Ireland XO
Back to Message Board

Begleys & Gallaghers from Carrickrory

DonegalTemplecarn (Donegal)

Mary E. M. Begley is my great grandmother, born 11 Jan 1864 in Carrickrory, County Donegal to Patrick Begley (1816-1871) and Elizabeth "Bessie" Gallagher (1824-1874). Patrick and Elizabeth also had at least four other children born in Carrickrory that I am aware of: William Alfred Begley, Sr. (16 Sep 1865-1950), Annie Begley (2 Dec 1867-1941), Patrick Begley (Abt.1867/1870-after 1920) and Thomas Joseph Begley (1 Dec 1870 - 1937). All of these children emigrated to USA in the late 19th century and settled in three adjacent counties: Philadelphia & Delaware County, Pennsylvania and New Castle County, Delaware and each lived within 50 miles of each other. I have not done much research of the Ireland records and I am hoping to locate birth or baptismal records for the parents (Patrick and Elizabeth (Gallagher) Begley) as well as their marriage records and also to see if other children were born to this couple. Professional genealogists found the civil birth records for 4 of the chidren (missing Patrick). They also found a birth record for Thomas Patt Begley born 22 November 1870 to Thomas Begley and Ann Gallagher and conjectured that Thomas was a brother of Patrick and the Begley brothers married Gallagher sisters but did not have time to research this. I want to discover the parents of Patrick and Elizabeth and if they have any brothers or sisters and if there were other children of Patrick and Elizabeth who may have stayed in Carrickrory.

The professional genealogists searched in vain for the marriage record of Patrick and Elizabeth in the Carn parish record index for the years 1859-1864. They did however find the marriage record for Thomas Begley and Ann Gallagher, parents of Thomas Patt, discussed above. Widowed Thomas Begley, aged 32, of Carrickrory, and ann Gallagher, age 24, of Carntressy townland, were married 5 Mar 1867 in the Roman Catholic Chapel of Pettigo. The groom was the son of Thomas Begley, a farmer andthe bride was the daughter of Terence Gallagher, also a farmer. If it turns out they are related, Thomas and Ann Begley along with 3 adult children were still living at Carrickrory at the time of the 1901 census. Neighbors to these Begleys were a young couple named James and Jane Gallagher who the professional genealogists also thought might be related. Begleys and Gallaghers are also listed in the 1911 census in Carrickrory so relatives may still be living in this area now.

I am hoping to visit Ireland next spring to see the homelands of my four sets of paternal great grandparents and maybe any living relatives. The other families come from Mulinahone, County Tipperary, Parkmore, Doorus, County Galway and somewhere as yet identified in East County Galway (probably near Ballynakill). I have been to Ireland 3 times before which I enjoyed immensely but this trip will be special because of the family connection. My son married a girl whose mother is a Quinn who emigrated from Montcharles, County Donegal so we will also be stopping in that area.

Thanks for any help.

IrishMike369

5 replies

IrishMike:

With the Carn RC parish records not starting until 1877, it will be difficult to find any information on the parents of Patrick Begley and Elizabeth Gallagher. It is possible that the father of Patrick was William. The oldest son of Thomas Begley and Anne Gallagher was William born 1868 and the oldest son of Patrick and Bessie could have been William also. (We can't tell if any children were born before Mary).

The 1857 Griffiths Valuation for Templecarn civil parish shows two Begly records in Carrickrory-- a John Begly and a Thomas Begly. Not sure how they are connected to Patrick and Thomas.

I did not find any Templecarn Tithe records.

The 1911 census shows that the elder Thomas and his wife Anne were deceased and his son Thomas had taken over the farm. No other Begley households in Carrickrory.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Donegal/Pettigoe/Carrickrory/481696/

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Irish Mike, and hello Roger 

I am hoping Mike that perhaps there will be other volunteers such as Roger here better suited to give advice or help in regards to finding family records available for you regarding your Begley and Gallagher families 

I might be able to help you in another way perhaps by putting effort into deciphering the old 1850’s Griffith Valuation records and referance maps showing the head of households listing for the townland of Carricktory. 

https://www.townlands.ie/donegal/tirhugh/templecarn/pettigoe/carrickrory/ 

When visiting this page, you will see the general location map for the townland Carricktory at the top and at the very bottom of the page you will have see a few important links (as is displayed here below) 

Genealogy / Ancestry / Records Search 

: 

Clicking on the Griffith Valuation – Just as Roger has has said there are 2 x Begley householders named John Begley and Thomas Begley recorded owning both land (at the top of the register) and medium sized houses in Plot locations such as - John Begley Plot 3a and Thomas Begley Plot 4a. 

It will take me a few days to maybe a week, but I am confident that I will be able to put together a powerpoint slide that will visually display and pinpoint exactly where the John Begly and Tomas Begley family homesteads were back in 1847 and more importantly have Google Map location links and GPS co-ordinates so that you will be able to drive straight to that location using something as simple as your mobile smart phone.  

How might that sound (and thank you Roger) 

Seamus Callaghan 

Volunteer for Parish of Clondavaddog  

(North-West Donegal) 

Clondavaddog Donegal, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Seamus!

Hope you are holding up with the heat! All the best!

Roger

 

 

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

The Tithe Applotment records on the National Archives of Ireland website unfortunately have quite a number of location errors, in the transcripts and index Templecarn parish is mixed up with a separate County Donegal parish named Templecrone. The two parish are in different parts of Donegal with Templecarne in the south east near the town of Pettigoe and Templecorne in the north west on the Atlantic cost with the town of Dungloe/Dunglow  - see map 1 below for approximate locations.

The two parishes are in different Established Church Diocese, which helps the records apart in the listings with Templecarne parish in Clogher Diocese, and Templecrone parish in Raphoe Diocese.

A small part of Templecarn (civil) parish was in County Fermanagh.

A search of the correct Templecarn Tithe records shows a number of Begly and Bigly properties – as follows :

Thomas Bigly, Boeeshil
H. Bigley, Minsafin and Part Mountain
Thomas Begley, .. ?Anicrony
Jno. Begley, .. ?Anicrony
Andw. Begly, .. ?Anicrony
Patrick Begley, Boeeshil

Boeeshil townland is quite large, nearly 1,000 acres and located about 2km (~1.25 miles) north west of the town of Pettigoe.

Minsafin  is probably ‘Meensheefin’ another large townland of nearly 2,000 acres about 8.5 km (~5 miles) to the east of Pettigoe on the road to Donegal Town.

I took a closer look at the records transcribed as ‘?Anicrony’ – the left of the page is cut off on these, and to me the legible ending is ..arrickrory, only townland that fits this ending in Templecarn would be ‘Carrickrory’… Carrickrory townland is not far from Boeeshil to the east of Pettigoe.

 

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

The Templecrone/Templecarn map I mentioned did not attach - see below :

I also just noticed that I gave a reverse bearing for one of the locations - '.....Minsafin  is probably ‘Meensheefin’ another large townland of nearly 2,000 acres about 8.5 km (~5 miles) to the West of Pettigoe on the road to Donegal Town....'

Templecarne & Templecrone parish locations Co. Donegal

 

 

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

Reply

Reply
One image file up to 2 MB.