Help with planning visit to Carrignavar

Hi Catherine,

A couple of suggestions...

--Do as much research into John Joseph's family before you go to Ireland.

--Try to find out when his parents died (irishgenealogy.ie) and where they are buried.

--Try to find out if any of his siblings stayed in Ireland (rootsireland, irishgenealogy, Ancestry, etc.).  Have as much info as you can about them before querying the locals when you get to Ireland.  Buckley is a common name.

--Write a letter to the local weekly paper in the Carrignavar area, specifying your family relationships. You never know, you might hear from a relative.

--The local genealogy or historical society may have a website or Facebook page.  If so, they might be able to assist you and even assign you a local to take yo around. Be sure to buy him/her a meal.

--In Carrignavar, why not visit the local church where your people were baptized/married/buried, the local school, the townland and house where they lived?

Enjoy your travels!

Hi Catherine,

Do you want to email me on dwhyte@irelandxo.com . I'll do my best to put you in touch with groups locally and recommend sites of interest.

Talk soon

Dave

Hello Catherine,

Be prepared to view a lot of maps and photos in this reply, as they may possibly help you plan your itinerary before you go to Carrignavar in 2023.

I’m not related to the Buckleys and Corcorans and do not live in Carrignavar or in County Cork, but when you visit Carrignavar next year you might want to consider visiting the Church of the Immaculate Conception on Main Street, as suggested by Patricia.

Your great grandparents John Buckley and Ellen Corcoran were married in this church. I found their civil registration marriage record at the free irishgenealogy.ie website, which shows they were married in the “Roman Catholic Chapel of Carrignavar” on 18 November 1882. The Roman Catholic Chapel of Carrignavar is the present day Church of the Immaculate Conception.

At the time of marriage John was a “Bachelor” and Ellen a “Spinster.” Both were of “Full age,” meaning they were 21 years old or older. John’s occupation is “Carpenter.” No occupation is recorded for Ellen. At the time of marriage John was living in a place called Ardalacta. I’ll have more about this place a little later. His father is also John Buckley, who was “(alive)” when his son and Ellen were married. The father John’s occupation, like his son, is “Carpenter.”

At the time of marriage Ellen was living in Ballinahina. Her father is Daniel Corcoran who was also still (“alive)” at the time of the marriage. Daniel’s occupation is “Labourer.”

The priest who married John and Ellen was Michael O’Mahony, C.C. The initials C.C. stand for “Catholic Curate.” The witnesses to the marriage were John Donoghue and Margaret Murphy. You can access the marriage record after following the prompts at: https://tinyurl.com/yxndjzcm

According to the Church of the Immaculate Conception website, the church was constructed in the year 1812. The website has a photo of the church and contact details for the parish priest, Very Rev. Canon Martin Keohane.

You’ll see on the website the church is located in “Carraig na bhFear,” which the way Carrignavar is spelled in the Irish language. Carraig na bhFear means “Rock of the Men,” in the Irish language. See the church website at: http://corkandross.org/parishes/carraig-na-bhfear/

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the church marriage record for John and Ellen, or the baptism records for their children online. I looked for the Church of the Immaculate Conception marriage and baptisms at the Find My Past (FMP) website, Ancestry.com, RootsIreland, FamilySearch, and at the irishgenealogy.ie website, which in addition to the Civil Records collection, also has a Church Records collection.

If you decide to visit the church in 2023, write a letter to Father Keohane a few months before you leave for Ireland, explaining you’d like to see the church where your great grandparents John Buckley and Ellen Corcoran were married in 1882, and where their children were likely baptized.

You can also ask if the church has marriage and baptism records for the time period of the 1880s and 1890s when the Buckley children were born and baptized.

If you do visit the church and meet with Father Keohane, I recommend giving a donation to him for the poor of the parish, and as a way of thanking him for meeting with you and for any assistance he provides.

For a Google Map showing the location of the Church of the Immaculate Conception on Main Street in Carrignavar, go to: https://tinyurl.com/2p9f3nyv

For Google Street Views of the Church, see: https://tinyurl.com/rmwd8r2s and https://tinyurl.com/2s3fdj54

Attached to this reply is an Ordnance Survey Map in colour of Carrignavar and the R.C. Chapel. The map is from the 1829 to 1841 time period, and was accessed from the GeoHive website.

Also attached is a black and white Ordnance Survey Map of Carrignavar and the R.C. Church from the 1897 to 1913 time period. This is how the town would have appeared when your Buckley ancestors had lived there.

JOHN BUCKLEY’S RESIDENCE IN 1882

The 1882 marriage record for John Buckley and Ellen Corcoran shows that John had been living in a place called Ardalacta. I didn’t find Ardalacta on a Google Map, but did locate it on Mapcarta, which shows the actual name of this place is Ardalaghta. Ardalaghta is just north of Carrignavar, as you’ll see on the map, which is attached to this reply.

I also found Ardalaghta at the townlands.ie website, which notes that it is a part of the townland of Gormley. Townlands.ie also has a map showing the location of Ardalaghta:
https://www.townlands.ie/cork/barrymore/dunbulloge/carrignavar/gormlee/…

Next I went back to Google Maps to see how far Gormley is situated from Carrignavar. The map shows that Gormely is 1.3 miles north of Carrignavar:
https://tinyurl.com/kndkbar5

The following link will bring you to a Google Street View of Gormley: https://tinyurl.com/yck332y9

Another Ordnance Survey Map from the 1897 to 1913 time period shows the location of Ardalaghta and the Ardalaghta Cross Roads. This map shows the southern portion of the townland of Gormley, where Ardalaghta is situated. The map, from the GeoHive website, is attached to this reply.

The older Ordnance Survey Map from the 1829 to 1841 time period, also attached to this reply, shows Gormley and the Ardalaghta Cross Roads.

ELLEN CORCORAN’S RESIDENCE IN 1882

At the time of marriage in 1882 Ellen Corcoran had been living in the townland of Ballinahina. A Google Map shows that Ballinahina, depending on the route taken, is between 3.5 and 3.8 miles east of Carrignavar: https://tinyurl.com/2p984yku

For a Google Street View of Ballinahina, see: https://tinyurl.com/ru5vmtm6

Back at the irishgenealogy.ie website I found what I believe may be the death records for your great grandparents, Ellen and John Buckley.

Ellen died in Carrignavar, Cork R.D., on November 15, 1930. Cork R.D. stands for Cork Registration District. At the time of death Ellen was 77 years old and the “wife of a carpenter.” The cause of death was “Mitral Regurgitation 6 months.” The person who was present at her death and who reported her death to the district registrar was her son Daniel Buckley of Carrignavar. The registrar, T. Murphy, recorded Ellen’s death in the Cork Registration District on January 12 1930. Ellen’s death is number 18 in the register which you can access at: https://tinyurl.com/pxspeup7

John Buckley died in Carrignavar, Cork R.D., on January 9, 1938 at the age of 89 years. At the time of death he was a “Widower,” and had been employed as a “Carpenter.” The cause of death was, “Endocarditis, Chronic Bronchitis, six months.” His son Daniel of Carrignavar was present at the death and reported the death to the registrar T. Murphy, who recorded the death in the Cork Registration District on February 9, 1938. John’s death is number 144 in the register at: https://tinyurl.com/3479ux25

There is a small cemetery just outside the walls of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, but looking at this cemetery on a Google Street View, it appears very small. It may be that only the clergy associated with the church are buried here.

John and Ellen Buckley may be buried in the Dunbulloge Cemetery, just south of Carrignavar. See the Google Map at: https://tinyurl.com/y6r7uuff

For Google Street Views of the Dunbulloge Cemetery, go to the following links: https://tinyurl.com/4d34rx77 and https://tinyurl.com/ycyxvup7

The Find A Grave site has information about the Dunbulloge Cemetery at: https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2285395/dunbulloge-cemetery

In addition, the Find A Grave link for the Dunbulloge Cemetery states that digital copies of the cemetery records can be found at the Cork Archives.

The Cork Archives shows that the Dunbulloge Cemetery records are available from 1896 to 1988.

I looked for digital copies online for the Dunbulloge Cemetery registers but did not find them. You can write or email the Archives to see if they have the cemetery register entries for Ellen Buckley, who died in Carrignavar, Cork, on November 15, 1930; and for John Buckley, who died in Carrignavar, Cork, on January 9, 1938.

Contact information for the Cork Archives Query service by mail or email can be found at: https://www.corkarchives.ie/services/queries/

Back at the Find A Grave website for the Dunbulloge Cemetery I found a submission for an Ellen Buckley, who was born in 1898 and died in 1973. A notation with the submission states that Ellen was, “Single. Housekeeper. Died when 75 years old. Interred on 1 Apr 1973.” See the Find A Grave submission for her at: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/153051889/ellen-buckley

I am wondering if this Ellen Buckley was the daughter of John and Ellen.

Catherine, when you go to Carrignavar in 2023 consider making visits to the Immaculate Conception Church on Main Street; as well as to Ardalaghta, Gormley, where John Buckley lived at the time of marriage; to Ballinahina, where Ellen Corcoran lived at the time of marriage; and to the Dunbulloge Cemetery, just south of Carrignavar, where John and Ellen may be buried. You can see these locations altogether on a Google Map at: https://tinyurl.com/2yhmsrdf

These towns are not very far north of Cork City: https://tinyurl.com/5y8myhk2

The best way to visit these locations is by car. Do you plan on renting a car when you go to Ireland?

When you go to Carrignavar, stop by the Post Office and ask the postmaster if they know if there are any Buckleys and Corcorans still living in the area. If anyone should know, it would be the postmaster. The Post Office in Carrignavar is on Main Street, next to the Church of the Immaculate Conception. The sign for the Post Office is in Irish, “an post.” See the Google Street View at: https://tinyurl.com/3ey2vcfe

But, you don’t have to wait to go to Carrignavar to ask the postmaster about Buckleys and Corcorans who may still be living in Carrignavar and the surrounding area. You could always write to the postmaster before you go to Ireland. If you do write, address your letter to:

Carrignavar Post Office
Main Street
Carrignavar, County Cork
Republic of Ireland
____

In your message to Ireland Reaching Out, you had mentioned you would like to talk to people in pubs and meet the people in Carrginavar. Just across the street from the Church of the Immaculate Conception is the Arches pub. The Google Street View shows the church in the upper left corner of the image, and the Arches pub in the lower right corner of the image: https://tinyurl.com/y2suzw9j

Here's a Street View close-up of the Arches: https://tinyurl.com/2m4ajetc

Up Main Street and on the same side of the street as the Arches is another pub called The Local. See the Google Street View at: https://tinyurl.com/2p8dethk

In going over records for the Buckley family, I located John, Ellen, and their children in the 1901 and 1911 Irish census enumerations. The Irish census is from the National Archives of Ireland.

You had mentioned in your message to Ireland Reaching Out that your grandfather John had three sisters and a brother. This is confirmed in the 1901 census, which shows that John is 15 years old and employed as an “Apprentice.” He is followed by 13 year old Maggie; 11 year old Daniel; 8 year old Julia; and 4 year old Ellie. The 1901 census shows the family are the “Residents of a house 8 in Carrignavar (Carrignavar, Cork).”

You probably already have seen the 1901 census, but for quick access go to the following link for a transcription of the census from the National Archives of Ireland: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Cork/Carrignavar/Carri…

Once the transcription appears make sure you click on “Show all information to view the full census page from left to right.

You can also access a copy of the original 1901 census for the Buckley family at: www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai000510370/

In the lower right of the census page you’ll see John Buckley’s signature.

Moving ahead 10 years the 1911 census shows the Buckley family are the
“Residents of a house 9 in Carrignavar (Carrignavar, Cork).” See:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Cork/Carrignavar/Carri…

Only four of John and Ellen’s children are in the household with them. Julia is the child who is not in the household. I knew Julia would still alive as you had mentioned that she married Michael Carr. But I didn’t think Julia would have been married by 1911, and so I looked for her in another household in Carrignavar. I figured she might have been working, and perhaps living in another household.

I found 18 year old Julia employed as a “Ladies Maid Domstic” in the household of 59 year old Frederick McCartie, his children, and other servants. They are shown to be the “Residents of a house 19 in Carrignavar (Carrignavar, Cork).” See: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Cork/Carrignavar/Carri…

Frederick McCartie’s occupation is recorded as “Lt. Col. Ind Med Service Retired. Not Practising Trin Coll Dublin J.P.).” This shows he had been a Lieutenant Colonel with the India Medical Service, but was retired and not practicing anymore. He is also shown to have attended Trinity College, which is located in Dublin. It appears he was also a Justice of the Peace. His two daughters and his 88 year old mother Louisa McCartie are in the household with him, along with the other servants.

According to information found online, the McCartie/McCarthy family were the owners of Carrignavar House, situated southeast of the center of Carrignavar. See:
http://52.18.205.240/estate/2983 and http://52.18.205.240/property/3504

The house pictured at http://52.18.205.240/property/3504 is where I believe Julia Buckley was working as a ladies maid in 1911, and so if time permits, you may want to consider placing Carrignavar House on your itinerary when you travel to Ireland next year.

The house is now the Sacred Heart College, owned by the Sacred Heart Fathers. In Irish the college is called “Coláiste an Chroí Naofa,” which is actually a secondary school according to the Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrignavar

A Google Map shows that Coláiste an Chroí Naofa is 6/10ths of a mile southeast of Carrignavar Centre: https://tinyurl.com/2p9dc75k

This Google Street View shows the entrance to the school from the College Road, Carrignavar: https://tinyurl.com/3smffcc2

Attached to this reply is an Ordnance Survey Map in black and white of Carrignavar House. The map is from the 1897 to 1913 time period.

JULIA BUCKLEY’S CIVIL REGISTRATION MARRIAGE RECORD

I didn’t find a civil registration marriage record for Julia Buckley and Michael Carr at the irishgenealogy.ie website. But, I did locate the marriage record for Julia Buckley and Cornelius Carr, which you can view at https://tinyurl.com/2yjsx8p5

As you can see Julia and Cornelius were married in the Roman Catholic Church of Carrignavar on 21 November 1929. Both were of “full age” at the time of marriage. Neither had been married before. Cornelius’s occupation was “Civic Guard.” His residence at the time of marriage was Lisgoold. His father is Michael Carr, a “Farmer.”

No occupation is recorded for Julia, who was living in Carrignavar at the time of the marriage. But, there is a glaring error in the marriage record which shows that Julia Buckley, as the bride, was also (to quote a 1950 Spencer Tracy movie) the “Father of the Bride.” Her occupation as her own father is “Carpenter,” which of course was the occupation of her father John. It appears that the person who recorded the marriage was asleep at the switch.

The priest who married Cornelius and Julia was J. McCarthy. The first name of one of the witnesses to the marriage is Denis, but I couldn’t tell what his last name was. The second witness looks like Bina Corcoran, who was likely related on Julia’s mother’s side of the family.

Cornelius’s occupation as a Civil Guard means he was a policeman. Today, the police force in the Republic of Ireland is called the “Garda Síochána na hÉireann,” that is, the “Guardian of the Peace in Ireland.” But people in Ireland today usually refer to the police as, “The Guards.”

The marriage record shows that Cornelius’s residence was Lisgoold, which is over 14 miles east of Carrignavar: https://tinyurl.com/2p9578e9

I hope you have a fantastic trip to Ireland next year Catherine.

All the Best,

Dave Boylan

Hi Dave - I thought I had done a decent job of researching, but this is exactly what I need to plan a day in Carrignavar.  It looks like a lot of work, and it's much appreciated. This will keep me busy for awhile.

Thank you 

Catherine Buckley

You're welcome Catherine and many thanks for your reply. Have fun planning your trip.

Dave