Spirit of Mother Jones Festival

I have been asked by the organisers to post details of the up and coming festival here in Cork.

Please visit their website for further details.

www.motherjones.com

WW I - Last letter home

Though my blog is centred around my Irish ancestry at times I do include some research from my Welsh side. 

I recently visited Wales and I spent a huge amount of time going through old photographs belonging to my family.

I was delighted to find many photos of my grandfather during WW II and older photos too. What took my eye was a sheet of paper that had been folded many times and wasn't in great shape. On inspection and reading a couple of times I recognised the names of siblings to my grandfather. I soon realised that it was the last page of a letter from my grandfather's brother to my great grandparents in Wales.

I decided to transcribe it here for relatives and those who have an interest in such things. I believe I have it right but I can't make out any punctuation......it's written in pencil and I know it's pre May 11th 1915. 

*Updated.

I have recently discovered that Percy was killed on the 11th May 1915 (France & Flanders.) 

I had been told that he lied about his age to get into the army. I knew Percy lived in Penpergwm, Abergavenny when he joined up (Monmouthshire Territorial) in Abertillery. 
Percy was baptised in April, 1898 (Brampton Abbott's, Herefordshire) so I dont believe he was much older than 17 years and 4 months when he was killed.

......... get any writing paper I received your parcel quite safe for it is quite a luxury to have a parcel in France well I am very sorry to hear Fred so? keep bad all the time  (probably meant keep so bad all the time) just tell him to write now and again and tell Mabel and George to write (they lived in Canada) Well now I must close with best love from your loving son Percy. xxxxx 

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The Anglican Record Project

I do not need to go into much detail as the site says it all.

It's an important development with C of I records and you will be able to follow the progression of records as they are published.

Please remember that during the famine many R.C.'s temporarily converted in order to qualify to be fed.
http://ireland.anglican.org/about/151

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Philadelphia Irish 1841

I have many hundreds to add, this is a tiny fraction of those that are listed.

Loyal National Repeal Association - Philadelphia.

Freeman’s Journal August 6th 1841

*(Dublin newspaper)

The following are the names (Continued from yesterday’s FREEMAN) of the friends of Ireland of Philadelphia, who subscribed the munificent sum of 200l ., noticed in Monday’s proceedings at the association:-

SUBSCRIBERS OF 1 DOLLAR EACH.

Susannah McLaughlin, Philadelphia; Mary McLaughlin, do; Joseph McLaughlin, do; Mrs Catherine Walshe, do; Benjamin M Evans, do; Edward McGowan, do; George H Hawkins, do; Thomas H Hughes, Old Ireland; Captain John Pascal, France; Stephen M Byrnes, Philadelphia; Michael Treanor, Tyrone; Michael Tuite, Meath; William Guilfoyle, Queen’s County; Hugh Smith, Donegal; John Murphy, city of Cork; Thomas Lewellyn, Philadelphia; Richard Feoria, Roscrea; John O’Kane, Derry; Major W. W. Weeks? Philadelphia; Edwin Buck, England; John Mead, Philadelphia;; Patrick McElroy, Portaferry, Down; Thomas H P Norman, Philadelphia; Thomas McFadden, Mansynuke? Michael Murphy, city of Dublin, Daniel McKenny, Down; Patrick McKenny, do; William McGliney, Tyrone; John Downey, Philadelphia; Dr John Keohler, do; John Quin, Longford, Mary Brady, do; Mary Fary Farrell, do; Catherine Heslin, do; Mary Burke, do; Patrick Green, Armagh; James Derwin, Leitrim; Ellen L Sweeny, Bandon, Cork; James Martin, Down; George Devinny, Coleraine; Richard Edwards, Wicklow; Francis McCaffry, Philadelphia; James Mahony, Bandon; Owen McGinty, Donegal; Thomas Birgins, Cavan; James Forcus, Donegal; John Marshall, Tyrone;Patrick T Coffy, do; Phillip Devine, do; Patrick Gallaher, Donegal; Patrick McGough, Louth; Joseph Francis, Philadelphia; Samual C Bishop, do; Edward Williams, do; Mrs Thomas McCoy, do; James A Farrelly, Chester, Philadelphia; Patrick McBride, Tyrone; Edw Carr, do; Hugh Reilly, Virginia, Cavan; Arthur Magner, Cork; J Mangar, do; William Cullen, Wicklow; J. McGrath, Vinegar-hill; John McNichol, Derry; James Lamb, Limerick; Wm, Riordan, Mallow; * (Co Cork) Joshua Sturgess, Philadelphia; Timothy Whelan, Abbeyleix, Queens County; P Toomy, Bandon; James Doherty, Derry; H B Duffy, Derry; Danile McNally, Tyrone; John Knight, Mayo; W H Elsgood, Philadelphia; James McGlynn, Cavan; J Duffy, do; Richard Vaux, Philadelphia, Patrick Norton, Limerick; Patrick McDonough, Armagh; Col. John S Warner, Baltimore; * (USA or Ireland?) Patrick McCarron, Tyrone; Edward Flood, Cavan; Michael O'Donnell, Tipperary; Patrick Connelly, Clonakilty; John Goold, Bandon; Jeremiah Connolly, do; Alexander Collins, Inishowen; James O'Leary, Dunmanway; Peter Hickey, Bandon; Charles Ryan, do; Timothy McCarthy, do; Humphry Mahony, do; John Hurley, do; Patrick McCarthy,do;William Hanly, Donegal; Dr. Malone, Waterford; Nicholas Wall, Wexford; Wm. Regan, Bandon; John Nugent, do; J Nugent, Cavan; John Cochrane, Queen's Co; Pierce Archer (?) Waterford; John Landon, New York; Anthony Coghlan, King's Co; Email me! click here

Ancestors Photographs and Sketches

I enjoy managing to obtain photographs of my ancestors but there are other ways to give that special touch to your records.

One of my favourite photographs is that of my grandfather who died on my 5th birthday back in 1964. I spent a number of years researching this side of my family and it gave me great pleasure too. 

I got to hear about a talented young artist from Co. Armagh who now lives here in Co. Cork. I asked him if he would be interested in sketching a picture of my grandfather as I wished to give this as a present to the family. I was delighted with the sketch and I certainly can recommend him. (see link below sketch) 

I could talk about this forever but it's best to just show you........the sketch is the 2nd image.

Feel free to e mail me if you wish to  obtain details of this fine artist.


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Griffiths Valuation & Cancellation Books

I have discussed this before but I thought I would give another example of the griffith's and the cancellation books.

I couldn't see my Savage ancestors in the griffith's valuation so I went through the cancellation books in Dublin for that area where I knew they lived in the early 1860's. This is a very good way of seeing who owned/rented the property before my gx2 grandfather.
Of course you can also see through out the years who the next and next etc. tenant was.

This not so great photograph (c.1861) is of the original entry. Arthur Savage was my Gx2 grandfather from Co Meath, Ireland.





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McCormack of Co Louth (8)

Togher -

Mary 1863 Patrick 1864 Bridget 1868 

McCormick

Laurence 1794 John 1796 Mary 1810 Elen 1815 James 1815 Bridget 1824 Mary 1826 Anne 1839 Thomas 1844 Margaret 1847 Thomas 1847 Anne 1850 Pat 1852 Rose 1854 Pat 1857 Mary 1858 John 1862 Margaret Emily 1882 Robert 1884 

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Irish Genealogy Books by County

I have enclosed a link to a website that publishes books on Irish genealogy by county.

Over the years I have found several of them extremely useful in my research and highly recommend them to researchers no matter what level you are researching from.

There are 15 titles available at the moment. I'm sure if you have any questions on how to obtain a copy of any one title I am sure they will be delighted to hear from you.
Fly Leaf Press

McCormack of Co Louth (7)

Monasterboice

McCormick (No McCormack)

Mary 1820 Thomas 1822 Ann 1828 Patrick 1851 Mary 1852

 
Faughart

Mary Anne 1863 Margaret Elizabeth 1865

McCormick

Bridget 1862 Patrick 1868 Bridget 1870 Email me! click here

McCormack of Co Louth (6)

Lordship  (as usual the McCormack's are followed by McCormick)

Mary 1865 Patrick 1865

McCormick

Bernard 1834 Bernard 1856 Thomas 1861.


Cooley

Elizabeth 1832 John 1835 John 1837 Hugh 1837 Anne 1840 George 1856 Anne 1858 Mary 1860 James 1863 Catherine 1863 James 1868 Richard 1868 Bridget 1868  Catherine 1870  Catherine 1870 Mary 1871 John 1871

McCormick

Pat 1836 Mary 1838 Ellen 1839 Catharine 1840 Thomas 1846 Patrick 1866 Anne 1866 Pat 1868 John 1870 Anne 1873 Bridget 1873 Peter 1874 Patrick 1875 Ellen 1876 John 1877 Thomas 1877 James 1877 George 1878 George 1878 Rose 1878 Ann 1881 Margaret 1881 Mary Catherine 1885

This now completes the parishes of Lordship and Cooley. if you believe you have another variant of the name then please click to e mail me to let me know.

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