Hello Susan
I waited to see if any reply came as some of the volunteers are more knowlegable than I but the fact is if church records do not exist then you are out of luck, there are no Collins menitioned in the Flax Growers list for Meath in 1796 (this is only those growing flax so pot luck). I live close to what is still a rural area of Bellewstown, about 10 miles away, the online phone book records a number of Collins in Meath and Louth but none in Bellewstown, I checked the tithe applottments from 1824 to 1837 for Meath (21 Collins) some in ares near Bellewstown and under Dublin one, a Mr Collins in Naul, Dublin, this is very close to Bellewstown in Meath. See http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/home.jsp ;
The RC registers are a difficult read but parishes near Bellewstown go back to your period but Duleek in which Bellewstown is are only available from 1851 http://registers.nli.ie/ The census of 1901 has Collins in areas near Bellewstown, such as Stamullen or Stamullin, Julianstown etc
Griffiths Valuation also has Collins in Meath and in the area see http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml?action=nameS…
There is some information on transportation here http://www.nationalarchives.ie/ the records are incomplete but if the family petitioned it is here. The subscription site Irish Newspaper Archives has the Freemans Journal which might have a report of the case etc but I am afraid Susan the only option at this point may be DNA testing.
There is little else to go on at the moment and probably unlikely as I am assuming your ancestor was like the rest of us a peasant so unlikely to turn up in a registry of deeds etc or a will.
However if you think there is anything I can do locally feel free to ask.
Regards
Pat
