Bridget (nee Shortt) Reilly of Bridge St Cavan, Cavan 1864

Hi Theresa,

Thank you very much for your message. I hope that someone with information on the family makes a connection with you.

In the meantime have you tried looking at church records in Cavan town to see if you can find information? Most Catholic records are held locally so you may need to write to the local parish priest for possible assistance. One website that you may find useful is the Irish Times where they give an overview of what records are available in specific parishes. It also shows you where copies of the records are available. Cavan town is part of urney parish,to see what is available there  follow this link:

http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/fuses/rcparishmaps/index.cfm?fuseaction=showidrecords&CityCounty=Cavan&parish=Urney&churchid=814

As you can see from the above link Cavan Genealogy have copies available. If you would like to contact them here is their email, however a fee may apply: cavangenealogy@eircom.net

Some other websites that you may find helpful are:

The National Archives of Ireland http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/introduction/

The National Library of Ireland http://www.nli.ie/en/family-history-introduction.aspx

The National Archives UK ? genealogy search: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/

The Public Records Office of Northern Ireland http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/family_history.htm

Family Search: www.familysearch.org

Cavan Genealogy: http://www.genealogylinks.net/uk/ireland/cavan/index.html

Cavan Library: http://www.cavanlibrary.ie/Default.aspx?StructureID_str=35

Remember to post as much information as you can with regard to the people you are researching. The more information you post, the more likely it is that one of our volunteers will be able to advise or assist you. Also include information concerning which sources you may have already used so others may further your search.

Kind regards,

Genealogy Support

Hi Theresa,

My GGG grandmother was Bridget Reilly who married Patrick McGearty before 1839 in Cavan. I have been unable to locate Bridgets birth or parents names but I have reason to believe she had a brother called Bernard. Do you have any year of Birth for Bernard?

I believe the McGearty and Reilly family may have shared or lived next to each other on a farm in Clontycarnaghan, Cavan. 

Bridget Reilly and Patrick McGearty (Geherty) had one child from what I have found, Bernard who was my GG grandfather. Bernard McGearty moved to Glasgow sometime between 1864 and 1868 and married a Margaret Gunn october 1968 in St Patricks RC church. Margaret Gunn was also from Cavan and baptised in Templeport. They both came from Drummane in Cavan and I am guessing they knew each other and possibly moved to scotland together.

Margaret Gunn moved to scotland with her mother Catherine Maguire (nee Donocho), her step father Patrick Maguire and a few half brothers. Margarets father was Bernard Gunn who may have died but there is a record which possible shows that he moved to the same area of Glasgow that Margaret was living and had another family.

I have been unable to find death records for Bridget Reilly or Patrick McGearty but have one possible link which would give Patrick as dying in 1868 or shortly before.

There seems to have been a strong link between the Reilly and McGearty family from Cavan and I believe a number of them travelled together to scotland between 1864-68. The McGearty family lived at 78 Lancefield Street in Glasgow's Anderston area, about 200 meters from the River Clyde where most of the men worked on the ship yards. At least 12 members of the Reilly family were also living at the same address at the the same time, it's a block of flats which have now been demolished with only the bottom of the structure remaining. On Margaret Gunn and Patrick Reilly's marriage certificate the 2 witnesses were names Reilly.

I know that some of the Reilly family moved away from scotland while most of the Mcgearty's stayed in Glasgow and the name changed to McGarrity after a while.

There is also a connection to the Brady family who moved from cavan and were registered as visitors with the Mcgearty's on the 1881 census.

Have you come accross any McGearty's on your search or any record of the Reilly's being in Scotland before moving on?

You may have already seen it but www.bawnboy.com is really useful, lots of good information and very easy to search.

Thanks

Allan 

HI Theresa,

Some of those researching the Short/Shortt family of Ireland have got a facebook group going.  You are welcome to join if you are interested.  Here is the link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/413094348713915/

Cheers  

Sue