Galway County International
Genealogical Conference 2005

Organised by Galway County Council, Galway County Heritage Forum & Galway East Tourism in association with the following organisations: The Western Family History Association, Galway Family History Society (West) Limited, East Galway Family History Society, Galway Archaeological and Historical Society, The Clans of Ireland, Irish Genealogy Limited (IGL), Ireland West Tourism and Enneclann.

The conference is one of the first major genealogical conferences for Galway and has attracted a very high calibre of experts who will conduct lectures and consultations over the weekend. The conference is just one of a number of actions which are include in Galway County Heritage Plan 2004–2008. The organisers expect to attract in the region of 200 people to the conference from Ireland and abroad.

The conference is aimed at individuals and groups interested in genealogy, family history, local history and heritage.

A broad spectrum of subjects and topics of interest to the genealogist and family historian will be covered during the two days, including census records, civil records, estate records, school records, Encumbered Estate Court Rentals, clachán settlements, emigration records, Irish Police Ancestry, Valuation Office Records, the great Irish genealogies, digitisation of Irish Records, a townland study, medieval sources,  nineteenth century Ireland, placenames, the National Archives, the National Library, sources for landed estates,  the Connaught Rangers, Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland, folklore as a genealogical source, the Big Houses of County Galway and lesser used genealogical sources.

The lectures will be delivered by well known experts including, Professor Nollaig OíMuraile, Mr John Grenham, Mr. Gregory O'Connor, Dr Keneth Nichols, Mr Fergus Gillespie, Dr Terence Dooley, Mr Gabriel O'Connor, Ms Maeve Mulryan-Moloney, Mr Brian Donovan, Ms Anne Rodda, Ms. Eileen Ó Duill, Mr. Paul Duffy, Mr Eamon Rossi, Ms Bríd Higgins, Mr John Joe Conwell,  Ms Maureen Moran, Mr Kieran Hoare, Ms Patria McWalter, Mr Donal Mac Giolla Easpaig, Mr Donal Tahany, Dr Mary Cawley, Dr John Morrissey, Dr Mark McCarthy, Ms Colette OíFlaherty, and Mr Padraig G. Lane.

There will be two streams of lectures that will run simultaneously over the two days of the conference thereby providing attendees with a very good choice of topics.

In addition to the lectures there will be a panel of experts available to provide advice and assistance to those who have specific genealogical or family history queries. The Western Family History Association, Galway Family History Society (West) Limited, East Galway Family History Society, Galway Archaeological and Historical Society, The Clans of Ireland, Ireland West Tourism and Enneclann will have stands at the conference. Various specialist booksellers including Kenny's Bookshop and  Spellissey Bookshop will also be in attendance, and there will be plenty of opportunities for individuals and groups to network amongst themselves during the conference.