Hoping to find Gilbane (or Kilbane) families in the Carrick-on-Shannon area

Eileen:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

I will contact our HQ to see if there is a local volunteer who covers Kiltoghert parish. I did check the online Irish phone book which is only a partial listing of phone users and did not see any records for Kilbane/Gilbane in the Carrick on Shannon area.

Although it will be too late for your March trip, you may want to look into autosomal DNA testing.

Have a great trip!

Roger McDonnell

Hi Roger,

Yes, I've done extensive DNA testing and I've had several male Gilbane relatives test as well.  I think it is finally beginning to provide some answers as I have been in contact with a Gilbane family who may be 3rd Cousins.  They are scattered, some in England, Australia, other areas of Ireland, as well as in the US.  While it hasn't answerd all of my questions, DNA certainly does help with brick walls.  

Thanks for looking at the phone books.  I've also done some searching in the Leitrim newspapers.  Even Facebook is proving to be a resource.  Now I wish my trip was longer - oh well, maybe another time!!

Regards,

Eileen

Hi Eileen

How did you get on with your visit? Did you manage to track down any Gilbane/Kilbane relatives?

I just noticed another post this week searching for Gilraine of Carrick on Shannon and I wondered if there may be a connection. 

Gilbane is a uniquely Leitrim surname and very rare (originating from Mac Giolla Bháin "fair servant"  which was usually Anglicized as Kilbane. This surname was often changed to White, Whyte because Mac Giolla Bháin means "fair servant".

While Gilraine originated from a different root ...  Ó Giollaráin the Carrick connection seemed interesting. According to John Grenham's Geochart the only place "Gilbane" was registering surnames at the turn of the last century was in Carrick on Shannon (where there were 59 Gilbane births on record). 

Best wishes

Dear Eileen, My name is Rhonda and my maternal great grandmother was MARY GILBANE. She was married to FARRELL WARD. She was born around 1842 give or take a year or two. She had several children, including a set of twins (ANNE and FARRELL WARD.) She was from Leitrim County and lived in Carrick on Shannon with her husband during the 1901 and 1910 census's. She was Catholic and a member of Kiltoghert Parish to my knowledge. I am trying to locate any family I may still have in the area and also more information about her and her parents or siblings, including birth, baptism or marriage records. Since GILBANE is such an unusual name and tied to that specific region, I am fairly certain that you and I and my siblings have a genetic tie  I have had my DNA tested and feel comfortable that MARY GILBANE is my genetic ancestor. Any insight or information you have obtained on the GILBANE family would be a godsend. Kind Regards, Rhonda S

Eileen, I have found more information about My Great Grandmother MARY GILBANE. She was born abt 1842. She supposedly died in March of 1895 at Carrick on Shannon. He name would have been MARY WARD when she died, since she married FARRELL WARD. She may have had as many as 7 children according to the census info. I found: Mary, John, Patrick, Owen, Michael and the Twins, Anne and Farrell. Please any additional info. Would be wonderful. Kind Regards, Rhonda S. 

Update:  KILTUBBRID Parish, Gurtnagullion, Shanraw was where they lived during the 1901 and 1911 census’

Any assistance anyone can provide, would be greatly appreciated!  Thank you, in advance, for your kind response. 

I’m thinking we must be connected somewhere, as the Gilbane surname was specific to Carrick on Shannon.