Wednesday 24 May, 2017.

At 10am this morning, a warm welcome awaited me at the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland when Aaron Binchy, a relative of my favourite author Maeve Binchy, greeted me at the door of the Society.

 

 

 

 

Conor Lucey, the President took me on a personally escorted tour around the building and historical garden. The house has been kept in its original state and the garden has been planted in keeping with herbs and flowers of the original garden. Continue reading “Antiques, Grave stone Rubbings and Prendergast family Deeds.” →

Tuesday 23 May, 2017

John Prendergast, my 5x Grandfather died intestate in 1833. In Windsor, Australia, shortly before his death, he distributed all of his possessions to his children. Why did he die without leaving a Will? Was it to save his family the expense of paying death taxes? Was it so that he could distribute his property in the way that he was assured that each beneficiary would receive what he wanted them to inherit? Or, as a United Irishman who was transported to Australia for his involvement in the 1798 Rebellion, had he memorialized a Will in Ireland prior to being arrested in 1799.  Was he afraid the authorities would tie his Australian Will to his Irish Will had he left one in Australia? Continue reading “Interesting discovery in Dublin and at the National Archives of Ireland” →