Michael Foy

Hi Sue,

In relation to your great grandfather - Michael Foy, Irish Constabulary, it was the practice that a serving member had to be 7 years in the force before he was permitted to marry. I do not know when this rule came into force. If it was inforce in 1850 it would indicate that Michael had served 7 years, which would indicate that he joined in c1843. In relation to his marriage it is likely that a fellow member acted as a Witness.

In Griffith Valuations c1850 www.askaboutireland - Free Site - there are families named "Foy" in the area of Shrule and Cong which are bordering on the East side of Lough Corrib. There are many others in the wider area of Castlebar.

Have you any idea of Michael's work number in the Irish Constabulary? Members were recommended by a number of different persons to whom they were known, such as the local District Inspector, Parish Priest or Justice of the Peace. There were no Superintendents in the force.

Best Wishes,

Hi Sue,

I have downloaded Michael Foy's police record. It states that the was recommended by Sub Inspector Walsh and joined on 30th June 1847

Sub Inspector Walsh's record can be found in the National Archives, but at the present time it will be slow. It will give the location in which he was allocated to in County Mayo in 1847.

Regards,

Hi Sue,

Further to previous report, a Sub. Inspector Denis Walsh is recorded in Belmullet, North Mayo c1840 and again in 1846 in Westport. He had reported on the situation that developed in relation to the export of corn from Westport pier. 

Credit: Irish Times - Policing the Famine Era by Gregory Allen.

There are a number of tenant farmers recorded in the area of Belmullet named "Foy" and quite a number in the Castlebar/Westport area in that period.

Regards,

Hi McCoy, and Roger,

Thanks very much for this info, I have only got the RIC Extract transcription from Kew, which presumably has mis-read the original name as Supt J Walsh. I will have to try and order Denis Walsh's record although as you say, it is apparentlyl being very slow at the moment.

That rule about the 7 years serving is a bit worrying, and as you see the RIC record does not say he is married at the time he is resigning, that section is blank. Do you think it means i am looking at the wrong man? But it does fit in with his marriage to Ann Ryan in 1850 in Limerick. (I did make a typo above when I put he joined in 1852 instead of 1847). The heading does say "Appointment or Re-Appointment'- is it possible he joined previously in 1843 when he would have only been about 16 or 17? Before the marriage came onine though, I did know that Ann was from Limerick as she givies it as her birthplace in 1881 and 1901 living in London with first her son Joseph Henry, and later with her daughter Mary and her husband Henry Mayerle. Ann's  DOB varies wildly from c.1833 to 1839 in the censuses! I think it may be 1835, but haven't looked into her yet in detail. The marriage witnesses were James Keating and Ellen Ryan.

Another thing I must do is find out how to put my DNA on Gedmatch. I originally did it with Ancestry, but then also had a result from LivingDNA. I am not the most techy of people, although had to use computers when I was at work (libraries). If I found something a bit difficult nowadays, I usually get one of my daughters, or my son-in-law to explain ti, but can't at the moment, with all this lockdown!  Thank you so much for all this kind help!

Sue

Hi Roger,

No, I meant I have tested with both Ancestry DNA and LivingDNA. I've just been looking up how to pt the results on Gedmatch but haven't actually done it yet, as I said, am not all that confident with some computer stuff, but am going to do it asap. Thank you for all your help!

Sue