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LouthRichardstown (Louth)

Hello,

My husband's great-great grandmother, Bridget McQuillan,was born in Richardstown in 1831 and emigrated to the United States when she was 14 years old. I know a lot about her years in the United States, but I wonder about her first 14 years and her journey to the U.S. Can you help with this?

Her parents were Patrick McQuillan (b 1810)and Anne Keenan. I believe Patrick was an illegimitate son of Owen McQuillan. I know Bridget had a sister, Annie, who had a different father, Thomas Sennett. I found records here that show Bridget and Annie lived in Cumberland, Maryland and West Virginia. Bridget married a William Moore whose ancestors also were from Ireland. William died during our Civil War in 1865. Bridget moved to Colorado in 1884 with her son, William, and died here in 1916.

We are taking our granddaughter and daughter to Ireland in June of 2015 and would like to visit this area. Our granddaughter is 12 years old and very interested in history and writing.

Is there a possibility of finding an email-pal for her to correspond with prior to our trip?

Thank you for any assistance.

Dina Elder

IrelandXO member

4 replies

Dina:

The corresponding RC church for Richardson civil parish is Dunleer. I checked the Roots Ireland indexes and found an 1831 baptismal record for a Bridget McQuillan with parents Patrick and Anne, however, the record was not in Dunleer but in Drogheda. Most likely St. Peters Drogheda rather than St. Marys where records start in 1835. Richardson civil parish is a good deal north of Drogheda

Roots is a subscription site. Later this year the National Library of Ireland plans to place the RC parish registers online for free searching.

I can't help with ship that Bridget took to come to the States.I also can't help with a pen pal. However, we have some parish liaisons in Louth who may respond later.

Roger McDonnell

 

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you for the information and for a quick reply.

Dina

IrelandXO member

Hello Dina

I am one of the Louth volunteers based in Drogheda. You may find this site interesting for Louth

http://www.jbhall.freeservers.com/ It throws up McQuillans but none in Richardstown but nearby. The graveyard inscriptions for Richardstown only go to McM and no further, puzzle.

While I think I have heard of the name Sennett it is unusual and does not turn up on the site but Sinnott a more familiar but also not common name turns up in the late 1700s in a place Curraghbeg which is near Richardstown but only once.

The general area is of interest both from and Irish and Europen perspective (Battle of the Boyne in 1689).

I have no problem with emailing your granddaughter or yourself if she is a bit put off by mailing a retired man, I can certainly send her sites to look at as there are numerous anchient and historic places around here. My mail is ohalloran.pat@gmail.com

Drogheda at the time had a large trade with Liverpool and it is possible your ancestor would have sailed to the USA via Liverpool and there would be no record of leaving Ireland as we were all one then.

To give you a hint of the times see Wild Goose Lodge Murders on the site.

If you have any queries about places to stay or transport etc please ask.

Regards

Pat

St Peters LouthIrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you, Pat. I would like to have recommendations about where to stay and what to see while we are there. I will email you separately.

Dina

IrelandXO member

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