Samuel Forbes born approximately 1868 and his Father Robert any information appreciated as he died when my father was 11 and my father died when I was 5, there was another brother and a younger sister Barbara

Just in case you have not looked at irishgenealogy.ie, here are Samuel Forbeses born 1864 to 1875:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/civil-perform-sear…

Are you sure his father was Robert?

Good luck.

Gordon:

I searched the civil birth records from 1864-1875 and although there were ten Samuel Forbes registered births in that time period, none of the ten records had a father named Robert. Do you know his mother's name or the names of any siblings?

Roger McDonnell

No Barbara Forbes birth records thru 1885.

Gordon,

Please see attached in relation to Robert Forbes - Drogheda and Tallanstown, Ardee.

Just a possibilty!

Credit: www.findmypast.ie - Subscription site

Regards,

Thank you everyone for helping, I know that during the civil war he was burnt of his land because he had fought in the British army against the Germans and he made his way to Drumbeg Co.Down as I found him in the census. His father Robert was also a Lougth man but he moved to Drumbeg before 1911 as he is in the earlier Census. I have search Louth and West Meath but still can't make the connection for either. I think his brothers name was Albert, Barbara could have been born in Drumbeg.

Hi Gordon,

I'd done some research on this but for some reason IrelandXO refreshed and wiped it. What's written here is what I remember without the links (I don't have time to pull them again). 

The Robert Forbes you mention living in Drumbeg in the census says he was born in Co. Longford not Louth. Since you are certain about the Louth connection, I wonder if you've got the wrong family in the 1901 census.

The following is what I found about the Drumbeg family:

Robert Forbes of Drumbeg married his wife Hannah Drew 1894 (from memory) in Co.Longford - his father's name Samuel, one of witnesses also named Samuel. In the 1901 census there are two daughters living with them Maria and Barbara (aged 4 and 5). Barbara's birth record confirms the maiden name of the mother. In the 1911 census they are still in Drumbeg and are still the only Forbes family there. Of the three children they had, only Barbara is still alive and she is living with them aged 15. (Their third child was a daughter, Amelia, born 1902 and birth registered in Lisburn, she and Maria both died 1904.)

Back in Co. Longford in the 1901 census, a Samuel Forbes is living with his wife, Margaret, and adult son Samuel. A transcription error says Samuel Junior is only 21 but the original record says he is 31. All 3 report being born in Co. Longford. A birth record for Samuel in 1869 gives his parents' names as Samuel Forbes and Margaret formerly Wiggins. Margaret Wiggins and Samuel Forbes senior married 1857 in Longford. In that record, Samuel Senior gives his father's name as Robert.

Samuel Senior died 1907, his son Samuel reported the death (registered at Granard, Co. Longford). Samuel Junior is living with his mother Margaret in 1911 census. Again both state that they were born in Longford. In 1915, Samuel (junior) was convicted of the serious assault of a local man.  

I also checked the Longford at War website which names all the men from that county who fought in the first world war, there is no Samuel or Robert listed as veterans of WW1 from that county.  

As for Robert of Drumbeg, the ages he gives in the census mean that he was born before civil registration of births in Ireland and as a member of the Church of Ireland you're relying on the survival of parish records. Some have been transcribed and are online but not for Robert of Drumbeg, born Co. Longford to Samuel about 1860.

Back to Forbes families in Co. Louth, none of the Forbes men found in Co. Louth in the 1901 census were born 1863-1873 and there are no men called Forbes born in Co. Louth 1863-1873 found in any county in the Irish census of 1901.

Have you been able to find a copy of your grandfather's marriage certificate to confirm the name of his father? As other replies have already indicated, there isn't one found in the civil registration of births with the combination of names you have suggested. 

Best wishes,

Tara