Tomorrow I hop on a plane to Brisbane where I start a 4-week tour of Australia and New Zealand. Along the way I hope to take in the sights and sounds of these two fabulous countries, as well as visit cousins, DNA matches, project members, and genetic genealogists who share the same passion for DNA and genealogy that I do.
Several of my wider family ended up in Australia. Ruby Kathleen Gleeson left Tipperary in 1885. We found her 1893 wedding memento (from Thargomindah) among my great grandfather's papers, but we had no idea who she was. After several years of research, and a DNA test, we established that she was the sister of my great grandfather.
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| Ruby Kathleen Gleeson ended up in Thargomindah (red dot) |
Many of my Spearin relatives travelled to Australia, some as prisoners on the Mangles. Their many descendants today have contributed to the Spearin DNA Project, which traces our ancestors back to a group of brothers in Limerick in the late 1600s. Apparently they came from London where they were goldsmiths, and before that from Belgium, where they were merchants or bookbinders.
I look forward to meeting many of the descendants of both these lines of my family during my visit.
Here is the schedule of talks and workshops I will be giving. If you are in the neighbourhood, drop in and say hello!
Saturday 19th May 2018 - Brisbane
Queensland Family History Society
Queensland Baptist Centre, 53 Prospect Road, Gaythorne Qld 4051
09.00 - Managing your Matches - a step-by-step approach to interpreting your DNA matches
11.00 - Marrying DNA and Irish Family Tree Research
Saturday 2nd June 2018 - Christchurch
New Zealand Genealogical Society, Annual Conference
Christchurch Boys' High School, 71 Straven Road, Christchurch
12.00 - DNA: A Beginner’s Guide to the Three Main Tests14.00 - Identifying Missing Soldiers of WWI – What Role Does DNA Play? Fromelles as an Example
Sunday 3rd June 2018 - Christchurch
New Zealand Society of Genealogists, Annual Conference
Christchurch Boys' High School, 71 Straven Road, Christchurch
15.30 - Advanced Surname Project Management using DNAMonday 4th June 2018 - Christchurch
New Zealand Society of Genealogists, Annual Conference
Christchurch Boys' High School, 71 Straven Road, Christchurch
09.00 - Ireland and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade: from Indentured Servants to Slave Masters to AbolitionistsTuesday 5th June 2018 - Christchurch
New Zealand Society of Genealogists, Annual Conference
Christchurch Boys' High School, 71 Straven Road, Christchurch
09.00 - Using your DNA results in practice - focus on autosomal DNA (3-hour workshop)Thursday 7th June 2018 - Wellington
NZSG Post-Conference Tour
ASB Sports Centre – Matairangi Room, 72 Kemp Street, Kilbirnie, Wellington
13.00 - Using DNA to solve unknown parentage cases
14.30 - Marrying DNA and Irish family tree research
Saturday 9th June 2018 - Auckland
NZSG Post-Conference Tour
St Andrew's Church Hall, corner of Ridge Road and Vincent Street, Howick
13.00 - Using DNA to solve unknown parentage cases
14.30 - Marrying DNA and Irish family tree research
Sunday 10th June 2018 - Te Awamutu
Te Awamutu DNA support group
13.00 - Using DNA to solve unknown parentage cases
14.30 - Marrying DNA and Irish family tree research
Monday 11th June 2018 - Papamoa
NZSG, Papamoa branch
10.00 - Michelle Patient talks on Researching surnames & the Guild of One Name Studies (GOONS)
12.00 - Marrying DNA and Irish family tree research (MG)
Tuesday 12th June 2018 - Papamoa
NZSG, Papamoa DNA Special Interest Group
10.00 - Using DNA to solve unknown parentage cases
12.00 - General Q&A
Saturday 16th June 2018 - Auckland
NZSG, Auckland branch Genealogical Computing Group
St Andrew's Church Hall, corner of Ridge Road and Vincent Street, Howick
14.00 - What's a shrink like me doing in a place like this? (a review of the software and tools that I use in my day to day work)
Maurice Gleeson
May 2018
