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A very cold trail.

MayoTemplemore (Mayo)

I am chasing a very cold trail. My great grand parents, Edmond Downey & Elizabeth Malloy, left the Templemore area (I believe the town was Graffin) in the early 1860s. Research indicates that original name was Muldowney which morphed to Edward Dooney in the USA. Elizabeth and Edward married in Paterson, NJ USA in 1865. I am looking for any information on either Edmond or Elizabeth and if there are any remaining Downeys in the area..

I sucessfully made contact with my Mothers' family (Kelly/Hoey) In Dundalk, Co. Louth in 2010 after 86 years of silence. We had a wonderful faimly reunion in 2010 in Dundalk.

Ed Dooney

IrelandXO member

4 replies

Ed:

There are three townlands called Graffin in Co. Tipperary. One of the three is in North Tipperary in the parish of Killavinoge which is the parish to the east of Templemore. I looked at 1850 Griffiths Valuation head of household listing for Killavinoge parish and there were two Dooneys in Graffin townland, Bernard and James. There was also a Thomas Molloy in Clonmore townland in that parish. See link below. I also provided a link to the Templemore Griffiths.

I can't help you regarding Dooney/Downey descendants in the area but we do have an active parish liaison so maybe she can assist when she see your note.

Roger McDonnell

 

http://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/tipperary/killavinoge.htm

http://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/tipperary/templemore.htm

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you Roger.  The interchangeability of Dooney & Downey in the 1800s has caused me many headaches.  Based on a baptism Record from Templemore, Edmond Downey was born on 12.9.1839.  Parents were Thomas Downey & Catherine (kitty) Dwyer.  The sponsers were listed as James Dooney & Honora Kirwan.  I believe James Dooney was Thomas' brother who is also listed in the records James Downey who was married to Margaret Howley.  Honora Kirwin I believe is James and Thomas' sister whom is listed as Honora Dooney as a sponser for another child.  I do not have a birth record for Honora Dooney.

I have seen Bernard in the records but have been unable to connect with him directly.

I hope your parish liaison can put me on the right track.  There are a lot of assumptions I have had to make over the years to reach this point.  My great grandfather used multiple names and 5 different birthdates.

Appreciate your respose and time. I have to refresh myself on the Molloys.

Thank you.

Ed Dooney

IrelandXO member

Hi Ed

I live in the next parish of Bournea to Killavinoge, about 2-3 miles from Graffin, Clonmore. The last Known Dooney that lived in Clonmore that I know of was Nora married to Billy Bergin. She died maybe 10 years ago her husband Billy died since. Their family are still in the area and one of them still owns the home place. This was the Dooney home place as Billy Bergin married in there. I know there are also Kirwin families in Clonmore.

Tim Lee -- Bournea Reaching out

IrelandXO member

Hi Tim,

Thanks for the information.  Sounds like I need to make contact the Bergin descendants somehow. Is there a Clonmore Parish Church cemetery? 

I found two Nora Downeys in the census records. Nora Downey, wife of Thomas Downey, born circa 1866 and a daughter Nora born circa 1894. I doubt if either are the Nora you speak of.  I need to look more closely at the Kirwin family.  I have been doing this for 30+ years and far to much data.

General question, is it possible that Nora short for Honora.

Thanks again.  I look forward to visiting the Clonmore area on my next trip over.

Ed Dooney

IrelandXO member

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