Joanne, our archivist, asked for my assistance on a query this afternoon. I know. Crazy, right? After I stilled my quivering nerves, I went into her office where she had this big old map pulled up on her screen. 'Right', she said, 'I need you to tell me where Doneraile Place is in Tramore.'
'Uh, is it not near, like, the Doneraile?'
'No, it isn't actually or I wouldn't be asking you. Come here and show me it here on the map.'
'Wow! Cool map!' I said. 'Where'd you get that?'
'... Lucy, it's the one of the nineteenth century OSI maps we have on our website. Please stop being an idiot.'
'Oh really? That is downright amazing, Joanne! So, when all those people come in looking for online maps this is what they mean?'
'Yes, I suppose so. Why, what did you think they meant? What do you show them?'
'Uh, Google Earth?'
'No. These would be what they are looking for.'
'Uh-huh. Great. I'll try and remember that.'
'Lucy? Will you show me Doneraile Place now please?'
'Well, Joanne, it's pretty hard. I mean, that there is just a load of boxes and some dead person's shaky hand-writing about farms. How can I figure that one out?'
'Well, can you make out where it would generally be so?'
'I dunno...'
'Look,' she said, 'here's a newer one, with water mains. How about now?'
'Uh-huh, I see what you're trying to get at here. But these are all just street names. I don't know Tramore by it's street names. No one knows Tramore by it's street names. No offence, but street names are for nerds.'
'Right.'
'I know! Have you got a map with all the pubs marked in? Then I could figure it out!'
