Aylward family galway

Hello Judi,

The first of the Aylward family to live in the Ballynakill area, were a landed Catholic family that were transplanted from Co. Waterford, to Co. Galway, as part of the Cromwellian Transplantation to Connacht in the 17th century. They lived at Ballynagar House, near Woodford, Co. Galway.

A lovely little wooded hermitage in the fields opposite the house contains a small grotto, a Lady?s Well, a children?s burial ground,  a hermits gravestone and significantly a 17th century inscribed stone plaque dedicated to a member of the Aylward family. The Aylward family were later intermarried with the Lewis family.

This is the list of Aylwards recorded in Griffiths Valuation, 1855

Aylward Jn. Drumminnamuckla North, Ballynakill, Galway

Aylward Jn. Rosturra, Ballynakill, Galway

Aylward Jno. Derrylahan, Ballynakill, Galway

Aylward John M. Ballynagar, Ballynakill, Galway

Aylward John M. Creggpark, Ballynakill, Galway

Aylward Patrick Newtown North, Ballynakill, Galway

Also you should look up landedestates.nuigalway.ie  for the Aylward family in Ballynagar House. In this database managed by Marie Boran and Brigid Clesham you will find a short history of the Aylward Estate and also a photograph of the house. I am not certain if your immediate family are from this house but certainly had to have descended from the same original Aylward family that was transplanted here.

I hope that this small snippet of information is of some use to you

Regards,

Christy Cunniffe

Hi Judy

I am the new Parish Administrator for the parish of Woodford.

I have been trying to find further information  on your family.

I am quoting from the Landed Estates Database of NUI Galway. (Google).

"Ballinagar house: At the time of Griffith's Valuation (1860s) it was the property of John Aylward.

The Estate:  An Aylward property from the 17th century, it passed by marriage in 1824 to a branch of the Lewis family of County Cork.

The estate remained in the hands of the Lewis family until1915 when it was vested in the Congested Districts Board." 

Judy, if your religion is Church of Ireland (Protestant), this would make the search much easier,as their records are much better than the Catholic ones.

Hope this helps

Kind regards

Therese

Hi Judi:

My family tree also comes from the MICHAEL AYLWARD/BRIDGET FLYNN lineage via MICHAEL PATRICK AYLWARD born 1829 Co. Galway & ANNE TIERNEY born c1841 Cashel, Co. Tipperary.

MICHAEL & ANNE were my great grandparents.  They married in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia at St. Francis RC Church 6 Jun 1863.  Their second daughter, BRIDGET HELENA AYLWARD, was born 15 Aug 1867 at Black Swamp, near Mansfield. Victoria. She married my grandfather, MATTHEW JOSEPH LYNCH at Maindample, Victoria on 17 Nov 1891.  (MATTHEW was born 19 Aug 1857 at Milltown, West Meath).  He joined the Victorian Police Force and they were transferred to Omeo. Victoria.  My Dad, HENRY LAWRENCE LYNCH was born Omeo, Co. Benambra, Victoria 8 Sept 1900.

Regards from 

Helen Lynch-O'Reilly

Very excited to find 2 other Australians interested in this family!  I'm descended from John Aylward who arrived in Austalia in 1857 with his older brother Michael and younger brother Patrick. John was the only one who couldn't read or write.  Did Mary Ellen stay in Ireland?  Thank you Ireland Reaching Out volunteers for the interesting information on Woodford and the Cromwellian Transplantation.