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From my research I believe that my Byrnes (Beirne, Burns etc) family lived near Ballyglass, Baslick, Roscommon.  Hanora Shannon was wife of Patrick Byrnes.  Their son, Thomas, was my great grandfather.  I believe that Hanora died prior to civil registration of deaths.  I'm wondering if there are any graveyards in this area?  Or if anyone has any suggestions for finding out more information about her or the family?  Thomas was born about 1839 and immigrated to US in 1859.  I've been trying to locate where the family lived, as there's no baptismal record for Thomas.

thank you for any assistance.

Patsy

pcoleman

Friday 7th Jan 2022, 08:14PM

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  • Patsy:

    As you already discovered RC records for Baslick/Ogulla parish start in 1864, the same year civil registration started.

    There is a Patrick Beirne shown in Ballyglass townland in the 1855 Griffiths Valuation head of household listing for Baslick civil parish.

    https://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/roscommon/baslick.php

    I did not find a good lead for a civil death record for Patrick 1864 on so I'm wondering if he also died pre-1864.

    There is a Baslick graveyard on Findagrave.com   https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2517269/baslick-graveyard  I did not see any record for Patrick or Hanora. I think it would be unlikely to find a headstone for someone who died in the 1850s unless a child or grandchild erected the headstone many years after the death.

    Have you considered DNA testing?

    Roger McDonnell

     

    Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Friday 7th Jan 2022, 09:41PM
  • I find these details very interesting. I am a Shannon , from north Roscommon, our Dads Grandmother was Mary Beirne ,  Beirne’s also married into my mother’s family (Casserly) my sister in law is a Beirne , we also had Byrnes & O’Beirnes relatives, particularly during mid 1800/1950 . My brother & me have done our Dna with Family Tree Dna. Hope this is of interest to you . 

    Una Shannon Mallia001

    Wednesday 10th May 2023, 09:09PM
  • Hi Roger, 

    Thank you for the information!  Yes, both my 2C and I have done DNA.  We built out a tree for a match we have on Ancestry, and she goes back to that Patrick Beirne.  She could be a half 3C to us.   Patrick died in 1902, but we've had no luck finding his burial plot either.  Our hypothesis is that he remarried after Hanora died and had a daughter who was the great grandmother of this Ancestry DNA match.


    Thomas arrived in NY in 1859 at age 20 from Roscommon, according to the passenger list.  I found no baptismal record anywhere in Roscommon for him.  Then discovered many Catholic parishes whose records had not survived as far back as about 1840.  Then I looked at Griffiths for a Patrick.  Found 31 Patricks in the several civil parishes that would cover the Catholic parishes without early baptismal records.  We got stuck at this point, so turned to DNA and built back trees (with available online records) for DNA matches we both had.  The end result was Baslick was the only location that fit all the parameters.  I'm thinking of doing a presentation on the work next year, if it's accepted, and then writing it up for publication.  Of course, I can't prove it - without any records for Thomas in Roscommon, without Hanora's death or burial location. 

    Patsy

    pcoleman

    Thursday 11th May 2023, 01:58AM
  • Hi Una,

    I just looked at FTDNA.  I see a Dennis Shannon and a Paul Shannon.  I don't see you in my matches.  Is one of these your brother?  Does he have a tree on FTDNA?  I'd like to look for possible connections between our families.

    Thanks, Patsy

    pcoleman

    Thursday 11th May 2023, 02:03AM

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