| | Greetings Fellow Family History Sleuths, Happy holidays, y'all! If, by chance, you get a little downtime during the festivities, this issue has lots of genealogical avenues to meander down. 215 soldiers identified(!), the latest forensic mystery from Nathan Dylan Goodwin, a fresh New York State death database from Reclaim the Records (as well as me transferring some fun genealogy web domains in exchange for donations to RTR), an AI tool to resurrect your grandmother (kind of), and more! Thanks for joining me monthly over the past year as I really appreciate your virtual company! Wishing you and yours a spectacular 2026 that includes an abundance of new genealogical discoveries to adorn your family tree! Until next time, happy sleuthing!
| | 40th Anniversary of the Princess Grace Irish Library Photo: main room of the Princess Grace Irish Library with a
display of the stamp issued to mark its 40th anniversary I was thousands of miles from home, but the moment I stepped through the door, I was instantly at home. Shelf after shelf brimming with books – and better still, they were all about Ireland. No aspect is left unexplored with literature, history, politics, economics, folklore, and more all at your fingertips. Accompanying the thousands of books are striking paintings, intriguing memorabilia, and a remarkable collection of Irish American sheet music of songs that could have otherwise been forgotten. The Princess Grace Irish Library, as RTÉ once aptly described it, is an “oasis of Irish culture,” nestled at 9 rue Princesse Marie-de-Lorraine a five-minute stroll from the Prince’s Palace of Monaco. Established in 1984 under the aegis of the Fondation Princesse Grace, the library, which hosts performances, lectures, and writers-in-residence, was in the midst of celebrating its 40th anniversary. This milestone has been observed in a variety of ways ranging from special events to a freshly-issued Monaco stamp, and one of the most compelling is A Tribute to Princess Grace of Monaco, a coffee table book spearheaded by Director, Paula Farquharson. To view it, go to the Princess Grace Irish Library’s website (https://www.pgil.mc/), click on “discover the book” and then “read the book.” Continue reading Back to top^
| | | | | | The Quest for Annie Moore of Ellis Island: Uncovering the True Story of the First Immigrant to Arrive at America’s Isle of Hope On January 1, 1892, Annie Moore of Ireland tripped into the pages of history and became the poster child of immigration by being the first to arrive at Ellis Island. And then she disappeared. Adding insult to injury, a different Annie Moore usurped her place in history decades later. Now – 150 years after her birth and 100 years after her death – a determined genealogist finally sets the record straight and reveals the true story of Ellis Island’s first. | | | | | Megan Smolenyak | | St Petersburg, FL
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