Foleys of Ardmore, Waterford

Hi roger, thank you so much for the information, I am due to meet with the stepbrother of the late John Foley of Port Talbot to try and recover some of the research material. I know that John paid a visit to Ardmore and later went to Ellis Island and onto Pittsburgh. I'm sure I will get more information and will message you once I receive it. Thank you once again best regards Philip Hopkins

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Hello there Philip

I hope your meeting with your relation at Port Talbot proves worthwhile.  

May I recommend you undertake initial research in your own country, working your way back from yourself if necessary, to ascertain your greatgrandfather Patrick Foley's (b. c.1884) country of origin.  If you manage to locate Patrick in any of the 1891, 1901 or 1911 censuses in Wales this would give his place or country of birth.  They may also give his parents' names and their respective places of origin, as well as siblings of Patrick, which would of course make the possibility of identifying the family here in Waterford more likely.  Patrick's civil marriage record would include his father's name, which would of course be very useful.  One of the golden rules in genealogy is that one works one's way back from the present to the past, using what information you know to uncover what you don't know.  Working from the past to the present can be a dark road to travel!

Best of luck in your quest

Tony Hennessy

Philip

As Tony states you should start with yourself or your father and work back in time. Work from the known to discover the unknown. It does not sound like a good idea to jump to Ardmore because a family member went there. It may have been a long shot that did not pan out.

That being said, my Gearys/Guirys were from Ardmore and were associated with the Foleys. There were Foleys in Ardmore, but they might not be your Foleys. I also recall that there was a concentration of Foleys in the Dungarvan area. There was a researcher in the Dungarvan area who was very knowledgeable of the Foleys. If you determine that your Foleys were from Ardmore, then I will be glad to dig out and pass on what I have.

Good luck

John Geary (Guiry)

Hi John/Tony thank you both for your replies. I believe there is a good amount of research that has been carried out by relatives on several generations before me. The relative who carried out the most significant research passed December 2020. I have found his step brother who still lives in Port Talbot and pending Covid-19 restrictions will meet with him early 2022. I have also found the relatives surviving son who also lives in Port Talbot and have set about making contact. My understanding is that copies of the research have been given to another distant relative who lives in Dorset, I am aware of this branch of the family and will make contact soon, they are cousins of mine. I agree that any research needs to be supported with provenance as to date I have had conflicting information regarding my great grandfathers history. Word of mouth tends to confuse and sometimes elaborate. I have established that my great grandfather married in Glamorgan so he was single when he left Ireland. 
The research is very engaging and I'm looking forward to progressing in the new year. I believe the Ardmore connection is reliably informed but will need solid supporting evidence before I accept it as fact. It has made the prospect of a visit to Waterford something that I very much look forward to. I'll post again when I have more information. best regards Phil Hopkins 

Hi Philip,

I realize your original post is now 1 & 1/2 years old so I hope you are still active in your search and can see this reply.  I am also looking for a Foley family in Ardmore but I am afraid I have even less info than you.  I am searching for a Mary Foley -- but doesn't EVERY Irish family have a daughter named Mary???.  She was born about 1820 in Ardmore.  I have absolutely no idea who her parents were but she married Garret Christopher about 1847 in Ireland.  I believe they emmigrated to the US in 1850.  While in the US, I believe they may have had a daughter but she must have died in infancy or early childhood because she does not appear in any census.  The first census Garret and Mary appear in is the 1860 census for Jackson County, Missouri.

Does any of this sound familiar to you or have you come across the name Christopher in your research?  Nearly all Christophers in Ireland originated in Waterford, esp in the Dungarvan/Ring/Ardmore area.  I would love to hear from you. Thank you.  

Sharon Evans

I too am researching the Foley name from Ardmore! My gr-grandfather, Michael Foley was born in Ardmore around 1846 and immigrated to Yonkers, NY. His father, William Foley was a farmer in Lissarow. I am planning a trip to Ardmore in May 2024 and hoping to find same additional information on my ancestors.

Sharon Evans, I have come across the the Christopher name in my research. I have a Mary Foley born 1868 who married a Patrick Christopher. Her parents were Edmond Foley and Alice Wade. Mary Foley Christopher died in Yonkers, NY in 1947. Not sure if that helps you.

Laurie White

Hello Philip

I too have only just come across your post and found it really interesting.

My maternal great great-grandfather was a Michael Foley, born 1836 in Dungarvan and who emigrated here to South Wales where he lived in Penarth until his death in 1893. He married Mary Foran in 1860, I think, here in South Wales, but I'm not certain. They had 3 children - Catherine, Margaret ( my great grandmother) and Andrew.

Michael's father was Henry Foley.

A Frances Foley is recorded as living at Michael's address in Penarth in1886 ( born 1844), but I have no idea who this person was.

My mum was in contact with "cousin Augie (Augustine/Gus) Murphy" from Yonkers, whose mother was Alice Foley, whose sister was Nellie/Ellen Foley. I believe they were two of 10 children of Edmond Foley and his wife Alice (née Wade).

I'm sure that there is a connection between all these Foleys, but so far I haven't been able to find it.

Family lore also maintained that Foley Square in NY was named after a relative. Again, I have been unable to find any connection to that Thomas Foley.

Any help you could give which would help me solve this conundrum would be very gratefully received!

Best wishes

Caroline Walters (née Harwood)

Hi caroline, i am eeting a cousin who has researched our family tree extensively, i’ll look for some connection and come back to you.

we are meeting on the occasion of the wales v ireland rugby match in cardiff in march.

best regards

phil

Hi all, I would be very grateful for any information on Thomas Franklin Foley Ardmore Waterford. Born circa 1850 left for Merthyr Tydfil. Married Mary Ann Maguire. 

Kind regards 

Andrew Foley