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Finding Patrick May and Bridget Cawley, Ballysadare, 1820's

SligoBallysadare (Sligo)

I have found in a WestDomard/Skreen baptism record in which   my 3rd great  grandparents (Patrick May and Bridget Cawley May) were listed on Aug, 4, 1823  as patrini (godparents) to William Scott (child of William Scott and Bridget May) I am guessing that that Bridget May was my Patrick's sister. I was really looking for my Patrick/Bridget having their own child Andrew that year. We have the death certificate of Andrew in Worcester, MA in 1910 at age 87. His parents were listed as Patrick May and Bridget Corley (which we are sure was Cawley) We know Andrew and his 3 brothers (Patrick, Dominick and John) all sailed together or about the same time to the US (1848-51) They all settled in Central Masachusetts. All 4 were blacksmiths and I have learned there was a forge run by Mays  in Skreen! One of the 4 brothers was Dominick, my 2nd great grandfather  and is buried in my hometown, Millbury, MA (1829-1904) St. Brigid's Cemetery.

 I am trying to find out: my Patrick's parents, birth and death dates of Patrick and Bridget, any other children likely daughters and maybe younger sons who stayed in Ireland  to whom I may be related. There are several Patrick Mays in Griffith records in the Ballysadare area (Larkhill) which we visited in June. I'd like to believe this was the O'Hara land Patrick farmed.

Patrick May and Bridget Cawley Family

6 replies

The baptismal records for Skreen/Dromard RC parish start in January 1823.  https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0746  I searched the subscription site Roots Ireland and did not find any baptismal records for children of Patrick May and Bridget Cawley. Likely Andrew and his three brothers were born 1822 or earlier. I also did not find the marriage record and marriage records for Skreen/Dromard start in 1817.

Regarding the Griffiths Valuation, besides Larkhill, there were three other Patrick May records two in Dromard civil parish (lugbaun and Cloonagh) and one in Skreen civil parish (Carrownamaddoo). Of course, we don't know if your Patrick May was still living in 1858.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Thanks for all your replies! The plot thickens! We do know for sure from USA death records that the 4 brothers were born  in County Sligo pretty sure in  Dromard/ Skreen) the following years and their parents were Patrick May and Bridget Cawley: Andrew 1822 or 23 Died 1910 in Massachusetts , age 87.    ( parents confirmed on death certificate)                                                            Patrick (1828 or 1829, maybe a twin or what we call an “Irish twin” born in Same year as:                       Dominick( my 2nd great Grandfather) 1829- 1904 buried in my hometown cemetery and John ( maybe 1834) Dominick and John mustered  together into our Civil War in 1862. We are thinking girls may have been born before or between the boys? We have found something on Ancestry not confirmed that Patrick May may have died in  1879 and Bridget(Cawley) May in 1886. 

Patrick May and Bridget Cawley Family
Thank you for this death record of Patrick May ( 1879). Shooting in the dark, I see the informant was William May. If this was Patrick’s son, William was my great x3 grandfather Dominick’s oldest born in Massachusetts in 1861. The second oldest was Jeremiah named after maternal grandfather Jeremiah Collenan ( I’d like to think Cullinan like this sign in Doolin because we don’t know which county Jeremiah Collenan was from) my point is, I believe Dominick was following traditional Irish naming order so maybe the oldest brother ( named William) stayed in Ireland and was the witness to father Patrick’s death. Then maybe Patrick’s father was William also. The order of the 4 May boys in America were Andrew, Patrick, Dominick and John. So naming order presents other mysteries like why my Dominick didn’t name his oldest Patrick after his father ( maybe because his brother in Massachusetts already used that name? ) . Also there was a Dominick May in Cloona ( ?) maybe an uncle for whom my Dominick was named! So , I am back to wanting to know more about the Ireland Dominick and the Bridget who died at age 40. Maybe my relatives! I do want to find living relatives in Sligo! I so want living Irish cousins and am like Annie Moore, so sad for the ones who left during The Famine!
Patrick May and Bridget Cawley Family

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