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Walsh or Leech Families of Co Wexford

WexfordTaghmon (Wexford)

I'm looking for my Walsh and Leech families of Co Wexford. My Gt Grandmother was Mary Walsh who I think was born in 1852. Her Father was John Walsh, a Horsetrainer. Mary married James Leech (born 1849 in Wexford) in 1870 at the Roman Catholic Chapel in Taghmon. His Father was also called John and was a Labourer.

Mary and James had three children in Wexford - Ellen, born in Aughermon in 1871, Mary, born in 1873 at Fayth, and Johanna born in 1885 in Tullycanna. However, she and James had moved to Liverpool,around 1876 and had three more children: Catherine, Margaret and John. I have travelled to Wexford to search for my Walsh and Leech families to no avail. I'd be so grateful for any help.

lilybet49

5 replies

Hi Lily,

Could this be your Mary (from www.rootsireland.ie/)? No father's occupation on the record!

Name:Mary WalshDate of Birth:24-Jun-1852
Date of Baptism:27-Jun-1852Address:Dunbrody,Parish/District:New RossGender:
CountyCo. Wexford
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:John WalshMother:Mary StaffordOccupation:
Informant 1:Daniel Sullivan
Informant 2:Margaret Shea

If we apply the Irish naming pattern to the children's names you gave, if the above was the correct record, first daughter would be Mary & second son John - perhaps they didn't use it? 

No luck with James baptism I'm afraid

Col

 

 

ColCaffIrelandXO Volunteer

 

Thanks for that Col :

It could be her, Staffords certainly pop up a lot in my searches for the family, and I did meet up with a Stafford in Aughermon when I was last in Wexford, who told me that he does have memories of the Leech family in the area.  However, as you say, the normal child naming pattern has not been followed as Ellen was definitely her first child and John appears to have been her first and only son. It continues to be a mystery and, sadly, my Grandmother visited Wexford on many occasions during the 1900s, to see her family, a fact I didn't know.  My Mother died when I was only four and my father remarried, cutting me off from my birth mother's family, so I am only just piecing ancestors into my jigsaw puzzle.  I didn't even know there was an Irish connection until most of my forebears had passed. One day, something will turn up.

Regards,

Susie

 

 

lilybet49

Hi Susie,

I'm not sure of the percentage of people who followed the naming pattern versus those who didn't but there were many who did not - so don't be too disheartened by the pattern not matching. It's a good sign that your Stafford man remembered Leeches.

Here are a couple more in case the birth year was slightly out (as was often the case)

Name:Mary WalshDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:15-Jun-1851Address:
Parish/District:New RossGender:
CountyCo. Wexford
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:John WalshMother:Mary DoyleOccupation:
Informant 1:Matthew Dumphy
Informant 2:Mary Roche
Notes:

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Church: New ross.
Register: B/1841-70.
Status: I.

Name:Mary WalshDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:09-May-1853Address:
Parish/District:EnniscorthyGender:FemaleCountyCo. Wexford
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:John WalshMother:Catherine MurphyOccupation:
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:Francis GodfreySponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Catherine Godfrey

Name:Mary WalshDate of Birth:21-Feb-1853
Date of Baptism:23-Feb-1853Address:
Parish/District:New RossGender:
CountyCo. Wexford
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:John WalshMother:Elizabeth NorrisOccupation:
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:John NolanSponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Mary Roche
Notes:

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Church: New ross.
Register: B/1841-70.
Status: I.

Have you looked at the 1901 & 1911 Censuses? They are free at http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/. I searched for John Walsh (the trainer) aged 70 + - 5 years and got 9 results. No occupations are given of course!

You mentioned that the marriage of Mary and James was in Taghmon - usually the bride's parish was where the wedding took place; however, maybe they were from the same parish (the record on rootsireland doesn't have an address for bride or groom of course!!)

Griffiths Valuation (free at http://www.askaboutireland.ie/) has no Leeches (!) but 4 John Walshes in Taghmon in 1853: New Ross Rd, Shalmaliere Commons, Church St Poulmarl & Blastknock

Lastly, the Tithe Applotments http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/have lot of Walshes in Wexford but Taghmon isn't mentioned!

Col 

 

ColCaffIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Col :

That's fantastic work!  I'll put some time into those leads and see what comes up.  Mary Walsh and James Leech got married in Bannow, her first child Ellen was born at Aughermon, her second, Mary at Fayth and she returned to Wexford from Liverpool to have Johanna at Tullycanna, so all within the same area.  My biggest problem is the huge number of Walshes there.  I did spend some time with Greg Walsh, a local Historian, who was stumped too.  Leech ancestors were, apparently, Cromwellians, so you'd think there'd be something on James' family, especially as I have his father's name, John, a labourer.  I'd just love to find some living relatives in the vicinity!  My Grandfather (on my mother's side) was from Newfoundland and I'm inundated with cousins looking for me. It seems the Irish side are just happy to be Irish, with no need to look elsewhere - I'm 52% Irish (DNA), and desperate for them to turn up. 

Thanks so much for what you've done for me.  Sending you wishes for a very Happy New Year from Devon.

Regards,

Susie

 

 

lilybet49

Sorry Col : I'm getting confused - Mary and James were not married at Bannow but at the Roman Catholic Chapel in Taghmon, as I told you previously.  I'd made a mistake because Bannow is a 'District' which pops up many times on their children's Birth Certificates. Their marriage was witnessed by a Catherine Stafford (there's that Stafford name again!). Did couples generally marry with witnesses from their families? If so, perhaps the 'Mary Stafford' which you gave me may well have been Mary's Mother. 

Interestingly, when Mary travelled back to Wexford to have her daughter Johanna in 1885, she must have done so because James (her husband) was by then a Sailor (from Johanna's Birth Certificate). An Ellen Carrol was present at the birth - as Mary and James' first daughter was named Ellen, I wonder whether this is of significance??

I could really do with you sitting beside me, but I'll spend some time rummaging, while pulling my own hair out, not yours. My apologies!

Thanks again,

Susie

lilybet49

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