It can be very intimidating to start researching your Irish family tree. What records are out there? Where are my ancestors from? But if you tackle it like a detective story, connecting the little dots from several sources of information, a story begins to unfold. My grandfather, William Coyle, sat … Read More ..
Hot Tea May Cause Cancer??
After drinking at least two cups of tea each morning for most of my life, the WHO (World Health Organization) now reports that hot drinks over 149 degrees may increase the risk of cancer! What’s an Irishman to do? Scientific measurements, of course. Pictured is a representative cup of my … Read More ..
1895 Scientific Survey of the Mullet Peninsula
Here’s an amazing history of the Mullet peninsula! Thanks to Phil Mc Intyre for sending this document from an 1895 survey of the Belmullet area. (link below). It breaks down in scientific detail the average height, eye color, property ownership, and dozens of other details – even what the average … Read More ..
The Irish Dresser Project
While Skype chatting with my Uncle Frank in Ireland today, he told me about The Dresser Project which is documenting the old handmade kitchen dressers in Ireland. It turns out that one made by my grandfather, Michael Coyle, is featured on the site – with a video hosted by Frank! … Read More ..
Where I go Most Sunday Nights
Back in the late seventies, there was a great little Irish bar on South Kedzie named after its address: The 6511 Club. It was rumored to be a hang out for IRA Rebels lying low to avoid the British. I doubt that was true, but it made the place seem … Read More ..
Termoncarragh Cemetery, Belmullet
In August 2008 while in Ireland, my daughter and I snapped images of many of the gravestones in Termoncarragh Cemetery, Belmullet, Co. Mayo. While sorting through the images, I experienced some odd emotions! Many of then were because many of my family members are buried there, but also because of … Read More ..
Historical Google-like Map of Ireland, and a Mystery
While bouncing around the internet looking for genealogy info, I stumbled upon the most amazing map of Ireland. It’s built on the Google engine and has overlays for maps from 1830 and 1900. You can move a slider to fade between the modern and historical maps. After viewing the maps, … Read More ..
It Took Forty-One People to Make Me.
Regular readers of this site may remember that my mother’s maiden name is Coyle. She didn’t change her name when she married my father. Back in Ireland the two families live only a few miles away from each other, and thinking they must be related a few generations in the … Read More ..