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McGrath and Meehan

DonegalTemplecarn (Donegal)

I am trying to find out more about my Donegal ancestors.My GGF Thomas McGrath with his wife Margaret Meehan and their sonJohn migrated to Brisbane Australia in 1861. I have their migration record. I also have John's baptism record from the RC parish of Carn in 1859.Thomas's parents were Thomas McGrath and Ellen, she was maybe a McGrath before marriage too. They came from Carntressy. At some timeThomas and Margaretwere joined in Brisbaneby his sister Mary and their mother Ellen. They are both buried here in Brisbanebut I am unable to find any migration records for either of them.We would like to know any further information on our McGraths. Margaret Meehan's parents are listed as Patrick Meehan and Elizabeth. We guess they were from the same area but her place of origin is listed as just Donegal. We know nothing about this family.I have a lot of other information on the family after their arrival in Australia if it helps anyone else. Anything you can suggest especially online will be a good help.Thank you

IrelandXO member

4 replies

Carn marriage records start in 1836 and are on-line free on the NLI site, so you might find the parents marriage in them:

http://registers.nli.ie/parishes

 

Looking at Griffiths Valuation for 1857, in Carntressy I see a number of McGrath households including a Thomas and a Mary (though she’s likely to be a widow).

There were two Thomas McGraths in the townland and so they had agnomens (nicknames) to distinguish them.  One Thomas was known as “Art” and lived on plot 12 which was a 9 acre farm. Ellen was on plot 17 which was a house, 2 acres and some bogland. The other Thomas was known as “Dolian” and live don plot 5 which was a 5 acre farm. Next door to him was Mary (who you would expect to be a widow) on plot 6, which was 6 acres. These properties today are all near the R232 road a mile or tow west of Pettigo.

 

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml

 

There’s a set of records that takes those primary valuations forward, called the revaluation records. They are not on-line but are held in the Valuation Office in Dublin. They should show the various occupants leaving around the time they moved to Australia.

I noticed this probate abstract on the wills website:

Letters of Administration of the personal estate of John M'Grath late of Carntressy County Donegal Farmer deceased who died 16 February 1871 at same place were granted at Londonderry to Mary M'Grath of Carntressy (Pettigo) aforesaid the Widow of said deceased.

The townland remained full of McGraths in 1901:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Donegal/Templecarn/Carntrassy/

 

and 1911:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Donegal/Templecarn/Carntressy/

I looked in the modern phone book but did not see any in the townland today. However many people are not listed these days so its not conclusive.

 

 

 

 

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you so much  Elwyn  through you help I have now found Thomas and Margaret's marriage record  I need to spend time understanding the Griffiths Valuation records where I may gain some more information along the lines you mentioned 

IrelandXO member

This post is from several years ago but my McGrath family farmed on Carntressy. I have a tree that mentions Thomases and Ellens but not exactly like described here.  Here's what I have (I got from an Aunt a while ago):

My great great great great grandfather was an Owen McGrath.

He had a son Thomas. I think this was the Art Thomas mentioned above because I saw some records with (Art.) next to his name.

Thomas (Art.) McGrath married Mary Gilfeather. They had seven children, most of whom emigrated to the U.S. in the Boston area. Ultimately Thomas came over and lived with his children and is buried in the states.  I assume that Mary Gilfeather McGrath died in Ireland but haven't found much about her because of the common names (Mary and McGrath). 

One of Thomas seven kids, John McGrath married someone my Aunt did not identify and he had five children, three of whom were living on the McGrath family in the 1970s:  Patrick, John Francis, and Catherine Bridget. I found some records and I this the house number for this family was #7. If they had numbers at all?  

If you're still researching it would be fun to compare notes.  Thank you for reading.

Doreen McGrath

Doreen McGrath

P.S. I think Owen McGrath's wife's first name may have been Ellen

Doreen McGrath

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