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| William Fraher, Nioclás Ó Gríobhthain with Spencer Welsh in 2019 |
It was with great sadness that we were informed last
December that Spencer Welsh had died at his home in Essex. Spencer had spent a lifetime researching his
family history which included the Welshs of Killongford, Woodstock, Pilltown,
Glenard, etc. The family left their main
residence at Woodstock in the 1870s. He
completed his magnum opus on the family with his 1,000 page book titled: ‘A
History of Walsh Illustrated’. It must be one of the largest family history
books ever published in one volume. He
visited the museum in November 2019 with his wife Jill to show us the finished
work of which he was so proud. I was
delighted to make initial contact with him all those years ago in 1988 when we
received a letter at the museum asking if we knew anything about the family. By coincidence on that very day, I had been
searching for the remains of the Welsh family home at Killongford. Spencer spent many years in archives and
meeting people who knew something about the various branches of the family. In later years he was fortunate to meet with
the late Don Lehane who carried out extensive research in the Kinsalebeg area,
the results of which can be seen on his website www.kinsalebeg.com. Spencer was also a graphic artist and his book
contains many of his watercolours of Welsh properties. We offer our sympathies to his wife Jill and
family.