Next BIGS Meetings & Research Opportunity Day DATES:

Note: Meeting dates assume weather permitting - please stay tuned to WIVB TV CH2 or WBEN radio 9.30AM for Irish Center closings. If the Irish Center is closed, so would the library at the Irish Center. Also as too the HDC at 100 Lee St, watch for weather alerts- if the Steel Plant Museum is closed, so is the HDC library.

Meeting Dates:


Jan 18, 2020-Saturday, 10:30AM @ Buffalo Irish Center, 245 Abbott Rd., Buffalo, NY 14220
April 18, 2020-Saturday, 10:30-11AM followed by 18th Annual Gathering of the Clans @ Heritage Discovery Center, 100 Lee St., Buffalo, NY 14210
July 21, 2020-Tuesday, 6:00PM @ Heritage Discovery Center, 100 Lee St., Buffalo, NY 14210
Oct 10, 2020-Saturday, 10:30AM @ Heritage Discovery Center, 100 Lee St., Buffalo, NY 14210
CALL: 716 -662-1164 for meeting info

Research Opportunity Days @ Heritage Discovery Center, 100 Lee St., Buffalo, NY 14210 Please note that BIGS volunteers will be available for genealogical research on the 1st & 2nd Saturdays and 3rd Tuesdays of every month, October thru June from 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM. Jul,Aug,Sept by appointment. We are also asking for volunteers to assist and/or relieve current volunteers. Please come in and see what is new and improved in our building and our library!
NOTE: The Heritage Discovery Research Library (HDC) is open to the PUBLIC! call 716 662-1164 for appointments. Picture ID May Be Required for Non-Members (11:00 am - 3:00 pm).

For specific Research Opportunity Dates click here.

If anyone would like to volunteer at either of the libraries, even if it is for one or two months out of the year, please let me know dmshine@aol.com. We can set up a time to have a quick class on what to do at the libraries and how to be of assistance to those coming to us for help. The HDC library is only open to our members, so they pretty much know what they are looking for already. Some will not, and we can assist them accordingly. Hopefully general classes will be scheduled for starter/refresher classes that will help all our members. You can work in the archives on indexing, or you can help man the library on either/both Saturdays of the scheduled Saturdays and 3rd Tuesday. This would free up time for others who are working on the railroad files to continue their work. We will still be there to assist if necessary.

Research Opportunity Days are held to discuss your specific research problems. Please share what area of your research you are stuck on and see whether members can network to give you new avenues to follow. If you have no problem areas with your research, then please come to help solve other's problems. That's what we do...help each other. There is no business meeting held and no minutes taken on these dates - just research done.

Organizational meeting at Buffalo Irish Center Jan 2019: click image for larger view

Regular business meeting at the HDC Jan 2019: click image for larger view DNA presentation by Nancy Koester

John Blest researching at HDC

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Kevin J. O'Brien's Old First Ward St Pat's parade picture
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BIGS solves the Mystery - World War I Victory Medal Reunited With Serviceman's Family - Authur Colbrook Had Entered the Canadian Army Under an Assumed Name and Was Killed in France.
See entire article here.

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Video interview with Donna Shine by WGRZ 2news regarding BIGS and St Patrick's Day - click here.

Here are some reminders and items for you to mark on your calendar:

ITEM #1: 501(c)3 tax deductions
Please keep in mind that all donations to BIGS are tax deductible. Thank you to the members who have been donating!

ITEM #2: BUFFALO IRISH TIMES articles
Remember, The Buffalo IRISH TIMES is our FREE vehicle to post queries, stories, and genealogical information, or even stories of how BIGS has helped you in your research. Send in your stories to buffaloirishtimes@gmail.com as soon as you can...even before the deadlines to assure that you get printed in a specific edition.
The BUFFALO IRISH TIMES also lists dates and times of our meetings in several different places for your convenience

Item #3: Anniversary Patches & Shirts
We have purchased additional patches available for $5.00 each. We also have White polo shirts available.
Please confirm that sizes are still available before writing checks and current costs. Payable to: BIGS, Memo: polo shirt/patch

Item #4: Holy Cross Films (VOLUNTEERS NEEDED)
Through your continued memberships and generous donations, we have been able to secure, copy and have digitized the remaining Holy Cross Films. We also fulfilled our promise to Holy Cross Cemetery and presented Tim Sutton, the new superintendent, with their missing copies.
We are asking for volunteers to help us continue the transcriptions of these digitized records. Please let Donna Shine know if you can come in to digitize or would like to have pages sent via email. There are forms and instructions that would also be sent for you to use and follow.

The Irish Genealogical Society International has released their class offerings for 2020. The list is available in the Library.

The Polish Genealogical Society of NYS will hold its annual event on Saturday, September 12th 2020 at Saint Gabriel’s RC Church. BIGS will participate again this year.

The North Hills Genealogy Society of Pittsburg is sponsoring a two-day workshop March 13th and 14th 2020. Interested parties may contact Donna Shine DMSHINE@aol.com for further information.

* Membership Application - Print off annual BIGS Membership Application (with dues info) or Life Membership in Adobe PDF format click here and mail it to BIGS, c/o 100 Lee St, Buffalo, NY 14210. Make checks payable to "BIGS". Note new annual ARIL 1st renewal date. If you can't print it just write the requested info on a sheet of paper and mail it in. PLEASE, send in payment as soon as possible. April 1st is when ALL membership cards expire for unpaid members. Your BUFFALO IRISH TIMES subscription will be canceled and your name will be deleted from our lists. Those who have paid, THANK YOU. For those who, for their own personal reasons, do not renew, THANK YOU for your past support.
NOTE: It is not necessary to be a member of BIGS in order to attend a meeting here in Buffalo, NY. If you are looking for help, please be sure to bring all the family information you have. Newcomers are most welcome!

BIGS was established in 1997 to concentrate all of our members' resources & publications and to maintain a list of these items, thereby establishing a wealth of information that will be available to all of us and obtainable via friendly inter-member networking.

We have attained a current membership of 158 as of Jan 2020. Your are cordially invited to join us and take full advantage of all our resources. As a highly respected non-profit organization, all membership fees, and donations, are tax deductible.