Dear Eileen

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out and apologies for the delay in replying to your message. 

As you can see from the link below, Magheross is a Civil Parish in Co. Monaghan:

http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/fuses/townlands/index.cfm?fuseaction=TownlandsInCivil&civilparishid=1967&civilparish=Magheross&citycounty=Monaghan

Records for the corresponding Roman Catholic Parish of Carrickmacross begin in 1858. There are some places where you can search online, however these websites do not have complete collections and many do not cover the period after 1900:

www.familysearch.org has a huge database of genealogical records including some church records for Ireland.

www.rootsireland.ie have a large collection of Irish Church records, however you have to pay to use this site.

http://churchrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/ have begun a project to upload Irish church records to their site free of charge. However so far only Counties Dublin, Kerry, Carlow and parts of Cork have been covered.

Some other websites that may be helpful are:

The National Archives of Ireland: http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/introduction/ - you can search the 1901/1911 Census on the National Archives page too

The National Library of Ireland: http://www.nli.ie/en/family-history-introduction.aspx

The National Archives UK ? genealogy search:http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/

The Public Records Office of Northern Ireland: http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/family_history.htm

Irish Times: http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/index.htm

Irish Genealogy Tool kit: http://www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com/

You could also check the Tithe Applotment Books 1823-1837 and the Griffith?s Valuation 1847-1864 for your ancestors. Even though these records only name the head of household, the information can be useful: http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/

Remember to post any new information that you find here. The more information you post, the more likely it is that one of our volunteers will be able to advise or assist you. Also include information concerning which sources you may have already used so others may further your search.

Best of luck with your search

Clare Doyle

Genealogy Support

Subject: Connection to your Rooney / Hoggins family from Lemgare

Hi! I know your post is older, but I believe our families are directly connected.

I am researching on behalf of my 90-year-old mother-in-law, Elizabeth Ann Browning Shelton. She is the great-granddaughter of Francis (Frank) Rooney, born c.1827 in Lemgare, Clontibret to Patrick and Elizabeth Rooney. He emigrated in 1841 and eventually became a pioneer cattleman in Fort Stockton, Texas.

Because our family land records show Patrick and Anthony Rooney staying behind to farm the family plot in Lemgare, the Frank Rooney you mentioned (who married Rosa Hoggins) is highly likely a nephew or cousin of our Texas pioneer.

We are currently planning a trip to bring Elizabeth Ann back to Ireland to see Lemgare. If you see this, we would love to connect and compare family trees!

Hi Eileen,

I am writing to you on behalf of my 90-year-old mother-in-law, Elizabeth Ann Browning Shelton, who lives here in Texas. I just read your post from Millfield, and the details match our family tree perfectly!

Elizabeth Ann is the direct great-granddaughter of Francis (Frank) Rooney, who was born in Lemgare, Clontibret, County Monaghan in 1827 to parents Patrick and Elizabeth Rooney. Like your records suggest, the family was closely tied to the Castleblayney and Carrickmacross areas.

Our Francis left Monaghan as a 14-year-old boy in 1841. He traveled through Scotland and Liverpool before sailing to New York, and he ultimately became a famous pioneer cattleman in Fort Stockton, Texas, where he passed away in 1889.

Your Bridget Rooney appears to be our Francis’s sister, and the Frank Rooney (married to Rosa Hoggins) who witnessed the 1888 wedding in Sunderland was likely their brother or nephew who stayed behind on the family land! This makes you and Elizabeth Ann distant cousins.

We are currently planning a trip to bring 90-year-old Elizabeth Ann back to County Monaghan to see where the Rooneys originated.

Since you are researching on Ancestry, we would love to know: Has anyone in your branch taken an AncestryDNA test? If so, we would love to have Elizabeth Ann take one as well so we can officially match our Texas and England branches together!

We would love to swap family stories and photos with you.

Warmly,

Deborah Shelton