Roots society highlights importance of census

CLARE Roots Society members had a very busy week leading up to the completion of Census forms last Sunday night. On Friday, Gerry Kennedy and Paddy Waldron were guests on Clare FM’s Morning Focus discussing the 1901 and 1911 Census, which can be downloaded as a podcast.
Later that morning, on Radio 1’s  Pat Kenny Show, reporter Valerie Cox used Bindon Street in Ennis to illustrate the wealth of detail that is available in the 1901 and 1911 Census.
Valerie had been briefed by Catriona Crowe of the National Archives on the work of Clare Roots Society and suggested that she use Bindon Street as an example. Valerie spoke to a number of Clare Roots members as she walked the street, including Paddy Waldron, Eric Shaw and guest Oliver Moylan. A podcast of this interview can also be downloaded from www.clareroots.org.
Clare Roots Society advises families to photocopy their own Census for archiving.
“The information which you record on this year’s Census form will not be released to genealogical researchers for 100 years, that is until the year 2111.
“Your future descendants may be as impatient then as today’s researchers are impatient now to see the returns of the 1921 Census, which never took place due to the War of Independence, or those of the 1926 Census, which the new Irish government has promised to release during its term of office. They strongly advise you all to keep a photocopy of your own 2011 Census form for family archival purposes,” a spokesperson for the society said.
In addition, the society is recommending that people carry out a photographic survey of the shops and houses in the commercial area of their towns and villages.
“Consider re-photographing your local area now following the views recorded in the Lawrence collection (1870–1914) or to match other existing early photographs. This information could be placed on your local website or alternatively presented to Clare County Library for archival purposes,” the society recommends.
Meanwhile, the value of old photographs in searching for family members will be discussed by the Clare Roots Society next Thursday at 8pm in Ennis Town Council’s Civic Rooms.
Gerry Kennedy will present a case study outlining that even with very little information, it is possible to establish a family genealogy. It is entitled From a photograph to a family genealogy.