Dr.Edward McLysaght (1887-1986) was born at Nailsea in Somerset, England to Sidney Royse Lysaght and Katherine Clarke, yet he became one of the most famous Clare men and indeed Irishmen of the twentieth century. He had a long, varied and productive life. He was a farmer, a nurseryman, a poet, a novelist, a senator, a journalist, an historian and a genealogist.
His name is synonymous with standard works on Irish surnames and Irish family history. His “The Surnames of Ireland” is considered to be the most widely read book on the subject in the World.
He was educated at Rugby School in Warwickshire, England. He later entered Oxford but abandoned Law Studies there. He eventually graduated with a primary degree from University College Cork, Ireland.
In 1908 when he was twenty, his father bought Raheen manor farm at Tuamgraney, which was to be his home for the next sixty years. In 1943 he was appointed a full-time member of the staff of the National Library of Ireland. He was appointed Chief Genealogical Officer, subsequently re-named Chief Herald. In 1949, he was appointed Keeper of Manuscripts at the National Library. By the time of his retirement in 1954 the collection had grown from 894 manuscripts to 9,000.
In 1957 he published “Irish Families” a hugely successful publication. In 1978 he published his own memoirs entitled ‘Changing Times”.
On March 4th 1986 he passed away peacefully and was buried in the grounds of St. Cronan’s church Tuamgraney.
In commemoration of him we provide a comprehensive family research facility for East Clare and encourage the publication of family history in our annual journal Sliabh Aughty. This journal also contains a brief history and the gravestone inscriptions of an East Clare Graveyard. To date most of the graveyards are indexed and this compliments the vast range of other genealogical information at our disposal.
We are particularly interested in hearing about old East Clare families that emigrated either to Australia or America. We also publish local histories and newsletters and include a lot of genealogical material. Some of the families covered to date in our publications include the Woods, Reades, Tandy’s, Logans, Bourchiers, Allens, Tiernans, Huleatts, and Bloxams of Mountshannon; the Reids, Ringroses, Walnutt’s and Davis’s of Scariff; the O’Grady’s, Brady’s, Drews, Parkers and Crotty’s of Tuamgraney; the Goonanes of Whitegate.
Research Facilities.
We provide a comprehensive research facility for people with East Clare Descendants and we encourage the publication of family history in our Journal Sliabh Aughty. This Journal goes to over two thousand households throughout the World and is therefore an ideal vehicle to promote family research and make inquiry.
We charge a fee of one hundred and five euro, for a preliminary search of our records. In most cases this is all that will be charged. You will be notified of any additional costs. Advice is freely given on the availability of records and the possibility of positive results.
Our interest in local history and local publications has insured that most sources have been examined and our reports do not consist solely of a stagnant list of baptismal dates that are of no great interest to anybody. We notify all researchers of the availability of local histories and their authors. These authors are normally residents and have huge amounts of local un-published material.
If you would like East Clare Heritage to research your Family History, simply click HERE to view the application form, fill in the details, print and post it with the fee to :
East Clare Heritage Center,
Tuamgraney,
County Clare,
Ireland.
Research Fees can be forwarded by means of:
- Pay Pal.
- Credit Card.
- Personal Cheque.