Introduction: A timeline of IGW and IGP.

 

1986 researchers started a Bulletin Board (BB) on a Mayo Server to  exchange genealogy information with each other.

1995 additional researchers from around the world had joined the BB and began to discuss starting an online genealogy project for Ireland.

1995 Genuki launched an Ireland project with 32 county websites.

1995 Ed Finn launched Leitrim-Roscommon website. That became the prototype for other genealogical websites to follow.

1996 (March 20) the first County Leitrim site went up.

1996 (March 25) IRGenWeb IGW launched with Leitrim the first county.

1996 (Sep 28) Rootsweb sponsored IGW and the project name was changed to IrelandGenWeb, IGW ^TM. The included acronym IGW ^TM  was registered as a project trademark

1996 end of year IGW ^TM had seven counties and grew to 32 be end of year.

1997 Diane Hanson, chair of WorldGenWeb (WGW), started an Ireland project as a personal resource called Ireland GenWeb.com. The 32 counties were later put up for adoption.

For numerical identification this is IGW #2

1998 Fred Raymont, a county coordinator for IGW #2, broke away and started IrelandGenWeb.org.

This was IGW #3.

1998 both projects folded. Diane Hanson gave some of her databases to Fiana, and all of the county coordinators from both projects joined the original IrelandGenWeb, IGW ^TM

2001, December 24, Christmas Eve. co-conspirators in an effort to take over the project attempted a coup that failed. Failing to take over, Carol Hepburn put up new webpages, and about Jan 1 launched IrelandGenWeb.com IGW.

NOTE: Attempting a coup on Christmas Eve showed real class.

This was IGW #4.

A few of the county coordinators, intimidated be emailed threats stayed with Carol's IGW, and the rest stayed with the original IrelandGenWeb IGW ^{TM. .}

2002 (Feb) Rootsweb supported that effort by providing a domain name and web space for the entire IGP project.

irelandgenealogyprojects@rootsweb.com.

Shortly after that Diane Hanson, (now Muir) donated her entire personal IGW project (#2) to IGP ^TM for permanent onsite display.

See DIANE'S IGW Thank you Diane.

If you want to read the full history of the Ireland project Contact webmaster History is not online so can be viewed by personal request only.