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Francis and Brigid Conry of Frenchpark ? and Elphin

RoscommonTibohine (Roscommon)

Hello ! I received some excellent help in the Elphin parish, and after reviewing my family documents am starting to think that my family lived at Frenchpark at about the time I am back to. My 3x great-grandfather Luke Conry was baptised in Elphin in 1811, and his parents were Frances and Brigid Conry (although the baptism record says Conty). That is the excellent piece of assistance I got here. A letter from my great-uncle Jim to cousin Matthew Barrett (brother of Pearse's friend and accomplice Sen Bairad) in 1930 states that James Gerv Conroy (son of Luke) told him that he was grew up on a farm called Raheen (about 4 miles west of Elphin) which was his "people's place" but was born at a place he could not remember the name of, but began with an 'F'. The biography of James Gerv Conroy at National Biography of Canada has him born near Boyle. It is most like Frenchpark, I wonder if there are any records placing most importantly Francis and Brigid Conry in Frenchpark, but also Luke Conry and Sarah (Garvey - her sister Anne was ancestor of Matthew Barrett and Stiofn Bairad) or young James G and his elder brother John in Frenchpark ? The Garveys seem to have been from Aughrim across the Shannon from Carrick-on-Shannon. The witnesses at the baptism were a Mr. Sharkey and a Miss Duignan, they may have been relatives of the mother Brigid.

When James G was called to the bar in 1872, his father is listed as :

"James G. Conroy, Esq., B.A., London University, second son of Luke Malachi Conroy, late of Conskea, in the County of Roscommon, Esq., M.L."

Anyone know of a place named Conskea at that time ?

O'Maoilchonaire

8 replies

Welcome back and best wishes for a Happy Christmas!

As you say, Luke Conry was baptised in 1811 on 6th June to Francis Conry and Brigid Dympsey. This baptism took place in the RC parish of Elphin next door to the parish of Belenagare and Frenchpark. In order to place the family within Frenchpark you will have to look at what records are available.

The earliest baptism I can find in Roscommon for a Francis Conry/Conroy is in 1826 which is of no use to you. You could take a look at the Tithes and Griffith's Valuation to see what Conry entries are listed at that time. Parts of the 1851 Census might also be useful.

Part of the RC parish of Frenchpark is contained in the civil parish of Tibohine where records begin in 1833 and part in Kilcorkery where records begin in 1865. A Luke Conry and a 'Sally' Garvey were married in Aughrim, Roscommon on 6th Feb 1831 - also a neighbouring parish to Elphin. You could take a 24 hour subscription out for rootsireland and have a look to see what else you can find.

Best wishes

Clare Doyle

Genealogy Support

IrelandXO member

PS I can't seem to locate a Conskea - it doesn't seem to be a townland listed in the 1851 Townlands Index

Clare

Genealogy Support

IrelandXO member

Hi Clare, of course it was you who already gave me the excellent help.

That marriage record is correct for the son of Francis, Luke and his wife, whose sister was the ancestor of An Bairéadach. So far as I can tell, the Garveys (three sisters and a brother, Dr. Garvey, who practiced in Westport) were likely from Aughrim. Their father was James Garvey, but that is as far as I have them back.

All I knew about the Conroy side was back to http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/conroy_james_gerve_14E.html previous to finding his parents myself, but now back to 1790ish with Francis's birthdate thanks to you, dying to go further.

James G went to the same school as the second son of the O'Conor Don 6 years after and joined the same Middle Temple. Right now reading some articles on the O'Conors who visited their father in 1860, but haven't got through them yet. Who knows, maybe something there ? The writer is the father of James Gervé's wife.

Maybe Closkea is Cloonahee ? Luke became conductor of the Strokestown Classical Academy.

O'Maoilchonaire

Some options I'm investigating for the identity of Conskea are Cluian na hOidche (Cloonahee) - there was a Luke Conry who was director of the Strokestown Classical Academy so he could have died there, and Clonfree or Carnfree, both not too far from Raheen townland, where James Gervé sais was "his people's place" but not where he was born, which started with an 'F' which I believe to be Frenchtown.

Right now I am reading some articles on the O'Conors by James G's father-in-law Charles Henry O'Neill, who may have met Janes G at this time, when he visited Elphin and the O'Conor Don at Belanagare, and writes in great detail about the area, but died years before they married. Hoping to sniff out some clues.

He quite often mentions a John Conry, son of Peter Conry, son of Fearfeasa O'Maolchonaire of the Four Master, who died in the 1730s, when Charles O'Conor of Belanagare came into possession of John Conry's library, much of which he had inherited from Tadhg O'Roddy, Coarb of Caillín. This includes the Trinity manuscript of the Annals of the Four Masters, Seanchas Mor, &c., c. I was told my family was always literate even when no one else was, and that is why we were never too bad off.

I am half expecting Charles Henry O'Neill, my ancestor, to make the connection for me when he describes his visit to Belanagare, just finished the third of eight. Also I just made a Facebook friend who'se quite a knowledgeable historian from Belanagare I am going to pick the brain of.

James G abandoned priest school and studied law at the same school as the second son of the O'Conor Don, and was accepted to the same bar on that side of the Irish Sea, the Middle Temple, six years after him ; who I believe was named Denis Maurice O'Conor, but I may be mincing names off the top of my head.

And thanks to your help Clare, and Ireland reaching out, I feel closer than ever before of connecting us to our past.

O'Maoilchonaire

Happy Christmas to you and your family and all the best in your family research in 2017!

Clare

Genealogy Support

IrelandXO member

Hello, it might be worth exploring townlands near Finisclin which is situated     between Boyle & Carrick on Shannon and Frenchpark on the R361. The local church is St Breedogue (St Brigid). There’s townlands near such as Carrowcreagh. Often the spelling of townlands can differ. You may want to do a search Landdirect.ie I suggest you search Finisclin and other surrounding townland names will appear. If it helps, I bought a property in this area and the turbary records could also give clues. Conneveagh bog sits in this area. Historically, if an Irish family owned their own home, the English landowner supplied them with an acre of land to cut turf (bog, peat as fuel). My houses were allocated a bog and remain in the name of the original Irish person who was allocated the bog. In my case, the Cregg family. If this helps and you need any further tips, let me know as I’m familiar with the area. It is very rural! Good luck!

IrelandXO member

Hello, it might be worth exploring townlands near Finisclin which is situated     between Boyle & Carrick on Shannon and Frenchpark on the R361. The local church is St Breedogue (St Brigid). There’s townlands near such as Carrowcreagh. Often the spelling of townlands can differ. You may want to do a search Landdirect.ie I suggest you search Finisclin and other surrounding townland names will appear. If it helps, I bought a property in this area and the turbary records could also give clues. Conneveagh bog sits in this area. Historically, if an Irish family owned their own home, the English landowner supplied them with an acre of land to cut turf (bog, peat as fuel). My houses were allocated a bog and remain in the name of the original Irish person who was allocated the bog. In my case, the Cregg family. If this helps and you need any further tips, let me know as I’m familiar with the area. It is very rural! Good luck!

IrelandXO member

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