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Tag Archives: Book Signing

Waterbury Irish Event on November 14!

28 Wednesday Oct 2015

Posted by Janet Maher in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

American Mahers, AmericanCivilWar, Book Signing, Irish in Connecticut

PRESS RELEASE – For Immediate Attention

Further Info, Contact Bilal Tajildean, 203-757-2279

JOHN BALE BOOK COMPANY HOSTS WATERBURY IRISH BOOK DISCUSSION

On Saturday, November 14, 2015 John Bale Book Company will host author, Janet Maher, and the director of Prospect Library, John Wiehn, for a discussion about her recent History Press publication, Waterbury Irish: From the Emerald Isle to the Brass City from 2:00 to 3:30 pm. This is part of the Bale Lyceum Series, designed to provide interesting conversation after a High Tea lunch. The Lyceum and the lunch both take place in Bale’s second floor rare book room at 158 Grand Street, Waterbury, CT. It is a cozy and comfortable atmosphere, great for enjoying a lunch with a friend or for bringing several friends. There is a $10 charge for the High Tea Lunch (noon to 1:30), and a $10 charge for the book discussion.

Waterbury Irish is the second scholarly book that Waterbury native, Janet Maher, has obsessively researched and written about the history of the Irish immigrations into New Haven County, Connecticut. Exhaustive reading about Ireland and Irish-Americans and two research trips to Ireland have also informed her work, as has friendships she developed with others interested in exchanging information about Irish genealogy since 2006. She has produced and/or restored massive numbers of her own original photographs and historic photographs from her and others’ collections, and completely transcribed and re-mapped a Naugatuck cemetery. Throughout her long project her quest has been to find bridges between the early New Haven county Irish settlers and their specific origins in the “Old Sod,” then following their progress through generations. She has attempted to recreate a sense of the former communities on both sides of “the pond” such that all who share common ancestral origins may glean a beginning point for their own further research forwards, backwards and sideways.

Primarily an artist, Maher directs the Studio Arts program at Loyola University Maryland, where she is an associate professor. For Waterbury Irish she enlisted the help of John Wiehn to work with her in expanding her research with stories about local Waterbury residents into the modern era. Past state president of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Wiehn has served in all elected offices and been involved with the AOH for more than 20 years. He reached out to his AOH friends to share some living knowledge of Waterbury Irish individuals and shared some information gleaned from newspaper clippings he saved through the years. He also created the index for the book.

As the two Irish-interested friends grew up in different eras and different parts of Waterbury–one having remained all his life there, the other having left Connecticut at 25 years old–each had a different base of contacts and family to bring into this part of the project. Maher also “cold called” the current mayor and city clerk for their stories and continued to research the included families and their times, weaving all into her text that came to include politics, sports, the famous (and infamous), enlivened with myriad family memories.

Come to John Bale Book Company with your own stories and photographs to share with all in attendance. Waterbury Irish may be purchased at this event. Start your Christmas shopping for ancestral Irish friends and family here!

Waterbury Irish, and Maher’s first book, From the Old Sod to the Naugatuck Valley, may also be purchased from her shop on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ConnecticutIrish/

Book Launches in Waterbury, Connecticut – Coming Soon!

28 Monday Sep 2015

Posted by Janet Maher in Connecticut Irish, Early Irish Catholics in Connecticut

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

9th Connecticut Infantry, American Mahers, AmericanCivilWar, Ancient Ireland, Book Signing

©2014 Janet Maher, Waterbury Civil War Monument

©2014 Janet Maher, Waterbury Civil War Monument

Waterbury Irish: From the Emerald Isle to the Brass City will be officially launched on Thursday, October 15, 6 p.m. at the Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury, Connecticut! I am currently preparing a Power Point of key images for the talk, and John Wiehn will join me in presenting some of the material included in the text.

Members of the Mattatuck will be admitted free. Otherwise there will be a charge of $7 at the door for adults, $6 for seniors. Many of the individuals whose family stories gave life to this work will be in attendance, and we all expect to have a “grand” time! After the event, we plan to visit The Shamrock Grill, where the owner has generously agreed to offer a 10% discount on food and drink to those who attended the talk and signing–and 20% for those who purchased the book at the Mattatuck!

On Saturday, the 17th, 10:30 a.m., the launch continues with a presentation and signing at the Silas Bronson Library. At 5 p.m. that day, the Waterbury Barnes & Noble will also host a signing. Looking forward to seeing everyone at whichever event is possible to attend, and to collectively celebrate a story that deserved to be told about this important place in history! Thank you, over and again, to all who helped to make this book a reality–and to all who will support the massive amount of work that went into producing it by purchasing a copy! Sláinte!

©2015 Janet Maher / Sinéad Ni Mheachair

All Rights Reserved

Catholic Transcript Review!

07 Sunday Oct 2012

Posted by Janet Maher in Connecticut Irish, Early Irish Catholics in Connecticut, History, Mahers, Meaghers, New Haven Irish Catholic Immigrants, Tombstone Transcriptions

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Book Signing, Irish Catholic History, Naugatuck Connecticut

A review/interview by Jack Sheedy, News Editor of Hartford’s Catholic Transcript, came out this week! Mr. Sheedy said, “Ms. Maher has succeeded in making complex migration patterns easy to understand.” “From the Old Sod to the Naugatuck Valley gives a brief history of Ireland, a history of Catholicism in New England, a discussion of Catholicism in Naugatuck, a close-up of several Irish families in the Naugatuck Valley and a detailed photographic tour of St. Francis Cemetery. If you are related to or know someone named Maher, Butler, Brennan, Martin, Conran or Leary, you will find in the book a detailed “vignette” of that family name, including Irish origins, census information and more.” Thank you very much to Mr. Sheedy!

Hope to see you at the Mattatuck Museum talk and book signing on October 25, Waterbury, Connecticut, 5:30pm!

Review in October 2012 Catholic Transcript

©2012 Janet Maher/Sinéad Ní Mheachair

All Rights Reserved

Book Signing and Talk at the Mattatuck Museum!

06 Thursday Sep 2012

Posted by Janet Maher in Connecticut Irish, Early Irish Catholics in Connecticut, History, New Haven Irish Catholic Immigrants

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Book Signing, From the Old Sod

©2012 Janet Maher, From the Old Sod to the Naugatuck Valley, stack of books at home; image: Katherine Maher Martin and Eliza J. Maher, ca 1860s

No Irish Need Apply: Early Irish Settlement in the Naugatuck Valley

            Janet Maher, a native of Waterbury, will discuss the exodus of the Irish from their country and their settlement in New Haven County on Thursday, October 25 at 5:30 pm at the Mattatuck Museum (144 West Main Street, Waterbury, CT). This talk will include a book signing for her recent publication, From the Old Sod to the Naugatuck Valley: Early Irish Catholics of New Haven County, Connecticut. In her book, Maher explores the history of Ireland through the perspective of religion, bridging it to the origins of Catholicism in Connecticut, then to several Irish families whose personal stories extend to the present.

Maher will discuss the reasons for centuries of discord in Ireland that led millions of Irish Catholics to leave their native land, and the tribulations they weathered in early nineteenth century Connecticut. Maher’s research of particular families in the Naugatuck Valley has led her to the location in Ireland from which many of the early settlers and priests originated. Many of the three hundred and thirty-six images of people, places, and maps that she included in her book will illuminate her talk.

Janet Maher is an Associate Professor of Visual Arts at Loyola University Maryland and a member of the Connecticut Society of Genealogists. More information about her and her work may be found on her website and blog.

For further information about the event, contact: Stephanie Harris, Marketing Coordinator, 203.753.0381, Ext. 11

To register, call the museum at 203.763.0381, Ext. 10.

Old Sod Signing

25 Monday Jun 2012

Posted by Janet Maher in Connecticut Irish, Early Irish Catholics in Connecticut, History, New Haven Irish Catholic Immigrants

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Book Signing, Early Irish Catholics in Connecticut

 - Janet Maher talk and book signing at the Naugatuck Historical Society, June 21, 2012

– Janet Maher talk and book signing at the Naugatuck Historical Society, June 21, 2012

Thank you to the Naugatuck Historical Society for a great first public discussion and book signing for From the Old Sod to the Naugatuck Valley: Early Irish Catholics in New Haven County, Connecticut! We had a full house of interested and interesting people, and many purchased the book—some in multiple copies. After four days in Connecticut it is time to order more!

Jane Lyons speaking at the book signing

 – Jane Lyons also speaking at the book signing

That Jane Lyons came to America for this made it an even more special occasion. We had an interview at the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper and had an excellent time with my husband, our friends and family, introducing our extended home town to Jane, with enough quiet time to also feel on vacation. Our intrepid traveler continues her American adventure in Boston currently, then will wend her way to D.C., Virginia and Baltimore next week.

Signing From the Old Sod

Janet Maher signing “From the Old Sod…”

Coming soon, a Paypal account for this blog!

Review by Tracey O’Shaughnessy, Features Editor, Waterbury Republican-American Newspaper, Connecticut, July 10, 2012, page D4.

Review of From the Old Sod to the Naugatuck Valley

Review of “From the Old Sod to the Naugatuck Valley”

©2012 Janet Maher/Sinéad Ní Mheachair

All Rights Reserved

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