1025 Tracing the poor and destitute Irish (Register)

Brian Donovan is the Global Head of Irish Collections at findmypast.com. He previously lectured in history at Trinity College Dublin in the 1990s and since then has lectured throughout Ireland and the US on history, genealogy and digitisation. Brian’s experience in digital technology and his background in history helped motivate the founding of the well-known Irish genealogy company Eneclann in 1998. 

   Poor relief was available in Ireland in some form at almost all time periods, generating records that have left information about millions of impoverished people from all over the country. Given that the poor were the most likely to migrate, these records are an essential resource for your research.

Brian will also address the culture of the poorest sector of Irish society. They inhabited a world of gross inequality, where they were more likely to be Irish speakers and casual labourers. They clung to superstition, tales of malicious fairies, local cults of saints, as well as a plethora of customs that have long since disappeared.

This seminar is a Zoom-only meeting and is open to members of the public and FHACT members. After registering to attend via Zoom, you will receive an email with a link to the external Zoom website to complete the registration.

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