Sons of Irish shoemakers make a bid for the American presidency

It was with interest that I read about Megan Smolenyak's research into the roots of one of the current presidential candidates. Now she has gone even further and researched his running mate's genealogy.

Ironically, both men descend from Irish shoemakers who immigrated to America in the year 1849. For the latest on the story, see Megan's article on her Roots Television/Megan's Roots World blog.

Are you an avid reader of all things Irish?

If you are both a lover of Ireland and a bookworm, you might be interested in the Ireland Book Discussion mailing list organized by Pat Connors of Connors Genealogy.

The list is ten years old but still very small with only a handful of posts a month. Most are brief recommendations for reading material on various topics related to Ireland. According to the website, the list is "for anyone who has an interest in books relating to Ireland Genealogy, Culture, Travel and/or History."

You might also be interested in the numerous links at the bottom of the information page directing readers to Irish publishers, book lists, book reviews, etc.

Happy reading!

Drumroll, please! Lisa's medal count

It has been a tough couple of weeks for this Genea-Blogger Group Games competitor. The hardest part for me has been the effort I have exerted toward fighting for free time to work on my events during waking hours and the endurance required of me to continue through some late nights and very, very early mornings. (Read more at my post Just call me a Michael Phelps wanna-be.)

I'm happy with my accomplishments and inspired to continue with some of the projects that I have started. (If only the games lasted a little longer!) I feel quite like an Olympian wondering how these "games" flew by so fast (it seems like the Opening Ceremonies started yesterday!) and wishing that it wouldn't be quite so long before the next will begin.

Here are the results of my efforts, and the resulting "medals" that I have earned in this, the first Genea-Blogger Group Games:

Category 1: Cite Your Sources

My goal: To cite as many sources as possible (documents, photographs, artifacts, letters, etc. that pertain to my family history).
Medal: PLATINUM
This is the one event that I got started on immediately, thinking that I could swiftly hit 50 source citations without much effort at all. It wasn't quite as easy as I thought, but I made it. Read my post The provenance of a hairbrush: thievery and the family historian for details on some of my efforts at turning my genealogy into bibliography.

Category 2: Back Up Your Data

My goal: To prepare a comprehensive back-up plan for both digital and hard copy materials, store both types in waterproof containers and backup all data.
Medal: BRONZE
I created my backup plan and got a wonderful start on storing photographs in waterproof containers, but I am far from finished with the task of protecting my family history research. More to come in this area but unfortunately, it will be too late to move up on the "medal stand".

Category 3: Organize Your Research

My goal: To organize the loose file for each of my ancestral homes and family surnames placing into its corresponding notebook the documents and other items of importance, to re-organize digital genealogy files (currently living on two hard drives) using the same surname and place system where appropriate, to organize photographs (which are in many different sizes and formats) by surname, and to begin scanning many of these photographs in bulk (instead of one or two at a time, which I have been doing).Medal: GOLD
This is an area that I could work on for awhile! I've had a nice start, but have a lot more work to do. Within the boundaries of this competition, I have scanned 20+ photos and documents (I lost count a long time ago), organized 20+ hard files and ancestral items (including a hairbrush, of all things!), and organized lots of photos into protective boxes (I'm guessing almost 100, and that's probably low). This has been a great exercise for me to get things organized. I am only at the beginning of the project. I'm on a roll now... Too bad the games have to end!

Category 4: Write, Write, Write

My goal: To rethink and possibly revise the blog summaries that I've written on each of my blogs, to participate in both the "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival and the Carnival of Genealogy, and to prepare a few posts as drafts to be published when things get busier for me in September. I've already signed up to host a future carnival (my very own Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture), so that one's taken care of.Medal: DIAMOND
Writing is often the first thing that I gravitate toward doing. In this case, I tried to put some of these tasks toward the end of the games in order to accomplish the more tedious jobs of a family historian. In the end, I almost ran out of time, but I did accomplish a few things. I submitted a post for the 54th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy at What's Past is Prologue (my article is entitled The Hungarian language and the poetry of my childhood). I also submitted a post to the 4th edition of the I Smile for the Camera Carnival at Shades of the Departed (see If only this photograph had musical accompaniment). I have signed up to host a future carnival: my very own Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture. (Read the most recent edition Looking into the heart of Ireland.) I have also begun a series of blog posts that will be published in the near future. (I'm not telling the subject yet!) I've also updated my Blogger Profile and my Facebook About Me page and written a post on each of my blogs entitled Who is Lisa and why the leaf? to give readers a little bit more background about me (well, just a little bit more).

Category 5: Genealogical Acts of Kindness

My goal: To complete my application for the Daughters of the Union Veterans of the Civil War, comment on a few blogs that are new to me, join the blog networks of other genealogy bloggers, and invite a few other family historians to connect on Facebook (new to me just this week).
Medal: DIAMOND
My genealogical random acts of kindness for these games have included writing comments on a few genealogy blogs that are new to me, specifically Kathi Reid's Ancestor Search Blog, Midge Frazel's Granite in My Blood, Melody Lasalle's The Research Journal, and Sheri Fenley's The Educated Genealogist. I've also joined many genealogy blog networks on Facebook. (Check out my Facebook page to see them all.) I've invited a fellow blogging friend to join, too. My most time consuming task for this event, however, has been the process of completing my application for the Daughters of the Union Veterans of the Civil War. Sort of a "this is your life" in paperwork, it was an interesting exercise to put together all of the documents to prove that I am a descendant of my great-great-grandfather. I've completed the application and plan to submit it at the next meeting.



In conclusion, my final medal count for these games is:

PLATINUM - 1
DIAMOND - 2
GOLD - 1
BRONZE - 1

Congratulations to all of you that competed! We are all winners for giving our best at these "games".

Special thanks to the organizing committee: Kathryn Doyle of the California Genealogical Society and Library, Thomas MacEntee of Destination Austin Family and Miriam Midkiff of AnceStories. Thanks also to footnoteMaven for creating the logo and medal designs.

See you all at the next Genea-Blogger Group Games, whenever and wherever they take place!

Who is Lisa and why the leaf?

You can tell a lot about me by the entries and links at 100 Years in America, Small-leaved Shamrock and A light that shines again. I’ll let you guess the rest…

I consider each of my blogs a "leaf by Lisa". This is a take on a wonderful little short story called Leaf by Niggle written by J.R.R. Tolkien and published as part of his collection Tree and Leaf. It expresses one man’s desire to work on and complete something beautiful during his lifetime. Somehow life keeps getting in his way. You’ll have to read this little story to get the full idea and understand how his magnificent tree that turned into a full landscape all came down to one beautifully painted little leaf in the end.

He was the sort of painter who could paint leaves better than trees. He used to spend a long time on a single leaf, trying to catch its shape, and its sheen, and the glistening of dewdrops on its edges. Yet he wanted to paint a whole tree, with all of its leaves in the same style, and all of them different.

~ J.R.R. Tolkien, from Leaf by Niggle

My three family history blogs are each a small leaf in the landscape of my life and my family tree. I have been researching my family history for many years in the midst of the busy-ness of life. I hope you'll continue to enjoy reading a little bit of what I've learned throughout my search, and be inspired to look at the world in a different way than you might have before you visited.

Nature will bear the closest inspection. She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain.

~ Henry David Thoreau

If you are a regular reader of Small-leaved Shamrock or are just stopping by for the first time, I'd love to hear from you. Post a comment or send me an email when you have a minute. Thanks for reading.

The provenance of a hairbrush: Thievery and the family historian

For many, many years I have been collecting documents, photographs and artifacts related to my family tree. I was a young girl when I first became interested in the stories of my forebears. Although I have taken a few breaks from my genealogical efforts due to life getting in the way (in terms of years at a time), along the way I have compiled a nice assortment of items related to my family tree.

One of the events which I entered as a competitor in the 2008 Genea-Blogger Group Games was Cite Your Sources! In the process of going through fifty of my various sources (a small sampling, but the number needed for a "platinum medal"), I have waded through some interesting items and tried to determine how to cite them properly.

Here are a few I've cited:

• A newspaper obituary for a very young child
• An obituary mispelling the name of the deceased
• Newspaper accounts of a train explosion and a mine explosion
• A ship manifest for the family's immigrant ancestor arriving in New York harbor
• The Civil War pension file for my great-great-grandfather
• A gravestone marker for an unlikely three-some
• And more...

Perhaps my most interesting effort at creating a bibliographical reference was when I tried to cite my great-grandmother's ornate hairbrush and mirror set.



In citing my sources, I rely on Elizabeth Shown Mills' comprehensive reference Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace. According to Mills' guide, a citation for an artifact (a set of grooming accessories in this case) normally includes provenance. The provenance "will typically include the identity of the current owner and how that owner came to acquire it".

Sounded simple. Until I started out with my citation...

Hairbrush and mirror belonging to Agnes (Donnelly) Cowhey, Cowhey Family Collection; privately held by Lisa, [address for private use].

Now things got a little tricky. You see, the example from the book seems to indicate that the next portion, the provenance, would say something like this:

This hairbrush and mirror set was passed from Agnes (Donnelly) Cowhey to [her daughter] to [her niece], from whom her daughter Lisa inherited it.

Problem: I didn't actually inherit it, I stole it.

Well, sort of.

Before you lose all respect for my family history methods (not to mention my character), let me explain.

As I child I often admired items around our home that had some sort of historical significance to our family: my grandfather's old business cards, needlework done by my grandmother, etc. My great-grandmother's hairbrush and mirror set was no exception.

One day, as a young girl (I'm not sure what age) admiring the set in my mother's bathroom, I took the liberty of moving it to my bathroom, thus "acquiring" the items for myself. They remained there for many years, until they later moved with me once I grew up and moved out on my own. Thankfully, my mother, who understands and appreciates my propensity toward genealogy, gave me her blessing and never returned the items to her bathroom. (So kind of you, Mom.)

As I set out to create a citation for these family artifacts, I didn't quite feel right about writing:

This hairbrush and mirror set was passed from Agnes (Donnelly) Cowhey to [her daughter] to [her niece], from whom her daughter Lisa inherited it.

But this didn't quite sound right, either:

This hairbrush and mirror set was passed from Agnes (Donnelly) Cowhey to [her daughter] to [her niece], from whom her daughter Lisa outright stole it.

So, getting a little creative with the art of bibliography, I considered this one:

This hairbrush and mirror set was passed from Agnes (Donnelly) Cowhey to [her daughter] to [her niece], from whom her daughter Lisa proactively inherited it.

I felt I might have hit upon something here. Any of you genealogists out there ever "proactively inherit" a family artifact?

Actually, I finally settled on this description of the provenance of these family heirlooms, artfully avoiding the suggestion of my childhood method of acquisition:

This hairbrush and mirror set was passed from Agnes (Donnelly) Cowhey to [her daughter] to [her niece], to her daughter Lisa, the current owner.

It looks like Elizabeth Shown Mills might have a new citation format to consider adding to her revised edition of Evidence Explained, if she ever ends up doing one.

Watch for a new listing: "Basic Format, Family Artifacts, Provenance: Proactive Inheritance".

***

This story has been submitted as part of the 55th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy. The topic is "Show and Tell!". Visit Jasia's Creative Gene for more stories about family heirlooms and other special items in family collections.

Have Irish roots but can't get yourself to Ireland?

Then get yourself to New York, at least!

The New York Irish History Roundtable will be holding a seminar on Researching Genealogical Resources in Ireland Long-Distance. The event, to be held the afternoon of Sunday, September 28, is open to the public.

This announcement from the New York Irish History Roundtable's Vice President for Family History, Jim Garrity, includes all the details:

The New York Irish History Roundtable will present the only New York City area appearance of two internationally-acclaimed experts on genealogical research in Ireland—Dr. William Roulston, Research Director of Ulster Historical Foundation in Belfast, and Dr. Brian Trainor, the Foundation’s retired Research Director and the former Director of the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland. They will present an information-packed afternoon on researching genealogical resources in Ireland long-distance. The seminar is open to members of the New York Irish History Roundtable and the public.

Drs. Roulston and Trainor will give four lectures that focus on genealogical resources in a variety of repositories in the thirty-two counties of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. They will introduce attendees to many lesser-known resources. The afternoon will begin with a general introductory lecture, followed by specialized talks: "Introduction to Irish and Scots-Irish Family History Research," "The Three Cs: Church Registers, Census Records and Civil Registration Records," "Gravestone Inscriptions," and "Not Always at the Bottom of the Pile." Time will be allotted for questions after each lecture.

The seminar will take place on Sunday, September 28th, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., in the McNally Amphitheatre of Fordham Law School at Lincoln Center, located at 140 W. 62nd Street, between Amsterdam and Columbus avenues. Take the A, B, C, D, or 1 subway line to 59th Street-Columbus Circle. The price of admission is $15 for members and $20 for non-members.

Ulster Historical Foundation, established in 1956, is one of the principal genealogical research agencies in Ireland and a leading publisher of quality historical, educational, and genealogical books.

For more information about the seminar, check out this webpage. You might also be interested in taking a look at the New York Irish Roundtable Weblog.

Pennsylvania's 2nd annual Genealogy Day

The State Library of Pennsylvania has announced its second annual day Genealogy Day: Saturday, September 20, 2008.

According to the press release, the "free event will bring together genealogists from throughout Pennsylvania for a day of learning and independent research". Make plans to attend for info sessions on various topics and an introduction to historical societies that will be in attendance in the exhibit area.

For more information, contact Marc Bender of the State Library of Pennsylvania, take a look at the library's genealogical holdings or search its catalog online.

Just call me a Michael Phelps wanna-be

It could be that I was a little ambitious when I entered all the categories in the 2008 Genea-Blogger Group Games (see the opening ceremonies here). It looks like I wasn't the only one. But still, I'm plugging away at my events, trying to "go for the gold" (or the platinum in some cases) in the midst of life as it continues at full speed.

If you are wondering why it has been so quiet here at Small-leaved Shamrock and my other blogs, it's because I've been focusing on sorting notes, citing sources, preserving pictures and other tasks testing my genealogical muscles. I may not be able to fit in the time to report on what I'm accomplishing (like some have done in wonderful detail), but I'm hoping that the Genea-Blogger Group Games committee will understand and award me for my hard work based on the honor system.

This "competition" has been a great motivation for me to focus on what I've needed to do for a long time: get my family history project organized. It's a tough time of year to do it, yet I'm not sure I have found any time of year better to tackle a new project. You know what they say: "No time like the present."

So, back I go to citing my sources. I've been burning the midnight oil since 2:00 a.m. (or is that another kind of oil) and making slow and steady progress. Cheer for me in the stands, if you like! I'm hoping that my efforts will reward me with a trip to the virtual medal stand at the end of these games, not to mention the intangible feeling of accomplishment that means more than any medal, virtual or real.


Note: You can watch my progress by checking Lisa's Games Tally on the sidebar of this blog.

Ellis Island's Annie Moore: found and remembered

Annie Moore, the first immigrant to be received at Ellis Island (back in 1892), was long thought to have traveled west, her final resting place lost to history. Two years ago her whereabouts were discovered thanks to the efforts of genealogist Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak.

Now with the help of many Irish and American donations, Annie Moore's grave (and that of her five children) will finally be memorialized. After October 11 her resting place in Calvary Cemetery, Queens, New York will no longer be anonymous but will be marked with a headstone of Irish Blue Limestone. The dedication ceremony promises to be a special one incorporating "both cultural and liturgical aspects", according to Julia Devous, Annie Moore's great-granddaughter. "We understand that Annie holds a special place in the hearts and minds of Irish American immigrants and their families here in America and Ireland."

Read more about the plans for Annie Moore's gravestone and its dedication at the Irish Echo online article's Annie will finally get her marker.

For more on the 2006 discovery of Annie Moore's final resting place, see Roots Television's In Search of Annie Moore.

Thanks to Megan's Roots Television blog for announcing the news about Annie's Moore's memorial.

Let the games begin!

The opening ceremonies of the 2008 Genea-Blogger Group Games have begun! Make a visit to see the competitors' flags flying, including mine (also shown below). Let the games begin!

My flag is flying high for the Genea-Blogger Group Games!

In the spirit of the Olympic Games and in honor of my ancestors who have hailed from four different countries, I have chosen to compete in the Genea-Blogger Group Games. The event will correspond roughly to the 2008 Summer Olympics, but will involve competition quite different from what we'll see in Beijing. They might not seem like Olympic events to you, but activities related to preserving family history can sometimes take similar preparation and perseverance. Backing up data, scanning photographs, citing sources, preserving family artifacts: these tasks all take dedication (and sometimes even physical endurance, since I do much of this in the wee hours of the night).

In time for the opening ceremonies, I have put together my "game plan" as a competitor in the 2008 Genea-Blogger Group Games. Follow along with me on my three family history blogs as I work toward some specific goals during this two week period.

Unfortunately the "balance beam" event, which may have originally been on the schedule, was cut from the games. According to Donna Poinkouski, I was one of the favorites in that competition. (Thanks, Donna, for the vote of confidence.)

Kidding aside, here are my serious plans for competition:

Category 1: Go Back and Cite Your Sources!

Ever since I purchased my copy of Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace by Elizabeth Shown Mills (actually, well before that) I've been meaning to spend some serious time citing. Here's my chance to get re-inspired about this project. My goal: To cite as many sources as possible (documents, photographs, artifacts, letters, etc. that pertain to my family history). If I make it to 50 or more sources, I'll be awarded a "platinum medal", so they say. More importantly, I'll be on my way to having my family history facts documented so that I can properly share them with others. Time to sit down with my copy of Evidence Explained.

Category 2: Back Up Your Data!

For the amount of time I've spent on researching my family history over the years, it would be devastating to lose my digital records, photographs and other documents for some reason. Time for me to stand back and take a look at how I am protecting the information and items that I have collected, and take steps to ensure that such a loss never happens. My goal: To prepare a comprehensive back-up plan for both digital and hard copy materials, store both types in waterproof containers and backup all data. If I accomplish this, I'll be "going for the gold" in the Genea-Blogger Group Games, but more importantly, I'll have taken steps to preserve items and information that would be irreplaceable for my family.

Category 3: Organize Your Research!

Doing genealogy in fits and spurts for so many years, I've collected quite a few pictures, documents and artifacts, not to mention scraps of paper and digital files. I've tried to keep everything organized, but these types of things grow and I need to play a little "catch-up". Inspired by the Genea-Blogger Group Games, I plan to make an effort to get my organization up to date with my research. My goal: To organize the loose file for each of my ancestral homes and family surnames placing into its corresponding notebook the documents and other items of importance, to re-organize digital genealogy files (currently living on two hard drives) using the same surname and place system where appropriate, to organize photographs (which are in many different sizes and formats) by surname, and to begin scanning many of these photographs in bulk (instead of one or two at a time, which I have been doing). If I accomplish all this (doing 20 of each task), I'll be a "diamond" medal-winner. Even better, I'll be starting of the school year feeling happily organized and ready for more research.

Category 4: Write, Write, Write!

The fun part of genealogy for me is fitting all the pieces together in the puzzle of my family history. That is one of the reasons that I enjoy writing my three genealogy blogs so much. As part of the Genea-Blogger Group Games, I plan to do the following writing tasks. My goal: To rethink and possibly revise the blog summaries that I've written on each of my blogs, to participate in both the "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival and the Carnival of Genealogy, and to prepare a few posts as drafts to be published when things get busier for me in September. I've already signed up to host a future carnival (my very own Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture), so that one's taken care of. If I accomplish all of these tasks above, I'll receive a "diamond medal". I'd better get writing!

Category 5: Reach Out & Perform Genealogical Acts of Kindness!

Connecting with others researching the same families, places and subjects is always rewarding. It is exciting to share with others what I've learned. My goal: To complete my application for the Daughters of the Union Veterans of the Civil War, comment on a few blogs that are new to me, join the blog networks of other genealogy bloggers, and invite a few other family historians to connect on Facebook (new to me just this week). If I accomplish all these tasks, I'll be competing at the "diamond-level".

Think my goals are quite lofty? So do I, but I've learned that I work better when I set my sights high. Please wish me luck as I embark on this family history endeavor. I hope to make some exciting progress in these areas, and have some fun at the "games" along the way. Look for me at the "opening ceremonies" on AnceStories.

Lisa's "ancestral homelands flag":
Ireland, Hungary & Croatia together

In the spirit of Olympic competition and in honor of the homelands of myself and my ancestors (the United States of America, Ireland, Hungary and Croatia): Let the games begin!

Thanks to Miriam of AnceStories, Thomas of Destination: Austin Family and Kathryn of the California Genealogical Society & Library blog, the 2008 Genea-Blogger Group Games committee who crafted the idea for this competition. Thanks to footnoteMaven for designing the games logo and the medals for the participants and champions. Let the games begin!

Back to school for the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture!

Fall is approaching and that means the beginning of the school year is nearing once again. It is a time of fresh air, fresh starts and new beginnings. In the spirit of the season of Autumn, please join us for the Back to School edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture.

Have Irish heritage in your family history? Make a plan to further investigate the Irish side of your family tree and share your goals with us. Here are some ideas:

• Work back a few more generations on one branch of your Irish family tree


• Find naturalization papers that give the county of origin for an immigrant ancestor


• Find the townland in Ireland where your immigrant ancestor was born


• Get in touch with other relatives who share the same Irish genealogy

Instead of (or in addition to) focusing on genealogy, want to learn more about Irish heritage or culture in general? Choose a topic or task that interests you, and let us know how you plan to learn more about it this coming year. Give one of these a try:

• Take up Irish baking


• Learn more about and enjoy Celtic music


• Take up or set out to watch Irish dance


• Learn the Irish language


• Plan a trip to Ireland or a place where Irish culture resides

Set some goals for the new school year and share them with us, whether you've begun working on them or not. Hopefully we will all inspire eachother in our quest for Irish family history and in our attempts to make the culture of Ireland more a part of our lives.

Deadline for submissions is Monday, September 22. Submit your entry here. The carnival will be published here at Small-leaved Shamrock on Thursday, September 25. Hope you'll join us! Start setting your goals now and get those school supplies ready!

If you haven't yet read the 7th edition of our carnival, Looking into the heart of Ireland, please do so. Toward the end of the carnival is a list of all past editions for you to enjoy. Happy reading!

Looking into the heart of Ireland

As the deadline for this 7th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture began to draw near, I was beginning to wonder why I'd gotten the bright idea to suggest a "reading assignment" during the lazy (yet, sometimes busy) days of summer. A few entries had trickled in, but it didn't look like the carnival would be much of a carnival at all. (After all, who ever heard of a carnival with only one or two attendees?)

It turned out that many of you, like students procrastinating on their homework assignments, were working hard to finish your reading material just in time for the due date. Thanks to all who squeaked your entries in at the last minute, we have a carnival...and quite a carnival it is!

From fiction to poetry, history to genealogy and memoir, adult reading to books for young people, the Small-leaved Shamrock summer reading challenge has resulted in a wonderful assortment of book "reviews" written by a variety of writers.

Now, without further ado, I'll share with you an assortment of reading material on Ireland and the Irish. Join with me as we "return to Ireland" through literature, poetry, history and more.

"I returned to Ireland. Ireland green and chaste and foolish. And when I wandered over my own hills and talked again to my own people I looked into the heart of this life and saw that it was good."

~ Patrick Kavanagh, The Green Fool

Fiction

"There is only one admirable form of the imagination: the imagination that is so intense that it creates a new reality, that it makes things happen."

~ Sean O’Faolain

The Silence in the Garden is the name of a work of fiction introduced to us by Lori Thornton of Smoky Mountain Family Historian. It is a story set in 20th-century County Cork. The novel has a strong focus on genealogy and its plot involves a family secret, a death and a diary. According to Lori, William Trevor's book is a well-written novel and an interesting look at Ireland's religious conflict and various aspects of Irish culture.

A 7th-century nun living in Ireland? It's not too surprising to find that type of character. What about a 7th-century Irish nun who is also a detective? Bill West of West in New England shares with us The Sister Fidelma Mysteries written by Peter Tremayne. Bill shares how this series of more than twenty books gives us a look into the relationship between the Celtic and Anglo cultures along with the relatively independent role that women played in Ireland even long ago. Read his post to learn more about Sister Fidelma's adventures as a dálaigh aiding her brother, the King of Cashel.

Donna Pointkouski of What's Past is Prologue writes a nice inroduction to Pete Hamill's Forever within her post on an Irish history book (I'll describe the history book a little later in the carnival). The beginning of the story is set in 18th-century Ireland. The main character Cormac O'Connor immigrates to New York City and, fantastically, finds a secret akin to the fountain of youth.


Poetry

"...quite often the kind of poem I write is just an attempt to get back."

~ Seamus Heaney

A carnival on Irish literature would not be complete without some Irish poetry. Colleen Johnson gives us a taste of one of her favorite poets (and one of Ireland's most famous), W.B. Yeats, in her post Peace by Yeats. Speaking of Yeats, you might also enjoy visiting the current online exhibition The Life and Works of William Butler Yeats presented by The National Library of Ireland.

For a sampling of works by a couple of well-known modern Irish poets read Colm Doyle's post Mahon & Heaney at The Corcaighist. He shares with us his favorite lines from an assortment of poems. Colm writes, "These two men both speak with the same tongue, albeit in slightly separate positions, and you get an appreciation for Ireland and the Irish, whatever be their background and history."

Want to delve further back into the history of Irish poetry? Visit my post On bards and beautiful words here at Small-leaved Shamrock for an introduction to one of my favorite Irish poetry reference works. Believe it or not, it takes the reader on a journey through 1,000 years of Irish poetic history, including many types of forms written by many types of Irish poets (including the well-known writer Anonymous).

Genealogy

"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better."

~ Samuel Beckett

One of the ways to aid the discovery of elusive branches in your family history is to just dedicate yourself to the search with good old-fashioned perseverance. I enjoy Samuel Beckett's suggestion to keep trying in the hopes of "failing better". That is my experience with my search for one of my Irish family surnames in particular. My success was aided by several books written by one author that I share on Small-leaved Shamrock within the post What's in an Irish surname? If you are doing Irish genealogy and are not familiar with Edward MacLysaght, now's the time to get acquainted.

While we're on the subject of Irish genealogy, take a visit over to the Irish Family History blog's review of Tracing Your Irish Ancestors by John Grenham. The author gives a very good overview of this book that is indispensible when doing family history research in Ireland.


Memoir
"When anyone asks me about the Irish character, I say look at the trees. Maimed, stark and misshapen, but ferociously tenacious.”

~ Edna O’Brien

Frank McCourt is one of those tenacious Irish characters whose story is one of seemingly insurmountable odds. After many years of being drawn to reading his memoir but avoiding it because she feared it was too sad to read, Elizabeth O'Neal finally decided to pick it up. Halfway through the book, she shares her observations of Angela's Ashes: A Memoir on her blog Little Bytes of Life.

Another good memoir is the story of Thomas Lynch and his search for roots in Ireland. Loretta Murphy of The Creek introduces us to Booking Passage: We Irish and Americans and makes the observation: "Climbing the branches of our family tree, we grasp the hands of those who came before us, trying to reach the top to catch a glimpse of that past from which we became the future." As Loretta shares in Never Forget..., Thomas, a descendant of Irish-American immigrants, not only "grasps the hands of those who came before [him]" but gets to know several present-day relatives still living in Ireland. Unbelievably, he eventually finds himself the custodian of the family's ancestral home back in Ireland.


History

"One by one they were all becoming shades. Better pass boldly into that other world, in the full glory of some passion, than fade and wither dismally with age."

~ James Joyce, from The Dead

Going back in time to the fall of the Roman Empire, Thomas Cahill begins to tell the story of How the Irish Saved Civilization. Donna Pointkouski enjoyed his historical look at Ireland from Roman to Medieval times. Thomas Cahill writes about the impact of the work of the Celtic monks on European history, according to Donna, in a fascinating way. Read her post to learn more about this book and others in Cahill's "Hinges of History" series. I especially like a quote that Donna chose from this book that rings true of many of our immigrant ancestors.

A Book On The History of Ireland: A Reader's Thoughts Partway Through The Book is Jessica Oswalt's post about her reading of Modern Ireland, 1600-1972 by R. F. Foster. Jessica gives a brief overview of this survey of Irish history, commenting that she feels the need for a less daunting history of Ireland in order to better understand this more complex work. A few suggestions for Jessica and others who might want another angle on Irish history:

• Fianna's A Timeline of Irish History webpage on Rootsweb


• Wesley Johnston & Patrick Abbot's Travel Through the Ireland Story website (which uses maps to illustrate Irish history)


• The Oxford Companion to Irish History edited by S.J. Connolly - see its review on the Irish Family History blog

Moving across the ocean to Boston, Bill West (of New England) shares with us an introduction to a new publication: Hidden History of the Boston Irish by Peter F. Stevens. According to Bill, this collection of historical vignettes is an interesting read. Bill comments, "If you are of Irish descent and live in Boston or your ancestors did this book will give you a better picture of the obstacles Irish-Americans faced in 19th-century America and will make you better appreciate how they overcame them with talent and determination."

For young people

"You've got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was."

~ Irish Proverb

Our carnival includes two great books on Irish history written for younger readers (although they are great reads for adults, too).

Miriam Midkiff of AnceStories shares The Long March, the unlikely story of the Native American Choctaw people's attempt to send aid to the starving Irish during the famine in the middle 19th-century. According to Miriam, the book is beautifully illustrated by the author and "an emotional experience" for the reader. Read Miriam's article to learn how the Irish thanked the Choctaw over a century later when "two great nations, both knowing suffering and starvation [were] bonded at a deeply emotional and spiritual level."

Also set during the time of the famine of the mid-19th-century is the story of Nory Ryan's Song by Patricia Reilly Giff. Read Song of Suffering on my blog A light that shines again for an introduction to this fictional story of the struggles of one young girl and her family to overcome starvation and survive one of the most trying times in the history of the Irish people. As I stated, this book is one of the most moving descriptions of Ireland's Great Famine that I have read.

In the mood for children's stories of Ireland that go back further into Irish history? You might enjoy an article written by Jerry Griswold, Director of San Diego State University's National Center for the Study of Children's Literature. Partly of Irish descent and having lived in Ireland for a time, Griswold shares a little background on Irish myth and legend and provides a suggested reading list for children within his article Ireland and Irish Children's Stories on the Parents' Choice website.


Thanks for joining us for this, the first Irish literature edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture. I hope that you've found some new books to place on top of your reading pile and that you have some time left in your summer to pick up and read a few of these gems on Ireland and the Irish. In the mood for a little quiz after reading? Try the Irish Literature & Folklore Quiz.

Thanks to all of our contributors including those of you who, though you have not yet found any Irish heritage within your family tree, helped to enrich our carnival with your submissions.

If you liked what you read, you might enjoy the "back issues" of our Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture.

• 1st edition: Everyone loves a good Irish story - Stories of Ireland and the Irish
• 2nd edition: They say there's a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow... - A focus on Irish family history research
• 3rd edition: Off to Ireland! - Irish places, both in and out of Ireland
• 4th edition: A St. Patrick's Day parade of posts! - An assortment of posts on all things Irish in celebration of St. Patrick's Day 2008
• 5th edition: A little Irish language, a bit of Blarney... - A tribute to the Irish language
• 6th edition: The many faces of Irish identity - Contributors ponder the question, "What does it mean to be Irish?"

Thanks for reading this, the 7th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture. Please plan to join us for the upcoming 8th edition. See Back to school for the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture! for the details. Get your school supplies ready now!

Images courtesy of Karen's Whimsy.

Last call for the carnival!

Submit your Irish/Ireland book reviews (or list of books you had hoped to read) A.S.A.P. to be included in the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture's Small-leaved Shamrock summer reading challenge!

The carnival will be posted on July 28 here at Small-leaved Shamrock. See you there!

On bards and beautiful words

Poetry has long been dear to my heart. If you've been reading Small-leaved Shamrock, you also know how much pride I take in my Irish heritage. It was with great joy that I received a gift a few years back from my mother (thanks, Mom) of a book of Irish poetry spanning 1,000 years.

Yes, you read that right. 1000 Years of Irish Poetry: The Gaelic and Anglo Irish Poets from Pagan Times to the Present edited by Kathleen Hoagland is a compilation of the best poetic works by Irish poets over a period of history longer than you can imagine could fit in one book. Beginning with the ancient poetic songs from pre-Christian Ireland and progressing through the centuries to the modern Irish poets of more recent times, this book is a treasure for lovers of Irish poetry and Ireland in general.

There are so many treasures in this book, from the familiar The Wearin' of the Green (from the section on Anonymous Street Ballads) to Thomas D'Arcy McGee's 19th-century poem The Celtic Cross (within Anglo-Irish poetry). The table of contents itself is a historical timeline of sorts, beginning with ancient poetry written pre-7th-century and moving through the medieval period all the way to modern times. Included are moving poetic tributes to the culture and people of Ireland, poetic laments of hardships and suffering, and of course, an assortment of humorous Irish ballads.

As stated on the book's cover, "1000 Years of Irish Poetry presents for the first time a panorama of Irish poetry as a literature, showing the many faces of the Irish poetic genius; lyrics, elegies, songs, street ballads, satires, patriotic hymns, dramatic epics, natural and contemplative poetry, odes and sonnets, and older unusual Gaelic forms of verse, which influenced the bardic poets of ancient and medieval Europe."

I can't imagine this book not being in my collection. Now, to find the time to be true to my Irish heritage and write more of my own poetic utterances...

For more on Irish poetry, try Out of What Began: A History of Irish Poetry in English by Gregory A. Schirmer.

10 days left for the summer reading challenge at Small-leaved Shamrock!

If you feel like I do, summer is speeding past faster than you every imagined that it could. It has been over a month since I issued the Small-leaved Shamrock summer reading challenge. We now have only ten days left to do our reading before the carnival!

Just to refresh your memory, here are the details:

Ireland has a long tradition of literature, both in the Irish and English languages. In fact, after Greek and Latin, the Irish language itself has the oldest literature in Europe. The land is known for both its ancient bards and its more modern poetry and epic works of fiction. Today there are also innumerable non-fiction books touching on subjects related to Irish history and culture.

Read a book of Irish fiction, a selection of Irish poetry or a work of non-fiction about Irish history and/or culture, and share it with us for the 7th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture.

Submissions are due Friday, July 25. The carnival will be published Monday, July 28.

If you don't have a blog of your own, read along with us and share your "book reviews" by leaving a comment here.

Interested in participating in the reading challenge, but finding the lazy days of summer have gotten you behind on your reading? Or perhaps you've not had enough downtime this summer for some leisurely meandering through Irish subjects? If you haven't yet chosen a title to read, don't fret. Just choose a book of interest on Irish culture, history, literature, travel, genealogy, etc. and write what you know about it, finished reading or not. Join us for our "show and tell" of sorts on books about Ireland and the Irish.

Be sure to choose your selections soon and share your blog "book review" by Friday, July 25. Happy reading!

Hard black coal and a lady in white

At the start of the new year I enjoyed taking a look back at Schuylkill County and my Cowhey ancestors one-hundred years ago in the year 1908.

Working back to one-hundred years before that date, none of my family had arrived yet in Pennsylvania, but an important event occurred there that would eventually draw them to the area and impact the rest of their lives.

1808 was the year that anthracite coal was first substituted for wood by a prominent citizen: Judge Jesse Fell of Wilkes-Barre. Since the discovery of the anthracite coal fields in Eastern Pennsylvania in the 1790s, there had been a push to mine and sell it. It was slow to be received by the public until Judge Fell's example showed that it was cheaper and cleaner-burning than wood. It was a decade later before serious marketing and the building of canals would bring anthracite coal to its glory in the industrial age.

Another individual who did her part to encourage the use of anthracite as a fuel was the fictional Phoebe Snow. Created in 1903 by the Lackawanna Railroad to advertise the use of anthracite coal to power their trains, Phoebe Snow introduced would-be passengers to the cleaner rides on the rails thanks to anthracite.



According to William White's The Lackawanna: The Route of Phoebe Snow published in 1951:

"Rail travel around the year 1900 was a messy business. After a long trip on a coal-powered train, travellers would frequently emerge covered in black soot. The exception to that rule were locomotives powered by anthracite, a clean-burning form of coal. The Lackawanna owned vast anthracite mines in Pennsylvania, and could legitimately claim that their passengers' clothes would still look clean after a long trip. To promote this fact, their advertising department created Phoebe Snow, a young New York socialite, and a frequent passenger of the Lackawanna. For reasons never explained, Miss Snow often travelled to Buffalo, New York, always wearing a white dress. The first ad featured the image of Phoebe and a short poem:

Says Phoebe Snow about to go
Upon a trip to Buffalo
'My gown stays white from morn till night
Upon the Road of Anthracite'

The campaign became a popular one, and soon Phoebe began to enjoy all the benefits offered by DL&W: Gourmet food, courteous attendants, an observation deck, even on-board electric lights:

Now Phoebe may by night or day
Enjoy her book upon the way
Electric light dispels the night
Upon the Road of Anthracite

Phoebe soon became one of the United States' most recognized advertising mascots. During World War I, anthracite was needed for the war effort, and its use on railroads was prohibited, thus ending her career, but her legend remained alive among railroad fans."

Phoebe Snow would eventually appear again (she would even one day have trains named for her), but never would she acquire her previous glory.

For more on the history of anthracite coal see the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission's website for the article Who Are These Anthracite People? by Valerie A. Zehl, originally published in Pennsylvania Heritage Magazine's Winter 1997 edition. (Phoebe Snow appears on page 5 of the article.)

For more on Phoebe Snow, see The 100 Greatest Advertisements 1852-1958: Who Wrote Them and What They Did published by Julian Lewis Watkins in 1959.

Thanks to the 24-7 Family History Circle blog for the look back at the year 1808 and their mention of Judge Fell's use of anthracite coal in his home furnace two-hundred years ago.

What's in an Irish surname?

If you have Irish surnames in your family tree and are interested in your heritage, there is one 20th-century Irishman's work that you absolutely must know about. Although born in England, Edward MacLysaght (1887-1986) eventually came to Ireland where he developed a deep love for his Irish heritage. Eventually elected to the Senate of the Irish Free State, elected to the Royal Irish Academy, and appointed Chief Herald of Ireland, he was busy within the Irish government for many years, including time spent as Keeper of Manuscripts at the National Library of Ireland and Chairman of the Irish Manuscripts Commission.

In his role as one of the foremost genealogists of twentieth century Ireland, he expanded upon the work of Patrick Woulfe published in 1923 (Irish Names and Surnames - click on the link to read it within Google Book Search). MacLysaght's resulting compilations of the history of surnames in Ireland are a treasure for any Irish family historian. His book The Surnames of Ireland is a detailed guide to over 4,000 Gaelic, Norman and Anglo-Irish surnames and serves also as a type of index to two of his other works: Irish Families: Their Names, Arms & Origins and More Irish Families.

It was on a used book sale table at a genealogical library where I found my 1957 copy of Irish Families. Heading out the door that day, I couldn't pass by the little table without just a quick look. I spotted the title Irish Families and thought it looked interesting enough to justifying paying a few dollars in order to take it home to read. What a treasure I had found!

Read my post entitled Victorious! to learn the story of my long search for the uncommon Cowhey surname and my discovery of its origins within MacLysaght's Irish Families book thanks to that used book table.

Anxious to research your own Irish family surname within MacLysaght's books? Check out the genealogical collection at your local library or purchase a copy for yourself. You can also check out the Irish Family History blog's ongoing series on Irish surnames. The author is in the process of highlighting the top twenty most common surnames of Ireland using MacLysaght's surname histories. Odds are one branch of your family tree may be there!

"Speeding to the front" in defense of the nation

Once more war's alarm is heard - the Government is shaken to its foundation, and now General Scott is called upon to save the Capital. Will the men of the North arise? Will they come to protect the nation? Yes, they spring forward to the fray and the veteran chieftain knows that thousands are rushing to his aid. The flower of the country are speeding to the front - but the first to meet his sight, the First Defenders appear, and two of the five companies are from Pottsville! Should any ask what town this is whose men have passed all others in the race, he would learn of a people who have already made history enough to fill a folio, and the story of whose energetic career would be the story of the anthracite coal trade.

This glowing description of the citizens of Pottsville was written in 1876 by George Chambers. His Historical Sketch of Pottsville: Schuylkill County, Pa. is interesting reading, particularly when you understand that Pottsville as a town had been in existence for less than a century at the time this history was written.

Among the First Defenders mentioned by Chambers, were two from the Cowhey family: William and Thomas. Part of their volunteer tour of duty (which lasted only three months) was a turn guarding the nation's capital.

Here is a partial description of the movements of Company I-16 according to Samuel P. Bates' History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-5:

Joining in the general forward movement, which commenced about the middle of June, the regiment proceeded to the Potomac, and on the 16th, crossed with the advance Division; but soon after returned and remained encamped near the river until the 2nd day of July.

Getting across the Potomac seems to have been quite an ordeal for the brothers. Having read Thomas' handwritten account of their crossing, I was very happy to find E.G. Arnold's 1862 map of the District of Columbia and the defenses surrounding and protecting it at the time.

Its official title is Topographical Map of the Original District of Columbia and Environs: Showing the Fortifications around the City of Washington. The publication of the map has an interesting story. The Alexandria Library website states that:

According to the Spring/Summer 2003 (Vol. 15, No. 1) issue of Washington History, two days after the map went on sale in various shops in 1862, the War Department confiscated most copies, as was the copper plate that was used to print the original maps. In addition, the Department obtained the names of purchasers and seized the maps from the homes of private citizens to prevent it from falling into Confederate hands insofar as the map identifies and locates 51 forts that defended Washington, D.C. during the Civil War.

Surviving copies of the map can now be found at the National Archives in College Park, Maryland (Cartographic & Architectural Section) in addition to the Alexandria Library in Virginia.

E.G. Arnold's pastel map is quite a work of art. It shows Washington, D.C.'s wards, watercourses and original boundary in addition to its various defenses circa 1862. It is a fascinating look back at a time when the nation's capital faced not armies of hot, summer tourists, but a more threatening force. Thanks to the defense of volunteers like the Cowhey brothers, the nation's capital remains as we know it today.

The Small-leaved Shamrock summer reading challenge!

Ireland has a long tradition of literature, both in the Irish and English languages. In fact, after Greek and Latin, the Irish language itself has the oldest literature in Europe. The land is known for both its ancient bards and its more modern poetry and epic works of fiction. Today there are also innumerable non-fiction books touching on subjects related to Irish history and culture.

In the hope that you have some time on your hands this summer to do a little reading, here is a challenge for you:

Read a book of Irish fiction, a selection of Irish poetry or a work of non-fiction about Irish history and/or culture, and share it with us for the 7th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture. Submissions are due Friday, July 25. The carnival will be published Monday, July 28. (This is a slight change from the original deadline.)

If you don't have a blog of your own, read along with us and share your "book reviews" by leaving a comment here.

Hope you'll join us! Better get off to the bookstore or the library and make your summer reading selections right away!

Speaking of reading, if you haven't yet done so check out the 6th edition of the carnival: The many faces of Irish identity. Scroll down to the end to find a summary of the carnival's previous editions. Happy reading!