HELP! 2nd REQUEST! :( CALLAGHAN/BUCKLEY/COLLINS

Hello Kelly,

I found copies of the original Ballyclough baptism records for Ellen Callaghan and Michael Callaghan, children of William Callaghan and Margaret Bickley. Ellen was baptized in 1837. Michael was baptized the year you have for his date of birth, 1838. If you do not have the baptism records I can send them to you as attachments after you reply.

Best Wishes,

Dave Boylan

Thank you so much Dave for responding! I do have all the persons' mentioned --baptismal records--with the exception of Patrick Callaghan and Mary Collins. :/        ~Kelly Callahan

You're welcome Kelly, and thank you for taking the time to respond.

Dave

Hi Kelly,

I noticed that your question about burial hadn't been answered, so I'll contribute what little I know. Searching for early burial records in Ireland is frustrating, they were rarely recorded accurately, often not at all. It's been a while since I've been down to Ballyclough, but I can think of a few options for where your ancestors might be buried:

• I think most of the graves in Ballyclough graveyard (as it is now) are relatively new, although the very oldest graves there would date from around the mid- to late-19th century.
• The oldest graveyward in Ballyclough itself (that still exists) is the CoI one, they could be in there.
• Kilshannig graveyard (not far from there) is a very old graveyard, and there are quite a few Callaghan plots, although none of the transcribed names fit your William, but many stones are unreadable.
• The earliest RC church in Ballyclough is no longer standing, and if there was ever a graveyard there, there are houses built on top of it (not at all unlikely).

If they were in Lisleagh, that was the village itself, so they likely would have been buried in the nearest graveyard, unless they had reason to be buried elsewhere. You may find something on the Historic Graveyards of Duhallow site, and it's always worth taking a look through the Mallow Historical Society's website.

Sorry I can't be of more help!

Irene

Oh thank you Irene for getting me a bit of a better starting point! Much appreciated!

Additionally Irene....they belonged to St. Finnebars CC (South). That is still standing, correct? I believe Wm Callaghan died in 1875. 

Hi Kelly,

Yes, St. Finbarr's (usually referred to as the South Parish, to distinguish from St. Fin Barre's cathedral) is still standing. It was built in 1766 to replace the Red Abbey, one of Cork's oldest medieval buildings.

However, just to play devil's advocate, are you certain that the William Callaghan baptised in the South Parish is the same as your Ballyclough William? The name is exceptionally common in Cork, but the flow of people would very much have been from the Blackwater valley into the city, rather than the other way around. It's very unlikely that someone would go from Ballyclough into the city to have a child baptised, at that time, unless they lived and worked in the city, but then the child would not have moved back out to Ballyclough in that case, as there was more work in the city. The other thing that comes to mind is that the records for the South Parish are far more complete in the early 19th century than in other areas. Many parish records don't go back beyond 1830 or so, so sometimes a name not turning up in a particular parish may simply indicate that the record was lost or has not been transcribed, rather than the child having not been baptised there.

Out of curiosity, what do you know about your William? Are you sure his father was Patrick? The naming rule is very strong with the Callaghans, unless they were disowned (also very common with Callaghans, but unlikely if they stayed in the area!), so it's almost certain that a son (usually the eldest) would have the paternal grandfather's name. Do you know if your Michael had a brother named Patrick? My own 4x great grandfather, John Callaghan, was born in Ballyclough around the same time (1808), and there's a record for him, so I took a quick look at baptismal records for a William Callaghan in Ballyclough itself around that time and found three:
- 28 Aug 1808 (son of Charles Callaghan and Mary Carver)
- 04 Oct 1812 (son of John Callaghan and Margaret Halligan)
- 28 Jan 1814 (son of John Callaghan and Mary Murphy)

I did find the marriage record of a William Callaghan and Margaret Buckley (07 Feb 1836) in Castlemagner. Castlemagner isn't far from Ballyclough, and the witnesses were Michael Callaghan and Michael Sullivan. Also, I presume you've discounted (as his death record) the death of a William Callaghan of Ballyclough in 1885 (aged 79 years) - witness is a Judy Sullivan? Finally, you say you found your William on the Griffith's in Lisleagh, but there's also a William in Garryduff (another part of Ballyclough) on the Griffith's - is there a reason you chose one over the other?

Just some thoughts - we're also likely to be (distant) cousins!

Irene,

First of all, I wanted to let you know that I just had my first notification from you on April 21, 2021.  

It shows you wrote me back in May of 2020????!!!  And I just received an email (April 21, 2021) that someone wrote to me!!!  So I was never ignoring these great responses from you!

Ok, so I have no idea how I connected Wm of Ballyclough to Wm of St Finnbars in Cork!  I have been doing this on/off seriously for 15+ years.  I’m not sure how I saw something that made me believe Wm of Cork City was my ggg grandfather!  But what you have said makes so much sense!  I think I thought St. Finnbars (South) was closer to Ballyclough than it is!  Are you from Ireland?

I looked at all Callaghan births from 1798-1818 (10 +/-) in Ballyclough.  I found 5 William Callaghans  (b. 1808-1817).  The 3 you gave me, plus 2 more!  I tried adding all other children born to these 5 couples as well.  There were 4 John Callaghans in total out of the 5 couples listed as William’s father. 

“John” fathered Wm (my ggg gf) who fathered Michael (my gg gf) who fathered John (oldest son)- so the Irish naming pattern seems to fit for one of the John Callaghans being William’s father.  So I believe that would eliminate Charles....????

How does one narrow down which “John” Callaghan is William’s father?  Hmmm.....idk.  Who is your "John Callaghan's" parents?  I didn't find any John Callaghans born in 1808 like you stated.  The closest was im 1809.  

I choose that particular William Callaghan in Griffiths V. because the lands surrounding "his land" were leased by other Callaghans, who appeared to be siblings to my Wm.  Oddly enough, or not (lol), most Callaghans have the same first names within their families!  So I could still be correct on Lisleagh....idk, as of yet, until I figure out parentage of my William now.

You can reach me by email at kellycallahan04@gmail.com.  Perhaps we can figure out if we're related or not.  I have DNA uploaded at GedMatch.  As well as MyHeritage, and Family Tree DNA.

Thank you so much for taking the time like you have to help me.  I've been a lonely Callahan trudging this wonderous road of Family Trees! Lol!

Kelly xo

Hi Kelly,

I've sent you an email with a bit more info!

Irene