Kathleen Lenihan

@kathleenlenihan

Local Massachusetts elected official, family historian, lover of all dog and cat related content. And vaccines. All the vaccines. Posts and opinions mine, because how could they belong to anyone else?

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Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· 10d

If there's a prettier little cemetery than this one in my town, I haven't seen it. While I'm there for a walk I always say hello to the first people to live in my house. #genealogy

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· 18d

Tidal - Fiona Apple

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· Jul 6

Note that this person who thinks it's okey dokey to vote for a rapist isn't keen on putting his real name on that banger of a post. Pretty much par for the course for those still supporting Platner.

Bluesky post from @lalbamaguy: We haveca rapist in the White House now, so one in Congress is okay with me. Susan Collins has got to go. Also, an allegation isn't proof.

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· Jul 5

Potential Darwin Award winners in DC.

It is a chaotic scene on the National Mall, as several hundred people refuse to leave despite an order to evacuate because of severe storms approaching. Some are even arguing with Secret Service agents. An officer is sternly repeating the evacuation order over a bullhorn, and the crowd is booing. Many have begun chanting “U.S.A., U.S.A.” One man blamed the situation on “liberals in the weather service,” adding, “I think this is baloney.”

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· Jul 2

There is no way that 150,000 people are going to show up at the National Mall in 100 degree heat to listen to Grandpa celebrate Festivus in July. But if they did, people would die. 4 "hydration stations" for 150,000 people. Okey dokey. www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...

A Freedom 250 spokesperson said there will be four free hydration stations on the Mall.

Visitors are allowed to bring either one clear bag, or one small clutch or purse, according to Freedom 250. Items such as aerosols, including bug spray and sunscreen, are prohibited, as well as drink tumblers, coolers, Frisbees, balls, backpacks and folding chairs, among other things, according to Freedom 250. Blankets — and one bottle of water per person — are permitted.

The outdoor space around the Washington Monument can hold a maximum of 150,000 people and is expected to reach capacity, officials said at the Monday news conference.

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· Jun 30

Outstanding news! #genealogy

“Transgender Americans are patriots, family members, volunteers, historians, and descendants of Revolutionary War ancestors just like anyone else. Excluding or targeting people because of their gender identity contradicts the values of respect, service, and sisterhood that the DAR claims to uphold.”

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· Jun 27

I'm doing some digital cleanup and deleting a seemingly unending number of screenshots clogging up my computer. But this one stays. I want to remember it when he runs for president.

Gavin Newsom post on X from Sep 2025: The best way to honor Charlie's memory is to continue his work: engage with each other, across ideology, through spirited discourse. In a democracy, ideas are tested through words and good-faith debate - never through violence.

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· Jun 13

@shamrockgen.bsky.social @dlgenealogist.bsky.social Is @americanancestors.bsky.social rallying the troops to oppose this terrible addition to the Massachusetts budget bill limiting access to vital records? They tried something similar in NY and the NYG&B was all over it. #genealogy #mapoli

Buried inside Massachusetts' latest budget bill, a proposal is being pushed that would upend four centuries of Massachusetts records-access practice. Section 43 of H.5377 would close uncertified birth and marriage records for 90 years, death records for 50 years, and give DPH sweeping power to decide who has a “legitimate need” to see vital records at all. They could potentially use this to close down access to certified copies (which have always been open to the public in Massachusetts) and all the indexes (which are also open to the public).

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· Jun 10

This bit right here jumped out at me. So now the head of DHS thinks he can have people arrested for calling ICE agents Brown shirted wannabe Nazis. Or whatever else he thinks falls into the “verbal assault” category.

"I have zero tolerance," Mullin said in the hearing. "If you verbally assault our officers, you go after our vehicles, you assault our property, you assault one of our officers, we will find you, we will arrest you."

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· Jun 6

I've got questions about this item at a convent.

Auction item - Early 20th century. electric shock treatment machine and stereoscope

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· May 30

It’s May 30. Two days from June. Post Memorial Day. WTF (For people in Celsius places this is 6 and -4).

Screenshot of weather app showing it’s 42 degrees Fahrenheit and feels like 25.

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· May 29

Bridget happens to be my 3rd great grandmother. Amazing! How is this not great information? Tiny problem - there were 2 Ormsby families & only 1 was part of the "landed Ormsby estate." Here is what was Bridget's house. So no, she was not part of the landed gentry class. RIP reliable Google search

Ormsby-Gallagher house in Carrowvaneen, Mayo, Ireland.

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· May 29

As Google goes all in on AI techcrunch.com/2026/05/19/g... here's an example of how it can go wrong. Search for "Ormsby Carrowvaneen" and you get an AI overview saying the family is "junior branch of the landed Ormsby estate" and identifies Bridget Ormsby. Great, right? #genealogy #IrishGenealogy

Google AI overview for a search of "ormsby carrowvaneen"

The Ormsbys of Carrowvaneen are a prominent historical family from a rural townland in the parish of Kilbelfad, County Mayo, Ireland. This branch is deeply rooted in the genealogy and local history of the West of Ireland, frequently appearing in Irish folklore records and ancestral migration tracing.

Genealogical research and historical records in the area provide concrete context about the family:Family Lineage: Carrowvaneen is a small 244-acre townland near Mount Falcon.

The Ormsbys of this specific area are known to be a junior or associated branch of the larger, landed Ormsby estates (such as the Gortnaraby and Ballinamore estates) that dominated the barony of Tirawley.

Notable Ancestors: A widely researched figure in this line is Bridget Ormsby, born in County Mayo around 1820. She married Michael Gallagher in Carrowvaneen, and their descendants make up a well-documented diaspora connecting Ireland, Wisconsin, and Australia.

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· May 26

The reason we haven't had one yet is because my youngest just graduated from college. If I was a parent of a 4th grader told to use AI to make pictures of Pippi Longstocking, I'd file that religious exemption at the speed of light. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/29/t...

"Others reported that an AI app, which fourth graders were assigned to use to create portraits of the fictional Swedish schoolgirl Pippi Longstocking, generated sexualized imagery."

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· May 25

Another day that People eats the NYT's lunch when it comes to reporting on Trump.

Screenshot of People.com with headline "Trump Kicks off Memorial Day with Scathing Social Media Rant Against 'Dumocrats, RINOs and Fools'"

Screenshot of NYT website home page. No mention of Trump's Memorial Day "activities".

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· May 23

I love getting my copy of @theonion.com in the mail. There's always something in it that makes me lol and this was it. #genealogy

Satirical ad for 23andMe in The Onion that reads "Find out what slurs you're allowed to say"

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· May 16

I just finished The Fall of Roe www.thefallofroe.com and while there are many parts that will stick with me, this passage on p. 337 is what had me screaming into the void. How was it possible that in March 2022 it had to spelled out to Democratic leaders that Roe was going to fall?

After all this, it seemed impossible that the White House - and its Democratic allies -still did not understand the force of what was to come. She [Nancy Northrup - president of the Center for Reproductive Rights] remembered explainign the case and the likely outcome to a Democratic senator after oral arguments [Dobbs]. The senator has responded, "Wow, I thought you were going to have better news for me."

Northrup couldn't take the Democratic disbelief anymore. She did not know how to be clearer. There was no path to victory. Roe would fall. There would be no briefs to save it. No appeals to file. She jumped in. "I am going to say something I have never said in twenty years running the center, she said.

"We're going to lose this case," she blurted out.

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· May 11

This part caught my attention. Has he, at least somewhat, backed off the overt anti-vaxxer rhetoric because the Boss thinks it's bad for the midterms, and is full steam ahead with creating legal challenges that could result in vaccines being taken off the market?

A former plaintiff’s lawyer, Mr. Kennedy has long said that he wants to build a body of scientific evidence on the harms of vaccines and environmental exposures, which he believes are behind an epidemic of chronic disease. That evidence, he has said, will lay the groundwork for legal action.

“That’s how you really change policy,” Mr. Kennedy said in a podcast as a presidential candidate in 2024. He added, “I’m going to provide that enough science, sufficient science, on each one of these exposures and each one of these injuries, to show who’s causing what and hold them responsible in court.”

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· May 10

I’ve never met Brigid, and yet I know we could be best friends. The way “just leave” is in bold…perfection.

In May, if something comes up, I automatically say no, because I already know it will be crazy in two weeks. If I don’t get you in April, I’ll get you in June.
Every Mother’s Day, I tell my husband that I don’t want brunch. I don’t want breakfast. Just leave. I just want to be in the house by myself for an extended period without interruptions. No distractions, no noise. “Do you want food?” Nope, I’ll feed myself. Just go. Those have been the best Mother’s Days.

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· May 8

Good grief.

Farage himself said his party’s gains mark a “truly historic shift in UK politics”, and many commentators say it now puts him in a position to become prime minister of the UK if his party can hold this level of popularity through to the next general election.

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· May 6

Heads up, #mapoli The State Legislature is trying to restrict access to vital records. This isn't just about genealogy. This is about protecting public access to records used by all sorts of people. And if you're one of those people looking for dual citizenship, good luck if this passes.

Additionally, restricting access to non-certified, informational copies of vital records does not
serve any public purpose. Closing uncertified birth and marriage records for 90 years and death
records for 50 years would represent a fundamental departure from Massachusetts’ tradition.
These records are essential tools for researchers, families, and journalists who rely on public
records to complete their work, and forcing researchers to obtain certified copies amounts to a
tax on historical, public health, and demographic research.

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· May 3

This made me think of the Little House books. They were 19th century farmers in the middle of nowhere South Dakota, and they made a literary society.

Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder, page 213.

“Suddenly the door opened and Pa burst in, saying, ‘Put on your bonnets, Caroline and girls! There’s a meeting at the schoolhouse!’
‘Whatever in the world-‘ Ma said.
‘Everybody’s going!’ said Pa. ‘We are starting a literary society.’”

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· Apr 21

London Falling is on my TBR pile. Empire of Pain and Say Nothing are masterpieces. But for now I’m going to immerse myself in the world of the Mayfair witches in this gorgeous special edition of The Witching Hour.

Beautiful edition of Anne Rice’s The Witching Hour.

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· Mar 25

Say bye and don't look back.

screen shot from NYT website. The Ethicist - Is it okay to cut ties with a friend because of her views on vaccines? It really bothers me that she is selfishly choosing to put her children and others at risk.

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· Feb 25

Family historians already know what happens without vaccines. The 1900 US census asked married women how many children they had and how many are living. I pulled this one up randomly. Household after household reports dead children. Vaccines, along with antibiotics, are miracles. #genealogy

A page from the 1900 US census in Cincinnati Ohio.

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· Feb 14

A friend asked "Do you have a family member named Eddie Lenihan that lives in Ireland? A historian and author?" She was a watching a tv show that had him in it. The answer was Yes! He's my 2nd cousin once removed. #IrishGenealogy research for the win because I wouldn't have known it otherwise.

Two books by Eddie Lenihan
Finn MacCumhail and the Baking Hags
Ferocious Irish Women

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· Feb 6

I recently subscribed to People, yes that People, for its political reporting. They consistently eat the NYT’s lunch. people.com/trump-shares...

People headline - Donald Trump Shares Racist Video of Barack and Michelle Obama as Apes in Late-Night Post
The shocking footage was included in video reposted by Trump about unsubstantiated voter fraud during the 2020 election

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· Jan 18

I sent a request but unfortunately this was the response.

Hello —

Thank you so much for reaching out to John Fetterman's campaign team. Since the 2022 campaign has ended, this email account is no longer monitored. If you meant to contact Senator Fetterman’s government office, please reach out there for assistance.

All the best,
Team Fetterman

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· Jan 17

If you’ve got Netflix, watch The Rip. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/09/b...

But under the contract Artists Equity reached with Netflix, all 1,200 people involved in the nearly $100 million production, whether Mr. Affleck or a production assistant, will get a one-time bonus if the show performs well on the streaming service.

Kathleen Lenihan@kathleenlenihan· Jan 16

I don’t want to crowd @atrupar.com’s territory, but this is batshit crazy. “Every county in the Western Hemisphere does exist at our pleasure because we are the superpower.”