Re: Genealogy
Wow! I have just received the Genealogy equivalent of a lottery win!!
When one of my cousins died two years ago - I asked her son if I could have sight of any prayer books/bibles that might contain useful information. Had heard nothing from him so had almost given up on the idea - then - postie brings me a parcel with a couple of prayer books from which I gleaned some previously unknown family addresses - but - the main treasure - an envelope stuffed FULL of Mass Cards!!
To explain for non RC people - in Ireland when someone dies, friends/family/neighbours arrange for Masses to be said in their name and send Mass Cards to the bereaved. These are little, black edged cards with prayers and often a small photo of the deceased or picture of their favourite saint.
However the reason I am so excited about them is because they also give full names (correctly spelt), dates of death, where they have been buried - and their age when they died - sometimes they even give place of birth.
Given that a substantial amount of official Irish records were lost in 'the troubles' - making it next to impossible to trace some sections of my family - being given these is like being given gold dust!!
I am off to Ancestry for the afternoon!