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Hello Irelandxo !

Over the Holidays; I Have recently triedto better understand and acknowledge my irish history and ancestry. I have come across this place and it is amazing what you are all doing for us, those whom care about where we come from (Ireland). I have been researching surnames in my family,their history, and Locations in Ireland, and I would like to recieve some assistance from you all if at all possible. My mother was a Connolly whom married into a McGowan. And whilst researching through a specificConnolly family member, his wifes mother had the last name O'Niel.My fathers Maternal Grandfatherwas Fox. The question I have is what does this mean from me, and of whomof which, as well aswhere ,am I descended?I also have a written piece of paper of my ancestors on my mothers side with dates and locations in Ireland, that I would be happy to upload for further information. James Connolly 1859-1925 married to Mary Doorley 1860 - /// if that helps for start. Thanks !

Kkxdr321xxk@gm…

18 replies

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

Below is a link to the civil marriage record for James Connolly and Mary Doorley in 1885 in Co. Offaly. The names of the fathers were listed. James came from Ballina which could be the Ballina in Tipperary or Mayo but likely Tipperary.  https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_re… The RC chapel was in Killina which is part of the parish of Rahan. We have a parish liaison for Rahan and I will alert her to your message.

Can you share the info you have on paper?

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

 

Connolly          

John Connolly (Offaly) Born 2-20-1901

Married on 4-17-27 

Susan Gill ( Longford, Eire) Born 9-21-1907

Susan Gills Parents were Thomas Gill and Ellen O'Neil (both  Longford, Eire)

--------------

McGowan

 William Joesph McGowan 10 - 4 -1885 (Mayo, Eire)

Married to

Della Thornton 3 -18- 1890 (Mayo, Eire)

 

Kkxdr321xxk@gm…

Written account transcribed by my aunt from my maternal grandmother Mary McGowan

Kkxdr321xxk@gm…

Thankyou 

Kkxdr321xxk@gm…

I'll cut the research story short as it's was a little complex - and go straight to the results .... a research summary is attached for reference

Susan was actually born in Scotand, a mining town named Carfin near the town of Holytown which is located about 14 miles east of Glasgow. Her birth was on the 9th May 1906 at Double Brick Row, Carfin and was registered in Holytown registration District on the 18th May. Her parents are shown as Thomas Gill a Collier Labourer and Ellen O'Neill. The birth cert also shows that her parents married on the 23rd October 1903 in the same area - see the birth record attached below (Susan's birth is the 2nd entry on the page)

Susan and her father and paternal grandparents are shown on the 1911 census at Edenmore townland, Co. Longford, along with a sister to Thomas named Bridget, all the children are listed as born Scotland while Thomas, his sister and parents are noted as born Co. Longford.

links :
Scotlandspeople (pay-website)
Steve Morse / Ellis Island
Scottish Mining Website - see William Dixon Ltd, Carfin and Cleland Mines – items 4 and 5 for Brick Row, Carfin - http://www.scottishmining.co.uk/236.html

 

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

Wow thankyou So Much. This has been incredible for me lately to discover my family's history. All thanks to your help!

If there is any other additional information you could gather I would be addionaly immensly grateful.

I recently have been trying to work things out on Ancestry.com by making a family tree. There may be some discrepancies of sorts as I am not the most technological savy person, i Admit. Here's what Ive come up with so far, and perhaps it could be of additional use. I feel as though I still have so many questions !

https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/tree/117161999/family?cfpid=150165…;

Thankyou, Daniel

 

 

Kkxdr321xxk@gm…

I carried out a follow up search on the Gill family at Edenmore townland since we have proved that connection via Susan and her father.

The first clue is the 1911 census which shows that Thomas' parents are named Patrick and Maria and also that Thomas has a sister named Bridget born about 1889. The census also shows that Patrick and Maria state they are married abt 40 years, and that 8 children were born to the couple, 7 of which are alive in 1911.

Reported ages are often inaccurate, so allowing a few years either way searched for possible civil birth records for Thomas and Bridget in Edenmore or close-by and found the following :

Thomas Gill 15th March 1877, Edenmore - parents Patrick Gill and Maria Filan
Bridget Gill 12th Mar 1890, Edenmore - parents Patrick Gill and Maria Filan

The next step was a search of the 1901 census and the same Gill household was located, again at Edenmore, with Patrick & Maria, with three of their children Mary Anne, John Joe & Bridget.

Further search of civil records located

Patrick Gill - 24th Jun 1874
Michael Gill - 30th May 1879
James Gill – 4th Aug 1882
Mary Anne Gill - 10th Apr 1884
John Joseph Gill - 1st May 1888

all born Edenmore, to parents Patrick Gill and Maria Filan (or similar)

There is also a death of a Kate Gill 13th Apr 1896 - age 9, of Edenmore with father Patrick, but couldn't locate a birth for her. Finally on the Gill line a marriage of Patrick Gill of Edenmore and Maria Filan on the 11th Feb 1873 at Ballinamuck RC chapel which is in a parish named Drumlish and Ballinamuck.
(all the BMD links above are to IrishGenealogy website - click on the 'image' link to view the register)

To follow up on Ellen's past I'd suggest a subscription to Scotland's people to view the marriage cert. Scottish marriage records include names of both parents which provide a useful clue when searching for possible births for her.

A partial version of the Scottish 1901 census is available on Ancestry which shows a Thomas Gill a lodger born 'Ireland' of about the correct age in the Holytown area as a 'Railway Navvy', in the same house appears a Helen O'Neill with a brother Hugh (Helen is equivalent to Ellen in Scotland). The full census return is available on Scotland's People.

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

Wow Amazing !

Is there any other information you can gather  from different lines in my family?

I am curious to see where McGowan came from, Perhaps the Scottish Highlands or Ireland.

As well as Connolly. The fact that a sept of Connolly would go on to be part of the Four Tribes of Tara interests me greatly.

My mother was Greatly Christian (Roman Catholic) and to see that her family came from Kings Co. Offaly, between Clonmacnoise and Rahan helps me better understand where her transcendent faith has derived from. 

Is there anything to be gathered from the assumed origins of these surnames by members of my family?

Fox (Ó Sionnaigh) - were known as the Kings of Teathbha, and latterly Lords of Teathbha. (Longford,Westmeath, Offaly)

Connolly - Obviously being an Ancient Irish Family

Gill - coming from the Irish Gaelic name Giolla meaning servant devotee usually to a Saint or an Clan chief

Doorly -  “of Irish origin and is found generally in Counties Cork and Galway, the name being one of the smaller septs of Corca Laoidhe, now almost extinct, and the East Galway, Ui Maine sept. However, from the 16th Century onwards they were generally established in Co. Offaly”

McGowan - originating in the british isles meaning armorer, smith or farrier. an occupational name in both scotland and ireland . A job thought to hold great importance, certainly in time of war or otherwise

O’Neill - descended from King Niall ( Niall of the Nine Hostages. )

What does this mean for me, in your expert opinion, of where I come from. Thank you again for your time and patience, as your assistance is of great importance to me. Thank you , Daniel

Kkxdr321xxk@gm…

Daniel:

Have you taken an autosomal DNA test.  Another option is the Y-DNA test which will track your pure paternal line.

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

I have not, I guess thats the next step !

Kkxdr321xxk@gm…

Ballina is about 5/6 miles from Killina where they married.  All in Rahan parish.  The parish is divided up into 3 areas - The Island (where Ballina is), Rahan and Mucklagh - but all the one parish.

Geraldine

Geraldine Buckley-Smith, Ireland XO VolunteerIrelandXO Volunteer

I see you have Mary Doorley down as being from Clara,

Clara is about 3/4 miles from Rahan but where they lived in The Bawn, Clara would have been their nearest town.

I see James Connolly was a Coachman by profession - do you know anything about this?

 

There are still lots of Connolly's living in Rahan.  I am going to send your infor to one man I know - Michael Connolly - and see if these are related to him.

Geraldine

Geraldine Buckley-Smith, Ireland XO VolunteerIrelandXO Volunteer

Cool Thankyou ! 

Yes i saw his proffession was listed as a Coachman, thats really cool !

IrelandXO member

I have contacted Michael Connolly who lives in Rahan and given him this information.  His grandfather and his father were both blacksmiths - the reason I tell you this is that any Coachman would have most definately have to visit the blacksmith.

Geraldine

Geraldine Buckley-Smith, Ireland XO VolunteerIrelandXO Volunteer

Oh okay cool, perhaps his father and grandfather may know about him. I hope to hear of some cool new information 

Kkxdr321xxk@gm…

is it possible to trace my ancestor to a specific sept of Connolly, considering his close proximity to Meath?

My fathers Maternal Grandfather was James E. Fox. He lived in New York. Believed to be irish . Is there anything you can find on his ancestors? His father I believe was Edward G. Fox (abt1878), a spouse to both Sadie Fox and Sarah Fox. Id like to find out his ancestry, dated back to ireland if all possible. Thanks

 

 

Kkxdr321xxk@gm…

 

Hi Daniel Patrick

I happened upon this search randomly.

What is your relation to Susan Gill? She is my grand aunt, my grandfather was her brother Thomas (died 1984). We have visited Ellen's grave in Scotland. 

I am interested to hear if we are related

thanks

Maggie
 

 

margaretaryan@…

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