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Trying to connect Catholic Church parishes with townlands etc

RoscommonKilmacumsy (Roscommon)Kilbride (Roscommon)

Hello all.

I am trying to trace the birth of my great-grandfather, Peter O'Connor, who lived in Dublin at the time of the 1901 census, was 45 then, and was born in Roscommon.

Civil birth records didn't start until 1864, so I'm trying to use Catholic Church records. Two possibilities pop up here, one from Tartan, Kilmacumcy, and one from Grange, Kilbride North (I'm sure there are many more but these two are my starting points.)

Problem: How can I find out which parish records might be relevant? Unless I've got it all wrong, the church parish names don't match the geographic names.

Any suggestions? Many thanks in advance.

Terry O'Connor

terry@brismail.com

5 replies

Terry,

Try using the land records  www.askaboutireland.ie/Grifith's Valuations c1850 for his father/grandfather and also the records for any siblings.

It is more likely that his surname was recorded as "Connor" in the parish records, rather than O'Connor?

Regards,

McCoy

Terry:

If your Peter married Jane Reid in Dublin in 1882 then his father's name was Peter.

I then searched the subscription site Roots Ireland and there are only two possible records in Co. Roscommon.

Peter Connor baptized July 14 1850 in Athleague RC parish father Peter Connor mother Bridget Sheal.

Peter Connor baptized December 10 1854 in Castlerea RC parish father Peter Connor mother Joan Grogan

The Castlerea record is more likely unless he really understated his age in the 1901 census.

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Terry:

Two other points. It is possible that Peter was baptized in a parish that no longer has records back to the 1850s. Also, the 1882 marriage record for Peter Connor and Jane Reid shows that Peter Connor Sr. was a shepherd. You would not normally find shepherds in the Griffiths.

See second record https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1882/10957/8005222.pdf

If this record is not correct, let me know.

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

To Roger and to McCoy,

Many thanks to both of you for your help.

Re the Griffith's Valuation suggestion, I have already scoured those records, to no avail, but I'll try again.

Re the marriage record, it is correct - I already have a copy of the registration. Perhaps I should have mentioned that, to save everyone's time. Apologies.

I'm now going to work on the basis that Castlerae is the correct entry, and I guess I'll have a battle to prove the connection.

Maybe I'll get to Roscommon in November, because I'll be in Dublin that month for a school reunion (60th reunion - I am a very old person) and a trip to the parish might elicit some more data.

I'm an Australian citizen these days, with an Australian-born wife and two Australian sons, but I grew up in Dublin - which makes my lack of genealogical knowledge quite embarrassing.

Thanks again for your help.

Terry

terry@brismail.com

Terry:

DNA testing and the resultant matches may assist your efforts to confirm where your family came from in Co. Roscommon.

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

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