Gavins (Maybe Gavan), Mulligans and Costellos
Hello!
I think I've tracked down lots of my father's family to Leahive/Leaha and BallynahownaTownlands in Kilbegnet. It seems quite amazing since some of the marriages didn't even happen while they were in Ireland. I guess when people emigrated they went near people they knew had gone already.
I've found Gavin/Gavan, Mulligan, Costello and Conniker (Conacher, Conicar and more spellings) connections reported to have been born in these townlands in the 1860s and 1860s.My father's grandfather Michael Gavin was born in Ballynahowna. His mother's name was Mary Mulligan. There are Gavins and Mulligans living near each other in the 1850s in these townlands based on Griffith Valuations. There were also Costellos and Connikers. My great grandmother who married Michael Gavin in NYC was Nellie Conniker. She was the daughter of James Conniker (various spellings) and Honora Costello. I haven't found her birth info, but some of her sisters were also born in Leahive Townland.
I've found baptism records in the Catholic Church records provided on line by NLI. The baptisms were recorded in Glinsk Parish.
Families by all these names were still living in the two townships in 1911. All my closer ancestors ended up in NYC. I think Honora Costello must have come to the US with one of her daughters after her husband died. I think she lived for a while with a son in White Haven, PA for a while. Eventually I find her living for a few years each with two of her daughters in NYC though. My father remembered these aunts.
I'd love to connect with anyone from any of these families.
Thanks,
Deirdre Gavin Bradway
