Wondering where McSharry came from

Jude:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

I located two sites which provide some background on McSharry and varinat names like McSherry. The first mentions the connection to Foley.

https://www.houseofnames.com/mcsharry-family-crest

http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/McSharry

In the mid-19th century McSharry was primarily in Leitrim but there was also a good number in Sligo. The 1901 census had 121 McSharry households in Leitrim and 48 McSharry households in Sligo mainly where Sligo and Leitrim meet near the civil parishes of Rossinver in both counties. You can see the households at my 1901 census site www.leitrim-roscommon.com/1901census

Roger McDonnell

MacLysaght's "Surnames of Ireland" explains that the Irish name MacSherry (Mac Searraigh) was sometimes anglicized as Foley in County Roscommon because of association with the word searrach, meaning "foal".

Thank you both.  My gut instinct is still NOT Roscommon.  This is why I think they are Leitrim/Sligo down from the North.  In Ireland, our maternal Y line married a McNulty (you know, THE Ulsterman of early times) who came from a Gallagher line. I believe that both of these are originally from north east.  And in America, our first emigrant in that line and last of all our lines to come  married a settled first generation Smith who had come from Irish McGowan.  There are many such in Sligo-Leitrim near the McSharrys and Foleys, although our particular maternal line came from Cavan.  So it all speaks to me of midieval North/North east at the latest and possibly earlier.  Would love more thoughts on this.  Thanks so much.

Apologies.  Forgot to mention that our grandfather came over about 1885, and his older siblings had come over just years before that.  As far as family tradition goes, that was the extent of the family.  I do not agree that the two younger males born to a Mary in Mullanfad are the same direct nuclear family.  Why would they not have been mentioned by the older sister of our grandfather who traveled to Ireland in 1931 and 1935 and gave the accurate family line and origin township data to our aunt, my mother's older unmarried sister who did what family genealogy there is.  So though later censuses are good to see name distribution and proximity - thank you - I assume that none are part of our direct line, although clearly of the same orginating community.  That's why I was hoping someone alive today associated with the site might have an idea of that.  Thanks all.

I only butted in before, because I have a copy of MacLysaght's and thought his info about the name origin might be of interest.  Oddly, though, you've now tied into two of my family lines, McNulty and Gallagher, so here's some further info which may be of help in your genealogical search:

It's true that the McNulty surname originated in Ulster, but my McNulty line is from Mayo, where a branch of the family took refuge in the 17th Century (at the time of the Plantation of Ulster) and became numerous in the area around Swinford.  My grandmother was born in the Parish of Killasser (Callow Lakes area, northwest of Swinford), and there are McNultys in most nearby parishes.

As for the Gallaghers, while it's generally considered an Ulster (particularly Donegal) surname, some scholars now believe that a separate Gallagher clan originated in Galway, from where they spread into Mayo and other adjoining counties.  My Gallagher grandfather also grew up in Mayo, near Kiltimagh (Parish of Killedan), not too far from where my McNulty grandmother lived (there were also a few Gallaghers in my grandmother's parish).  Since the name Ó Gallchobhair/Ó Gallchúir means "descendant of the foreign help (i.e. gallowglasses)", it's easy to see how the name could originate in more than one place.

I also noticed in researching another branch of my family that there are some Gallaghers and McNultys across the border from Mayo in Roscommon, who I assume are distanlty related to the ones in Mayo.

Jude, your post re McSharry is over 2 years old, but I have just discovered it!! Did you ever get any further with discovering your McSharry line? You mention Cavan, my g-g grandmother was a McSharry( sometimes spelt McSherry )from Cavan.The  McSharry sept was particularly associated with Breifne ( Cavan /Leitrim) as are the Smiths/ McGowans. My direct line never left Cavan, Ireland, till my mother but many of my g-g grandmothers siblings/ cousins emigrated to the US. 

Kathryn 

My McSherry Family Tree goes back to 10 Jun 1807 to my 2x great-grandfather, Ship Captain Richard McSherry, who was born in Killough, Rathmullan Parish (which later became Bright Parish) in County Down, Northern Ireland. In addition to being a Mate, and later a Master Mariner, during the 1820’s-1880’s out of Counties Down and Antrim, Richard McSherry was also a “Spirit Dealer” and ran a Tavern or Public House out of a few addresses: 20 Gamble Street, 35 or 39 Dock Street, 58 Tomb Street, and/or 15 Corporation Square, all in Belfast area of Northern Ireland. Richard McSherry died after a 6-month battle with Scirrhous Cancer on 3 Sep 1887 at his residence at 15 Corporation Square in Belfast. In February earlier that same year (1887) his wife “ Mary Adair McSherry” passed away at that same address. I know that Richard had at least 4 daughters, 3 of which all died of consumption at an early age-Eliza McSherry, wife of Hugh Quin, Jane McSherry and Margaret McSherry. His sole surging daughter, Mary McSherry, is my great-great grandmother. Mary McSherry married sailor/ship Captain Robert Curran at St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Chapel in Belfast(see below). I am a direct descendant of Richard McSherry (I’m his 2x great-granddaughter) and I’m looking for ANY information on this McSherry Family Line. Records appear to reflect he had at least 4 daughters: Mary McSherry (1839-1894) who married another Ship Captain, Robert Curran (Of 39 Dock Street, Belfast, Co. Antrim) on 2nd of January,1867; Jane McSherry, b. abt 1845 and who died at age 18 on 17 Nov. 1863 at 20 Gamble Street before she could marry, buried at Rossglass Catholic Graveyard; Eliza McSherry b. abt 1830, who married Hugh Quin on 17 Nov 1853 at St. Matthew’s Catholic Church at Ballymacarrett, Belfast City, and died on 12 Jun 1865 at 39 Dock Street, Belfast; and Margaret McSherry born abt 1850 and died on 11 Dec 1862 at 20 Gamble Street, buried at Rossglass Catholic Graveyard. I am looking for ANY information on this line of McSherry’s as I’ve “hit a wall” with Richard McSherry. I haven’t been able to confirm any other children he had (if any), or even who exactly Mary, Eliza, Margaret or Jane’s Mother(s) are, so any information would be so helpful. I did find that on 10 Feb 1887 Richard was married to a “Mary Adair McSherry” as that was the date she passed away (at 15 Corporation Square, Belfast address) and Richard was listed as her widower, heir to what little she had, and he died a few months later on 3 Sep 1887 after a 6-month battle with “Scirrhous Cancer” at the same Corporation Square address in Belfast. The only marriage record I’ve been able to find for Richard is to a “Mary McCann” in 1844, but I don’t know if she was the mother of Mary, Eliza, Jane, or Margaret (i.e. Eliza Anne was born abt 1830 and Mary was born abt 1839, 5-14 years before this possible marriage (if it’s the same Richard).