Phyllis Chapman earns the OGS Citation of Recognition Award

At the OGS Annual General Meeting on 29 June 2026, Phyllis Chapman, the IP-SIG’s newsletter editor and membership director, was presented with the Citation of Recognition Award.

Phyllis Chapman is a founding member of the Irish Palatine Special Interest Group, which was the first SIG established under the OGS umbrella.  Phyllis was on the organizing committee in 2008 and has been a member of the IP-SIG council ever since. She has worn many hats over the years including webmaster, communications chair, newsletter editor, and commemorative book committee member.

Perhaps her most important role is Membership Director, a position she has so capably filled for 14 years. Phyllis is the first person those joining the IP-SIG encounter. The welcome letter that all new and renewing members receive from Phyllis has been cited as exemplary, and it has been adapted by several OGS branches for their own use. Her organizational skills and record-keeping are excellent.

Phyllis is also the editor of the IP-SIG’s award-winning quarterly publication, the Irish Palatine Post, a job she has been fulfilling for the past 13 years. In this capacity, she produces several regular columns, solicits articles, develops puzzles and does the layout and design. She also sends out email blasts to members and provides technical support for the IP-SIG’s webinars. When OGS conferences take place, Phyllis is a constant presence at the IP-SIG booth in the exhibit hall.

The IP-SIG undertook coach tours in 2013 and 2018 of Irish Palatine and Palatine historical sites in Ontario, Quebec and New York State. IP-SIG members and their friends from Canada, the U.S., England, Ireland, Germany and Australia participated. Phyllis served on the organizing committee for both tours.

Phyllis’s contributions to the IP-SIG and to OGS over an 18-year period are significant. She is very deserving of this award.

Latest webinar now posted in Member Zone

On Saturday, 9 May 2026, Mike Maguire presented a webinar entitled Using the Limerick Local Studies Collection. Mr. Maguire is the Executive Librarian, Museums and Libraries for the City of Limerick, Ireland, and his webinar—offered to IP-SIG members as well as members of the Irish Palatine Association—gave us a look into the resources housed by the City of Limerick which could be of use to those with Limerick-oriented Irish Palatine ancestors. Limerick Libraries has one of the most extensive collections of online resources in Ireland, including digitized books and journals, trades directories and obituaries from local newspapers. Members who missed the presentation can find the recording in the Member Zone.

NEW RESOURCE: Rathkeale School Registers, 1873 to 1930

If your Irish Palatine ancestors lived in the Rathkeale area of County Limerick, you’ll want to check out the listing of pupil registrations in the Rathkeale Number 2 and Number 3 National Schools, some 894 entries between 1873 and 1930. Transcribed and provided by Ken and Janice McDonald, we are pleased to make them accessible in the Family Data & Research section of our Member Zone.

Welcome to the Irish Palatine Special Interest Group (IP-SIG).  We’ve been around since 2008, the first Special Interest Group established by the Ontario Genealogical Society.

1709 London Lists Now Available in Searchable Database

The London Lists, compiled for Great Britain’s Board of Trade listing the first four arrivals of Palatines in London in 1709, are a valuable resource for Palatine research—both research on the Irish Palatines and those Palatines who settled in America. Until now, historians and genealogists have had to rely on the flawed transcription published in 1909/10. A completely new transcription of these lists has been compiled and is now available to search. Members can find photographic images of the lists in the Members Only section. Search the London Lists now.

Some German Origins of the Irish Palatines

Renowned Palatine genealogist Henry Z (Hank) Jones has published a companion volume to his seminal The Palatine Families of Ireland. Some German Origins of the Irish Palatines reflects some of his recent discoveries about the definite, probable and possible German origins of some of the Irish Palatine families.  You can purchase his book through the Irish Palatine Association for 20 euros.

Names included are Altimes, Altimus, Ashbagh, Baker, Barkman, Barraban, Bart, Bercus, Bisherne, Bonus, Bovenizer, Bowen, Bredhour, Brough, Buckholtz, Cave, Copp, Corneille, Cough, Crips, Cronenberger, Crowe, Danner, Danninger, Daub, Domage, Embury, Filme, Fitzelle, Glazier, Golliday, Gudzeit, Guier, Hargitt, Heavenor, Heck, Hoopf, Hoost, Hutz, Kirchoffer, Keyser, Konig, Kuntz, Legear, Lesch, Lowe, Lower, Ludolt, Mace, Neazor, Nitchburne, Rapple, Real, Rhinehart, Rodenbecker, Ruckel, Rüfenacht, Ryling, St. John, Shimmel, Shire, Shoneweiss, Siebard, Smeltzer, Snitzer, Snitzerling, Sparling, Steeble, Steevell, Stingill, Strosser, Strough, Switzer, Teskey, Tyse, Vice, Willich, Zigler.

First World War Memorial Book Available to Order

With Remembrance Day fast approaching, the Irish Palatine Special Interest Group is proud to announce that our book We Remember has been printed and is ready for sale.

The book is 120 pages long and has a 2-page write-up for each of 46 Irish Palatine soldiers we were able to identify who made the ultimate sacrifice in the First World War.

You can find an excerpt of the book and information on how to order your copy on our Publications page.