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MayoArdagh (Mayo)

Hello,

Since I'm visiting Ireland this summer I dug up the only information I could find on my grandmother. I found a piece of paper of my deseased mother from 1974 when she visited Irelandand it has the Ardagh Parrish (or church?) seal on it. However the handwriting is my mother's. Is says my grandmother, Sara Elizabeth Barret was born in Crossmolina, Parish of Ardagh. It goes on to say that Sara appears in the Batisimal Journal at the church as being born in July 11, 1886 under the name of Elizabeth Barrett. (another note says correct date of birth was Janruary 1, 1886.) It goes on to say that her brother, Tom Barrett was born on May 1st, 1884 and baptized by Father Boland on May 4th, 1884. I assume Father Boland also baptized my grandmother.

It also list the godparents. I'm not sure whether they were for Sara or Tom but their names are:

John Touhill and Catherine Granaham.

I would like to find this church this summer so if anyone can confirm that the church is named Ardagh and where I might find it I would appreciate it. I don't know that I will find any ancestors but am open to guidance on that. I'm not sure whether the entire family was involved in the Diaspora but I don't remember having any great uncles or aunts when I was a child. I only remember my grandmother Sara. Thank you.

Richard Barr

IrelandXO member

7 replies

Patrick Boland was the parish priest in Ardagh Catholic parish in 1884 (Thom's directory). During the 1830s there was a chapel for this parish located in Carrowcrin townland, roughly halfway between the towns of Ballina and Crossmolina, (see this link)  this was still in use up to the late 1890s or possibly very early 1900s, but is shown on the current OSI map as being 'in ruins'. There seems to be a plaque of some sort on the site of the former church - see here (google street view). There probably a replacement chapel nearby...

There were separate parishes based in Ballina/Kilmoremoy and Crossmolina. There are two likely possible references for Tom civil birth registration on the BMD index, both April/June quarter 1884, Ballina district, same volume number but different page references - might possibly be a transcription error. The only likely registration I see for Sarah is one in Jan/Mar quarter of 1882 ?

Did the baptism records mention parents names ?

 

 

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you Shane,

So I take it a plaque is the only thing left of the church.  Although this piece of paper has the emboessed Ardagh seal, the only writing on it is my mother's and there is no mention of the parents and we're long past the time when questions could be asked of anyone who knew.

IrelandXO member

Richard:

I checked on the Roots Ireland indexes and found an 1884 baptismal record for a Thomas Barrett in the Ardagh RC records. His parents were Patrick and Mary. There was no record for a Sara or Elizabeth for those parents in the Ardagh records.

This summer the National Library of Ireland plans to place the RC parish registers online for free searching. You can look for those records at that time.

I also could not find the 1901 census record for the family. Did they leave for America?

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

As far as I can see the RC parish of Ardagh still exists so there should be another newer chapel somewhere nearby, it's just that particular church that is no longer in use.

Based on searches of the RootsIreland (pay-website) I believe that birth registration for Sarah Barrett in 1882 is the same family as that 1886 birth of Tom/Thomas - so worth following up. The registration sub-district for both entries is Crossmolina.

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

Richard:

The church in Ardagh is Our Lady of the Assumption. They apparently do not have a  web site and the Diocese of Killala web site is currently under construction.

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

found some details as follows on the Parish of Ardagh and churches on the Mayo-Ireland.ie website (scroll abt half way down the page):

Ardagh Church

The old Church at Carrowcrin which was built in 1828 remained in use until 1954 and was demolished
some years later. Five priests are interred beneath the floor of the church in marked, but now
unidentified, graves. A pillar built in 1917, on top of which the bell was mounted before it was
moved to the new church, still stands on the site.

The present church was built in 1954 under the direction of Fr. David O’Donoghue.
It was consecrated  by Bishop Patrick O’Boyle. The contractor was Pat Winters, Killala.

 

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

Thanks for your message - plenty of information there from your cousin for you to follow up.

"Ranamaugh" - I believe is a reference to the townland of Rathnamagh, which is in Kilfian civil parish and part of Ardagh Catholic parish. This townland is located about 6km (4 miles) north of the town of Crossmolina.

I'll have a quick look through the other locations mentioned in that note, to see if I can come up with anything - "Worth", "Leetsdale crossing", also "Sewickley" which sounds like it might be a WW1 cemetery abroad to me for some reason...

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

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