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Drews of Crocksheeby

LouthTermonfeckin (Louth)

I'd like to know any more if possible about the family of Michael Drew and Judith Flanagan of Crocksheeby.  What information I do have comes from church records (though I haven't been able to access the earlier Termonfeckin records — they don't appear all to be online) and, most importantly, from a handwritten history penned by Fr. Brendan McEvoy, a distant relative.  This was generously shared by my McEvoy relatives living in Priorstown.  Add'l family history was shared orally by distant cousins in Termonfeckin and Cannontown.

Michael Drew and Judith Flanagan had at least five children: Mary who married Anthony McDonnell — some of their descendants remain at Cannontown, original home of the McDonells, to this day; Margaret "Peggy" who was born c. 1807 and married Hugh McEvoy with whom she settled at Priorstown after first living at Ballinreask — some of their descendants also remain in Priorstown; Laurence who married Margaret Garrigan — their daughter Margaret married James Moore and some of their descendants are at Crocksheeby; Catherine, b.c. 1809, died 1881 at Milltown where she bore at least four children to her husband, Peter Allen, whom I think died young; and Judith, b.c. 1816 and married Richard Turtle, Cartown.

I found also a single record listed in Monasterboice for "Ally Drew," of Cnocsheeby, daughter of Michael Drew and Judith Flanagan in the Monasterboice records.  I'm not sure why I can't also find at least Judith, who was born late enough to appear in those records.

I'd like to know if my Crocksheeby Drews (I descend from Peggy Drew McEvoy) are related to the Drews elsewhere in the parish, like the big family at Broughan/Braghan and the smaller one at Beaulieu.  I also wonder there's a way to find whether other siblings were born to this couple.  

Any help would be appreciated.

Carl

10 replies

Hello Carl, it appears that Monasterboice baptisms only start in 1814 and Termonfeckin in 1823, so assume Ally is the last child born, the only other information I see is a Judith Drew is a sponsor at a baptism of an Anne Drew in Richardstown, Dunleer, in 1798 father Pat Drew and mother Rose Ward, other witness is a Michael Gallagher badly transcribed. This couple had a number of children. 

Church records at this period are hit and miss and some sites appear to have more than others at times but I have searched Roots Ireland which is a good one I find.

Assume from the depth of your research that you are aware of the Termonfeckin History website and the Louth Genealogical Sources site, without the paper records there is no way of linking the varous families but Drew is not a common name, there are some Drew queries on this site previously, one recently I think. 

There are also some Louth Facebook pages on Genealogy but if the records do not exist or are lost everyone is in the same boat. 

On the Louth site there are lists of names of those whose headstones are transcribed if you spot one it should be possible to get the inscription, I have a hard copy of the recently published one book on Monasterboice headstones, will look at it tomorrow to see if any Drews mentioned. 

Regards

Pat

St Peters LouthIrelandXO Volunteer

That makes sense, Pat.  Although I read somewhere I might be able to find marriage records for Termonfeckin from the early 1800s.  They don't appear to be digitized, unfortunately.  The Termonfeckin history site has indeed been a real treasure trove.  I guess what I'm hoping for now is that someone else descended from the Drews will have some old piece of paper or another clue that will help out with the gaps in church records.  A long shot, I know.  

Thanks for checking for Drew headstones!  Much appreciated.

Carl

Hi Carl, there is only one Drew in Monasterboice book, nee McDonnell, I attach a photo of the extract. Was disappointed to see there does not appear to be a indexed graveyard publication for Termonfeckin.

There is a voluntary project ongoing on the Registry of Deeds Index Project, lad registry came in in the 1700s, not a legal requirement until later but done, only one Drew I see rented land in Castle Street, Drogheda, in 1760, otherwise there are Drews in many places in Ireland and I notice a lot in Limerick and Clare, wealthy enough to live in places called Drewscourt and Drewsborough, also in Kilkenny there is a Drew someplace, that site is here, https://irishdeedsindex.net/search/index.php ;

Pat

St Peters LouthIrelandXO Volunteer

Thanks for your very speedy and helpful replies!  I'll be diving into the deeds.

Carl

Hi Carl, will leave you alone after this but if you are into diving into deeds and such, this site may interest you, Ireland was planted following the 1641 rebellion and this site shows who ownd land in 1640 and 1670, I see a Philip Drew has land in 1670 in Kilmore Quay, Wexford, only Drew I can see but may have been the first one, this is the Plantation of Ireland period for which we had now two Irelands, if history interests you search Irish Plantation, often these people were senior soldiers in Cromwells army, see http://downsurvey.tcd.ie/historical-gis.html ;

There is another site that may interest you here, a search for Drew gets at least one hit but I could not locate the information, the Hearth Money Roll list is here but it does not exist for all counties.

https://www.failteromhat.com/index.php ;

Pat

 

St Peters LouthIrelandXO Volunteer

Such great resources!  I'll check them for my other relatives as well.  The name Cromwell makes me shudder, but it's history, I suppose!

Carl

Someone please help me find Crocksheeby. It is not on Google maps, And is not listed as a town and in Louth.

Going crazy in South Carolina.

Best regards,

Catherine Rogers 

catherineroger…

Dear Anyone,

Please accept my apologies for my terse message. Bridget McEvoy Stanley, daughter of Margaret Drew and Hugh McEvoy is my great great great grandmother. She emigrated to Illinois in1853. Just trying to learn as much as I can about relatives in Ireland. I have spelled Crocksheeby several ways. But cannot find it as a Townland. I thought it might be around Carstown and Belview, Also interested in Knowing as much as possible Judith Flanagan, and if she perhaps had a middle name.

Any information would be most helpful.

Sincerely,  Catherine Rogers.

catherineroger…

Catherine, I only got this notification as the on the site have not been working, the good news is you are not alone as I found one mention ot the place but still not sure where, I intend to contact some of the local Drogheda historians to see if they are more knowlegable and a friend in Termonfeckin, I am only a blow in to Drogheda, the reference is from this site https://jbhall.clahs.ie/ ; and is "Moore Anne, Crocksheeby, Dga, 10 Apr 1937, DI." a death notice, Dga is Drogheda and the DI is I assume the local newspaper the Drogheda Independent which I think is on the subscription site Irish Newspaper Archive, a monthly subscription is I think about $35.

If I do not get back in the next two weeks give me a poke here in case I forget, but I assume now it is between Drogheda and Termonfeckin. 

Here is the Irish maps site and you may find it on the historical maps. https://osi.ie/ ;

Good Luck

Pat

St Peters LouthIrelandXO Volunteer

Well Catherine no need for a poke, ran the local who grew up nearby, it is in the twonland of Newtownstabalen turn left at Beaulieu Cross and take the road L6327 on the top of the townland highlighted in this link, it is the area along this road and must be well known locally about 3 miles east of Drogheda.

https://www.townlands.ie/louth/ferrard/newtownstalaban/

These are civil regions and church of local may be different, assume Crocksheeby is an Anglicised name from the Gaelic language.

Regards

Pat

St Peters LouthIrelandXO Volunteer

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