Hello Joan,
I found the baptism transcription for Edward Galvin at the Find My Past (FMP) website showing he was baptized in the Philipstown Catholic Parish on 14 May 1822. His parents are Michael Galvin and Maria, whose last name is transcribed as "Walst," in the FMP transcription. This indicates the FMP transcriber had a difficult time trying to figure out what Maria's maiden name was. From the looks of it, Maria's maiden name would have been Walsh, rather than Walst.
First names in the transcription are in Latin. For example, Edward's name is Edvardus. His father's first name is Michaelis. His mother's first name is Maria, for Mary.
See the FMP transcription below:
First name(s) Edvardus
Last name Galvin
Baptism year 1822
Baptism date 14 May 1822
Parish Philipstown
Alternative parish names Ballycommon, Daingean, Killaderry, Killederry, Philipstown, Killederry, Kill and Ballycommon
Diocese Kildare and Leighlin
County Offaly (King's)
Country Ireland
Father's first name(s) Michaelis
Father's last name Galvin
Mother's first name(s) Maria
Mother's last name Walst
Archive National Library of Ireland
Register type Baptism
National Library of Ireland register http://registers.nli.ie//registers/vtls000634545#page/1/mode/1up
Record set Ireland Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Parish Baptisms
Collections from Ireland
Source: Find My Past
----
Attached to the FMP transcription is a link that takes you to a copy of Edward's original baptism record from the National Library of Ireland.
The baptism record is attached to this reply and is indicated on the baptism page by the green arrow.
You can see that the handwriting on the page is not the best in the world, and you can also see why the FMP transcriber thought that Maria's maiden name was Waslt. But it is Walsh, as I don't believe there is an Irish last name of Walst.
Edward's godfather is Bernardo (Bernard) Coffy. The first name of Edward's godmother is Elizabeth, but I couldn't make out Elizabeth's last name with certainty.
But now you know that Edward's parents were Michael Galvin and Maria or Mary Walsh.
The Philipstown Catholic Parish was located in the Civil Parish of Killaderry, whereas your records have Edward's birth taking place in Garrycastle, Civil Parish of Reynagh, County Offaly.
Philipstown is the former name for the town of Daingean.
This Google Map shows that Garrycastle is over 30 miles west of Daingean and Killaderry, County Offaly. Daingan and Killaderry are indicated by the red teardrop icon on the map: https://tinyurl.com/kdrz3yjc
I can't account for the discrepancy between your location of birth for Edward (Carrycastle), and his place of baptism (Philipstown, now Daingan).
For more information about Philipstown/Daingean, go to the following websites:
https://www.visitoffaly.ie/spaces/daingean/
and
https://www.offaly.ie/app/uploads/Council/Council_Services_A-Z/Planning_Building/Daingean-Town-Plan-1.pdf
I didn't find the baptism records for any more children of Michael Galvin and Maria Walsh in the Philipstown Catholic Parish.
The National Library of Ireland website link shows that Philipstown Catholic baptisms are available from 12 August 1875 to 13 February 1881, but there are gaps of several years in the Philipstown baptism registers.
Philipstown marriages are available from 7 January 1820 to 20 February 1882, but there are also gaps in the marriage registers.
To view the availability of the Philipstown Catholic Parish registers, as well as a map of the Philipstown Catholic Parish, and surrounding Catholic parishes in County Offaly, go to the National Library of Ireland link at: https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0723?locale=en
I next wanted to see if a marriage record for Michael Galvin and Maria Gilligan was recorded in the Philipstown Catholic Parish, realizing that if they were married before 7 January 1820, a marriage record would not exist for them.
I didn't find a marriage record for them in the Philipstown parish registers, or in any other parish in Kings County.
Your records show that Edward Galvan and Bridget Gilligan were married in Ireland on 28 November 1857. With this information I located their marriage transcription at the FMP website, showing that the marriage took place in the Catholic Parish of Ballinahown, which is also known as the Catholic Parish of Lemanaghan and Ballynahown.
Below is the FMP marriage transcription. You'll see that Edward's name is in the Latin, Edwardum, and Bridget, Brigidam:
First name(s) Edvardum
Last name Galvan
Marriage year 1857
Marriage date 28 Nov 1857
Parish Ballinahown
Alternative parish names Balinahown, Ballinahowen, Ballynahowen, Balnahown, Balnahown and Lemanaghan, Boher, Boher and Pollough, Lemanachan, Lemanachan and Ballynahowen, Lemanaghan, Pollough
County Offaly (King's), Westmeath
Diocese Ardagh
Country Ireland
Spouse's first name(s) Brigidam
Spouse's last name Gilligan
Archive National Library of Ireland
Register type Marriage
Archive / microfilm reference Microfilm04235-07
National Library of Ireland register http://registers.nli.ie//registers/vtls000632366#page/1/mode/1up
Record set Ireland Roman Catholic Parish Marriages
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Parish Marriages
Collections from Ireland
Source: Find My Past
----
A copy of Edward and Bridget's original marriage record from the National Library of Ireland can be accessed at: https://tinyurl.com/bp9wr89u
There are two facing pages of the marriage register. The marriage for Edward and Bridget is the second entry down from the top of the left-hand page for November 28, 1857.
The marriage record is in Latin.
One of the witnesses to the marriage was "Joanne" Gilligan. Joanne is the Latin name for John. The second witness is Maria Ryan.
Your information shows that Bridget Gilligan was christened on 1 October 1826 in Rahan, County Offaly. I found a baptism transcription at the FMP website for a Bridget Gilligan who was baptized in the Rahan and Lynally Catholic Parish on 11 October 1826. Her father is Morgan Gilligan. Her mother is Rose Thompson.
See the FMP transcription below:
First name(s) Bridget
Last name Gilligan
Baptism year 1826
Baptism date 11 Oct 1826
Parish Rahan and Lynally
Alternative parish names Killina, Linally, Linnally, Lynally, Rahan, Rahan and Linally
Diocese Meath
County Offaly (King's)
Country Ireland
Father's first name(s) Morgan
Father's last name Gilligan
Mother's first name(s) Rose
Mother's last name Thompson
Archive National Library of Ireland
Register type Baptism
National Library of Ireland registerhttp://registers.nli.ie//registers/vtls000635259#page/1/mode/1up
Record set Ireland Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Parish Baptisms
Collections from Ireland
Source: Find My Past
----
A copy of Bridget's original baptism is attached to this reply.
The first name of Bridget's godfather is Morgan, but because of the handwriting I couldn't make out his last name. Bridget's godmother was Mary Dunn.
I have doubts about this being the Bridget Gilligan who would marry Edward Galvin in 1858.
As you'll see later, the youngest child of Edward and Bridget was Joseph, who was born in 1878, when Bridget would have been 52 years old if she had been born in 1826.
Realizing this, I looked for the FMP baptism record of a Bridget Gilligan anywhere in County Offaly during the 1830s, up to the years 1840-1842, and uncovered one baptism.
This is for a Bridget (Brigidam) Gilligan who was baptized in the Gallen and Reynagh Catholic Parish on 3 January 1840. Her father is "Joannis" (John) Gilligan. Her mother is Anna Byrne. See the FMP transcription below:
First name(s) Brigidam
Last name Gilligan
Baptism year 1840
Baptism date 03 Jan 1840
Parish Gallen and Reynagh
Alternative parish names Banagher, Cloghan, Cloghan and Banagher, Gallen, Reynagh
Diocese Ardagh
County Offaly (King's)
Country Ireland
Father's first name(s) Joannis
Father's last name Gilligan
Mother's first name(s) Anna
Mother's last name Byrne
Archive National Library of Ireland
Register type Baptism
National Library of Ireland register http://registers.nli.ie//registers/vtls000632382#page/1/mode/1up
Record set Ireland Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Parish Baptisms
Collections from Ireland
Source: Find My Past
----
A copy of Bridget's original baptism record is attached to this reply. See the red arrow for the location of her baptism on the page. The image of the baptism record is slightly out of focus, but you can make out that Bridget's godparents were Thoma (Thomas) Gilligan, and Margareta Flattery.
I suspect that this Bridget Gilligan is the Bridget Gilligan who married Edward Galvin on 28 Nov 1857 when she was 17 years old and Edward was 35 years old. Bridget would have turned 18 years old sometime either in December of 1857, or early January 1858.
Next I located the FMP baptism transcriptions for 11 of Edward and Bridget's children, baptized in the Ballinahown Catholic Parish over a 20 year period, from 1858 to 1878.
By 1878 Bridget Gilligan Galvin, if born in December 1839, and baptized in 1840, would have been around 38 years old, rather than 52 years old.
You can view an index of these 11 Galvin baptisms at the FMP link: https://tinyurl.com/4cmfu7b6
From the baptism index page you can access the full baptism transcriptions for all 11 children, including:
Mariam, 1858
Jacobum, 1859
Annam, 1861
Michael, 1863
Brigidam, 1865
Margaritam, 1867
Elizabetham, 1869
Martinum, 1870
Eleonoram, 1874
Eleonoram, 1876
Josephum, 1878
----
You may need to register with Find My Past to access the index. Registration is free.
As you can see above, most of the children's first names were recorded with the Latin spelling. Jacobum, for example, is James.
You'll notice there are two baptisms for daughters named Eleonoram, the first baptized in 1874 and the second Eleornorum in 1876. This means the first-born Eleonorum (1874) had died.
Your husband’s grandfather Michael Galvan was baptized in the Ballinahown Catholic Parish on 9 August 1863. His FMP baptism transcription is below:
First name(s) Michael
Last name Galvan
Baptism year 1863
Baptism date 09 Aug 1863
Parish Ballinahown
Alternative parish names Balinahown, Ballinahowen, Ballynahowen, Balnahown, Balnahown and Lemanaghan, Boher, Boher and Pollough, Lemanachan, Lemanachan and Ballynahowen, Lemanaghan, Pollough
Diocese Ardagh
County Offaly (King's), Westmeath
Country Ireland
Father's first name(s) Edvardi
Father's last name Galvan
Mother's first name(s) Brigida
Mother's last name Gilligan
Archive National Library of Ireland
Register type Baptism
National Library of Ireland register http://registers.nli.ie//registers/vtls000632366#page/1/mode/1up
Record set Ireland Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Parish Baptisms
Collections from Ireland
Source: Find My Past
A copy of Michael’s original baptism record is attached to this reply. His godfather is Andrea (Andrew) Collens. His godmother is Eliza Middleton.
The baptism index for the Galvin children shown earlier shows that oldest child was Mariam Galvan, baptized in 1858, the year after her parents were married. I wanted to see how long after the marriage of her parents that her birth and baptism took place.
The full FMP baptism transcription for Mariam is below, showing she was baptized in the Ballynahown Catholic Parish on 3 March 1858. This is only 3 months and 3 days after her parents' marriage on November 28, 1857:
First name(s) Mariam
Last name Galvan
Baptism year 1858
Baptism date 03 Mar 1858
Parish Ballinahown
Alternative parish names Balinahown, Ballinahowen, Ballynahowen, Balnahown, Balnahown and Lemanaghan, Boher, Boher and Pollough, Lemanachan, Lemanachan and Ballynahowen, Lemanaghan, Pollough
Diocese Ardagh
County Offaly (King's), Westmeath
Country Ireland
Father's first name(s) Edvardi
Father's last name Galvan
Mother's first name(s) Brigide
Mother's last name Gilligan
Archive National Library of Ireland
Register type Baptism
National Library of Ireland register http://registers.nli.ie//registers/vtls000632366#page/1/mode/1up
Record set Ireland Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Parish Baptisms
Collections from Ireland
Source: Find My Past
----
A copy of Mariam's original baptism record from the National Library of Ireland is on the left-hand baptism register page, 6th entry down from the top of the page at:
https://tinyurl.com/sjyd72jm
Mariam's godparents are Joanne (John) and Maria Fallon.
Mariam's birth and baptism in March of 1858, so soon after her parents had married, is an indication that her parents married when they did so that she would not be born out-of-wedlock.
The FMP baptism index for the 11 Galvan children shows that seven of the children were baptized from 1865 to 1878. There should be civil registration birth records for these seven children.
The Irish government began to record births, marriages, and deaths for all religious denominations in 1864. Birth records provide the names of the towns where individual children were born.
I wanted to see if the town where Brigidam was born in 1865, was the same town where her brother Josephum (Joseph) was born in 1878.
To do this comparison I went to the free irishgenealogy.ie website to access Bridget and Joseph's civil registration birth records.
I found Bridget Galvin's birth record. She was born in the townland of Aghafin, Kings County (County Offaly), on 2 July 1865. Her father Edward, of Aghafin, was a "Farmer." Her mother Bridget's maiden name was Gilligan. Edward reported the birth of his daughter to the district registrar for the Parsonstown Registration District..
You can access Bridget's birth record at the irishgenealogy.ie link: https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/files/civil/birth_returns/births_1865/03562/2311917.pdf
Her birth is number 288 in the register.
I next found Joseph Galvin's birth record at the irishgenealogy.ie website. He was born in Castlereagh, Kings County, on June 5, 1878. His father is Edward, a "Farmer," living in Castlereagh. Joseph's mother is Bridget Galvin, formerly Gilligan.
Bridget reported Joseph's birth to the district registrar.
Joseph's birth is number 251 in the birth register at: https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/files/civil/birth_returns/births_1878/02964/2085882.pdf
A Google Map shows that Castlereagh and "Aughafin" are right next to each other: https://tinyurl.com/y6hyjte5
The IreAtlas Townland Data Base shows that Agafin and Castelreagh were in the Civil Parish of Lemanaghan, and Barony of Garrycastle. See:
https://tinyurl.com/5exm6uxm
and
https://tinyurl.com/3n9ntvp9
Because Bridget Galvin and Joseph were not born in the same town, I continued with research at the irishgenenalogy.ie website to see where the other children were born. These children are Margaret, 1867; Elizabeth, 1869; Martin, 1870; Eleanor, 1874; and Eleanor, 1876.
I found that:
Margaret was born in Aghafin on 2 June 1867
"Eliza" was born in Aghafin 16 April 1869
Martin's birth was recorded in the townland of Rashinagh, Kings County, on 1 May 1871. This birth date is not accurate, as he was baptized on 24 November 1870.
The first-born Eleanor was born in Castlereagh on 22 March 1874. Her first name is recorded as Ellen in the birth record. As you saw earlier her brother Joseph was born in Castletreagh in 1878.
I didn't find the birth record for the second-born Eleanor/Ellen in 1876. Her parents may not have reported her birth to the district registrar.
But I did find the death record of the first-born Eleanor, under the first name Ellen, who died in Castlereagh on 7 July 1875 at the age of 15 months. She is shown to be a "Farmer's Child. The cause of death was, "Convulsions."
Ellen's mother Bridget reported the death to the registrar. Bridget signed the death register with, "her x mark," signifying she could not write.
You can access Ellen's death record at the irishgennealogy.ie link at:
https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/files/civil/deaths_returns/deaths_1875/020613/7232394.pdf
Her death is the first entry in the register, number 181.
As noted above, Martin Galvin was born in Rashinagh in 1871. A Google Map shows that Rashinagh, represented by the red teardrop icon, is just south of Castlereagh and Aughafin, and east of Lackagh More: https://tinyurl.com/5n8unhzx
Your records show that your husband’s grandfather Michael married Margaret Duffy on August 7, 1887.
I found the marriage record at the irishgenealogy.ie website, which confirms the date of the marriage, and further shows that the marriage took place in the Boher Catholic Chapel in the Registrar’s District of Ferbane.
You can access the marriage record at: https://tinyurl.com/w8pw6kam
At the time of marriage Michael was of “Full” age. He was a “Farmer” living in Castlereagh.
His father is Edward Galvin, who was “alive.”
At the time of marriage Margaret was also of full age. Her occupation was “Parlor Maid.”
She was living in the townland of Kilnagarnagh at the time of marriage. Her father is John Duffy, a “Labourer.”
The witnesses to the marriage were James Hanigan and Mary Young. James signed the marriage register with “his x mark.” Mary signed the register with “her x mark.” Neither of the witnesses could write. Both Michael Galvin and Margaret Duffy signed the marriage registers with their marks.
The first name of the Catholic priest who married Michael and Margaret, and who witnessed the signing of their marks, was Peter. Because of the handwriting I couldn’t make out his last name with complete certainty, but it looks like it could be Redahan.
At the time of marriage Michael was living in Castlereagh and Margaret in Kilnagarnagh.
This Google Map shows that Castlereagh and Kilnagarnagh are very close to one another, with the location of Castlereagh represented by the red teardrop icon: https://tinyurl.com/5ymd3psb
Catholic marriages traditionally take place in the bride’s parish, and so I looked for Boher on a Google Map, and found that St. Manchan’s Catholic Church in Boher, is 3.3 miles east of Kilnagarnagh. See the Google Map: https://tinyurl.com/3brbf2ax
Here is a Google Street View of St. Manchan’s Catholic Church and graveyard: https://tinyurl.com/mtyez5bf
The graveyard is on both sides of the L7001 Parkaree or Boherfadda road.
This link will take you to a closeup street view of the church and graveyard: https://tinyurl.com/2pdxbedw
The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage/Buildings of Ireland website spells the name of this church as, “St. Manchin’s,” and further notes that the church was built circa 1860, and contains a shrine to St. Manchin.
See the Buildings of Ireland link which also includes a slide presentation of St. Manchin’s exterior and interior: https://tinyurl.com/29zvwcvp
Joan, if you and your husband visit Ireland in the future, consider visiting St. Manchan’s/Manchin’s Catholic Church, as this is the church where Michael Galvan and Margaret Duffy were married in 1887.
Concerning Margaret Duffy, while I know the name of her father was John, I don’t know who her mother was, or where Margaret was born, or the year of her birth. Without this information I was not able to find a birth or baptism record for her.
GRIFFITHS VALUATION
I next wanted to see if Edward Galvin was recorded in an Irish property tax record called Griffiths Valuation.
Griffiths Valuation, was enumerated in the 32 counties of Ireland from 1847 to 1864.
Unlike a census, Griffiths Valuation did not enumerate individual members of a family, such as husband, wife, and children in a household residence. Those named in the valuation were individuals who paid to lease property, such as land, houses, and outbuildings. Each person who paid to lease the property was called an “Occupier.”
The other person listed in Griffiths Valuation was the person who owned the property, or who worked as the middleman for the owner. This person was called the “Immediate Lessor.”
Sometimes an Occupier leased property in more than one townland. I found this to be the case with Edward Galvin, as you'll see coming up.
You can access Griffiths Valuation transcriptions and original copies for free at the askaboutireland website link at: http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml
Edward Galvin was recorded in Griffiths Valuation in three different townlands in the Civil Parish of Lemanaghan. These townlands are Aghafin, Lackaghmore, and Rashinagh.
The valuations for townlands in the Civil Parish of Lemanaghan were completed by 1854, four years before Edward and Bridget were married.
If you recall from the birth records noted earlier, Bridget Galvin was born in Aghafin on 2 July 1865. Margaret was born in Aghafin on 2 June 1867. Eliza was born in Aghafin on 16 April 1869, while Martin was born in Rashinagh sometime around the 24th of November, 1870.
The valuations for Aghafin, Lackaghmore, and Rashinagh are attached to this reply.
First, Griffiths Valuation for Aghafin:
Griffiths Valuation shows that Edward Galvin leased over 200 acres of land in common with two other Occupiers named Charles Molony and Timothy Molony. They leased their property from an Immediate Lessor named Francis Mooney.
The green arrows point to Edward Galvin's lease on the Griffiths Valuation page.
Edward leased his own house and offices. An office in Griffiths Valuation refers to outbuildings, such as a barn, stable, blacksmith shop, piggery, etc.
The number/letter combination to the left of his name are map coordinates, showing where his house and office(s) were located in Aghafin on a Griffiths Valuation Map. The map is attached to this reply. The green double arrow on the map points to the number one on the left, and the letter b on the right, where the house and office were located.
To the northwest of Aghafin you'll see the map location for Lackaghmore, where Edward also leased property.
Second, Griffiths Valuation for Lackaghmore:
The Griffiths Valuation page for Lackaghmore is also attached to this reply, and shows that Edward Galvin leased two properties. One property included over 9 Acres of land, a Public House, and offices at map reference 8 A a.
The question I have is, did Edward, or a family member run the public house, or did he hire someone to run it for him?
He leased over 9 acres of additional land at map reference 8 B. The Immediate Lessor for both leases was James Armstrong.
The Griffiths Valuation Map for Lackaghmore is attached to this reply. The green arrows point to Edward's two leases at map reference 8 a, and 8. I couldn't find map reference 8 B on the Griffiths Valuation Map of Lackaghmore.
Third, Griffiths Valuation for Rashinagh:
The Griffiths Valuation page for Rashinagh, attached to this reply, shows that Edward Galvin leased a little over 3 Acres of land from an Immediate Lessor named the Rev. Henry King at map reference 19.
A Griffiths Valuation Map of Rashinagh is attached to this reply. The green arrow points to the land that Edward leased at map reference 19.
You can see on the following Google Map how close together the townlands of "Aughafin," Lackagh More, and Rashinagh are to one another. Lackagh More on the map is represented by the red teardrop icon, just south of Lackagh Beg: https://tinyurl.com/3zx9s4wm
With Kind Regards,
Dave Boylan
Sources:
Find My Past
National Library of Ireland
Google Maps
Google Street Views
VisitOffaly.ie
Offaly.ie
irishgenealogy.ie
IreAtlas Townland Data Base
Ask About Ireland: Griffiths Valuation
Ask About Ireland: Griffiths Valuation Maps
