We are pleased to announce that the 2025 Dr Brian Trainor Memorial Lecture will be held on Monday, 12 May at PRONI. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the publication of the first issue of the Foundation's journal, Familia: Ulster Genealogical Review, which Dr Trainor did so much to help conceive and launch in 1985.
The keynote speaker will be Trevor Parkhill, who has edited Familia for more than 30 years and who will be speaking on a subject close to Dr Trainor's heart: ‘Emigrants' letters as a source for Irish historians and genealogists’. Thanks to the work of Dr Trainor and his colleagues, PRONI has one of the best collection of emigrants' letters in the world.
We will be joined by members of the Trainor family and Dr Trainor's daughter Rosana will act as MC of the event. In addition, Dr William Roulston will deliver a talk on the life of Dr Trainor - 'Ambassador for archives' - and there will be a series of contributions reflecting on 40 years of Familia and the impact that it has had on studies of migration and the Ulster diaspora.
The Dr Brian Trainor Memorial Lecture is free to attend and open to everyone, but registration is essential.