2012 Genealogy Goals Revisited

A year ago I wrote this list of research goals. Before writing a 2013 list I need to evaluate my progress and results from this list.

1.       I will concentrate my genealogy research on my mother’s family, broadening my knowledge of the Coyle, Mullane, Brady and English families in Ireland and the Gardner family in Austria.

[Partly done. I did concentrate on the Irish families but did not follow up on the Gardner family in Austria. They will need to be on my 2013 list.]

2.       Once again I will look through my Nana’s old trunk, my paper & computer files and my photographs for any clues I may have over looked in the past. [Done. I love looking through my Nana’s trunk on a rainy or snowy afternoon. It is the closest I can come to a visit with my beloved Nana.]

3.       In order to expand my Irish research I will organize my current findings with a timeline for each family & a list of findings & a list of questions still to be answered. [Done. There are still more questions to be answered but I know what direction I am moving in.]

4.       This winter I will visit the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah and search by names and locations for my mother’s family. I have never been there so I plan to research how things work there so I can get the most out of my time. [Done. I went to Utah in March. I found very limited information on my mother’s family but found many resources for my father’s family. I want to go back and do more. Read my posts on that Utah trip.]

5.       This summer I will go to Ireland and walk where my Irish ancestors walked: going to County Tipperary where the Mullanes lived and to County Cavan where the Coyles lived. Hopefully, the above goals will show me more precisely where I should when I get to Ireland. [Done. I went to Ireland in April. My daughter and I had great adventures. I walked in my ancestor’s footsteps.Read my posts from that adventure. I want to go back with my other daughter.]

6.       In the fall I will organize and write my findings.  I plan to publish a book on my mother’s family but that will probably happen in 2013. [I did not get this far. After the holidays and a trip in January, I need to do this!]

7.       All along the way I will use my blog and my website to share my findings and my questions with my family. [Done but not over!]

Writing down these goals helped me to clarify the direction my genealogy was headed in 2012. It also shows me where I need to begin my 2013 goals.