Family history across the seas

Geniaus has challenged us again with The Bucket List GeneaMeme.

The list should be annotated in the following manner:
Things you would like to do or find: Bold Type
Things you haven’t done or found and don’t care to: plain type
You are encouraged to add extra comments after each item

You can see I’m just plain greedy when it comes to genealogy as I struggle to nominate only one option per question. Like my father when asked did he want custard, cream or ice cream, I’m just saying “yes please!”

I also haven’t put the things I want to do in bold as I want to do them all and then I’d be “shouting”. In the past I’ve combined my love of travel and family history, so I’ve been very fortunate and able to tick lots of things off my bucket list..I have an abundance of genealogy blessings….and a much emptier wallet than if I’d just taken up bridge or tennis 😉

1. The genealogy conference I would most like to attend is the Australasian Irish Studies Conference in 2013.
2. The genealogy speaker I would most like to hear and see is one who is enthusiastic and inspires me with new strategies and research “schemes”, but I’d especially like to hear Richard Reid talk about the Irish migration from 1848 to 1870.
3. The geneablogger I would most like to meet in person is Lynn Palermo from the Armchair Genealogist (for writing) or Joan from Roots’n Leaves so we chat about the Scots …so many choices…
4. The genealogy writer I would most like to have dinner with is Chris from That Moment in Time so we can talk about Clare research for hours. Even better we’d invite Angela from The Silver Voice as well and Jennifer from A flesh and bone foundation.
5. The genealogy lecture I would most like to present is one that engages my audience and inspires them to try new research combining local and family history.
6. I would like to go on a genealogy cruise that has lots of my genea-mates on it, and visits Dorfprozelten am Main instead of sailing past it, one that tours the Scottish islands, or one that takes me back to Papua New Guinea.
7. The photo I would most like to find is one of Bridget and James McSharry or Denis and Ellen Gavin.
8. The repository in a foreign land I would most like to visit is the National Archives of Scotland,  Edinburgh City Archives and Mitchell Library, Glasgow (three-for-one visit) or Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies.
9. The place of worship I would most like to visit is Kilmorich church at Cairndow so I can plant more daffodils on my 2xgreat-grandmother’s grave (Isabella Morrison McCorkindale) or the old Murphys Creek Catholic church, now a library on private property.
10. The cemetery I would most like to visit is Murphys Creek so I can see the renovated Kunkel grave with its new plaque or Rockhampton, Queensland where my McSherrys are buried.
11. The ancestral town or village I would most like to visit is Leith…preferably in sunshine for a change. (I could combine this with #7).
12. The brick wall I most want to smash is finding out how George Kunkel and Mary O’Brien arrived in Australia or what happened to my James McSharry.
13. The piece of software I most want to buy is an updated full version of Adobe Acrobat or Dragon Dictate.
14. The tech toy I want to purchase next is my own tablet (instead of pinching hubby’s ipad) or maybe a compact video camera for recording my husband’s interesting life story.
15. The expensive book I would most like to buy is Ghosts of the Faithful Departed (thanks to The Silver Voice for this tip off) or The Families of Kilmaley Parish (thanks Chris).
16. The library I would most like to visit is the local history library at Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies for more in-depth exploration AND Clare Local Studies Centre in Ennis, Co Clare.
17. The genealogy related book I would most like to write is about Irish migration from East Clare to Australia in the mid 19^th century or the Dorfprozelten immigrants to Australia or the history of Murphys Creek or my Melvin family history (oops that’s four!)
18. The genealogy blog I would most like to start would be about the Dorfprozelten immigrants to Australia.
19. The journal article I would most like to write would be about a pioneer sportsman in our family, Jack Bishop, a motorbike racer or maybe it would the bigamist in the family tree.
20. The ancestor I most want to meet in the afterlife is George Kunkel so I can find out how he came to Australia, whether he felt he’d made the right choice to emigrate leaving an easier life in Bavaria and how it felt to know his grandsons were off fighting his original countrymen.

Geniaus also asked us: Is there anything else on your Genealogy Bucket List?

1. Finding out who the people are in this photo. If you know anyone, or think you do, please contact me.
2. Unlimited time in my archives and libraries of choice – and a bequest or Lotto win that lets me do that!
3. Being able to attend Who Do You Think You Are Live! in London would be fun.
4. More study in family or local history.
5. More hours in the day!

Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars. Les Brown