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Edward Foley, Margaret Ryan married 1823 in Killegney, Ferns, Co Wexford

WexfordFerns (Wexford)

My great-great-grandparents were living in Kemptville, Canada as of late 1820s, when Edward Foley's name first appeared on tax rolls. Margaret Foley is buried in Kemptville's Holy Crossing Catholic Church cemetery, and her headstone reads 'daughter of Charles Ryan and wife of Edward Foley, departed this life on June 25, 1851'. The bottom of the headstone is broken off, but she would have been 52 or 53 years of age, putting her year of birth as 1798 or 1799.

Edward Foley died December 12, 1870, and his gravestone reads 'aged 78 years, 9 months', putting his year of birth in early (March?) 1791.

A significant community of Irish families settled in the Kemptville area in the 1820s, with many of the men working on the construction of the Rideau Canal. I have found out a great deal about the family history in Canada and the US, but am unable to find any information on their life in Ireland. When I found Margaret Foley's gravestone, with her father's name, I thought I'd be able to find records in Ireland but I haven't had much luck. Recently I found a marriage record for Edward Foley and Margaret Ryan, dated Feb 10, 1823 from Killegney Church, Ferns Diocese, County Wexford and am 'wondering' if this could be their record (witnesses were Ned Colleton and Peggy Colleton - no parents' names listed).

Any thoughts as to where to look next? or anyone from this area familiar with a Charles Ryan from late 1700s-mid 1800s? I saw a document on this site about emigration to Canada from Wexford, and I see a couple of Foleys and several Redmonds; there seems to be a connection between the Foleys and Redmonds in Kemptville, as Margaret Foley is buried in a Redmond family plot, and Edward and Margaret's son married a Redmond.

Any insight will be much appreciated - Debbie Frizzell

ps there were at least 3 Edward Foleys in the area of Kemptville in the same timeframe, but the other two that I've researched were Protestants, and my great-great-grandfather was Catholic

difrizzell@hot…

11 replies

There’s about 30 RC parishes in Wexford.  Not all have baptism or marriage records for 1823 or earlier. (Killegny’s start in 1816). That pattern is repeated across the country. Though there are parishes with records back to the mid 1700s, the majority didn’t start keeping them till the 1820s. Consequently it’s extremely difficult to do research at this early period.

Possibly DNA testing might be a way of identifying the family from living descendants.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Debbie:

Co. Wexford is a dificult parish to research because only about twelve of the RC parishes are on Roots Ireland. I went on Find My Past (as background FMP and Ancestry had a joint project last year to try and automate the RC parish registers. They were somewhat successful although a lot of errors were made) In any event I searched thru all the Foley baptismal records from 1824-1829 for Wexford. I finally found a record that may be helpful to you. Marriages were held in the bride's parish which was Killegney/Rathnure/Templelodigan. However, I found this record in the neighboring RC parish of Davidstown. It shows a Mary Foley baptized in October 1825 to a Ned Foley and Margaret Ryan. Did your Edward and Margaret have a child named Mary?  I also left links to the parish registers for Killegney and Davidstown.

Roger McDonnell

First name(s)MaryLast nameFoleyBirth year-Baptism year1825Baptism date21 Oct 1825ParishDavidstownDioceseFernsCountyWexfordCountryIrelandFather's first name(s)NedFather's last nameFoleyMother's first name(s)MargaretMother's last nameRyanRepositoryNational Library of IrelandNational Library of Ireland linkhttp://registers.nli.ie//registers/vtls000634052#page/1/mode/1upRegisterBaptism

http://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0588    http://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0591

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Many thanks, Elwyn and Roger, for your responses. Yes, records previous to 1800s seem to be difficult to come by, and I was hoping to find a link between Margaret Foley's gravestone ('daughter of Charles Ryan') and her father, but no luck so far.

Roger, records in Canada show three children born between 1829 and 1834, all born in Canada ... no Mary, at least not listed in census documents.

So this marriage record may be a dead end - I've not been able to find a ship's passenger list that might show when they emigrated, and they may have been married in Canada but I haven't been able to find a record.

Thank you again for investigation and responses - I'll continue the search on the Canada end, and I'll be spending some time in August at the National Archives in Dublin, so maybe something will come up....Cheers, Debbie

ps I had thought that having father Charles Ryan's name appear on the gravestone might point to him still being alive in 1851 (the year of Margaret Foley's death), or that he lived in Canada at the time. The folks at the Ontario Genealogical Society said 'not necessarily' to either, and that headstones sometimes contained a father's name, even if he was already deceased and/or still in Ireland

difrizzell@hot…

Hi Roger I am having trouble researching in Wexford so was interested to read your post about how few parishes have been transcribed. Would you know if Ballycarney, Clone are have been done or how could I find out which have,

Many thanks

Eileen

 

Pompey girl

Eileen:

The RC parish for Ballycarney civil parish would be either Bunclody or Marshallstown. The RC parish for Clone civil parish would be Monageer. Of the three parishes mentioned only Bunclody is available on Roots Ireland.

Find My Past and Ancestry developed a program to try to automate the RC parish registers. They had mixed success but if you belong to either of those sites, you can also check out records.

Questions?

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Thanks Roger,

I know little about my Dads Irish side but I have found a family living in Clone in the 1901 census that' seem to match what I do know but it's just trying to prove it,

Eileen

Pompey girl

Dear Eileen

What is the name of the person you are looking for and roughly when ....I might be able to help

Regards Cathryn

IrelandXO member

 

Thank you Cathryn,

It's my paternal Grandfather Peter O'Brien the facts I have for him are that his Dad was John, Peter was born May 1888 according to the English 1939 register and that fits in exactly with his age on his marriage cert and death cert that I have for him, both of these events happened in Newcastle upon Tyne England. He was in England by 1919 when he married. I once asked my Dad where Peter was born he told me Ferns co Wexford. Someone looked at church records in Newcastle for me and told me Peters Mother was Bridget but I don't know a maiden name. Those are all the facts I have, there is a family on the 1901 census living in Clone that fit in with this but I have no proof it's them. I have been unable to find a birth record for Peter,

Eileen

Pompey girl

Hi Cathryn,

Hope you don't mind me asking but I was wondering if you had any luck finding any info

Thanks Eileen

Pompey girl

Sorry Eileen I did ask someone but they never came back to me so I will chase it up now

Cathryn

IrelandXO member

Update - Edward Foley/Margaret Ryan. Since I first posted a message, I found more information

- Margaret (Ryan) Foley's son Edward married Mary Redmond in Ontario in 1848. She was the daughter of Elizabeth (Ryan) Redmond and John Redmond, and the couple received a '2nd degree dispensation' in the Church record, indicating they were cousins. So that pretty much confirms that Margaret and Elizabeth were sisters (Margaret married Edward Foley in 1823, Elizabeth married John Redmond in 1824, both records in 'Killlegney'.

- Margaret's headstone in Ontario says 'daughter of Charles Ryan'. I've since found a Charles Ryan on Tithe Applotment, giving location as 'Currawns and Rasha'. After some digging, it looks as tho the townland is 'Currane' which, according to an 1837 Ordinance Survey map, is just north of Ballywilliam, Co Wexford. It's part of St Mullins Parish (Co Cavan) but the boundaries take a bit of a jog towards Wexford.

- The baptism I found for Margaret, daughter of Charles Ryan and Mary Lalor (probably should be 'Lawlor) seems a bit more likely to be the 'right' one. It's a bit difficult to read, but it looks 'Crane' or 'Cranes' for the location, which is possibly 'Currawns', one of the spellings for the townland. The age is a bit off based on her headstone, but have learned the hard way that dates of birth can vary on baptism, census, marriage, death records.

So - thank you again to those who offered help and information! I've gone about as far as I can with records, and I'm grateful to have found what I have, as I know many others are not so fortunate. I'll be contacting St Clements church soon and will be visiting the area in early August, which I'm very much looking forward to. Cheers, Debbie

difrizzell@hot…

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