Hello, I am interested in finding out more about your area and perhaps my ancestors. The names I have are Hugh Raftery born about 1795 who married Hannah McDonagh. They had a son Micheal Raftery born in Galway about 1813 who emigrated to America and died in Boston, Massachusetts 22 December 1888. Hugh and Hannah are my 3rd great grandparents. I am interested in making connections if possible for a future trip.
Valerie:
Fohenagh RC records start in August 1827. I searched the subscription site Roots Ireland and found three baptismal records which may be of interest. They were in Cappataggle RC parish which is two parishes south of Fohenagh. Here are the three records:
Anne Raftery baptized September 18 1816 father Hugh Raftery mother Hannah McDonagh location Lisakil
James Raftery baptized April 12 1819 father Hugh Raftery mother Hannah McDonagh location Derry
John Raftery baptized May 13 1827 father Hugh Raftery mother Ann McDonagh location Ballinaclogh
Not sure if this is your family but the names match up except for Ann instead of Hannah but very possible it is the same person.
Have you considered DNA testing?
Roger McDonnell
Valerie,
Hugh and Hannah had at least three other children, baptized in the RC parish of CAPPATAGLE, Co. Galway, in the years shown:
Raftery Anne 1816 Co. Galway
Raftery James 1819 Co. Galway
Raftery John 1827 Co. Galway
(Source: RootsIreland)
I hope this helps.
Thank you so much Roger and Patricia for helping me with this information. Having these locations as places to visit is especially meaningful if it means that my ancestors had lived there. I have done DNA testing through 23 and Me along with my mother, some of my sisters, and my brother and we have been able to make some connections here in the United States but none abroad. I don't know if a company like Ancestry would give me overseas connections. I had found Hugh Raftery in the Griffith's Valuation listed as being a tenant in Fohenagh, but I now know it was Cappatagle. I appreciate your assistance in helping me to narrow down the location.
Valerie:
Cappataggle is the RC parish but the family likely lived within the civil parish of Killalaghtan. There is a townland called Ballynaclogh which is likely the townland shown on the 1827 baptismal record.
Roger
Roger, Thank you for this added information. I will certainly write it down in my notebook. I pulled up a map and noticed that Ballyna is commonly used as a place name and searched it's meaning. It makes sense that it means "place of" and with clough meaning stone, it's place of the stone. How beautiful the Irish language is. Killalaghtan is a very good tip, I looked that up also and found reference via Galway library mentioning the landowner in the Griffith's valuation, Lord Clonbrock. This must be the place or very near it.-Valerie O'Brien
I don't know if a company like Ancestry would give me overseas connections.
Valerie, you can find overseas matches on Ancestry, but FamilyTreeDNA might have more overseas members than Ancestry.
Good luck with your search.
Patricia, that is good to know. I don't want to spend a lot of money on dna testing, especially since I have already had it done. I'm not sure if I can justify the expense. I do appreciate the time that the volunteers spend on here, it is very kind of you.