Cecelia Callaghan and John Friel - Doughmore, Fanad, Co.Donegal

Hi Folks,  

Irelandxo has been contacted by email on a query relating to the Parish of Clondavaddog and I have decided to add it as a Message query so as to share the research information here along with any results.  

There is no need for additional XO volunteers other than Roger McDonell to post replies, that is unless they might have additional knowledge of the area or the family.  

Thank you

Seamus Callaghan  
IRO Parish Liaison for the Parish of Clondavaddog, Co Donegal. 

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Aug, 2024  
 

Hello, 
 
I have been trying to find information about my great grandparents. My Grandmother was Grace Friel, she emigrated to America around 1891. She was the daughter of Cecelia Callaghan Friel and John James Friel. I believe they were married June 8, 1857 in Clondavadoc. Do any records exist in your parish that could help me?  What town did they live in, who were their parents/ brothers/sisters? 
 
I visited Ireland this summer, stayed at the Fanad Lighthouse a few days and truly love the area. Thank you for any help you might be able to provide. 
 
Nancy Guyette 

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Aug 23, 2024,  
 
Nancy: 

Just so you know, you emailed the general information line. We do have a message board if you have additional questions. 

I checked the subscription site Roots Ireland and found a June 8 1857 marriage record for John Friel and Cecelia Callaghan at Clondavaddog RC church. The transcribed record shows that John and Cecelia lived in Tamney. I'm wondering if the location was actually Tawny which is a townland civil parish. 

Finding records for brothers and sisters of John and Cecelia will be difficult since records for the parish start in 1847. https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/1011?locale=en 

I located a May 9 1858 baptismal record for a Madge Friel with parents John and Cecelia. One sponsor was Bridget Friel which could be a sister to John. 

The next record was a Margaret Friel baptized April 5 1863. The mother was shown as Sheila Callaghan.  

There was a civil birth record for a John Friel born December 5 1968, mother shown as Sheila. Here is the record, Family lived in Doagh More. 

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1869/03409/2250299.pdf 
 

There was also a Bernard in 1876. 

I don't see a Grace Friel baptismal/birth record. Did she have another name? 

Roger McDonnell 

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On Sat, Aug 24,  

Thank you so much for finding the record of my great grandparents marriage.  I know they had the following children: Mary(possibly Madge) b. May 9, 1858, Annie b. 1868, Margaret b. 1870, Grace b. 12/23/1871, John b. 9/16/1876, Ellen b 1879 

John Friel died in 1890 in Ireland, everyone else died in the US.  Maybe they moved from Tawney. I have a letter that references Kindrum and Tullyconnell.  

Thank you again, I will look for the Message Board also 

Nancy Guyette 

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Nancy: 

The Clondavaddog parish register available online stops in January 1871 so too early for Grace. I still can't not locate a civil birth record for her so maybe the family did not register the birth. I found this short article on Wikipedia regarding Tamney and Tawny https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamney 

Roger 

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Fri, Aug 23, 2024 

Hi Roger, thank you very much for forwarding on this query... 

Hi Nancy, my name is Seamus Callaghan and I come from the small village of Kerrykeel on the way into Fanad. I will try my best to help you with this. If you don't mind being a small bit patient, we will find out loads together. 

I wonder have you come across my Callaghan family tree on ancestry..dot..com. 

I would love to share it and give you access.  

Kindest Regards  

Seamus Callaghan  
IRO Parish Liaison for Clondavaddog, Co Donegal. 

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Hello Seamus, 

I am so thankful that Roger forwarded you my email. I live in Vermont and recently returned from a trip to your beautiful country. Both of my maternal grandparents were from Ireland, I have found family members descended from my grandfather’s family in County Monaghan but have not been able to learn anything about my grandmother’s family,  

Grace Friel who came from Fanad. Grace’s mother was Cecelia Callaghan and Roger found records showing that she married John Friel in Clondavadoc on June 8, 1857.  I have a few letters that my grandmother saved and know that Cecelia came to the US after her husband died in 1890. I recently found her obituary in a Philadelphia newspaper.  The son-in-law mentioned was the husband of her other daughter Margaret Friel.   

Thank you so much for any time and assistance you can help me with at your convenience, and maybe we will even find that we are related! 

Nancy Guyette