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Visiting Ballyshannon, Donegal April 2020

I am trying to trace relatives of my 2xGreat Grandmother Catherine Lawler who married James Holt in Ballyshannon in October 1842. I have no information at all about Catherine.

James Holt was born in St Barrys Cork about 1798-1802. He enlisted in the 46th Foot South Devonshire Regiment aged 10 as a Drummer. After his discharge he became a Chelsea Pensioner and was recruited to come to New Zealand as a Fencible. They left Ireland with2 children in 1847. I have no idea of these children's names or ages. After arriving in New Zealand they had 5 more children.

I would like to know anything about Catherine, especially if she had any siblings, where she was born and in which Church they weremarried.

Lawler

brucecron@gmail.com

8 replies

Dear Lawler:

Many thanks for your query to the Ireland Reaching Out message board.  Unfortunately the parish registers (Catholic) for Ballyshannon only begin in the mid-1850s so you will not be able to find any reference to the Lawler/Holt family.  If they are Church of Ireland or another denomination, the registers may be held locally and you might need to make enquiries.  I will pass your query to several of our Donegal volunteers who may be able to add further information to your research.  You might also consider visiting the PRONI website which has a large number of Northern Ireland resources including parish registers.  You can enquire there directly at the link below:

http://www.proni.gov.uk/

 

The parish registers available online for Ballyshannon (Catholic) are at this link:  https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/1006

 

If you have any further information, please post it to this thread.  

 

Kind regards,

 

Jane

jhalloranryan@…

Hi Lawler, 

My apologies for any delay, I assure you I have kept coming back to this interesting query on Holt and Lawler family numerous times on both names over the last few weeks but I have kept continuously hiting  a brick wall every time.  

I am pretty sure at this stage that Lawler is not a name that comes up on records in the mid 1800s in County Donegal, and unfortunately because of this it makes it near impossible to tie down to where she might have come from up in the northern counties of Ireland.  

I did however come across a John Holt referenced in the 1858 Griffith Valuation, whom is leasing land in Ballyshannon, Co.Donegal. As far as the family name of Holt goes this is the ONE and only Holt name available on records in the mid 1800s throughout the whole of Counties Donegal, Sligo or Leitrim and given its location similar to your own relation James Holt, changes are that they must be somewhat related. 

John Holt had a plot of Land, and a house /home in Bishops Street, Ballyshannon (Plot 27). 

The location nowadays: Location of Plot 27 looking down from Bishops street towards the river Erne  

I hope you don’t mind me asking, I am curious to how you might happen to know of James Holt and Catherine Lawlors marriage in Ballyshannon in 1842. I only ask because I am struggling to find this record for this marriage within Ancestry or Rootsireland. 

Kind regards, Seamus Callaghan 

Clondavaddog Donegal, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Seamus

 

Thank you for your time in doing the research for me.  I know that  James Holt was born in Cork and his parents name were James and Bribget CAMMELL. He was discharged from the Army in Ballyshanon on the 31st of December 1841, I got this from his military papers that have got on line .  He left Sligo to  came to New Zealand as a Fencible { retired  soliders that were recruited to come to protect the citizens of Auckland] in 1847 on the "Cliton"  .On the paper from the Fencile Society it states the his marriage was in Ballyshannon in October 1847. I have not seen any proof that is correct. I do think that it most likely a Catholic marrage.

The infromaton that I have on Catherine Lawer is that she was born in 1817 in Ireland and her Father's name was James Lawler.

Hope this is helpful 

 

 Many Thank  

Trish Cron  [Lawler] 

brucecron@gmail.com

Hi Trish, 

Thank you for explaining where all the great information was sourced. Very interesting indeed. I have managed to spend some more time looking, however I am unfortunately unable to find any more information regarding John Holt or Catherine Lawler. 

Seeing as it was stated within the Fecile Cociety they got married in Ballyshannon in 1847, there would be a very good chance are that it would have been married here in St Paricks Church Ballyshannon.

Googlemaps - SAINT PATRICK'S CATHOLIC CHURCH - Ballyshannon    

Saint Patrick's Church was built in 1842, however as Jane has rightfully pointed out, it is not until the mid 1850’s that the Catholic Churches first start to record and register Births and Marriages. (1858 for marriages and 1854 for Births). https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/1006 

I do wish I had better news to give you especally seeing as you intend to visit the area,

Kind regards Seamus 

Clondavaddog Donegal, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Seamus

Thank you for time looking up about my family.I did think that it was along shot to find them, I did have the thought that Catherine may have married some else before James as there was two children that came out with them at I haven't been able to find there names[ on the forms it just has 2 children] so wonder if they may not Holts.

We will be there at the end of April so will have a look at St Patricks Church while there. 

Kind Regards Trish 

brucecron@gmail.com

Hi Trish, my apologies for the delay, I got somewhat caught up with a project at work.  

I am slightly disappointed there wasn’t a few records available that might have helped us to trace the where Catherine would have been born back in the early 1800’s. It is unfortunate that it is just too far back, and to tell the truth it is only DNA results that would be able bridge the gap when trying to find a footing with family from before the Church registrations. I still think there must be a connection from your James and that John Holt in Ballyshannon in the 1850’s. It is quite possible they made the same journey from Cork back in the day. 

I hope you have a great holiday and enjoy your trip to Ballyshannon. 

All the best Seamus 

 

www.irelandnorthwest.ie/ 

www.myirelandtour.com - travelguide donegal-sligo 

irelandxo.com - visiting County Donegal 

www.wildatlanticway.com - things to do 

Clondavaddog Donegal, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

hi, my name is Barbara savage from nz, im decended from Catherine Lawler 1820-1876 and james holt ,1799-1876. their son Robert joseph  holt b1854 married sarah ann mcCrory and had 7 children .and the other son henry holt married catherine kearney and had a daughter Elizabeth ann holt.

that is some of the information, message me back if you see this

barbara

 

barbara

Hi Barbara  What a lovely surprise to find your message. I am Catherine and James's G.G.Granddaughter. Their daughter  Elizabeth married Patrick McCrory. Their son James Henry is my grandfather. 

If you want to contact me directly my email is trishbcron@gmail.com

Regards

Trish Cron

brucecron@gmail.com

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