Looking for Kilfoyle's of Donegal

Attached Files

Hi Valerie, 

Welcome to irelandreachingout, my name is Seamus Callaghan and I tend to help out whenever I can on various Donegal Queries. I was born and have lived in Donegal, but I would not be nearby to where I thick your Kilfoyle family may have come from in Donegal. I have done a bit of research on the Kilfoyle name starting far back in the late 1700s and working my way forward and his is what I have found. I added research on Dawson family also as it is an interesting name I haven't heard all that often. 

1790s 

Irish Flax Growers, 1796 – List of names  

The Irish Linen Board published a list in 1796.  Spinning wheels were awarded based on the number of acres planted. People who planted one acre were awarded 4 spinning wheels and those growing 5 acres were awarded a loom . Donegal and Tyrone had the highest number of awards.  

Here is the link - http://www.failteromhat.com/flax1796all.php 

There is only one Kilfoyle on that list, a Lesley Kilfoyle, from near Donegal, Donegal 

There is only one Dawson on that list, a John Dawson, in the parish of Kilbarron,Donegal 

 

1830s 

No record of any Kilfoyle or Dawson famiies in residence in Donegal – however due to the difficult transciptions and mis-spelling off the names could throw this search. 

 

1850s 

There is only one Kilfoyle family living in County Donegal when the 1857 Griffith Valuation was taken. 

1857 Griffith Valuation – Kilfoyle name  CLICK HERE 

 

There is a few Dawson families living in South County Donegal when the 1857 Griffith Valuation was taken. 

1857 Griffith Valuation – Dawson names  CLICK HERE 

 

I have attached a few photos to guide you do this search yourself, as that way you can be sure I am not missing anything. The webpage when searching the Griffith Valuation is this.  

You can search by name or location. www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation - Search 

 

Regarding Kilfoyle, I have come across only one head of family in the whole of donegal and his name was Archibald Kilfoyle, in the Townland of Ogherbeg, in the Parish of Killymard, which is not far outside Donegal Town.

I am attaching you screenshots of the Plot of land he had (23b) and a google map link dropping you exactly at the location where the house would have stood. There unfortunatly does not appear to be any house or old wall stead or even ruin of a house knocked down, but standing on the actual ground in that location would perhap show that better. 

There may well be knocked down remanence of a house or building within the bushes near the roadside. You can see the small lined forest on the opposite side of the field and this is how we know we are standing at the exact right location when compared to the old 1850’s map. 

 

GOOGLE Map - View standing on roadside looking across at small line of forest 

GOOGLE Map - Location finder  

 

I do hope this might be of some help to you. 

Best Regards Seamus Callaghan 

Attached Files

P., I forgot to add the Griffith Valuation page showing the plots of land for the Townland of Ogherbeg. I will add it now.

I should have said also that I cannot guarantee that Archibald and Antony are the same family but going on the discriptions within the Ships report you have given, it is extremely plausable that they are closely related. 

Year in which Church Baptismal Registry started to be recorded 

Do you happen to know what religion Anthony Kilfoyne and his family were, as this list above can tell us if there is any records available that far back.

Seamus

THANK YOU! That is an amazing amount of new information and gives me a more precise location to visit on my next trip to Donegal. The Kilfoyle's were definately Catholic. Anthony and Nancy spawned a huge family of Kilfoil's (my Dad had nearly 100 first cousins). Anthony and his sons were given land grants in Carleton County, New Brunswick to grow potatoes and Kilfoil's still own and farm most of the county today.

 

Hi Valerie, apologies for the short delay,  

I am delighted you are happy with what I put together. I am sure you will be able to get around to all these places by following google maps. I really must check out the History of the Carlton County area, as there seems to be a few Donegal family connections between here and New Bruswick, Canada. It is all very interesting. 

I do enjoy helping out on Irelandreachingout, as it helps me to keep connected back to the Parish and County where I would have come from, and of course I get a good bit of satisfaction when I can offer a small helping hand to other families trying to find find an elusive connection back to where their ancestors would have come from in Donegal many years ago.

I wish you well on your travels, and plese let us know how you get on.

Thank you Valerie. 

All the bery best Seamus