I found my gg-grandfather's name, Martin Mooney, twice in Griffiths' Valuation of County Offaly, 1854. The first shows his townland as Drumcaw or Mt Lucas and the parish as Ballynakill. The second shows the townland as Keeloge and the parish as Shinrone. While I know that my gg-grandmother's maiden name was Margaret Kinsella, is there any way of finding out if either of these two Mooneys had a wife by that name?
Thanks
Nick Nery in Pittsburgh PA
Nick:
I think that the Ballynakill record is the more likely location for your Martin Mooney. I checked the Griffiths for Kinsella records. There were no Kinsella records in either Ballynakill or Shinrone parishes. However, there were Kinsella entries in some of the parishes which border Ballynakill parish. Also, when I looked at death index records for Margaret Mooney on a paid site that I have a subscription, I found four death index records in the Edenderry registration district (which includes Ballynakill parish) in the later part of the 19th century and no Margaret Mooney death index records for Roscrea registration district which includes Shinrone parish. (I did not locate any death index records for Martin in either registration district). I know this is circumstantial evidence.
Let me know if you have further questions.
Roger McDonnell
Phoenix MD