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Mulligan Family Research

We are looking for information on 4 siblings that immigrated to America. Two immigrated in 1849. Nicholas Mulligan was born between 1818 and 1822. His grave stone says he was 85 so that would make his birth year 1818 but other documents have different years. Nicholas named his first son Bernard, his first daughter Mary. We hope these might be clues since we know first children were often named after parents. Bridget Mulligan was born in 1826+-. Patrick William was born in 1830. Sister Ann was born in May 1831. Ann's tombstone holds the only clue as it says she was born in County Longford. Patrick's death certificate does have the place he was born but the writing is impossible to make out. Nicholas and Ann were the two that immigrated in 1849 as they lived past the 1900 US census when this information was asked. We think all four probably immigrated about the same time during the famine years but don't know that. All four ended up on adjoining farms in Essex county, Illinois. Certainly hoping you can help us.

Susan O. Mulligan

Susan Mulligan

7 replies

Hello again Susan!

I did a number of searches on the subscription site Roots Ireland. I did not find a Nicholas Mulligan baptismal record in Co. Longford around 1818. The earliest Nicholas Mulligan record was in 1838. I looked for an Ann Mulligan baptismal record in 1831, There was one record but when I looked at the parish register, this Ann Mulligan was listed as illegitimate which explains why her name was shown as Mulligan even though her father was a McDonald. There was also an 1828 record in Killashee but I did not find any records for siblings.

Likely your Mulligans were baptized in a church which no longer has records back to the 1820s.

Roger McDonnell

Name:Ann MulliganDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:13-Jul-1831Address:Not RecordedParish/District:LONGFORDGender:FemaleCountyCo. Longford
Denomination:Roman Catholic

Father:Francis McdonaldMother:Ann MulliganOccupation:Not Recorded
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:Charles McdonaldSponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Bridget Mcdonald

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

I fear we will never know but we so appreciate your efforts.  Hopefully someone with our Mulligan DNA still in Ireland will one day show up on our Ancestry site.  Again thanks for your time and effort.

Susan Mulligan

Just on a wing and a prayer, a several generations back very distant ancestor lists Druminacrehir, Longford.  Her name was Mary Mulligan, her father Michael.  Her mother was Julia Smythe from Mullohoran, County Cavan.  DNA for my husband does include Cavan as one of the counties. And Druminacrehir is not far from County Cavan.  Others counties besides Longford are Meath and maybe Louth.  Westmeath, we know his gg grandmother came from Mayne and of course the Pritchards and Morrises from Roscommon.  DNA overlaps into South Ulster which is curious as the family is so very Catholic but his dad told him at one time they were "Orange Irish" but no one else in the family ever said that.  Stories get changed over time so who knows.  

Susan Mulligan

Co. Cavan is actually part of the Province of Ulster so south Ulster could man Cavan.  When the Treaty was signed by England and Ireland in December 1921, three Ulster counties (Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan) were placed in the Republic of Ireland becasue they had majority Catholic population.

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Susan, I have been searching for the origins of my 2xgr. grandfather, Laurence Mulligan. Has any of your Mulligan family done a DNA test?                                                                               Regards, Kim B.

kbender

Kim, my husband's is on Ancestry.  If you know Ancestry, you can see if he is one of your cousins.  We have found two 5th-8th cousins in the Cavan area.  One is Ciaran Mulligan.  He still lives in County Cavan.  He does not have a family tree on Ancestry but has responded to messages I have sent him.  Really nice guy and lives on farm which goes back several generations of Mulligans.  There is also a Frances Mulligan who was born in Cavan, I think in 1838, immigrated and died in Canada.  Know nothing about her but plan to message family member in Ancestry.  Should you find that Keith is a cousin, message me in Ancestry.  He is Leslie Keith Mulligan in Ancestry.

Susan Mulligan

Susan,  I have 3 tests on Ancestry and by searching for Mulligan surname your husband doesn't appear as a match against any of my tests. Thanks for your time though!

Kim

kbender

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