PRONI

While quite a bit of genealogy research can be done via the Internet, many of Northern Ireland’s 19th century records are only available in the original document or on microfilm at the Public records office of Northern Ireland (PRONI).
I had hit a dead end in the research I was able to accomplish from my computer in the USA. Using Ancestry.com, I found many US documents relating to my great grandfather, David C. Kerr: his naturalization record from 1896, the 1900 census that identifies his immigration from Ireland in 1871. His wife, Anabell, arrived a year later. There is the 1905 ship’s manifest that shows my grandfather, Daniel Kerr, returning to the US with his mother after a visit back to Down County.
I joined a Yahoo group, Northern Ireland Genealogy, and posted what I knew about my Northern Ireland ancestors. A very helpful member located my great great grandparents’ marriage record from 1849. It lists Henry Kerr as marrying Catherine Toman at Garvaghy (gar VAH hee) Church in Banbrindge. Now I had a lead.
From what I gathered on the Northern Ireland Genealogy group, PRONI can be a complicated place. I pasted again what I planned to visit. A member, Billy, a man a few years older than I, was planning a visit and invited me to meet him.
I found the correct bus to get me to PRONI and arrived as they opened at 9:00. I had to get my visitor’s ID and register. Billy arrived at 9:30 and we sat down for coffee to strategize my search. Billy had dome some looking and located the number of the microfilm that had Garvaghy Parish records from the 19th century. He showed me how to use my ID to get access to the research rooms and request records. He set me up with a microfilm reader and I spent the next several hours reading records from the various Garvaghy churches. There was a big fire, the Four Courts Fire in 1922. Many records from the 19th century and before were lost. Additionally, many "useless" documents (such as census records from the 1800s) were destroyed periodically by the government.
I found some Kerrs, Tomans, and McCuskers, but none that matched any of the dates or names I had. Unfortunately, the records from Garvaghy Church of Ireland were “in local custody” meaning that the church still has them. Billy told me that this is unusual. He suggested I phone the church to see if the records are available and if I can have a look. That will require a trip to Banbridge, where I plan to go anyway.
Let’s hope the paper trail is not lost to history and fire.

I decided that my flat was not so far away that I needed to spend the £1.40 for the bus. Walking home, I was hit by a deluge and had to seek refuge under a highway bridge for 45 minutes.

Once the rain subsided, I then passed the Thanksgiving Statue. A £300 metal sculpture by Andy Scott. It is 19.5 meters high and was constructed in 2007 in Belfast’s Thanksgiving Square. It has been given several nicknames. These include the Beacon of Hope, the Nuala with the Hula, the Bell on the Ball, the Thing with the Ring, and the Doll with the Ball.

(the old photos are of my great grandfather, David C. Kerr. the second is David C and Anabel (McCusker) Kerr with my grandfather, Daniel J. Kerr in the center.)