Lets meet Sept. 17th 2005/ What will be our Topic?

[worcmik]

The title of this post says it all. We should meet six months from St. Patrick's Day, learn a bit, share a bit, and see what comes of it.
What do you think should be the topic of the "talk?"

[worcmik]

My last post was too brief and did not say it all, It said very little in fact. Here is the rest of the story..
We would like to hold a round-table meeting of Irish Genealogy-buffs, similar to the one held at the Worcester Public Library, and organized by Mary Ellen R.. That one was held on the same day as the last St. Pat's Day Parade, it was well attended.That meeting introduced people to others that have had similar experiences researching the area's dead Irish. At that meeting "Laverty" researchers connected and other cousins likely met. I think we learned from one another through this bulletin board and meetings like that one. We hope to plan another for the date that marks the hump from one St. Patrick's Day to the next: Sept. 17th.
I shall paraphrase a gentleman that knows quite a bit about the Irish in the area during the 19th century: there is little interest in such matters today. Worcester's 'of Irish decent' don their green but once a year, and that is pretty much it. If 20 people were to attend a Irish genealogy lecture that far away from St. Patrick's Day, he would have to concede that there is a wee bit more interest than he though. Well... We better get 50, to be sure.
To get that many people out we will need an interesting subject to address for the main event. When the intros are out of the way, a topic of general intrest (among those in the room) should be addressed by someone with some knowledge and followed by questions and comments. This may not take very long, and several related subjects could be discussed.? I don't know. How about:

Worcester's Vital Records; What did they record pre-1850, post-1850? How was the information gathered for births? Deaths? Marriages? How does knowing this help me with my research?

Richard O'Flynn; What is in the "Notebooks" that are now in Holy Cross College's archives? How can he help me with my research?

The Far-Flung Flock; Were there Catholic Irish in the towns prior to the Famine? So maybe that is why I can't find any info in the Worc. Vitals.

Burial Options through the years; How/Where are the records forTatnuck, St. John's, Holy Cross College, St Mary's in Milford and other distant early ones, St. Anne's and other nearer ones?

These are just Ideas, please "Reply" with your thoughts.  J

[cheryl]

Hi Folks, Sept 17 sounds good to me.  I don't have any preference for topics as my earliest Irish arrived around 1880.  I am still interested in learning the history and need to plan a field trip with Merski to see the O'Flynn Papers.  Also, do you think people would be interested in some kind of personal research worksheet, that could be distributed to others.  Maybe someone needs something looked up in another state or at the State Archives, and another member has a contact or is going into Boston.  I do like to do the research myself but would be willing to do a look-up for another if I'm already looking a records that would be helpful to others. 
Cheryl

[merski]

Hi all!  We've moved and maybe in a week or two my head will stop spinning.  I would love to get the truth and not the fables about worcester irish, if there's anyone who knows.  I imagine that there's a prof at Holy Cross or Clark who's very knowledgeable about worcester irish. I get the feeling that they might be willing to talk to a very interested general public about their research. I was speaking with Dick Chaisson, an historian from Athol Mass who has lots of info on irish in that town.  I wish some very clever person would set up a web page devoted only to massachusetts irish so that we could combine all of this info to make it more useful....

[worcmik]

Merski, all,
The Prof. you imagine is Jake Powers, he has the credentials, the interest, etc. I don't know if I would impose on him though, as he has already done more than most for the cause. Worcester State College has had him working in his "retirement," but I have no current knowledge of his activities. he may been a reg. visitor to the WorcTalk Buliten Board. (If so, Hi Jake). Here is not the place to ask someone to speak to a group, about something,  somewhere, on Sept. 17 2005. Besides, September is not a good time to ask any Prof speak. I am still hoping to get ideas for a topic.
I will throw out an other.
I have been reading other people's posts on this board, and I think many of us have run into a problem with the records at St. John's Cemetery. The records are incomplete. Are there ways around that? There are people that have a good undrestanding of the history of St. John's Cemetery. I am sure that with their help a map of the present day cemetery could be shaded to reflect when the land was purchased. This would help narrow-down a gravestone search. Other tools and techniques can help prove that so-and-so is in St. John's, like the Worcester Records show. On Sept. 18th we could hold a walking tour at the cemetery. There are enough interesting stories in one small area to make it a nice short walk, and a longer talk.
These topics may make for an interesting Bulitin Board Exchange too.
Have a safe Holiday, John