby, besides, genealogy, so I was thrilled to write this post.)" Read her article Irish Names: Julia for the story of her ancestor Julia and some mentions of the Irish surnames in her tree which include Toner and Mulvaney.

The surname belonging to Brian Zalewski's grandmother (his family's "biggest Irish supporter") is the main focus of his entry into our carnival. Brian presents What’s in a Name? posted at the Zalewski Family Genealogy blog and discusses the history of the surname Corrigan (originally Coirdhecan) in his family. He also mentions the other Irish surnames in his tree: McCann, Thompson, Nugent, Boyle and Cronin. While you're visiting Brian's blog, stop by the Corrigan Album in his Photos section to view a nice collection of vintage photographs of this side of Brian's family.

Julie Cahill Tarr gives us a list of her Irish surnames (Cahill, McMahon, Ryan and Mulligan) along with a little info on her family tree at My Irish Surnames posted at GenBlog. Her Irish surnames appear to be among her biggest brick walls, she writes, although she has had some success tracing a few lines back to Ireland. Julie shares links to each of her Irish surnames' deeper history within The Internet Surname Database. You might try searching your own surnames there - thanks for sharing the tip, Julie.

Bill West's Irish Catholic mother made some "vivid remarks" after an online talk show guest replied to Bill's question about her McFarland maiden name's history with what she must have thought was a dubious answer. Read his story and his questions about the history of this surname and his family's roots within My McFarland Quandry posted at West in New England.

Colleen Johnson has quite a bit of Irish heritage within her and a long list of Irish surnames in her family tree. Boyle, Degnan, Clune, Conway, Donahue, Finnegan, Galvin, Hogan, Larkin, McWade and O'Loughlin all figure within her list, and she shares a little intro on the background of each on her blog CMJ Office within The Names of My Ancestors.

Midge Frazel has some questions about the Borodell line of her family. Her research goes back to Ann Borodell Denison (born in the 17th-century), but conflicting information has placed her father's birth in either England or Cork, Ireland. True Graveyard Rabbit that she is, Midge shares an image of a beautiful copper casting of Ann's slate gravestone, who died in 1712. Read Irish Ancestors posted at Granite in My Blood to see it and read her story.

French-Canadian Evelyn Yvonne Theriault found some Irish ancestors in her New Brunswick line when she went looking for an addition to our Irish names carnival. Although the Aylward branch is "on the far edge of [her] family tree" as she puts it, Evelyn has done a nice job spelling out the genealogy of this line of her family and giving us an introduction to the name's history in the New Brunswick area thanks to a local history book on the area's pioneer families. Read The Irish Aylwards of Shippagan, New Brunswick posted at A Canadian Family for the story. As Evelyn states, "Not everyone's Acadian in northern New Brunswick!"

As Evelyn found and as we can see from the various contributors to this edition of the carnival, Irish heritage can turn up in many places and many families. I hope you've enjoyed taking a look at this handful of the many Irish surnames thanks to the submissions of our contributors researching their Irish roots.

Plan to join us for the upcoming 14th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture. The topic will be Irish Vacations and it will be hosted by Colleen Degnan Johnson. For details visit Upcoming 14th edition: Let's go to Ireland! Irish Vacations on the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture blog. Deadline for this upcoming edition is Friday, July 10, 2009. Hope to see you there!

Also plan ahead to join us for the 2nd Annual Small-leaved Shamrock Summer Reading Challenge. A compilation of the books read by participants will be the topic for the 15th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture. Last year's edition, Looking into the heart of Ireland, introduced us to quite a varied assortment of reading material on Ireland and the Irish. Get started now on your summer reading so that you can join us and share what you've read by August 30, 2009. Details can be found at Upcoming 15th edition: 2nd Annual Small-leaved Shamrock Summer Reading Challenge on the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture blog.

Stay tuned for the 13th Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture

Today is the scheduled publication date for the 13th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture. Normally I like to publish the carnival as early as possible in the morning so that readers can find it when they first look at their morning reading online.

Today, however, that did not occur due to some unexpected personal challenges. Thanks to all of you, readers and contributors, for your patience. This edition will be posted as soon as possible.

Thanks again for being loyal readers. I look forward to sharing the Irish names edition with you very soon.

On Memorial Day: "For you who bore the extreme sharp pain for us..."

From the The Columbia Book of Civil War Poetry: From Whitman to Walcott: "Written for more than 200,000 Negroes who served in the Union Army during the Civil War".

Memorial Wreath
by Dudley Randall

In the green month when resurrected flowers,
Like laughing children ignorant of death,
Brighten the couch of those who wake no more,
Love and remembrance blossom in our hearts
For you who bore the extreme sharp pain for us,
And bought our freedom with your lives.

And now,
Honoring your memory, with love we bring
These fiery roses, white-hot cotton flowers
And violets bluer than cool northern skies
You dreamed of in the burning prison fields
When liberty was only a faint north star,
Not a bright flower planted by your hands
Reaching up hardly nourished with your rich blood.
Fit grave fellows you are for Lincoln, Brown
And Douglas and Toussant . . . all whose rapt eyes
Fashioned a new world in this wilderness.

American earth is richer for your bones;
Our hearts prouder for the blood we inherit.

On the happiness of being a Cowhey

When I first started researching my family history as a young lady, the Cowhey side of my family was a little bit frustrating for me. It was during the days before internet access and I lived quite a distance from the area where this branch of my family had lived. My visits to a genealogy library offered me no easy information. I learned how to use the Soundex system, carefully taking notes on how to find records for my Cowhey branch of the family, yet I couldn't find Cowheys anywhere. I was stumped.

Years later I realize that that same Cowhey surname is one of the biggest blessings in my family history research. It turns out that the relative rarity of the surname has enabled me to conclude that anyone living in Pennsylvania (and in particular - Schuylkill County) since the early 19th-century who was or is named Cowhey is almost certainly somehow related to me.

I began to fit together the pieces of the Cowhey family puzzle years back when I painstakingly went through U.S. Census records, logging data about various branches of the Cowhey family in Schuylkill County. After I had put together a nice family tree, I made contact with newfound relatives through the internet who had connections to the family. The additional information that they provided helped to fill in some of the gaps that I had in my research.

Thanks to the help from a handwritten family tree and word of mouth from other family members, I knew at that time that Patrick Cowhey was the patriarch of the family who had made the trip from Ireland to the United States, supposedly arriving about 1820. The specifics of his arrival were unknown to me, as was his place of origin in Ireland. (I have since found Patrick's arrival details thanks to the manifest for the Ship William which arrived in New York from the port of Cóbh in 1823. You can read that story at Fifteen and off to America).

It was with great interest that I found out a little more about the Cowhey surname in 2007 when I discovered Edward MacLysaght's Irish Families: Their Names, Arms, and Origins on the used book shelf at a genealogical library. I had almost walked by the shelf on my way out, but took a double turn and went back for a glance. The book looked interesting, so I picked it up for a nominal price and headed home. Opening it later I was thrilled to find an entry for Cowhey in the index. I wasn't used to finding Cowheys in any book I opened!

According to MacLysaght's book, Cowhey is the Munster (or more specifically County Cork) version of Coffey, a more common Irish surname. Also originating in the area are Cowhig, O'Cowhig and Cowey. All of these surnames, including Coffey, are variations of the Gaelic surname O'Cobhthaigh. You can read more about my excitement when I made this discovery by reading Victorious! here at Small-leaved Shamrock.

Here is what MacLysaght writes in Irish Families about variations of the O'Cobhthaigh surname:

O'COFFEY, Cowhig

In Irish this name is O'Cobhthaigh, pronounced O'Coffey as in English : it is probably derived from the word cobhthach, meaning victorious. Coffey is one of those surnames which have not resumed the prefix O, dropped during the period of Gaelic submergence. Several distinct septs were prominent in medieval times, of which two are still well represented in their original homeland. These are O'Coffey of Corcalaoidhe in south-west Co. Cork, where local pronounciation often makes the name Cowhig or Cowhey, as in the place name Dunocowhey, called after them. This sept is of the same stock as the O'Driscolls...

There is more in MacLysaght's book about the other septs of the Coffey family, but I will stop there and encourage you to get a copy of the book yourself. It is a great resource for all surnames Irish.

Another of MacLysaght's books, The Surnames of Ireland, has a map showing geographic locations of Irish surnames, including the area in Cork where the Cowhey family originated.

Another interesting source of information about the Cowhey name and other O'Cobhthaigh variations is Ancient Origins of the Coffey Family by Marvin D. Coffey reprinted online at the Coffey Cousins Clearinghouse website. It is a segment from the book James Bluford Coffey, His Ancestors and Descendants in America and the supplement Vol. II: Ancestors. The article has a nice list of resources at the bottom from which the historical overview of the surname was derived, including but not limited to MacLysaght's books.

I hope you've enjoyed this brief little introduction to the Cowhey surname. If you are a Cowhey, especially one with roots in Pennsylvania, I hope you'll write and let me know. I hope to keep this big, happy branch of the family in touch with eachother and aware of our fascinating roots for many generations to come.

For more about Edward MacLysaght's work on Irish surnames, read my article What's in an Irish surname?

Make this Saturday "Irish surname Saturday"

Genealogy bloggers who are also Twitter users have begun to participate in Surname Saturday, thanks to the inspiration and clear how-to directions from Thomas MacEntee, author of the very popular and helpful GeneaBloggers blog (among others).

This Saturday leaves us one day left before the deadline for the upcoming 13th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture whose theme is "Irish names". If you've got Irish surnames or first names in your family, or you'd like to share a story about someone else's, why not join us for a little Surname Saturday fun the Irish way.

Write a blog post about Irish names and tweet about your article using the #surname hashtag using your Twitter account. Don't know the difference between a tweet and a hashtag? Read Thomas' Examiner article on Twitter or just scoot right on over to his Surname Saturday explanation for details. Hope you'll join us!

The way down under: Pottsville miners and their pit car

The life of an anthracite coal miner was messy, dangerous and tiresome. I'm glad that someone took the time to take a photograph like the one on this postcard below, giving us a glimpse into the lives of these hard-working men in Pottsville.

The men are posing in what was known as the "pit car". According to the Cherry Coal Mine Disaster website's glossary, this type of car was "a small railroad-type car approximately 6' x 3' in size, used to haul coal, dirt and rock". It was also used to transport the miners to their dark workplace below ground, as you can see here.

This postcard has been submitted to the 1st edition of the Festival of Postcards Carnival to be published at Evelyn Yvonne Theriault's A Canadian Family blog. Visit for more postcards with the theme: Wheels.

This image is taken from a vintage postcard (date unknown) courtesy of USGenWeb's Penny Postcards website.

Five days left to join us for the carnival!

If you have an Irish name or surname in your family tree, or a good story about one in someone else's, come join us for the 13th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture. It will feature Irish names: both surnames and given names.


Share with us the surnames in your Irish family tree, but don't just stop there. Do a little research and tell us the origin of one or more of those surnames, the stories of how they might have changed over the years, or tales of how they've been mixed up and mispelled, etc.

Want to focus on your family's given names instead? Share with us the story of your ancestors' Irish first names (given at birth or nicknamed later), the "grandparent" nicknames in your Irish family tree, or any other Irish name stories that you'd like to share.

Deadline for submissions to the Irish names edition of the carnival is this Sunday, May 24, 2009. This edition will be published here at Small-leaved Shamrock next Wednesday, May 27, 2009 .

Looking forward to calling you by name (and by your Irish names and surnames) at our next carnival!

Spring cleaning at Small-leaved Shamrock

I've been focusing lately on doing some projects that have taken me away from blogging - you could say I've caught the spring cleaning bug. It has been so long since I've written a post here that I thought I would just let readers know that yes, I am still alive and well.

I realize that this is one of the longest gaps in blog posts that I've had since I began blogging. I'm hoping to get my "house in order" and get back to spending some more time here at Small-leaved Shamrock.

In the meantime, happy spring, everyone!

A blessed Good Friday

For an interesting article on the way that the Irish have traditionally kept Good Friday see Bridget Haggerty's article Good Friday Haircuts and Seaweed for Dinner on the Irish Culture and Customs website.

Decade rosary with Penal Cross c. 18th-century. For more information about the crucifixes and other devotional objects that were made in Ireland during the period before the penal laws were enforced against Roman Catholics, see this Rosary Workshop webpage or Limerick's Hunt Museum website.

2nd Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade of Posts!

On this St. Patrick's Day, the weather where you are might be blustery or blazing; snowy, sunny or rainy, but here in the blogosphere the weather is just right for a parade!

Welcome to the
2nd Annual
St. Patrick's Day
Parade of Posts

(otherwise known as the
12th edition of the
Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture)

St. Patrick's Day is here! It's time for the wearin' o' the green and the celebrating of all things Irish. So find yourself a spot with a good view of our parade, and prepare to have a grand old time getting to know all of this year's entries. We're glad you've joined us on this day of worldwide Irish celebration!

It is truly a worldwide celebration. Did you realize that there are more than seventy million people numbered within the Irish diaspora today? With the country's sad history of famine and hardship, the children of Ireland now reside throughout many parts of the world. For a sentimental look at "Irishness" read my article "A light in the window": The sign of welcome for 70 million cousins over at A light that shines again. You'll also learn some ways that those of you who have Irish heritage can begin to connect with your seventy million Irish "cousins" worldwide.


Let's begin our parade today with a little bit of Irish history. First, St. Patrick himself. Colleen Degnan Johnson of CMJ Office gives us some background on the patron saint of Ireland whose feast day we celebrate today. Visit St. Patrick and the Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture where you can also read the story about his death and how the Irish mourned his loss.

Julie Cahill Tarr, who grew up wearing green and eating corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day, knew little about the origin and meaning of the holiday until recently. Visit Julie's GenBlog for an answer to her question What Exactly is the Significance of St. Patrick's Day?

For another look at the background on St. Patrick's Day, visit Tipper's Blind Pig and the Acorn blog. I found particularly interesting her tip on what to do in retaliation if someone pinches you on St. Patrick's Day when you were actually wearing green.

Kathryn Kahumoku gives us a photo tour of historic St. Patrick's Well in County Leitrim, Ireland. On a trip to visit a relative's grave in the nearby cemetery, she visited the well and learned about its history, including the significance of the three rocks called "Stations of the Holy Well". The rocks are believed to have been placed there by St. Patrick to help teach the local people about the Trinity. Visit Kathryn's St. Patrick's Well in Aughavas, Co. Leitrim posted at for my ancestors to view her photos, read her story, and learn some of her plans to celebrate St. Patrick's Day this year.

Another prominent figure in Irish history is the great Brian Boru, legendary King of Ireland. Paul O'Brien of The O'Brien Store and Blarney Social Club takes us back 1200 years to the time when the Vikings were settling in Ireland. Telling the story of his namesake, he writes About Brian Boru - the Brian in O’Brien. Read his article for an entertaining history lesson as well as an explanation of the origin of the use of O' and Mac in Irish surnames.

Moving up closer to our own times, Bill West has provided us with a little history lesson on one of Boston's well-known Irishmen: politician John Fitzgerald, the grandfather who gave President John Fitzgerald Kennedy his name. Read Bill's story about this legendary Irish-American politician, well-known as "Honey Fitz", over at West in New England.

Today is the feast day of St. Patrick, yet Americans celebrate all of March as Irish-American heritage month. Many others throughout the world keep up their St. Patrick's Day celebrations throughout this month also. What better way to honor St. Patrick than to focus some special effort during these thirty-one days on learning about the history of Ireland, or better yet, the history of your own Irish ancestors, if you have them.

Several of our participants are working on their Irish family trees. Read their stories for inspiration in your own family search.

On her Graveyard Rabbit of Sandusky Bay blog Dorene Paul shares images of the gravestones and tells the stories of the lives of her ancestors Daniel and Johannah Larkins. St. Patrick's Day has long been celebrated in Dorene's family. Read her article to learn about her ancestor's role in an 1844 committee which resolved to celebrate St. Patrick's Day "without any intoxicating beverages".

With a photographer in the family tree, M. Diane Rogers ended up the recipient of some beautiful family portraits of her ancestors. She shares two images of her Irish-Canadian immigrant ancestors from County Cavan at Irwin - Moffat - County Cavan, Ireland: 12th Edition, Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture posted on her CanadaGenealogy, or, 'Jane's Your Aunt' blog. Those of us with Irish ancestors whose faces we have never seen can't help but be green with envy this St. Patrick's Day!

For another photographic treat, take the time to visit footnoteMaven's Shades of the Departed blog for a vintage cabinet card and carte-de-visite that she has shared In Honor of St. Patrick's Day. You'll enjoy footnoteMaven's perspective on these images of Irish citizens of the 19th-century, including a little background on the photographers.

It is hard to decide which would be a more exciting find for a family historian - a vintage family photograph or a family letter written over a century before. Earline Bradt of Ancestral Notes has such a letter, written in the mid-1800s (five generations back) and sent from Caherciveen, Ireland to a family member living in Canada. Earline's Letter from Ireland, dated 1854, is a reminder of the struggles that families faced in making decisions to emigrate from Ireland and the loss of family ties that they suffered because of difficulty communicating across the miles during the 19th-century.

One of the things that Kathy Brady-Blake of Kathy's Genealogy Blog enjoys about having Irish heritage and doing Irish genealogical research is that she has an excuse to visit Ireland. Read Kathy's article My Favorite Thing about Irish Genealogy for the chronicle of her last trip to Ireland which she dubbed the "Library Tour of Ireland". (Her kids enjoyed another aspect of the trip: they called it the "Playground Tour of Ireland".) That won't be the last of Kathy's visits to the land of St. Patrick. As Kathy states, "the National Archives of Ireland is calling to me". She has plans for another trip in the works.

If you have plans for research in Ireland someday and want to make progress on your Irish genealogy at home first, visit Donna Moughty's Birth, Death Marriage Indexes for Ireland article and her follow-up Update on Irish Civil Registration. Donna gives us a play-by-play report of her use of these indexes, newly available on the Family Search Pilot website. Donna, who helped index the records, says, "I was really doing the happy dance when I discovered the Civil Registration Indexes of Ireland were finally posted at the FamilySearch pilot site! Check it out, but don't type in the Registration District in the 'Place' field. For some reason they decided to use the county." Donna, a professional genealogist, has many other great Irish resources highlighted on her blog. Check it out when you have lots of time for reading.

Now for a few simple ideas on how to celebrate St. Patrick's Day (i.e. much smaller projects than working on Irish genealogical research!):

Janet Iles (the Researcher) shares her plans for this St. Patrick's Day with us at St. Patrick's Day is Coming. If you are in the Ontario area, you may be interested in attending the Leprechaun Luncheon in Owen Sound that Janet mentions.

For some great ideas for your St. Patrick's Day menu, try Colleen Degnan Johnson's recipes: Irish Stew the Anna Clune Finnegan Way and Irish Scones. The Irish Stew recipe has been passed down to Colleen from her grandmother.

Want some ideas for Irish-themed beverages to share this St. Patrick's Day? Kathryn Vercillo presents some that are popular in Ireland and in Irish pubs around the world within her article Best Irish Drinks for Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day.

What would an Irish celebration be without some good Celtic music? Break out your Irish favorites this St. Patrick's Day. For some inspiration, read Kerry Dexter's ceol chairlinn: sharing music in winter at her Music Road blog, where she shares an example of how music helped to bridge gaps between people and lead to mutual understanding and friendship.

However you celebrate, don't forget to dress and decorate with at least a little bit of green. Better yet, wear an authentic Irish shamrock on your person. That was the tradition for many years during the St. Patrick's Day parade in New York City. Sadly, back in 1925 the parade-goers who were anticipating their shipment of shamrocks were disappointed: a bureacratic technicality forced their eagerly awaited little boxes of green to be returned to the senders in Ireland. Read the story about St. Patrick's Day 1925 at Rachel Murphy's Irish Family History blog. Let's hope you have no such complications with your St. Patrick's Day celebrations this year!

For this St. Patrick's Day parade 2009, Tina Sansone of Gtownma's Genealogy submitted the list of surnames in her Irish family tree. Read them at My Irish Surnames: Are you Lucky? Tina didn't know it, but she was a little ahead of schedule.

The topic for the upcoming 13th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture is Irish Names. Read more at Our Irish heritage: What's in a name? on the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture blog. Deadline for this upcoming edition is Sunday, May 24, 2009. Hope to see you there!

Thanks very much for joining us for this 2nd annual St. Patrick's Day edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture. Many thanks to all of our contributors. If you just can't get enough St. Patrick's Day reading, make a visit over to last year's inaugural edition of the parade.

Now, as we conclude this parade, it wouldn't be right for the master of ceremonies to leave you without an Irish blessing. A wish for you on St. Patrick's Day:

May your blessings outnumber

The shamrocks that grow,

And may trouble avoid you

Wherever you go.

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh!
(Ban-ock-tee na fay-lah paw-rig ur-iv)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Your St. Patrick's Day to do list, 2009

With St. Patrick's Day fast approaching, I hope you have gotten your plans in order for celebration.
Checked these off your list yet?

• Something green to wear
• Recipes and ingredients ready for a meal with Irish soda bread, corned beef and cabbage, etc. (or plans to eat out at your favorite Irish pub)
• Info and directions to get to your nearest St. Patrick's Day parades and celebrations
• A few Irish Gaelic phrases - practiced and ready (view the short video below for a start)
  

Last but not least, don't forget to send in your submission to the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture's 2009 St. Patrick's Day parade edition (deadline March 14)!

A little test for you before St. Patrick's Day

Get your thinking cap on under your green St. Patrick's Day hat and give these quizzes a try:

• All Things Irish quiz


• Test Your Irish I.Q.


• History of Ireland quiz

The last one is a doozy - you might want to study in advance if you're afraid to take a hit to your Irish pride with a low score. If not, go ahead and try your luck in the name of St. Patrick!

Wordless Wednesday: The Cowheys of Mount Carbon

Members of the Cowhey family,
Mount Carbon, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.
Black and white photographic print.
Unknown date. Privately held by M.,
[address for private use]. 2009.

Click on the photograph to zoom in. Many thanks to my "cousin" who generously shared this photo.

Erin is calling: St. Patrick's Day is on its way!

With less than two weeks left until St. Patrick's Day, it's time to get your plans in order!


First: Be sure to have some green ready and waiting.

Second: Find yourself a local city or neighborhood St. Patrick's Day parade to attend. Visit the site that bills itself as "the largest Irish parade website in the world" to find the date, time and location of one close to you.

Last, but certainly not least: Make plans to join us for our online St. Patrick's Day "parade" - the 12th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture! Last year's event was so much fun. Don't miss out on joining us this year. No Irish bloodline is required - just a love for Ireland and the Irish. Share your articles on anything and everything Irish for our carnival by the deadline: March 14, 2009. On St. Patrick's Day, March 17, we'll all gather together here at Small-leaved Shamrock for the big celebration! Hope to see you there!

My take on the madness: The banning of vintage children's books

As a children's book lover myself and a mother of children who love to read, I am appalled by the recent events occurring in response to a ridiculous portion of a recent law: the CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act) and its ban on children's books printed before 1985. Supposedly a health concern to children because of the lead content in their ink, these books are being taken out of circulation (by libraries, used book sellers, etc.) in response to CPSIA. (The law took effect on February 10, 2009.)

Personally, my library is filled with these very items and I have often been on the lookout for more treasures like them. I am a junkie for used book sales at local libraries. My shelves are pretty much filled at this time, but I was making plans to soon part with some of my old treasures and purchase new ones. Now it looks like there will be no market for these books, and I will be hard-pressed to find "new" used ones to purchase, with the exception of those that now command a higher price and are marketed as "adult collectibles".

I was saddened this week when I visited my local library's book sale room to browse the children's used book section only to read the following sign: "We will no longer accept children's books." Sure enough, the former children's shelves (which my children had often enjoyed browsing) were now occupied with popular fiction. Sadly, the library's booksellers decided that it would be too difficult to separate the pre-1985 and post-1985 children's books, and therefore decided to avoid selling any books for children.

As a personal response to these new developments (which appear to be happening nationwide), I've chosen to participate in an "illegal book meme" and am posting the list below: a handful of the many books I own that have suddenly become contraband. (I'll add photos when I have the chance to photograph the covers.) My collection of pre-1985 children's books includes many covering various topics: fiction and nonfiction, picture books and novels, classics and just plain fun reading.

I've chosen here to include a few books that are actually personal family heirlooms. Yes, they could certainly fall under the "adult collectible" category, but one of the joys of owning them is to see my children turning the pages of these books just as one of their ancestors did when she was a girl.

Lead content, bahhh!

What are the proponents of this law worried about? Brain damage?

I personally have never been injured by the reading of a good book - certainly not because of the ink in which it is was printed. In fact, more damage can be done to children's brains by taking these literary treasures out of their reach.

Here is a tiny sampling of my suddenly "illegal" book collection, all owned at one time by Anna Cowhey:

The Bobbsey Twins in the Country
by Laura Lee Hope
published 1907 by Chatterton-Peck Company

The Bobbsey Twins on Blueberry Island
by Laura Lee Hope
published 1917 by Grosset & Dunlap

The Blythe Girls Three on a Vacation (or) The Mystery at Peach Farm
by Laura Lee Hope
published 1925 by Grosset & Dunlap

The Little Maid of Naragansett Bay
by Alice Turner Curtis
(title page missing)

Heidi
by Johanna Spyri
published by Saalfield Publishing Company
(title page missing)

As Walter Olson of Overlawyered wrote so eloquently in his article for City Journal:

"...ours will be a poorer world if we begin to lose (or 'sequester' from children) the millions of books published before our own era. They serve as a path into history, literature, and imagination for kids everywhere. They link the generations by enabling parents to pass on the stories and discoveries in which they delighted as children. Their illustrations open up worlds far removed from what kids are likely to see on the video or TV screen. Could we really be on the verge of losing all of this? And if this is what government protection of our kids means, shouldn’t we be thinking instead about protecting our kids from the government?"

For an brief overview of CPSIA visit The New Book Banning: Children's books burn, courtesy of the federal government or Warning! Eating books could seriously damage your health. For more current news related to CPSIA visit the American Library Association website or Overlawyered. (By the way, don't trust Snopes for details on this issue.)

To view the "illegal" children's books in others' collections, visit this Flickr group.

The best of 2008: Small-leaved Shamrock iGene Awards

It's that time of year again...time for the second annual Academy of Genealogy and Family History iGene Awards at the Carnival of Genealogy! Chosen by the author from the blog articles published over the past year, I have awarded "prizes" for the following categories:

Best Picture - Best old family photo that appeared on this blog

Best Screen Play - The family story that would make the best movie

Best Documentary - The best informational article about a place, thing, or event involving my family's history

Best Biography - The best biographical article

Best Comedy - The best funny story, poem, joke, photo, or video

Special Mention - Other articles of note

Best Picture Award

Little light of the Cowhey household, 1915

"What a beautiful proverb and a beautiful picture of your ancestor! Thanks for sharing." ~ Taylortales-Genealogy

This little babe has a very special place in my heart and I'm so thankful to have a copy of this portrait of her as an infant. Little Anne Cowhey must have been a true joy to her parents.

Best Picture Runner-up

Crossing the Potomac with William: a soldier’s story

Not a photograph, but an image of the actual handwritten account that my great-great-grandfather's brother wrote about an experience during their time as Union soldiers in the Civil War, this is a true treasure. I was so happy to discover this document amidst the pension file for William Cowhey. His brother Thomas tells in his own words and his own handwriting (with lots of creative spelling) about their suffering as they crossed the Potomac River, crossed back over again, and spent a miserable night in wet clothing.

Best Screen Play Award

November 1892: PA train explosion makes NYC headlines

(for more of the story see Riding the rails: The life and death of William Cowhey, The 1892 Pottsville train explosion: How and why?, The New York Times - November 15, 1892, and Reading engine no. 563: The lone survivor?)

"Not only is the story of Lisa’s 2nd great-grandfather’s untimely death interesting, but her post reminds us of alternate sources of information we can use to learn more about the lives (and deaths) of our ancestors." ~ Donna Pointkouski, What's Past is Prologue, Donna's Picks Week of February 24, 2008

The story of the life and death of my great-great-grandfather William Cowhey is made for the movies. A man shaped by his times, he was a Union Civil War veteran who had worked his way up to Engineer for the Reading Railroad. Riding another engineer's train home from his shift one night, he died because of a violent engine explosion, leaving his wife and twelve children behind. These articles tell the story of the accident that took his life in 1892, which sadly, occured only a few years before major changes were made in railroad safety.

Best Screen Play Runner-up

Three-generation-old questions about a coal miner’s life and The brothers Donnelly: Tragedy in the Pennsylvania coal mines

"Great post... I guess we all may find a black sheep in our lines." ~ Colleen McHugh, Orations of OMcHodoy

Many questions remain regarding the life of my great-great-grandfather John Donnelly. Was he truly the John who died in this horrible boiler explosion at the Bear Ridge Colliery mine in 1893? Is he linked with the infamous Mollie Maguires of Schuylkill County? More research remains to be done, but the story as I've unearthed it so far has the potential to make quite an exciting movie - a tragedy that speaks of the sufferings and risks that late 19th-century miners and their families faced every day.

Best Documentary Award

Black cats, lucky pennies and troublesome fairy folk

"As always, fascinating post and great links to read. Thanks. I recently freaked when my youngest tried to open an umbrella inside. LOL" ~ Colleen Johnson, CMJ Office Blog

In this article, I've introduced to you the complicated system of superstitious beliefs long held by the Irish people. "Earning a daily wage and putting bread on the table were hard for the Irish people for centuries. Added to that was the difficulty of having to avoid actions, places and dates that held superstitious warning. Don't forget the work of the fairy folk. They seemed to always be causing trouble." Want to introduce yourself to the lot of superstitions - both warnings and good luck charms - that originated in Irish tradition? This is a good place to start.

Best Documentary Special Mentions

The Celtic blessing: Food for the soul

"I am quite overwhelmed by John O'Donohue's wisdom. Yes, take some time to slow down and enjoy the beauty of life." ~ Barbara, Our Carroll Family Genealogy

The real Annie Moore remembered at last

"What an achingly beautiful tribute. It is so moving - thank you for sharing this story. This is one of the reasons why I love your blog. It is visually inviting and full of information everything Irish." ~ Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski, In My Life

Irish women in America: our grandmothers’ stories

"Thank you for dedicating this post to the women of Erin." ~ Barbara, Our Carroll Family Genealogy

Cóbh: The last goodbye to Ireland

"I am one of those who has not yet pinpointed where and when my ancestor left Eire. But, this center is symbolic for all of us. A must for my eventual first trip over to Ireland." ~ Barbara, Our Carroll Family Genealogy

Ready for battle: history for kids

Hard black coal and a lady in white

Best Biography Award

A look back at Schuylkill County, 1908

"Great post, Lisa. Both sets of my ancestral grandparents were born in...the anthracite coal region." ~ Colleen McHugh, Orations of OMcHodoy

Not so much a personal biography as it is a biography of a place and a family, this article is a reminiscense of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania one hundred years ago and the many descendants of William Cowhey who lived their lives there.

Best Comedy Award: Story

The provenance of a hairbrush: Thievery and the family historian

"I died laughing. So funny!" ~ footnoteMaven, Shades of the Departed

"I love it. I can see a whole new book: 'Evidence Explained for the Rest of Us'.... 'Story obtained by Aunt Mary, who told it under the condition that Uncle Joe never find out the true circumstances surrounding Grandpop's death.' LOL" ~ Donna Pointkouski, What's Past is Prologue

We all have our collection of family treasures. This article tells the story of how I acquired a beautiful set that once belonged to my great-grandmother - and the struggles I faced trying to write a source citation for the items because of the way in which I had "proactively inherited" them from my mother's bathroom. This is a must-read for every treasure-seeking family history collector like myself.

Best Comedy Award: Poetry

A limerick for the love of Ireland and
A poem for Patrick

"Lisa, you do Pat Cowhey a great service with your lovely poem." ~ Janice Brown, Cow Hampshire

What would the Small-leaved Shamrock iGene Awards be without a little bit of poetry? Just for fun I responded to Terry Thornton's limerick challenge last year and wrote a few of my own: one to represent myself as the author of Small-leaved Shamrock and one to honor Patrick Cowhey, the patriarch of the Cowhey family.

Special Mentions

To be born Irish

"Very lovely Lisa. Being Irish is also something that I could not relate to 100%. With my family also, we were proud, but no one seemed to want to pass anything down to us. That makes that down the line, a part of me wants to return and discover something of my family in Ireland one day. To bridge a liitle bit this gap." ~ Barbara, Our Carroll Family Genealogy

A personal essay on my feelings about learning of my Irish heritage, this article looks at the perspective that various generations in my family may have had regarding their "Irishness". My concluding thought: "My hope is that I have inherited at least a small portion of [my ancestors'] stubborn tenacity, their undaunting hope and the joy in the very simple things in life that got them through the obstacles that they faced because God had ordained that they were to be born Irish."

Signed "Your Cousin"

"That is beautiful. I know the feeling, having found a branch last year. It is one of the rewards for a genealogist." ~ Barbara, Our Carroll Family Genealogy

A look at the joy of finding a new cousin in the family tree - particularly one who shares the joy of the genealogical search! Part "thank you", part pondering the discoveries of genealogy, this article is something that many family historians can relate to, or wish they could.

Special thanks to Jasia of Creative Gene for hosting the iGene Awards at the Carnival of Genealogy. Also, thank you to footnoteMaven for a the awards poster and a little inspiration in my presentation. See you at next year's event!

Have a green St. Valentine's Day!

St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner... Time to get your green in order.

In the meantime, Happy St. Valentine's Day!


Vintage postcard thanks to St. Patrick's Day History blog.

Six little girls on a summer day, 1922

In the midst of summer, June 18, 1922, six little girls posed for a photograph in Mount Carbon, Pennsylvania. All dressed in their finery for their big day, they were the first class of First Communicants in their new parish of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church.

St. Francis de Sales First Communion girls photograph,

ca. 1922; privately held by Lisa, [address for private use], 2009.

Included in this photograph are two children of John Joseph and Frances (Owens) Cowhey: eight-year-old Ann Cowhey, top left, and her sister seven-year-old Frances Cowhey, bottom middle. The girls' seven-year-old cousin Anne Cowhey (daughter of Charles & Agnes Cowhey) is also pictured at the top right. I have yet to confirm the identities of the other three girls, but I have some guesses. If you can identify them, please contact me.

I'm pretty sure that most, if not all, of the little girls in the photograph have since passed away.

St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church

49 Main Street, Mount Carbon, Pennsylvania

This past year St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church experienced its own passing, so to speak. One of thirty-two churches of the Diocese of Allentown in Schuylkill County to be closed because of a local shortage of priests, St. Francis de Sales was consolidated into St. Patrick's Church in Pottsville on July 15, 2008.

In a way it had come full circle: Mount Carbon's Catholic residents originally attended St. Patrick's before St. Francis de Sales was founded in 1921.

A small parish at its closing with two-hundred seats and seventy-five members, St. Francis de Sales had been presided over for the past nineteen years by Fr. Edward Connolly who is also pastor of St. Patrick's in Pottsville.

This little Catholic church of Mount Carbon has a very special place in my heart. It was the focal point for many a sacramental moment for my family members throughout its eighty-six year lifespan.

I can't help but wonder if the church sometimes longs for the days it once knew: when little girls in white dresses graced its steps on their First Communion day.

For more information on church closings in the Diocese of Allentown see the diocese website's announcement of June 1, 2008 entitled Initial Parish Restructuring Plans Announced or read the Republican Herald's articles: Catholics Mourn loss of 32 churches in Schuylkill County and St. Francis de Sales, Mount Carbon.

This article has been submitted to the 10th edition of the I Smile for the Camera Carnival whose theme is "Costume". For more portraits of those dressed up for all sorts of occasions, visit footnoteMaven's Shades of the Departed.

Sources:

"Catholics mourn loss of 32 churches in Schuylkill County." Republican Herald 01 Jun 2008 http://www.republicanherald.com/articles/2008/06/01/news/local_news/pr_republican.20080601.a.pg1.pr01churches_s1.1717568_top2.txt : accessed 10 Feb 2009.

Kerr, Matt. "Initial Parish Restructuring Plans Announced." Diocese of Allentown 01 Jun 2008 http://www.allentowndiocese.org/news/nr060108a.html : accessed 10 Feb 2009.

"St. Francis De Sales, Mount Carbon." Republican Herald 16 Jun 2008 http://www.republicanherald.com/articles/2009/02/10/church_closings/south_schuylkill/region_1/pr_republican.20080615.a.pg3.pr15stfrancisdesales_s1.1747174_loc.txt : accessed 10 Feb 2009.

Zerbey, J.H., newspapers, Inc, and Joseph Henry Zerbey. Joseph Henry Zerbey History of Pottsville and Schuylkill County. Pennsylvania. [Pottsville]: "Republican"-"Morning paper" print, 1934.