Horgan/Horrigan/Hourigan

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Grange is a townland in Knocklong County Limerick. The person conducting the census numbered the houses to assist the census so house 14 is not numbered as an address but rather as a means to include the house and residents.

Great, thank you. So I assume now the area is as shown here on Google maps? Not the Grange further north, near the stone circle? Thanks again Liz  

Liz

Do you know what Kate's maiden name was ? Or her husbands first name, I note she is a widow in the 1901 census. Who were the parents of her granddaughter Kate Horgan? I did not find Kate herself in the 1911 census, do you know when she died? Any information you can add and I will look it up.

Hello Liz,

I found circumstantial evidence that the maiden name of Kate Horgan in the 1901 census and the (Cathrine Horigan) in the 1911 census, was Darcy. This information is based on the birth records for two of her children who are recorded in the 1901 and 1911 the census returns. It's also based on other children she had who were born in close proximity to Grange, Knocklong, and who had the same father.

A note on the census returns: Ages in the 1901 and 1911 census were not always accurate. You can see this when you compare Catherine's age of 45 in the 1901 census, and her age of 66 in the 1911 census. In a 10 year period the census returns show she gained 21 years in age. The ages of young children, I found, tend to be more accurate, but not always. 

The 1901 and 1911 census returns, from the National Archives of Ireland,  show Michael is the oldest child in the household. In 1901 he is 16 years old. In 1911 he is 25. This places his year of birth circa 1885/1886. See the 1911 census transcription from the National Archives of Ireland: https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Limerick/Knocklong/Gr…

Once the transcription downloads, tick the box, "Show all information" to view the full census page. The full census shows that "Cathrine" Horigan was a widow who had been married for 17 years, and in that time period had 8 children, with 4 children still living. Looking at this information alone indicates that Cathrine was married more than 17 years, as her son Michael is 25 years old, unless of course, she had been married before, and had Michael with a previous husband. 

I looked for Michael's civil registration birth record at the free irishgenealogy.ie website. Because I didn't trust that his age in the 1901 and 1911 census enumerations were accurate, I looked for his birth record from the years 1880 to 1888, and found one record that I believe pertains to him. This record shows that a Michael "Harrigan" was born in the townland of Garryspillane, County Limerick, on 18 May 1883. His father is Michael Harrigan, a "Labourer," residing in Garryspillane. His mother is Catherine Harrigan, formerly Darcy. The father Michael reported the birth to the local registrar.

You can view the birth record at the following link after following the prompts. Michael's birth is number 198 in the register:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_retur…

In some records, the townland Garryspillane is also spelled, "Garryspellane." See the IreAtlas Townland Data Base for example: https://tinyurl.com/5n95xwht

The 1901 census shows that Kate Horgan had a 13 year old daughter named Bridget. Bridget however, is not in the 1911 census. Her age of 13 in 1901 places her year of birth circa 1888. 

I looked for her birth record at the irishgenealogy.ie website for the years 1885 to 1890, and found it. Bridget "Horgan" was born in Mitchelstowndown, County Limerick, on 23 March 1888. Her father is Michael Horgan, a "Labourer" residing in Mitchelstowndown. Her mother is Kate Horgan, formerly Darcy. Kate, the  mother, of Mitchelstowndown, reported the birth to the local registrar. Bridget's birth is number 383 in the register: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_retur…

The Google Map at the following link shows there are four townlands named Mitchelstowndowndown, all in close proximity to Garryspillane and Grange. These are Mitchelstowndown North, Mitchelstowndown West, Mitchelstowndown East, and Mitchelstowndown. Bridget would have been born in Mitchelstowndown, according to her birth record: https://tinyurl.com/55bp7seb

You'll see that the Mitchelstowndown townlands are south of Grange. The map also shows these townlands, and Grange, are south of Knocklong. They are also very close to the County Tipperary border.

In the 1901 census Denis "Horgan" is 9 years old. In the 1911 census, Denis "Horigan" is 20 years old, placing his year of birth circa 1891/1892. I did a pretty exhaustive search for Denis's birth at the irishgenealogy.ie website for the years 1885 to 1895, but didn't find a birth record for him. 

But in the process of looking for Denis, I uncovered a birth record for a child not in the 1901 or 1911 census enumerations. This child is Edmond "Horgan." He was born in Mitchelstowndown on 1 March 1892. His father is Michael Horgan, a "Labourer" residing in Mitchelstowndown. His mother is Kate Horgan, formerly Darcy. Bridget Collins of Mitchelstowndown, was present at the birth and reported the birth to the registrar. Bridget may have been a relative, or the midwife who delivered Edmond. Edmond's birth record is number 435 in the register: 
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_retur…

I am surmising that Edmond could actually be Denis, because of his year of birth and the year of birth for Denis circa the 1892 time period. Denis may have been Edmond's middle name. But that's only a guess.

In the process of going through births at irishgenealogy.ie, I found three more birth records for children of Michael and Catherine. 

Mary Horrigan was born in Garryspillane on 12 November 1878. Her father Michael is a Labourer living in Garryspillane. Her mother is Catherine Horrigan, formerly Darcy. Catherine, the mother, of Garryspillane, reported the birth to the registrar. Mary's birth record is number 107 in the register: 
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_retur…
 
Hanora Harigan was born in Raheen, County Limerick, on 24 June 1881. Her father is Michael Harigan, a Labourer residing in Raheen. Her mother is Catherine Harigan, formerly Darcey. Michael reported the birth to the registrar. Hanora's birth is number 472 in the register: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_retur…

Unfortunately, Hanora  died very young. Her death record from the irishgenealogy.ie website shows Hanora Harigan died in Raheen on 26 September 1884 at the age of 3 years. She is recorded the "Child of a Labourer." 

The cause of death was, "Croup four days," and "Asthemia six hours." Her father Michael Horigan was present at the death and reported the death to the registrar. Hanora's death is number 228 in the register: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_retu…

If you go back to the Google Map viewed earlier in this reply, you'll see that the townland of Raheen is just southeast of Garryspillane, and located on the banks of the River Morningstar.

I also found the birth record of a daughter "Harigan" with no first name recorded. In the index at irishgenealogy.ie she is recorded as "Unknown" Harigan. 

She was born in Raheen on 16 March 1885. Her father is a Labourer, Michael Harigan, living in Raheen. Her mother is Catherine Harigan, formerly Darcy. Michael reported the birth to the registrar. The birth record is number 155 in the register: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_retur…

I then found the death record for this child. She died in Raheen on 16 March 1885 at the age of 10 minutes old. The cause of death was "Debility."  Her father Michael of Raheen, reported the death to the registrar. The child's death record is number 23 in the register: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_retu…

As you saw earlier, Mary Horrigan was born in November 1878. This means that her parents could have been married anytime in the 1870s, up to the year 1878.

I looked for Michael and Catherine's marriage record at irishgenealogy.ie and found it. Michael Horrigan, maybe Harrigan, and Catherine Darcy, were married in the Roman Catholic Chapel of Knocklong on January 24, 1878. At the time of marriage, Michael was 22 years old. Catherine was 23. Michael's occupation was, "Labourer." At the time of marriage he was living in Mitchelstowndown. His father is Michael Harrigan, a "Labourer" who was still "alive."

Catherine's occupation was "Servant." She was living in Raheen at the time of marriage. Her father is Patrick Darcy, a "Labourer" who was still "alive."

The priest who married Michael and Catherine was Thomas F. Meagher, P.P. The initials P.P. stand for "Parish Priest." The witnesses to the marriage were Patrick Horrigan/Harrigan, and Mary Horrigan/Harrigan. They may have been Michael's brother and sister, or Patrick and Mary may have been husband and wife. 

Michael, Catherine, and the two witnesses signed the marriage register with their "mark' in the form of an x, signifying they could not write. 

The marriage record is the last one recorded in the register at number 7:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_re…

The 1901 census shows that Kate Horgan could not read. The 1911 census recorded that she could not read or write.

A Google Map shows the Knocklong Catholic Church is not actually in Knocklong centre, but just south of the town, west of Grange: https://tinyurl.com/45k3sp4m

Here is a Google Street View of the church from Church Road and Hill Road: https://tinyurl.com/3s5y7c7d

This Google Street View shows the graveyard and the church from the Hill Road: https://tinyurl.com/bdywhmna

Across the road from the church and graveyard is this shrine: https://tinyurl.com/4whdpy26

According to the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage/Buildings of Ireland website, the name of the Knocklong Church is St. Joseph's, which was constructed in 1842. For information and a slide presentation of the church, see the Buildings of Ireland link at: 
https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/21904028/sa…

Next I found the death record for a Michael Horrigan. This Michael may be Catherine’s husband.

Michael Horrigan died in the Kilmallock Union Workhouse on 17 November 1893 at the age of 36. The death record shows his residence had been Knocklong, that he had been married, and that he had been a “Labourer.” The cause of death was “Typhoid fever 2 days.” 

James Begley, the Occupier of the workhouse reported the death to the registrar. Michael’s death record is number 169 in the register:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_retu…

I next uncovered the death record for Michael’s wife, Kate Horgan, at the irishgenealogy.ie website. Kate died in Raheenamadra, County Limerick, on 12 November 1916 at the age of 68 years. She had been a, “Labourer’s Widow.” The cause of death was “Bronchitis 14 days.” The person who was present at her death and who reported the death to the registrar was her daughter Bridget Horgan, living in Raheenamadra. Kate’s death is number 183 in the register:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_retu… 

Bridget would be the daughter who was born in Mitchelstowndown in 1888.

“Raheennamadra” is located just off the R513 road, north of Mitchelstowndown, and Raheen. It is also situated halfway between Garryspillane and Grange. See the Google Map: https://tinyurl.com/2v273c9y

The 1901 census shows that Kate Horgan's 3 year old granddaughter is in the household. In the 1911 census the granddaughter is recorded as 14 year old Catherine Horigan. Both census returns show she was born in County Limerick. 

Being recorded in both census enumerations is an indication that Kate  was not visiting her grandmother in 1901 and 1911, but was living permanently with her in Grange. Who were her parents?

Because she had the last name of Horgan or Horigan, she could have been the daughter of one of Catherine's sons. Or, the other alternative is she was given her mother's maiden name, indicating she was born out-of-wedlock.

I looked for Catherine's birth record at the irishgenealogy.ie website, and found one birth record that may be hers. 

A Catherine Horgan was born in the Kilmallock Union Workhouse on 12 September 1897. No father is recorded. Her mother is Mary Horgan. A lady named Maria Begley was present at the birth. She was the "Occupier" of the workhouse who reported the birth to the registrar. 

Catherine's birth is number 88 in the register:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_retur…

Catherine's mother Mary, may be the Mary Horrigan who was born in Garryspillane in 1878. 

In 1897 when Catherine was born, Mary would have been 19 years old.

I couldn't identify Mary in the 1901 census, or the 1911 census, nor could I identify a marriage or death record for her. There’s always the possibility I missed find a marriage or death record for her.

As mentioned at the beginning of this reply, it is only circumstantial evidence at this time that Catherine’s maiden name was Darcy. 

In your research of your ancestors, you would need to uncover a document that confirms, or refutes, that Catherine’s maiden name was Darcy or Darcey.

For information about Direct Evidence, and Circumstantial Evidence in Irish genealogical research, go to the Irish Ancestry Research link, “Proving the Case,” at: https://www.irishancestryresearch.org/national-archives/proving-the-cas…

Also see the National Geographic Society’s monthly newsletter dated January 2016, called, “The Genealogical Proof Standard in Practice,” at:
https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/wp-content/uploads/NGS-Folder/NGS-Monthly-…

The National Geographic Society is based in Washington, D.C.

Liz, in your research, have you come across the surname Darcy/Darcey?

Kind Regards,

Dave Boylan

SOURCES

National Archives of Ireland: 1901 and 1911 census returns
irishgenealogy.ie
IreAtlas Townland Data Base
Google Maps
Google Street Views
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage/Buildings of Ireland
Irish Ancestry Research: Proving the Case
National Geographic Society: The Genealogical Proof Standard in Practice

Wow Dave! What an incredible amount of work you have done, thank you so much that is fantastic.  I had found some of the children but not Edmund (or perhaps Denis) and of the 8 children mentioned in the census I can only account for 5 of them, so perhaps Edmund is another child who died in infancy?

This is really helpful and is really helping bring it to life, I will definitely visit next year so to have the locations is amazing

With the Darcy connection I found the death record of Patrick Darcy for 23rd June 1882, fortunately registered by his daughter Katherine so I can be sure its her father.  Incredibly there was another Patrick Darcy born in Bruff nearby with a daughter Catherine born the same year - I spent many an hour on Ancestry building up those records until I got a match with another tree that showed that Catherine became a nun!

I have a few dna or possible dna matches that I am following up to see if I can get any further.

With Mary, she was working as a domestic servant in Glenbrohane in the 1901 census - presumably sent off to work after Kate was born.  I have found a later marriage certificate for 1908 to a William Fitzpatrick, I can't be 100% sure its her, they had a daughter who died without children so the dna matches can't easily help me there, also no death record for her.

Catherine does sound like an incredible woman though, widowed fairly young and choosing to bring up her granddaughter. In terms of social history with all the horrible history of unmarried mothers having their children taken from them, I wonder how unusual that was

Huge thanks again, if its OK, if I get stuck on anything I will add another reply to see if you can help.

Liz

Hello Liz,

Many thanks for your reply and kind words. 

I can see that you’ve done a great deal of research in looking for your Horgan/Horrigan/Hourigan ancestors. Once that genealogy bug bites, it can be like an addiction.

Before posting the last reply, I did a pretty exhaustive search for Edmond in the 1901 census, to see if he perhaps was visiting a relative, or a friend somewhere in County Limerick and in nearby County Tipperary, but without results.

I also wanted to see if maybe he had been recorded in a nearby school in Limerick and Tipperary, but that search in the 1901 census did not provide results either.

I then looked for a death record for Edmond from 1892 up to the 1901 census, but again without results. I couldn’t identify him in the 1911 census either. That’s why I was wondering if Edmond and Denis were the same person, as Edmond seems to have vanished from the records after his birth.

Then too, there’s always the possibility I missed locating him in the census returns, and civil registration death records.

Based on the information in your reply, I located Mary Horgan working as a servant for the family of James and Mary Ryan, farmers living in Mitchelstowndown North. The census confirms Mary was not married. 

Living and working in Mitchelstowndown North, Mary Horgan would not have been far away from her daughter Kate, and mother Kate in Grange.

I can only guess as to the difficulties Kate, the grandmother, and Kate, granddaughter, had gone through, with Kate being born out-of-wedlock, and not living in a household with her parents.

Grandmother Kate would indeed have had to come from a strong background, being widowed at a young age, and then taking in her granddaughter. 

I also have to wonder if young Kate ever found out who her father was. 

By the way Liz, if in your continued research, you have any questions or any records you’d like me to look for, I’ll be happy to help you.

Again, thank you for writing.

All the Best,

Dave
 

Thanks, Dave

Where I am really stuck is Catherine Horgan nee Darcy’s birth certificate.

her father is confirmed as Patrick Darcy from the wedding certificate and his death certificate. There is a Catherine Darcy baptised in 1854 whose mother was Judy Tracey or Treacy but I know that’s not her as she’s the one who became a nun!

I’ve searched Ancestry.com  Roots Ireland and the Irish genealogy website so I’m not sure if there is anywhere else I can look.

There was a Patrick Darcy who married a Maria Cooke. I can find records for two children, but not Catherine.

any help would be gratefully received

thanks,

Liz

Hi Liz, 

Thank you for writing back.

Catherine Darcy's age of 23 when she married in January of 1878 indicates she would have been born in 1855, but I never trust that a person's age in a marriage record (or birth records, census records, and death records) is accurate. She would have been born before the civil registration of births in 1864, and so there will not be a birth record for her, which only leaves a baptism record, if it exists. 

I looked for Catherine's baptism in County Limerick from 1850 to 1860, and only found the one you had mentioned for the year 1854, showing that her father was Patrick and her mother "Judy Tracey or Treacy." The baptism took place in the Catholic Parish of Doon, aka Doon and Castletown.

Judy's maiden name is actually spelled, "Trafsy" in a copy of the original the baptism record, which is attached to this reply. Before the 20th century the double ss in a word was often spelled "fs." You can see an example of this in the heading of the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights, where it says, "Congrefs of the United States." See: https://www.aclu.org/sites/default/files/field_image/web15-billofrights…

Judy's maiden name in Catherine's baptism is "Trassy." But you indicated this is not the baptism of your Catherine Darcy. 

Unfortunately, this is the only baptism record I could uncover in the 1850s in County Limerick, for a Catherine Darcy whose father was Patrick. 

There is the baptism of a Catherine Darcy, daughter of Patrick Darcy and Elizabeth Heffernan baptized in the Sologhead, County Limerick Catholic Parish. She was baptized in 1863, which means she would have only been 15 years old in 1878 when Michael and Catherine were married in the Catholic Chapel of Knocklong.

Your Catherine Darcy may have been baptized in a Catholic Parish in County Limerick that does not have parish registers available back to the 1850s. 

But, was Catherine actually born in the 1850s, and was her age of 23 accurate in 1878?

Catherine's death record, noted in a previous reply, shows she was 68 year old in 1916 when she died. This means she would have been born in 1848. But again, was her age accurate in her death record?

I found the baptism record of a Catherine Darcy, showing she was baptized in the Emly, County Limerick Catholic Parish on 4 August 1849. Her father is Patrick Darcy. Her mother is Mary Shea. The godparents are Patrick Connors and Catherine Ryan. The residence of the Darcy family is Emly. See a copy of the original baptism record attached to this reply.

The Find My Past transcription for Catherine's baptism however, spells the Darcy surname as "Darey," See: https://www.findmypast.com/transcript?id=IRE%2FPRS%2FBAP%2F0337128&tab=…

I believe the surname is Darcy rather than Darey.

A Catholic Parish map from the National Library of Ireland shows that the Emly Catholic Parish is located just northeast of the parish of Knocklong and Glenbrohane:
https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0262?locale=en

There's no way of knowing, just from the 1849 baptism record alone, if this baptism refers to your Catherine Darcy. 

I have the same challenge that you have, in that I know the first name of my great grandfather's father, and even the first name of his mother, but not her maiden name. Without her maiden name, I can never be sure if I found the correct baptism record for my great grandfather. I've been looking for her maiden name for 35 years.

I wish I had better news for you Liz.

With Kind Regards,

Dave

SOURCES

Find My Past
National Library of Ireland