Launch of Co. Kildare Online Database of Genealogical Records
County Kildare launched its online database of genealogical records on Friday last in conjunction with a number of other counties. The launch of the all Ireland Irish Family History Foundation’s Genealogical Online Research System took place at the Navan Centre, Armagh, on Friday, November 30th, 2007. The system was officially launched by the leaders of the four main churches in Ireland whose records form the core of the database, including Cardinal Sean Brady on his first day home from his elevation to the College of Cardinals in Rome, Most Rev. Alan Harper, Archbishop of Armagh & Primate of All Ireland, Most Rev. John Finlay, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland and Most Rev. Cooper, President, Methodist Church.
On the day of the launch the records of Counties Kildare, Tipperary South and Galway West went live and are now searchable online. Please visit https://www.kildare.ie/library/genealogy.asp
Karel Kiely, genealogist with Kildare County Council and Secretary of the Foundation says that the launch of the Kildare records and those of the other counties will benefit not only the local community but the wider Irish Diaspora of millions throughout the world. This unique resource is the result of over a decade of cross-community and North-South cooperation, and could not have happened without the trust of the four largest churches in Ireland that were represented at the launch.
In the photo left to right Karel Kiely, genealogist, Kildare County Council, Most Rev. John Finlay, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland, Most Rev. Alan Harper, Archbishop of Armagh & Primate of All Ireland, Most Rev. Cooper, President, Methodist Church, Ms. Marian Higgins, Senior Executive Librarian, Kildare Co. Library & Arts Service, Cardinal Sean Brady, Susan Elliott, U.S. Consul General for northern Ireland.
Karel Kiely said: "This online genealogical resource is a treasure for everyone. It is the natural development of the many good years of partnership with the four largest churches in Ireland whose leaders appreciated the motivations of the project. These were foremost to ensure local participation and local control of the digitisation and accessibility of millions of church baptism, marriage and burial records. Kildare County Council and Kildare County Library and Arts Service have supported this work for many years and this support is now bearing fruit. This resource will be welcomed by all those at home and amongst the wider Irish Diaspora and we are excited about the potential this has for promoting our county and increasing visitors to Ireland."
Having created a searchable database of the information contained within the original sources it is now possible to offer the ability to anyone with an internet connection, anywhere in the world, to access and search for information on their ancestors across all the main Irish genealogical sources.
Vast amounts of time, effort and money have been put into developing this resource. Initially there will be a searchable online site for each county centre, and then a single search capability across all centres. The following centres are now online with over 5 and a half million records in total for those of you that hail from other counties – please see website at (www.irish-roots.net)
1. Armagh
2. Cork North and East
3. Dublin North
4. Dublin South
5. Fermanagh
6. Galway West
7. Leitrim
8. Roscommon
9. Tipperary North
10. Tipperary South
11. Tyrone
A Central Signposting Site and central search system will be in place by March 2008. We have commenced with baptismal, marraige and death records but will eventually include all available sources that we have computerized.
Yours sincerely
Karel Kiely, Genealogist
Local Studies, Genealogy & Archives
County Kildare Library and Arts Service
Riverbank
Main St.
Newbridge
Comments on this entry are closed.