I Had A Great Time

I had a great time Thursday night (March 16) talking about doing genealogical research in New England to the Williamson County (Texas) Genealogy Society!

There were even some transplanted New Englanders there. One of them asked me a couple of questions before the meeting, trying to sound out whether or not I knew what I was going to be talking about. You'll be happy to know that I passed!

And I talked with a couple of sisters afterwards whose relative, it turns out, had performed the marriage of my great-great-grandparents. It really is a small world!

Oh, yeah, this is a blog about heraldry. Well, in honor of St. Patrick's Day the next day, that night I wore the tie that I purchased in Dublin, Ireland, which is strewn with the arms of the four provinces of Ireland (Ulster, Munster, Leinster, and Connaught).

I generally do not wear green on St. Patrick's Day. As a descendant of the Connors and Callahans of County Cork (and AncestryDNA confirms I am 16% Irish), I feel justified in believing that I should be exempt from "the wearin' o' the green." And to quote from one of my favorite philosophers, the inimitable Mr. Dooley (a creation of Chicago journalist Finley Peter Dunne around the turn of the last century):

"Patrick's Day?" said Mr. Dooley. "Patrick's Day? It seems to me I've heard th' name befure. Oh, ye mane th' day th' low Irish that hasn't anny votes cillybrates th' birth iv their naytional saint, who was a Fr-frinchman."

(And yes, I know that Patrick was not a Frenchman. So I'll not be havin' a whole passel o' commentary about his thrue birthplace an' all that, or I'll be takin' me big shillelagh stick to yer, understand?)

So, anyway, I had a great time with the many members of the Williamson County Genealogy Society, and look forward to the opportunity to visit them again.