BIGGS , McCAWLEY (and variant spellings)

Jane:

Welcome to Ireland Raeching Out!

We have a parish liaison in Killashandra so I will send her an e-mail to alert her to your message. Let me know if you have not heard back in 7-10 days.

Roger McDonnell

Jane:

Sorry!

Let me followup with our HQ.

Roger

Dear Jane,

 I will give you a list of sites that may halp you with your quest, you may or may not have exhausted them all 

I don't know if you have looked at the following free records, though while all the images are not available online you can order copies and you will find them at www.irishgenealogy.ie this is what is held at the General Register Office (GRO) and includes all official records of Irish births, deaths and marriages from 1864 and of non-Catholic marriages from 1845, the historic indexes of which can be viewed and in these cases you are trying to bring your family within civl registration.

Elsewhere:
1. www.rootsireland.ie: This paying site has transcripts (without record-images) of most of the Roman Catholic records on the island of Ireland for areas other than those listed above. The major exceptions, where only small proportions of the records are transcribed, are counties Donegal, Monaghan and Wexford. None of the transcribed records for Clare are online. Each geographical area on the site has a "sources list" and it is essential to consult this in order to ascertain precisely what records are being searched. The site also includes transcripts of Church of Ireland, Methodist and Presbyterian registers, complete for some counties, completely absent for others.
2. www.familysearch.org: This free site run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) has transcripts, without record-images, of approximately thirty Roman Catholic parishes, mostly in counties Kerry, Cork and Roscommon.
3. www.ancestry.co.uk: This subscription site has transcripts, without record-images, of the registers of the diocese of Meath up to 1880, approximately forty parishes, as well as a copy of the LDS transcripts.
 

CHURCH RECORDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR RESEARCH OFFLINE

1. The National Library of Ireland has microfilm copies of almost all pre-1880 Roman Catholic parish registers on the island of Ireland. Access is free and print-outs of the records are allowed. See www.nli.ie.
2. The LDS Family History Library has microfilm copies of c. 40% of Irish Roman Catholic parish registers, some copies of National Library of Ireland films, others filmed by the LDS themselves. See https://familysearch.org/catalog-search. These films can be ordered via the Family History Centers attached to most Mormon temples. 
3. Most local Roman Catholic parishes do not permit research on their original records. Callers will normally be referred to the heritage centres whose records are now almost all on www.rootsireland.ie. If necessary, contact details for local parishes can be found via www.catholicireland.net.
4. The Representative Church Body Library is the official archive of record for Church of Ireland records that survived the burning of the Public Record Office in 1922. A full list of its holdings is at http://ireland.anglican.org. All are freely searchable if they are not too fragile to be handled.
5. The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (www.proni.gov.uk) has freely available microfilm copies of almost all surviving records of all denominations for areas now in Northern Ireland, as well as a good number for areas in the border counties of Donegal, Cavan, Leitrim, Monaghan and Louth. A full list is at http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/search_the_archives/online_indexes/church_of_ireland_index.htm.
6. Quaker records are very comprehensive back to the 17th century, with microfilm copies in NLI and PRONI. See www.quakers-in-ireland.ie.
7. Some Presbyterian records are only available locally or in the Presbyterian Historical Society. See www.presbyterianhistoryireland.com.

Also available for free at http://www.genealogy.nationalarchives.ie/

• Census of Ireland, 1901 and 1911, and pre-1901 survivals
• Census Search Forms, 1841 – 51
• Tithe Applotment Books, 1823 – 37
• Soldiers’ Wills, 1914 – 1918
• Calendars of Wills and Administrations, 1858 – 1922
• Prerogative and diocesan copies of some wills and indexes to others, 1596 – 1858
• Diocesan and Prerogative Marriage Licence Bonds Indexes, 1623 – 1866
• Catholic qualification & convert rolls, 1700 – 1845
• Valuation Office house, field, tenure and quarto books 1824 – 1856
• Shipping agreements and crew lists, 1863 – 1921
• Will Registers 1858 – 1900

There is also http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/  it is another census substitute and would give you names of people and where they lived and when you use names and places in conjunction with Tithe Applotment Books and the Census you can sometimes build up a continuation for who live in certain areas.

 

 

You could also write to the Editor at the Anglo-Celt, it is the local paper, it is not read as widespread as it used to but you never know your story may hit a note with someone you can reach them at   linda@ anglocelt.ie  give them as much detail as you have and if you have photos or a particular story it has a better chance of getting published.  I gather they do not send acknowledgements when they have published the story.  Due to cutbacks in journalism, write it as you want it published, they do not appear to edit anymore.

 

You can also contact cavangenealogy@eircom.net they charge for their service.

 

Best of luck, and if you come across anything that requires a second set of eyes, let me know.  

Regards Carmel