I have searched without success for many years for information on my ancestors from County Donegal. I believe they came from Carndonagh or Moville. Some time ago I took a DNA test which identified an exact match with a Doherty family from Carndonagh. Unfortunately the submitter of the DNA test died prior to me trying to make contact with him.
This is what I know about my ancestors: Thomas Campbell, son of Thomas Campbell and Catherine Doherty was born about 1821 (according to Scottish Census records). He married Mary Doherty, daughter of Edward Doherty and Catherine McLucas. Family stories say Mary was 105 when she died in 1922. However, Scottish Census records vary in the recording of her age but suggest her birth between 1820 and 1826. I have not found a marriage for them in Scotland but their daughter Jane was born 1850 in Old Monkland, Lanarkshire, Scotland .The 1911 Census states that Mary had given birth to 3 children. Only Jane appears on censuses and elderly family members confirm the others died as young children, perhaps before their migration to Scotland.
My DNA match descended from the following people: Bernard 'Holmes'Doherty and Ellen Breslin, born Culdaff who were married in 1868 at Buncrana. Bernard's parents were Eugene Doherty and Anne Doherty, married 1832 in Carndonagh. Ellen Breslin's father was Patrick Breslin.
The connection with my family appears to be Ellen Breslin and Mary Doherty. My guess is their mothers are sisters and the name is McLucas
I am particularly keen to find information about Thomas Campbell and Mary Doherty or their ancestors and would appreiate any help others can give me.
maggie1904
Tuesday 16th Feb 2016, 08:56AMMessage Board Replies
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Maggie,
If your Campbell and Doherty family came from Buncrana (Civil parish of Fahan Lower, RC parish of Desertegny) then the sad news is that the RC parish records only start in 1864. Consequently you won’t find any information about their marriage or antecedents from that source. Late starting records are a common problem in research in Co. Donegal.
Some information on the parish on this link:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~donegal/fahanlwrproj.htm
Doherty is a very common name in the area, as I am sure you will know. 181 in the parish in the tithe applotment records of 1831.
http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/home.jsp
Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Tuesday 16th Feb 2016, 09:12AM -
Thank you for your speedy reply. As far as elderly family members are concerned our ancestors came from Carndonagh and Moville but they had no idea of the Townland. The person whose maternal DNA matched with mine did have a marriage in Buncrana but this would have been much later than when my ancestors were married although I am not ruling anything out. A number of years ago I paid someone to look for me - he took my money and disappeared as I understand he did with many other people so I am wary of using this route again and just hoping someone else might recognise my names as connecting to their family. Thank you again
maggie1904
Tuesday 16th Feb 2016, 10:05AM -
Maggie,
Carndonagh is an RC parish in it’s own right. Earliest records start 1847. Likewise Moville, their records also start in 1847. (Perhaps the Bishop had issued an edict about the need to start keeping records). The RC parish records are on-line free on the National Library site:
http://registers.nli.ie/parishes
Have a look at them in case the 2 children that died before Jane are listed. There’s a 3 year window that they might be in.
Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Tuesday 16th Feb 2016, 11:02AM -
Thank you once again.I will do this
maggie1904
Tuesday 16th Feb 2016, 11:49AM -
We have Doherty's from Buncrana just curious where you DNA tested at? We are trying to find our way back to Ireland.
lulukelly
Tuesday 16th Feb 2016, 04:02PM -
Hello
My DNA Test was with https://www.familytreedna.com. This appears to be the company with the biggest database
maggie1904
Wednesday 17th Feb 2016, 08:43AM -
Maggie we have Kelly's, Doherty's in the area around Buncrana they were married at Long Tower,Templemoore parish, Derry. are you on Gedmatch? It's free and jim now is matching more people. Thanks for writing back.
lulukelly
Thursday 18th Feb 2016, 02:05AM -
No, I'm not on Gedmatch. I get so many e-mail messages and spam i just want to keep what I know for now.
maggie1904
Thursday 18th Feb 2016, 12:17PM -
Maggie thanks Im trying to make a google map of all the areas that have Kelly's, if you would like I moderate a group called clan Kelly on facebook it's a private map. Thanks for answering.
lulukelly
Friday 19th Feb 2016, 06:03AM