How to best obtain a copy of a baptism record on a specific microfilm with name and exact date?
I am looking for an image of the baptism of John James Ruane on 9 June 1886 in Milltown parish, County Galway, Ireland. (also now known as parish of Adderhoole and Liskeevy) The FamilySearch location database says there is a British Microfilm 1279208, item 1 & 2 that covers the years 1858-1891 and 1878-1918. Is there a way to obtain this; I'd be happy to pay.
I can be reached at edmcguire.vt@gmail.com and would appreciate any help you can offer.
Ed McGuire
Answers
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The catalogue entry is https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/147051
This shows two microfilms from the same church, one of which is available on home computers. The film you require is not available digitally I think because of the "baptisms, 1878-1918". When this catalogue record was set up, 1918 may have been within the period when entries were restricted for privacy reasons, but I would think now that this microfilm should now be available generally.
Family Search, please consider whether this microfilm can be made, in 2021, available on home computers.
I do not think the Family History Library look up service would be available to you, as the microfilm has not been indexed, so you do not have an image number.
Have you looked at the free site IrishGenealogy.ie for Civil registration?
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By searching the catalog for Microfilm 1279208, I came onto the Parochial registers of Addergoole and Liskeevey (Galway), 1858-1918. I am sure you have seen those. There are two sources there: a microfilm DGS 7732602 that has baptisms 1878-1918. They would only be available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. The second source is a digitized record containing baptisms from 1858-1880. They don't include the dates you are searching.
The Family History Library has a service where they will look up a record and send you a PDF copy. The way to request this service is found in the FamilySearch Help Menu under "Public Access to Limited Access Collections." The link is listed below. I hope that they will be able to help you.
Good luck in finding that record!
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Item 7 of film 1279208 has baptisms from 1929. This is less than 100 years ago, and these records cannot be published for privacy reasons. Currently, FS has no way to make only some Items of a film available. The entire film is therefore not able to be published. FS has said that breaking up films into their separate items will be possible at some point in the future. But otherwise you will have to wait until January 2030.
But you can access most Catholic Church records in Ireland at https://registers.nli.ie/ These records are Indexed at both Ancestry.com and FindMyPast.
FamilySearch has very few Catholic records from Ireland as the Catholic Church, after letting FS film their records, reversed their decision and ordered that the microfilms be taken out of circulation. Many Catholic parishes in Ireland not for keen for genealogists (of all religions) to access their records and don't take good care of them. You may like to sign this petition started by me if you are concerned by this: https://www.change.org/p/irish-catholic-bishops-conference-preserve-and-protect-irish-catholic-church-registers
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