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The Walsh and McDonald/McDonell families

CarlowDunleckny (Carlow)

My 3x grandparents were James McDonald/McDonell and Mary Walsh. They married in Dunleckny Parish in Sep 1825 and subsequently had children: Margaret, Martin, James, John, Maria, Eliza, Ann, Bridget and Mary who were all baptised in Bagnelstown in St Andrew's Church. I have the marriage and baptism records.

In Rootsireland.ie, the marriage record says Mary Walsh was from Bohermore and possibly James McDonald was too. They emigrated to Canada circa 1850. They settled in the area around Ottawa, Canada's capital. Their daughter Eliza McDonald married David Walsh in Aylmer in 1861. David's parents, according to the marriage register, were James Walsh and Ann McMahon about whom I can find nothing. I don't even know if they were from Co Carlow. Both James and Ann had died prior to the marriage but I don't know if they died in Ireland or in Canada. 

I do have quite a lot of information about the children of James and Mary (Walsh) McDonald in Canada - their marriages, children, etc.

If you have any information about or connection to these families I'd love to hear from you. I've searched ancestry, findmypast, myheritage, familysearch, and registers.nli.ie but found nothing beyond what I've written above. I worked with the genealogist in the Carlow library a few years ago, but found nothing more. I'd be happy to share the information that I've collected.

Would they have lived on an estate in Carlow and been tenants or sub-tenants? Would their emigration have been assisted in some way? What port would they have sailed from?

Thank you all in advance.

Ann Burns

Ottawa, Canada

 

Sunnyseeker

7 replies

Ann:

I looked at the Tithe listings for Dunleckny civil parish. There was a Michael Walsh listed for Bohermore townland. He was leasing a little over three acres of land. Possibly he was the father of Mary

http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/reels/tab//004587436/004587436_00193.pdf

The same return shows a Martin McDonald and a Patrick McDonald each leasing 11 acres of land. Possibly Martin was the father of James since the oldest son of James was Martin.

I can't answer you question about assisted emigration. 

Possibly they left from Dublin.

Roger McDonnell

 

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Hello Roger

Thank you so much. I don't know how I missed checking the Tithe Applotments for these families but you have come through for me. 

It seems very likely that James' father was Martin given that he had a son Martin and a grandson Martin McDonald Walsh. I will put that name on the family tree with a note that Martin is the most likely candidate to have been James' father.

Given that Mary Walsh was from Bohermore and she married in 1825, around the time of the tithe applotments, it is also likely that her father was Michael. My only hesitation is that there is no record of a Michael among the descendants that I have been able to find until my generation. It's entirely possible that the name was used and the child/children died young.

I have found no reference to an estate or assisted emigration in these families but it did happen in two of my other lines so that's why I asked.

I'm in the process of checking every one of the research references on the recently released list of resources on irelandxo. I just love this site.

Ann 

 

Sunnyseeker

Hi,

In 1901 there was only one McDonald family in Bohermore.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Carlow/Bagenalstown_Ru…

If this is the same family then her (Brigdet) brother and his family were living there in 1911

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Carlow/Bagenalstown_Ru…

 

No idea if this is "your" McDonald family though.The Michael McDonald aged 68 on 1911 census was baptised 12 June 1842 to William McDonald and Margaret Treacy.They married 26th February 1824 in Dunleckney Parish.The same day an Andrew McDonald married an Elizabeth Fitzgerald.

Siblings were

Mary 1827

Patrick 1828

James 1830

William 1832

John 1833

Mary 1836

Daniel 1838

Bridget 1845

 

 

 

agha

Hi again,

 

Knew I had come across this name/townland previously.Looking back through my emails I had correspondence with a descendant of the William McDonald and Margaret Treacy mentioned above about 2 years ago.

She mentioned that Margaret McDonald from your family was a twin and married a McCullough and ended up in Iowa.Would this be correct ?

Not sure if its possible to PM you my email on this site but if you are interested in this then will see.

 

agha

Hello

Yes indeed Margaret McDonald married Charles McCullough in Aylmer Quebec and later moved to Iowa. Her twin was Mary. 

Charles was from Co Antrim and was previously married to Bridget Connell. They had no children and Bridget died three years after the marriage. He married Margaret McCullough on 1 May 1862 in Aylmer Quebec, across the river from Ottawa.They moved to the US in 1870 and had 9 children with only 1 girl. I have not followed that family closely.

My ancestor was Eliza(beth) McDonald who married David Walsh in Aylmer in May 1861. Eliza was an older sister of Margaret.

I am in Ireland right now and will be for two more weeks. Are you in Ireland? 

Ann

Sunnyseeker

Hi 

I am indeed in Ireland,living less than a mile from Bohermore. A grand uncle of mine was married to a daughter of the Michael McDonald on the 1911 census.

My direct email is augha@hotmail.com.Email me if you wish and can send you ph. number etc.

agha

Hi 

I'll be back in Ireland at the end of the month and have sent you an email to see if you'd like to meet for coffee/tea or a pint.

Ann

Sunnyseeker

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