Thank you Aine for your reply and the massive amount of research you have done to help me get over my brickwall. I really appreciate your efforts. I will acknowledge your points and questions in the order you have presented them to me.
My wife and I have been lucky enough to visit Ireland three times, the first as tourists with our son and daughter-in-law, the next two visits we toured but also spent considerable time chasing my family history. I have searched the following films of baptism and marriage registers at the National Library of Ireland and at the Clare Studies Centre in Ennis.
P2440 Lisdoonvarna Baptisms 1 Jun 1854 – 19 Nov 1876. Lisdoonvarna Marriages not applicable.
P2440 Kilfenora Baptisms 1 Jun 1836 – 15 May 1847. Kilfenora Marriages from 15 Aug 1842
Parish Kilfenora, St Fachanan’s Church Baptisms 3 Sep 1854 – 12 Sep 1876. Marriages not applicable
P2475 Kildysart Baptisms oldest register beginning Jul 1829 with Parish notes.
Kilnaboy & Rath parishes Baptisms 31 Oct 1862 – 23 Dec 1880
P2475 Parish Register Killaloe Diocese Rath & Kilnaboy. Marriages 27 Jan 1818 - 25 Feb 1844, 27 Feb 1859 – 26 Nov 1862.
P2471 Diocese Kilaloe Parish Clondegad. Baptisms 2 Oct 1846 – 29 Dec 1880.
P2471 Clondegad Parish Marriages 1 Nov 1846 – 20 Jun 1880
P2471 Tulla Parish Baptisms Jan 1819 – 28 Mar 1846
P2485 Kilmurray – McMahon & Killofin. Bap. 1845 – 1880. Marr. 1837 – 1880. Death 1844 – 1848.
P2473 Killaloe Diocese Parish Ruan & Dysart. Bap.18 Aug 1845 – 23 Dec 1880, Marr. 2 Jul 1846 - 23 Jun 1880.
P2477 Diocese Killaloe Parish Kilnoe & Tomgrany. Marr. 2 Nov 1832 – 4 Jul 1880.
Diocese Killaloe, Parish Killaloe Register St Harman’s Killaloe. Bap. 24 May 1828 – 19 Jun 1844.
P2474 Doora & Kilreaghtis. Marriages.
Parish Register, Diocese Killaloe, Parish Kilmaley. Bap. 23 Sep 1828 – 31 Dec 1880.
Sixmile Bridge Baptismal Register, Marriage Register.
Killaloe Diocese, Rath & Kilnaboy Parishes. Bap 14 Apr 1819 – 25 Dec 1836.
P2440 Diocese Galway, Parish Liscannor. Bap 15 Jun 1843 – 4 Jul 1854.
I need to check before my next visit to Ireland to find which films I have yet to view. The registers which were recorded in Latin were difficult to decipher and are one’s I really need to re-check.
I visited the parish office at Ennistymon and the priests at Lissdoonvarna and Corofin with no Michael Cusack and Bridget Morgan marriage or children found.
I have also searched many sites including Clare Library site, Ancestry, Irish sites, Evictions, Brian Cantwell’s Memorials of the Dead by Eneclann, our Genealogy Society of Victoria (GSV) which has a large selection of Irish records, etc, etc, etc.
My GGrandfather, John Cusack sailed to Australia in Jul 1867 aboard the “Tornado”. His mother, Bridget Cusack nee Morgan and her other two children Catherine and James sailed from Liverpool in Apr 1869 aboard the “Electric”. All travelled as unassisted immigrants, which meant minimal details were taken from them and there were no bonds involved. It is possible that John sent money back to Ireland for his family’s passage, but he must have had funds to pay his initial fare.
The certificates I referred to for my family are all from here in Victoria, Australia. There are no Irish certificates for them as there was no civil registration at the time of their births. The witnesses or sponsors on the Victorian certificates were either family members or names not connected with our family, except for Catherine’s marriage certificate, which is another complete story.
Catherine’s bridesmaid was a Susan Cusack, a Christian name unusual to our family. My research revealed that Susan travelled to Australia on the “White Star” in Aug 1865. She stated she was 19 years old. She travelled with Mary Lysaght, 40 years old. In Apr 1875, Susan married James Lysaght at Gisborne, Victoria. James mother is Mary Lysaght nee McInerney. Susan died in 1940 aged 90 years. Her parents were Patrick Cusack and Hannah Lynch. They appear on the Clare Library’s Census search forms 1841 & 1851 under the applicant’s name of Mary Cusack, Susan’s sister. The family lived at Ballytarsna. The adjoining property was farmed by Michael Cusack who married Catherine Lynch (two brothers married two sisters). They are also listed on the Census search forms site.
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/genealogy/census_search_forms/…
James Lysaght’s father was Michael and their farm was in Kilshanny Parish at Carroweragh. As you are probably aware, this is very close to Ballytarsna.
On our last visit, my wife and I made contact with the Ballytarsna Cusacks and whilst still keeping in touch, they don’t seem to have much historical knowledge back to the mid 1800’s. Being married to Catherine eliminates this Michael from the list of Michael Cusacks in the Griffith Valuation.
The Michael Cusack at O’Briensbridge in the Griffiths can also be eliminated as he was a shopkeeper in 1846, not a farmer as both my GGrandfather John and his sister Catherine entered on their Victorian marriage certificates.
There was also death of Michael Cusack from Lickeen, Kilfenora recorded in 1865, Reg, No 153 at Ennistymon. I have his death certificate and although his wife is Bridget, she is recorded on the Clare Library Census of Kilfenora & Kiltoraght Parishes, 1866. She is recorded as Cusick with a 7 year old child named Bridget. This also eliminates another possibility and is the Michael born in 1805 that you mention in relation to Death certificates.
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/genealogy/census_1866/surname…
You are correct about the strong indicator with Morgan and Cusack marriages at Corofin. I have checked the various Freeholder Registry lists for Clare and Ennis and both names appear. My Roger Morgan was a farmer but blacksmithing was a common occupation in the Morgan extended family. I have located six Roger Morgans but one from Deerpark now Woodpark near Ennistymon seems to have remained a farmer. The two Roger Morgans, blacksmiths, from Knocknareeha/Willbrook and Ennis are both too young to be my Bridget Morgan’s father, whereas the Deerpark Roger is the father of the Knocknareeha/Willbrook Roger. This Roger married in 1844 so I think the Roger you have sent me on the LDS site is the Roger from Ennis, although I don’t know when he was born or married. He was named on Daniel Morgan’s entry on the List of Freeholders Co Clare 1821. Date of registry being15 Oct 1817.
I have downloaded the Tithe Applotment records for Cusack, Morgan and Cahill (Roger’s Morgan’s wife was Ellen Cahill) All three names appear in Kilfenora and Kilfinane. Cusack and Morgan appear in Clooney and Rath. Cusack and Cahill are listed in 13 parishes. Morgan and Cahill appear in Kilmanahine, which lists Roger Morgan at Deerpark.
Of the 8 Michael Cusacks in the Griffiths Valuation, the two mentioned above, Kilshanny and O’Briensbridge can be eliminated.
You mention the Michael Cusack from Newcastle on Fergus. I found this Petition a week ago at the GSV and was looking at that record last night to see if I could eliminate him. Your research has now done that – thank you. I copied 6 Michaels in Clare and 2 in Limerick from the petition. There were 2 from Ennis, 2 from Newcastle on Fergus, 1 at Tulla and 1 at Kilfeira parish. Each had a different signature number but I wondered if Ennis and Newcastle on Fergus were entered twice.
The Cusack deaths in the Kilrush Workhouse are either too young or too old. My Bridget and Michael were just beginning their family around 1850. It appears they only had the three children, John 1851, Catherine 1855 and James 1856 as they were the only ones named on Bridget’s death certificate which also usually includes deceased children’s names.
I have found other Michaels (provided by Declan Barron of Ennis) named in the Clare Journal 26 Mar 1840 – Application to Register as Freeholder, Division of Ennistymon. No. 15 Michael Cusack, farmer, Ardeera, dwelling house and land at Ardeera, Corcomroe Barony. Clare Journal 15 Jun 1843 - Application to Register as Freeholder, Division of Ennistymon. No. 15 Michael Cusack, farmer, Ardieraw, dwelling house and land at Ardieraw, Corcomroe Barony.
Two Michaels also appeared on page 2589 of the Irish Ancestor 1969 – 1986 by Rosemary Ffolliott and produced by Eneclann. On this page under the heading “Tenants of Sir Hugh Dillon Massey near Clonlara, County Clare 21 Sep 1844” there is recorded a Michael in Cottage L and another Michael at Prospect Hill.
I am yet to verify or eliminate these last four Michaels.
The Famine Commemoration event is a great recognition of harsh times in Ireland. My extended family of cousins, etc. are waiting eagerly for me to find our roots in County Clare. As many of them have travelled overseas in the past, I hope that someday we can all meet in County Clare to visit our townland, perhaps coinciding with an event such as the Famine Commemoration. I guess I need to keep searching!!!
Aine, you asked me to get back to you if I had any other bit of information. I hope all this isn’t too overwhelming but I have had more than ten years to collect all this data. I really appreciate you taking the time to look at my information. My wife is a great help to me but a fresh set of eyes looking at my search could show something I have overlooked.
Kind regards,
Bob
