Irish Geneaology

Like many Americans, I am a hodgepodge of many different cultures. Over the last few years I have spent a great amount of time researching just where my ancestors came from. Since St. Patty's Day is just around the corner I thought I would highlight a sweet Irish story I researched that is part of my heritage.  Included are photos I took on a trip I made to Ireland 6 years ago.

James Daly was born in 1852 in Dublin, Ireland just immediately after the worst years of the Potato Famine that changed his country's social/political landscape. He and his parents, along with 5 siblings, took a 7 week journey across the Atlantic and up the St. Lawrence river where they ultimately settled in the Canadian city of Sherbrooke. The ocean voyages at that time were very treacherous because of the ill health as a result of the famine and the diseases that spread so quickly.....in 1847, an estimated 1 in 5 people would die during those crossings.

When James Daly turned 18, he moved to Boston.  There he met a young English woman named Mary Jane Whitney. Mary was born in 1852 in Manchester, England. She and her family emigrated to Massachusetts and in the 1870 census of Lawrence, 18 year old Mary is found to be a weaver and working at the same mill where her father and brother were dyers.

By 1874, James and Mary had met, become Engaged, and were married the day after Christmas.

One of the most endearing parts of this story is that James and Mary were of two different and opposing religions. One could justifiably say that is was those two religious groups that helped to tear Ireland apart during the 19th and 20th century. James was Catholic and Mary was Protestant. Yet, they married and had 13 (Yes, THIRTEEN!!) children. As a rule, they raised one child Catholic and the next one Protestant....alternating as they went. There were no religious divides. There WAS a whole lot of love.

May brooks and trees and singing hills
Join in the chorus too,
And every gentle wind that blows
Send happiness to you.

Looking for some more Irish Inspiration?? Check out THIS!!!!

If you have ever thought about digging into your own genealogy.... here are some helpful sites:

Heritage Quest  (I can access it for free using my State Library card)
Ancestry  (some records are free but most are not, you can get a 14 day free trial just remember to CANCEL!!)
The Ships List (find your ancestors on the boat they traveled on!!)
 USGENWEB (free and gives options for each State for research)

I linked this genealogy project up to these funky linky parties:
Frugalicious Friday
Works For Me Wednesdays
Get Your Craft On