Looking for relatives in Ireland

First step, if you have not already done it, get a photocopy of the marriage certificate.

http://www.groireland.ie/

Download the application form and FAX it back. Quote the above reference Enniskillen 7-85  tick the photocopy box rather than full certificate. Takes a few weeks usually less then 3. This will give the place of residence and the father's names. With that you can home in on a parish.

Bob Graham (County Fermanagh XO)

Dear Bob sorry it has been so long for my reply but I have attached my Great Grandma's Birth Certificate born in Sydney Australia and her parents Marriage Certificate as you advised me.  I hope you can help me discipher the Marriage Cert as it is still not clear to me where which parish it is they belong too.  Thank you so much for your help.  Kathryn

Looks like Crockareddy, in Cleenish for groom and Rossavally also in Cleenish for the bride.

Fathers Pat. - Patrick most likely and Bd - Bernard maybe. Remember civil parishes and RC parishes are different. I have no experience with RC records so bear with me. Fortunately both fathers were farmers so they would leave a trail.

Griffiths shows 3 McGurns in Crockareddy

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml?action=doNam…

Perhaps James and Mary were Patricks siblings.

If you follow the revised valuation books you can see when the properties changed hands. The years are indicated by coloured inks see right hand column.

http://applications.proni.gov.uk/dcal_proni_val12b/SearchResults.aspx

Crockareddy for some reason is not in 1901 census. Either a name change or it is one of those townlands which were omitted from the online databse.

Bob Graham

Crockareddy is in the 1911 online census and there are McGurns still living there.

Bob Graham (County Fermanagh XO)

26th June 2013

HI there

Since I have found the parish of Cleenish I have been able to look up all sorts of records and found James McGurren (M'Gurn) Father of Terence and Patrick Keenan father of Alice McGurren Nee Keenan.  I will leave a message on the Cleenish Parish message board and see how I go.   Is this the best course of action now?  Thanks for all of your help.  Kathryn.

To go backwards I can only suggest trawling the PRONI and National Archives for your family name and townland locations. Remember to use all know variant spellings as searches for McGurren will ignore McGurn, Magurn and so on. You can search leaving names blank and putting just the family name or location in the Full Abstract field. This will bring up wills of anyone who mentions the family or location specified.

http://applications.proni.gov.uk/DCAL_PRONI_WillsCalendar/WillsSearch.a…

http://applications.proni.gov.uk/DCAL_PRONI_WillsCalendar/WillsSearchIm…

Is an image of a will of Bernand Keenan of Rossavilla.

You can also trawl the ecatalogue using family names or townland names.

http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/search_the_archives/ecatalogue.htm

National Archives have put the will calendars online but not the actual wills themselves.

http://www.genealogy.nationalarchives.ie/

As for going forwards from 1911 your best bet is to find an elderly local who may recall the McGurns/Keenans.

I am not sure if there is any specific who is monitoring Cleenish Parish or whether it will end up coming back to me.

Bob