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Lowry-Loftus-Dempsey links

GalwayClonbur (Galway)

I'm starting an additional post with a more descriptive title that the "grab screen" I used a year or so ago. In fact that post brought me loads of useful information from which I'm starting this post with my specific interests in the title.

Clonbur parish seems to be a core source of information for me because my great-grandfather Peter Lowry lived in the countytown of Ballydoolaugh only 6 miles away and had his children Peter, Martin, Mary, Catherine and Bridget baptized there. Records show that Bridget married Patrick Loftus and lived in Clonbur bearing nine children - Annie, Kate, Patrick, Bridget, Thady, Lena, John, Letitia and Ellen. The 1911 census shows three Dempsey grand-children and a married daughter Catherine Dempsey living with them. With that start on a large family tree I wonder if any of the Loftus descendents have wondered Bridget Lowry's sources and might they still live in Clonbur.

My grandfather Peter and his sister Mary Lowry Malia came to my hometown Scranton, PA in the late 1800s leaving their other siblings Catherine and Martin in the old tenant farm in Ballydoolough with their father Peter who died around 1905. I've been told a large group from that area moved east but I've never heard if Martin married and produced any more Lowrys.

An old letter giving the original address of great-parents uses Cornamona (which is a short walk south) from Ballydoolaugh.

Peter & Mary Cavanagh Lowry
Address: Ballydoolagh
Corr NA Mona (Cornamora)
County Galway

Several Lowrys are listed as tenant farmers of Ballydoolough in Griffith Valuation including Maurice, James, Pate, Mary and my great-grandfather Peter. I'd be interested in knowing if they were related. Ballydoolough is a square mile area with clustered houses as shown in the census so that's a lot of Lowrys close together. A hazy guess at history might have Scots-Irish Catholic Lowrys moving south from Ulster but then that's a guess.

Griffith Valuation records of Ballydoolough show several other neighboring Lowry families (various spellings) near Peter Lowry but I have no reason to believe that any or all were related to one another. The 1911 Census lists at least six Lowry households in Ballydoolough in addition to Martin and his sister. If these Lowrys were related then the basis for my family in Ireland will have grown greatly.

NYCPaull

2 replies

NYCPaull:

Welcome back!

For the other volunteers, here is the 2015 message and the responses. http://www.irelandxo.com/ireland/galway/clonbur/message-board/source-sc…

I looked at the online Irish phonebook (which is only a partial list of phone users) and did not any Lowry/Loftus/Dempsey records which might be a possible connection.

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

I found the photo of a Clonbur RossHill grave holding my great-grandfather Peter Lowry's sister Bridget, her husband Patrick Loftus and their two children Tady (died young) and Mary (died 1970) (see attached).  In the 1901 census they had nine children and Patrick is described as farmer and publican in Clonbur.  In the 1911 census a daughter Catherine Loftus Dempsey is living at the home with her three children. 

The gravestone notes that it was erected by Patrick and Nan Jackson who may or may not live in or near Clonbur.  Is it too intrusive to ask for assistance in getting an address, phone, etc of the Jackson's if indeed they are a couple rather than brother and sister.  Might RossHill have that information?  All my research leads me to believe this is the grave of my great-great aunt Bridget Lowry.

I've attached a summary of my research on Bridget which I prepare for all passed relatives in my family tree program.

NYCPaull

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