I have just started to research my Grandad based on some very scant information - the family moved to the UK in the late 50's when my grandfolks came over to the UK to join my dad and the other sieblings who had all moved to England. I know that the family home was in the Killargue parish and the closest church was St Brigids - Grandad - Bernard Lyons , was born around the 1880's and in the 1901 Census I found a 16 year old Bernard Lyons born in Killarga, Drumahaire , Leitrum - he was one of only two Bernard Lyons' in Leitrum in the 1901 census and the other was too old .......so the age is about right being 16 in 1901 and the other family names Myles ( uncle ), James (my dad) , and Brigid (aunt) and are all names used in my dads family so looks scarily co-incidental. All of my dads family of his generation are deceased so we are working with snippets of information handed down by word of mouth. I am not even sure if Grandad was born in Leitrum , I know he got married in the US and then came back to Leitrum but this Census information looks a good place to start - I do know my dad was born in 1918 in Killargue and baptised at St Brigids - I also beleive the old family cottage (we think it is now an animal feed store) is owned by the Feeney family and I have plans to try and trace the property at some point with my two boys to show them their herritage. Any hints and tips at this stage in my journey would be warmly appreciated. Eamon Lyons 10/05/2013
Friday 10th May 2013, 01:11AM
Message Board Replies
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Hi Eamon,
Thank you very much for your message.
Given Bernard?s date of birth you should be able to find a civil record of his birth (civil records began in 1864). Do you know either of his parents names? This would help you with your search. . Civil records are available from the General Register?s Office in Dublin. Here is their website:
http://www.groireland.ie/research.htm
You can also search the indexes to these records online at https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1408347 I did a quick search for a Bernard Lyons born in Leitrim however no matches came back. However births were registered in the nearest big town to the family so it may be an idea to expand your search to the surrounding areas.
You could also try searching for Bernard?s baptism cert in Killarga parish. Most Catholic records are held locally so you may need to write to the local parish priest for possible assistance. One website that you may find useful is the Irish Times where they give an overview of what records are available in specific parishes. It also shows you where copies of the records are available. For Killargue parish, follow this link:
I did a search of Griffith?s Valuation for Lyons in the Killarga area. This was a property valuation survey that was carried out 1848-64. One result came back for Killarga parish; Bryan Lyons in 1857. Do you think this could have been someone in your family? He had a house and land in the townland of Scranacrannaghy in Killarga so maybe this may be a clue as to where the family home was?
Some other websites that you may find helpful are:
The National Archives of Ireland http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/introduction/
The National Library of Ireland http://www.nli.ie/en/family-history-introduction.aspx
The National Archives UK ? genealogy search: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/
The Public Records Office of Northern Ireland http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/family_history.htm
Genealogy Links: http://www.genealogylinks.net/uk/ireland/leitrim/index.html
Ireland Gen Projects: http://www.igp-web.com/leitrim/index.htm
I hope some of this is helpful. Please keep an eye on our website and hopefully we may have a volunteer in place in the parish who may be able to help you further by the time you and your sons visit. Please be patient - as our programme has only begun to rollout across the island of Ireland and volunteers in some areas may not yet be organized.
Kind regards,
Genealogy Support
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Hi Eamon,
i just came upon your message through your mention of the Feeney family!
I reckon the family of my grandfather bought the house and adjoining land in Gortnacorkoge, Killargue from your grandfather Bernard Lyons in 1923. If you'd like to email me at fergusocal@gmail.com, i can share some more information with you.
regards, Fergus
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Hi Eamon,
Just adding to what my brother Fergus wrote above I'd like to point out, for the record, that the cottage you are referring to has been continuously occupied since your grandfather's time and is not an 'animal feed store' - I am currently living in it! :-)
Regards,
Brian