Woods family from Cappataggle

Hi Emily!

Do you have an approximate year of birth for Eliza? Also, I looked at the 1855 Griffiths Valuation and the Tihe lstings from the 1820s and there are a number of Woods records in Ballymacward parish to the north of Kilreekil/Cappataggle.

Have you considered autosomal DNA testing?

We also have an XO Chronicles site  https://www.irelandxo.com/ireland-xo/history-and-genealogy/ancestor-dat…; where you can add the stories of your ancestors who left Ireland.

Roger McDonnell

Hi again, Roger, :)

Yes, I have done AncestryDNA and I'm 2/3 Irish.  Do you know how I can apply these results better in my search?

Yes, Eliza's birthdate is 4 JUN 1838.  I believe she was one of at least 6 children born to William and Fanny Woods in the Clonfert/Cappataggle area.

Eliza's father, William Woods, was born around 1801 and her mother, Fanny Griffin, was born around 1798.  I do not know who either of their parents were.

Emily:

I just returned from Ireland last night so I'm catching up on my messages.

I have tested my DNA with Ancestry and Family Tree DNA. I contact my top matches and try to determine where in the past we match. I also have asked some older relatives to test which helps me to etermine if the match is likely on my paternal or maternal line.  There is a also a site called Gedmatch www.gedmatch.com where you can load your raw DNA data from Ancestry and see what mathces you get with people who tested with other companies (and also loaded their data to Gedmatch).

Here is the parish register for Cappataggle/Kilreekill https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0328  Their records go way back which is great. For some reason, the Cappataggle records are not on Roots Ireland but some records are on Find My Past. I did see the record for Eliza/Elizabeth and I'm trying to determine the townland. Looks like it could be Clonkeen or Glenmeen. Now Glenmeen is a townlnad in Kilreekill civil parish.  I looked for siblings on Find My Past and there is an October 30th, 1832 record for a William Woods with parents William Woods and Winifred Griffin. That record appears to show Clonkeen which is a townland/civil parish somewhat to the northwest of Kilreekill. So the jury is out on the townland. Do you have the records or names for the other siblings? I can look for more records but it will take some time.

This link should take you to the William record https://search.findmypast.ie/record?id=ire%2fprs%2fmicrofilm02431-04%2f…

Roger

Hi Roger!

I hope you had a wonderful trip!  I can't thank you enough for all of the help and time you've given me.  I appreciate the tips on gleaning more from my DNA results!

I do have Eliza's siblings:

Anne Woods (1823-1865)

Thomas Woods (1828-1860)

Winifred "Fanny" Woods (1830-unknown)

William Woods Jr. (1832-1890)

James Woods (1834-unknown)

John Woods (1841-unknown)

Interestingly, Eliza and two of of her siblings married Maddens.  Thomas married Bridget Madden who was the sister of Eliza's husband, John Madden--these Maddens were also from Galway.  Anne Woods married Thomas Madden, but I believe his branch of Maddens came from Co. Cork. 

In your experience, is this usually as far back as people are able to trace their Irish roots in the records?

Thank you again,

Emily

Emily:

I located records for Thomas and John. Links are below. Hopefully, you can open. The record for John shows his father as Thomas but I think the priest made a mistake. The sponsor was also Thomas and I think he wrote Thomas instead of William for the father's name.

Roger

https://search.findmypast.ie/record?id=ire%2fprs%2fmicrofilm02431-04%2f…

https://search.findmypast.ie/record?id=ire%2fprs%2fmicrofilm02431-04%2f…

Thank you, Roger!!

Hi Roger,

I was able to review all of the Baptismal records, and I think your guess of Clonkeen is probably accurate for the townland.  It also puts Eliza within about 10 miles of her future husband, John Madden, of Lisheennavannoge (Cloncarthy) Clontuskert which would make sense.

Which Roman Catholic churches would these records be coming from in Clonkeen and Clontuskert?  I'm also wondering if the name of the townland I have for John from Griffin's may no longer be used--do you know what the current name of that area would be?

Thank you!

Emily

Emily:

Lisheennavannoge (Clancarty) is still active. Use Google Maps and you will find the townland near Mount Pleasant.

The records for Thomas and William were from Cappataggle RC parish.

Roger

Thank you, Roger!

You know, I just realized that I am also a McDonnell on my father’s mother’s side! I should look for you on Ancestry. I’ve been so focused on my mother’s Irish ancestors, that I haven’t started researching the McDonnells yet!  Are your McDonnells connected to the Condons, Lalleys, or Kellys?

I also have an Honora Glynn who is my 3rd great-grandmother. I think I recall your wife being a Glynn. Are her Glynns connected to the Hurleys or McGouns?

I hope you’re doing well! 

Emily 

If Eliza was from Clonkeen Cappataggle and John was from Lisheennavannoge (Clancarty) in Aughrim, would it have been likely that their families knew one another before leaving Ireland? There are Woods and Maddens together in Irish records, but the more I research, the more I realize that those names were common in that area and in Massachusetts where they moved.

Emily:

My McDonnells were from East Mayo and the surnames Condon, Lalley and Kelly are not in my tree.

Susan's great-great grandmother was a Glynn but we have Ilittle info on her and related families.

If the two families were about ten miles apart, my guess is they did not know each other in Ireland but met in America.

Roger

Hi there Roger,

I believe I found a record of the Woods in Clonkeen in the Tithe Applotment Books in 1826.  Please see attached.  The family baptismal records are all in Clontuskert, but this record is showing the parish name of Kilgerrill.  Can you help me pinpoint where they might have lived?  I'm finding it a little confusing with all of the place names.  I know they were in the Clonfert diocese, but would like to narrow it down a little.

Thanks,

Emily

Emily:

Sorry! I don't have an explanation. Kilgerrill and Clontuskert are fairly close but there is another parish in between (Kilcloony). 

Roger