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Tracing the genealogies of revolutionaries and others who died in 1916.

On Tuesday 23rd February, Helen conducted a lunchtime lecture entitled “Reporting on the Rising: Using Irish Newspapers in the National Library of Ireland”. The talk took place from 1 – 2 pm at the National Library of Ireland.

The lecture was part of a series of lectures to celebrate the Aontas Adult Learners’ Festival and ran from 22nd – 26 February, 2016. The lecture series was put on in partnership with Accredited Genealogists Ireland, National Library of Ireland and Aontas.

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Who Do You Think You Are LIVE 2013

Come and meet with Helen Kelly at the

Who Do You Think You Are  LIVE – the biggest family history event in the World –   to be held at Olympia, London from 22nd – 24th  February 2013.

As in previous years, Helen Kelly will provide free genealogy consultations on the Tourism Ireland stand at this event.

Helen will also provide the following lectures at the Society of Genealogists workshop.

 

Friday 22nd February – 10.30 – 11.00am

Prepare for The Gathering through Irish land and property records

The Gathering takes place all over Ireland throughout 2013 and will welcome, friends and family from all over the World to celebrate Irish culture through festivals, sporting events, music and clan gatherings.

In preparation for this wonderful celebration Helen Kelly will share her passion for Ireland’s land and property records which record tenants as well as lessors of property.

Griffith’s Valuation – published in Ireland between 1847 and 1864, and the subsequent surveys which post-date Griffith’s lead  those of Irish ancestry on a wonderful journey of discovery and to a deeper understanding of Irish heritage and homeland.

 

Saturday 23rd February 1.00 – 1.45pm

Search for the ancestral homestead through imaginative use of

Irish census substitutes

Continuing the theme of The Gathering, Helen will outline in this lecture, how the lack of 19th century Irish census returns places a great emphasis on the importance of Irish census substitutes.

While appreciating the limitations of Irish family history research, Helen will introduce us to, and urge us to have an imaginative approach to the myriad number of available census substitutes for Ireland

 

Sunday 24th February 1.50 – 2.30pm

Local history and folklore

In this lecture, Helen will discuss the range of subjects covered within the Schools’ Manuscript Collection of Irish Folklore, a collection gathered by primary-school children in the Irish Free State in 1937/8 and which includes local history, songs, folk-lore, music and other interesting subjects.

Helen will also examine some of the local history material that is available in Ireland’s County Libraries.

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London Lecture

On Saturday 12th. May 2012, Helen Kelly delivered  a lecture on Irish Census substitutes at the IGRS annual general meeting in London.

The AGM was held at  34 Chepstow Villas, London W11

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First community member to be awarded a ‘Certificate of Irish Heritage’ in Britain

On Saturday, 3rd March 2012, Maureen Fitzgibbon of the Catholic Family History Society became the first Community member to be awarded a Certificate of Irish Heritage in Britain, in recognition of her outstanding service to the Irish Community. The prestigious award was presented to Maureen by Rose Morris, Director of the Irish World Heritage Centre during the Council of Irish Associations annual Dinner Dance at the IWHC Centre on Cheetham Hill, Manchester.

Left to Right:Margaret Purcell,Helen Kelly,Maureen Fitzgibbon,Vincent Kelly.[Photo:D.J. Claffey]
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Certificate of Irish Heritage at the Fahy Club, Buenos Aires

Cristina Abaca Hogarty , grand-daughter of Joseph A Hogarty from Co. Westmeath recipient of a Certificate of Irish Heritage, pictured at the St. Patrick’s Day lunch at the Fahy Club, with the Irish Ambassador,  His Excellency James McIntyre (right) and Andrew Noonan, 2nd Secretary.

Certificates of Irish Heritage are issued by the Irish Government to those who have at least one Irish ancestor. The Government wants to provide official recognition to those who are proud of their Irish roots and provide them with a statement of their heritage which can be displayed with pride.

There are three Certificate designs available, each including elements which reflect Ireland’s history and culture, and a quote from Article 2 of Bunreacht na hÉireann (The Constitution of Ireland) which states:

“The Irish nation cherishes its special affinity with people of Irish ancestry living abroad who share its cultural identity and heritage.”
For more information on the Certificate of Irish Heritage, visit www.heritagecertificate.ie.

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Who Do You Think You Are ? Live 2012

The Who Do You Think You Are ? Live  – the world’s biggest family history event -took place at Olympia, London from the 24th – 26th February 2012.  As in 2010 and 2011, Helen Kelly was once again consultant genealogist on the Tourism Ireland stand at this event where she provided free personalized consultations to the stand’s visitors.
Helen also delivered the following lectures at the Society of Genealogists’ workshop, on each of the three days. The lectures were sponsored by Tourism Ireland.

  • ‘Using Census Substitues In Your Irish Ancestral Research’
  • ‘ Irish Land & Property Records – Valuable sources for Irish Genealogical Research’
  • ‘Starting Your Irish Family History’

The three day show which had a huge attendance was highly successful, with many visitors already making plans to attend next years’ event.

 

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Manchester Irish Festival

The Manchester Irish Festival at the Irish World Heritage Centre got off to a wonderful start on Friday the 2nd March. The festival, which will run until Friday 23rd March, offers a wide variety of Irish cultural activities to be enjoyed by all age groups.

Helen Kelly was in attendance at the Irish World Heritage Centre from the morning of  Friday 2nd March through to Sunday afternoon, where she provided genealogical consultations to those engaged in Irish family history research. On Saturday morning she also delivered a lecture on Irish land-property records.

 

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Kelly clan gathering on ‘How to research the family tree’

On Saturday 21st May 2011 Helen Kelly addressed the Kelly Clan Gathering on How to research the family tree. The Clan gathering took place at the Bellbridge Hotel in the idyllic seaside village of Spanish Point in County Clare.

 

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Who Do You Think You Are ? 2011

As in 2010, Helen Kelly was consultant genealogist on the Tourism Ireland stand at the Who Do You Think You Are ? fair at the Olympia Exhibition Centre in London in February 2011. The fair is one of the largest genealogical events in the UK and attendees included vast numbers of Irish descendants who availed of Helen’s advice on how to trace their Irish family history.

 

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The Argentine Connection

Helen Kelly gave a series of lectures on Irish Genealogy in the midland counties of Westmeath and Longford in the Autumn of 2010. Her talks consisted of two elements – guidelines on how to start your family tree and a talk on links between the Midlands of Ireland and the Irish in Argentina.

The first of her talks took place on the 8th October 2010 in the rural setting of Boher Hall in County Westmeath – the epicentre of the area from whence thousands of people emigrated to the Pampas of Argentine in the early/mid 1800s.

History was made that night when this rural community were the first to use modern technology to link with their counterparts in Argentina. As a further show of solidarity, funds raised on the night were divided equally between Boher community hall, and the Fahy Club in Argentina. Using video cameras and the Skype computer programme, the assembly of over 100 people were overjoyed to see and hear descendants of 19th century emigrants in Argentina, converse with them in English which was laced with familiar tones and idiom of their native county.

Further talks were held in Ballymahon, County Longford and at the historical Belvedere House in Mullingar on the 21st October 2010 and the 12th November respectively.