I have John mcoll born in Ireland on Scotlands census and a poor law application in Scotland. His date of birth is ABT 1845.
I've came across creshla Donegal on ancestry on a users tree but no source of evidence to match it up.
It gives details of his parents Manus mcoll and rose Gillespie also born in Ireland. I have no details of siblings yet.
Any help would be so appreciated, thank you.
Creshla sounds like Creeslough to me. In the parish of Clondahorky. Unfortunately their RC baptism records don’t start till 1877.
If John Mcoll/McColl died in Scotland, 1855 onwards, his parents names should be on his death certificate.
Hello Scottishscotty
By following the advice kindly provided by Elwyn, you can access John "McColl's" death record at the subscription Scotland's People.
Indexes at Scotland's People are free to access after you establish an account.
For example, below is the death index for a John McColl, whose death was recorded in the Bonhill RD (Registration District) in the year 1921. His mother's maiden name was "Gillespie."
This death index may possibly refer to your John Mcoll under the alternate spelling of McColl.
Statutory Death Record
Name MCCOLL JOHN
Age 79
Mother's Maiden Name GILLESPIE
Gender M
Year 1921
Ref 493 / 96
RD Name Bonhill
Source: Scotlands People Index of Deaths
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Does the index above refer to your John Mcoll?
The Scotland's People website can be found at: https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/
For information about ordering statutory birth, marriage, and death certificates from Scotland's People, go to: https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/order-certificate
If John McColl was 79 years old when he died in 1921, he would have been born in 1842.
For more information about Bonhill, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, go to the Wikipedia link at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonhill
IRISH RECORDS
Your records show that John Mcoll's parents were Manus Mcoll and Rose Gillespie.
I looked for Manus Mcoll in an Irish agricultural record called the Tithe Applotment Books, which were compiled in the 32 counties of Ireland from 1823 to 1837.
The Tithe Applotment Books recorded farmers who owned, or leased farmland. It did not record the family members of the owners or leaseholders of farmland.
Under the Tithe Applotment Books, farmers were required to pay a "Tithe," akin to a tax, for the upkeep of the established Church of Ireland.
I found that a Manus Coll, John Coll, and Hugh Coll, were recorded in the townland of Carrigault, Civil Parish of Augnish, in the Tithe Applotment Books. The year of the Tithe Applotment Book record for the three Coll farmers was 1834.
The alternate spelling for Carrigault is Carrygalt. See the IreAtlas Townland Data Base entry for Carrygalt in the Civil Parish of Augnish at: https://tinyurl.com/mw5mu2a9
The Tithe Applotment Book index for Manus, John, and Hugh Coll can be accessed for free at the National Archives of Ireland website link: https://tinyurl.com/4xfpzkwc
The Tithe Applotment Book page where Manus and John Coll are recorded can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/45atw3ev
Manus Coll is recorded at number 395 on the page. He farmed nine parcels of farmland and bog. His tithe for this property amounted to 16 Shillings and 5 Pence.
John Coll is recorded at number 396 on the page. He farmed five parcels of land and bog. His tithe payment amounted to 14 Shillings and 6 Pence.
To access the Tithe Applotment Book page where John Coll is recorded in Carrigault, go to: https://tinyurl.com/bdf6cwdv
He is landholder number 407 on the page, showing he leased a garden. His tithe was 8 Pence.
Two farmers named Gillespie were recorded in two townlands in the Civil Parish of Augnish.
These are M. Gillespie in the townland of Ramelton, and Robt (Robert) Gillespie in the townland of Glenleary. See the indexes at: https://tinyurl.com/4erwf8w6
A Google Map shows that the distance from Carrygalt, traveling through Ramelton to Glenleary, is 4.2 miles: https://tinyurl.com/y4vtv39z
For more information, and to search the Tithe Applotment Books, go to the National Archives of Ireland link at: https://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/home.jsp
I don't know if the Manus "Coll" in the Tithe Applotment Books was your John Mcoll's father, or maybe even grandfather.
In any event, no landholders named Coll/Mcoll/McColl were recorded in Creeslough in the Tithe Applotment Books for the year 1834. See the two Tithe Applotment Book indexes for Creeslough, Civil Parish of Clondahorky, County Donegal: https://tinyurl.com/29c8kk72
Carrigault (Carrygault), is not close to the townland of Creeslough, in County Donegal.
A Google Map shows that Carrygalt, off the western shore of Lough Swilly, is 18.6 miles southeast of Creeslough by the shortest route along the N56 road. Creeslough is just southwest of Sheephaven Bay. See the map: https://tinyurl.com/nh9pdku3
It's possible that Manus Coll lived in Creeslough in the 1830s, but if he didn't own or lease farmland there, he would not have been recorded in the Tithe Applotment Books. If he had been a day labourer, or one of the millions of landless Irish, he may have worked for a farmer who either owned or leased the property in Creeslough.
The earliest record that I uncovered for a Manus Coll in County Donegal, was an index from the 1796 Irish Flax Growers list at Ancestry.com. See the index below:
Irish Flax Growers List, 1796
Given Name Manus
Surname Coll
ID 15570
County Donegal
Source: Source Information
Ancestry.com. Irish Flax Growers List, 1796 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.
Original data: Ulster Historical Foundation. Flax growers Bounty List 1796. Belfast, Ireland: Ulster Historical Foundation, 1999.
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I didn't find an M. Gillespie or a Robert Gillespie recorded in Donegal in the Flax Growers List.
You can order a copy which includes more information about Manus Coll recorded in the Flax Growers List, from the Ulster Historical Foundation. There is a charge for this service.
For details about ordering the full Irish Flax Growers List record for Manus Coll from the Ulster Historical Foundation, go to: https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/3732/#aboutSection
With Kind Regards,
Dave Boylan
SOURCES
Reply from Ireland Reaching Out Volunteer Elwyn, to Scottishscotty on 4 June 2026
Scotland’s People
National Archives of Ireland: Tithe Applotment Books
IreAtlas Townland Data Base
Google Maps
Ancestry.com: 1796 Irish Flax Growers List Index
Wow, thank you for the amazing feed back on my question. It's quite a lot to take in but it gives me something to look through which I love doing.
I'm new to this and finding or knowing where to look is still tricky the now.