Would You Answer A Question?

Shannon Potter Wilcox

As leaders in this Ireland Group, we are wondering what most of you are using on our page? The County Pages, the Research Links? The Maps? Do the informational discussions we post on PRONI or other things help you in your research?

We would very much like to hear back from you.

Thanks so much,

@Shannon Potter Wilcox

@Hayter David

@anthonyphilipclarke1

John Curran

Hello Shannon,

Thank you for asking this question. I think it is something that needs to be tackled.

I am not really certain how to answer your question. I have always seen this Ireland Group as a place where anyone who has a question about an Irish ancestor or records can ask questions and get advice and guidance from the wider community.

Unfortunately, since the end of 2020, the number of participants and the number of discussions, seems to have dropped off rather dramatically. The former active flow of questions relating to Irish matters seems to have all but disappeared. The drop seemed to be coincident with the change to the new community group format, although I am not clear if that was actually the underlying reason.

I would suggest that the value of the group is directly proportional to the number of participants and consequently the number of discussions being launched.

Do you have an understanding as to why the discussions have almost totally dried up over the past year? What is its root cause? And how do we reenergize the interest in Irish genealogy within the FamilySearch community groups to restore the activity in this group it to its former healthy level?

Best regards, John.

Shannon Potter Wilcox

Hello @John Curran

We are at a loss as to why the lack of participation in the group. Three things may have contributed to it:

1. Changing to this new platform with different features than the last one
2. Lack of publication of the FamilySearch Community
3. The FamilySearch Community Help on the home page seems to get a lot of activity that seems to draw more people there and less to the groups.

It seems if we could just get the FamilySearch Community known to all, we might have more participation and have those participating in the help center coming to the groups to ask questions might bring more to the discussions for help . We do hope that some are lurking about and finding things that are helpful to them in their research and perhaps that is why we are not seeing any activity in the discussions.

Thank you John for taking the time to answer our question.

Kind Regards,

Shannon

Hayter David

I advised another guest of it on Sunday - nil to report!!!!!!

Shannon Potter Wilcox

@Hayter David No new members for two weeks. Summer is having it's effect on all our groups I think. Super quiet.

Hayter David

yep - i still try to put out invites - i must check the total views to see if they're rising.

Hayter David

I just checked the totals - someoones in there- some quite high numbers as such.

Shannon Potter Wilcox

Where did you check Elder Hayter? I like that there is high numbers despite no movement in the discussions

Hayter David

Totals are on the left hand side of the screen for each discussion

Shannon Potter Wilcox

Oh, I see what you are talking about. I see those too. It makes me happy to see that people are at least coming and viewing if they don't need help or ask questions.

Hayter David

Your County pages one has over 100 so somethings going on behind the scenes - Irelands having a heatwave - 24centigrade - I had to sit in the shade all day today🤣

Shannon Potter Wilcox

Yay on the County Pages! Boo on the heat wave! It's 67 F here and cloudy. It's heavenly. Would you like me to mail it to you? 😊

Hayter David

Let me think ..................NOOOO!