Hi, I'm looking for information on my paternal great Grand Father, my Father's Father's Father. His name was Michael Patrick Sweeney and he was born in 1849 or 1852 in Elphin, Roscommon. He immigrated to the US around 1870, in 1884 he married Mary Butler and lived in Providence, RI. He died in 1910 at age 61. His Find a Grave obituary says his parents were James and Bridget. Does anyone have any info on Great Grandfather Mike? Thank you.
Tuesday 6th Mar 2018, 06:46AM
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Here's a baptism record from www.rootsireland.ie/:
Name:Michael Sweeney Date of Birth:
Date of Baptism:30-Mar-1853 Address:Not RecordedParish/District:ELPHINGender:MaleCountyCo. Roscommon
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:James SweeneyMother:B SweeneyOccupation:
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:Michael Sweeny Sponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Mary BeirneI couldn't find the parants' marriage but these may be Michael's siblings:
Name:James SweenyDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:09-Jul-1850Address:CloonroughanParish/District:ELPHINGender:MaleCountyCo. Roscommon
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:James SweenyMother:Brigid McGarryOccupation:
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:Michael Clayton Sponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Brigid BierneName:Thomas SweenyDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:22-May-1858Address:Not RecordedParish/District:ELPHINGender:MaleCountyCo. Roscommon
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:James SweenyMother:Brigid McGarryOccupation:
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:Michael Egan Sponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Margaret ConlonName:Patrick SweeneyDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:01-Apr-1860Address:Not RecordedParish/District:ELPHINGender:MaleCountyCo. Roscommon
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:James SweeneyMother:Brigid McGarryOccupation:
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:Patrick Flanagan Sponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Margaret SweeneyCol
ColCaff, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
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Dear Col, thank you so much for this wonderful gift, it's deeply appreciated!! Tom Sweeney
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Attached FilesScreen Shot 2018-03-07 at 21.40.13.jpg (184.74 KB)
The 1850 townland address for James & Brigid Sweeney is Cloonroughan which was a McGarry stronghold.
In 1826, Brigid McGarry witnessed the wedding of Mary McGarry & John Connor of Cloonroughan. In 1832, she godparents for Andrew McGarry & Mary Mee (confirming this Andrew was her brother). In 1838, she godparents for Michael Sweeny & Margaret Beirne (confirming that by then, Michael was her "brother-in-law").
In the 1835 Tithe Applotment Records for "Cloonrogan", an Andrew McGarry is listed (suggesting their address at this townland was through Brigid McGarry) with 13 Irish acres.
Andrew McGarry & Mary Mee were baptising here from 1832 and 1837; Andrew McGarry & Winifred Gormly were baptising there from 1807 to 1826 (no Andrew Jr. nor Brigid on the list of baptisms, but gaps in records are not unusual in these parts).
In 1839, a Roger Sweeney & Brigid Fihily (Feely) of Cloonroughan baptise a son, Thomas, and James Sweeny stands as godfather. This places the Sweeneys in the townland of Cloonroughan (with not enough land to be named on tax records).
In the 1857 Griffith's Valuation, Andrew McGarry at farm #1 Cloonroughan has 99 acres and a house valued at 15 shillings, which is rather surprising. (Such a substantial grazier as this, was unlikely to be resident in a house of 15 shillings, unless there was a clearing during the Famine, and even then). It is likely that Brigid and James lived in one of the unoccupied houses at #1 Cloonroughan in 1850.
Anyway, I hope this gives you enough leads to find your way home!
Rua, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘︎