I blogged here some weeks ago about the condition of some of the Catholic Baptismal records in the Kerry Diocese. From my experience visiting various presbyteries checking baptisms & marriages, I have found some excellent locations where every care has been taken over the years resulting in legible, well preserved records, going back to the very early 1800’s. But sadly in other locations, the years have taken their toll. The current guardians are doing the very best they can but they have inherited records that have been kept in damp, mouldy houses, where mice have had a field day and the resulting books are in a very poor state.
John Grenham, the well known Genealogist wrote about this in yesterday’s Irish Times –
‘Roman Catholic parish registers constitute by far the most important set of records for 19th-century Irish local and family history. And, in the furore over access, one vital point is constantly missed. The original records are still sitting in the sacristies and presbyteries around the country where they have been for the past two centuries. No organization on the island is concerned with preserving them: there is no archival programme to ensure their survival’
John goes on to ask if this should matter? They have been copied and are on microfilm in the National Library as well as online at IrishGenealogy.ie. But we should remember that these are just copies
John continues ‘No copy can take the place of the original. The registers themselves are the property of the Catholic Church, and also the Church’s responsibility. If the Hierarchy wants to keep them private, by all means let them be locked away in diocesan archives for a century or more. But something has to be done to stop these priceless records from rotting away.’
These are priceless records, as well as being the originals, they are also the only records we have of any births or marriages prior to Civil Registration in 1864. A number have been lost already, see Links & Resources.
Isn’t it time we got all these registers collected in one place, re-bound and restored if necessary and kept in optimum conditions for future generations?
It is beyond belief or reason why an organisation as rooted in and dependent on the RC community -and professing that its people ARE the CHURCH – should maintain such an uncaring and disdainful attitude towards the ancestors, families and friends of the RC and the wider community, whether RC or not. After all, we were taught the RC church that ‘my neighbour is all mankind, event those who persecute me or differ from me in religion.’
It is deplorable that such priceless and irreplaceable records should be allowed to literally decay in the custody of those who would profess to be of the people and for the people.
I have no doubt but that the church’s administrative and financial records do not suffer the same lack on interest and attention!
It is well past the time that the ordinary people’s interests in relation to their genealogy and heritage received the same care and attention as that of the ‘princes of the church’ and other grandees charged with a christian duty to their flocks.
WEll I must have been very lucky .Some 15/16 years ago I started by writing to the Priest in the area I thought they had lived
That was Castlemaine Parish. Rev Father Luke Roche must have spent hours searching for me
At least I had a start and he was so giving with his time But really have not got that far on in all those years Trish Jensen
Patricia, let me know where you are finding the proverbial ‘brick wall’ – see if I can be of help.
I’ve been attempting to do my family tree for many years now and found the records for the Diocese of Kerry records for Births, Marriages & Deaths invaluable. Now they weren’t complete but they provided much info. I have taken many breaks along the course of my project and have recently renewed efforts to proceed with another segment perhaps. Anyway it has failed me to get back into those records, anyone know where this site has gone or do they have a new site? would be delighted to hear. Thanks
Mary
Mary I think you mean http://www.IrishGenealogy.ie. Church records from all the parishes, Catholic or Church of Ireland are on it from start of record keeping in each individual parish up to apx 1900. Of course as you rightly point out, there are lots of gaps (that you are not immediately aware of). See Links & Tesources (Baptismal Records) on http://www.MyKerryAncestprs. Also lots on the same subject on my blogs over the past few years.
Don’t forget Civil Registration also on IrishGenealogy.ie from 1864 up to 1915 or later for deaths & marriages.
Added to that is Registers.Nli.ie where the images of the original registers are available.
So lots of work ahead! Kay