Genealogical Society of Ireland

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Genealogical Society of Ireland (Cumann Geinealais na hÉireann) is a voluntary non-governmental organisation promoting the study of genealogy, heraldry, vexillology and social history in Ireland and amongst the Irish Diaspora as open access educational leisure pursuits available to all. Founded in 1990, the Society has charitable status in Ireland and it is incorporated under the Companies Acts. Membership of the Society is open to all and therefore, the Society has both a national and international membership.

The Society is governed by a Board of Directors which is elected annually at the Annual General Meeting held in March of each year. The current Cathaoirleach (Chairperson) is Rory Stanley, FGSI [1] who was first elected in October 1996. The Society received a Grant of Arms from the Chief Herald of Ireland in 2001. The activities of the Society include two Open Meetings each month; the publication of a monthly newsletter, biannual journal and other occasional publications; the operation of an archive at the Martello Tower at Seapoint, Co. Dublin which was restored by the Society and various group projects. For further details on the Genealogical Society of Ireland please see the Society’s website: [2]

As a matter of policy the Society upholds and advocates the “principle of public ownership and right of access” to our heritage and in order to fully embrace the realities of a new and changing Ireland, the Society has adopted a comprehensive Social Inclusion Policy with the objective of encouraging and facilitating the fullest participation by the “New Irish” in the activities of the Society.

The Society does not engage in any commercial research assignments however, its members undertake their individual research in a professional manner to the highest standards. Indeed, many of the members of the Society have placed their research in the public arena through the submission of articles to various periodicals and in dedicated publications.

In May 2006, the Genealogy & Heraldry Bill, 2006, was introduced in Seanad Éireann (Irish Senate) by Senator Brendan Ryan. The Bill was researched and written by Michael Merrigan, FGSI, for and on behalf of the Genealogical Society of Ireland for delivery to the sponsoring parliamentarians for consideration and, where necessary, amendment before its initiation in Seanad Éireann (Irish Senate). Mr. Merrigan [3] is the Hon. Secretary, Director and Co-Founder of the Genealogical Society of Ireland.

Genealogy & Heraldry Bill, 2006 - is a Bill in six parts, forty sections, two hundred and three sub-sections, three schedules and proposing eight amendments to existing legislation. An explanatory memorandum accompanies the text of the Bill.

Note:- Senator Brendan Ryan has been a member of Seanad Éireann since 1982 and is a Lecturer in Chemical Engineering (CIT) by profession. He was elected to the Upper House in 2002 by the National University of Ireland and is a Cork City based member of the Parliamentary Labour Party.

For information on the background to the Genealogy & Heraldry Bill, 2006 see the Society's website [4]

Genealogy & Heraldry Bill, 2006 -for the full text of the Bill and Explanatory Memorandum see: [5]