Visiting Ireland and am wondering where to start

Hi Douglas,

Thank you very much for your message. I am delighted that you and your mother are visiting-I hope that you have a wonderful time!

A useful website for surnames is the Irish Times. They give an overview of area particular surnames were recorded in Ireland in the mid-19th century. For example, keatings:

http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/surname/index.cfm?fuseaction=Go.&UserID=

It gives you the basic information for free however, there is a small fee to see the parish breakdown. However, most of the information they use is taken from Griffith?s Valuation. This is a property valuation that was taken in Ireland 1848-64. You can search this online, it make take a bit longer but it is free!:

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/

There is also an earlier land record where you can search for the surnames. This is the Tithe Applotment Books (1823-38) and they can be searched here:

http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/home.jsp

I notice that one of your ancestors was born in Kerry. Church records from Co. Kerry have been uploaded to http://churchrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/ free of charge. the year of birth is quite early so you may or may not be able to find the birth record depending on the parish. However, if you knew the names of any family members that remained in Kerry you may find something on them.

Also, as Patrick O? Toole was born in Clare I would definitely recommend that you visit the Local Studies Centre in Clare County Library if you are in the county. They have a brilliant county collection of resources and are very helpful so they may be able to point you in the right direction. Here is a link to their webpage:

http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/library/local-studies/locstudi1.htm

If you are going to be in Dublin at any stage of your visit I would also recommend that you call into the National Library of Ireland on Kildare St. They offer a free genealogy advice service to those who are just starting out on their family history. Here is a link to their page:

http://www.nli.ie/en/genealogy-advisory-service.aspx

Some other general websites that you may find useful 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

Family Search: www.familysearch.org

Irish Genealogy tool-kit: http://www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com/index.html

Family Search Links: https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Ireland_Genealogy_Websites?goback=.gde_3030105_member_230205486

Finally, we have added a new link to the top of our website for people who are planning on visiting in 2013. It takes you to a short web form. We would really appreciate it if you could take a moment to complete this. Thank you!

I hope that some of this is helpful. If you find out any more information on the people that you are researching, in particular with regards to parish of origin please let us know by posting on the relevant parish page. That way if we have volunteers in the area they will be able to see it and hopefully assist or advise you.

All the best,

Emma,

Genealogy Support

Thanks Emma for your valuable assistance - I will pursue some of these leads.

Just a note to any who may read this thread:  I confused the origins of Patrick O'Bryan and Patrick Toole in my originat posting.  Patrick O'Bryan was from county Clare while Patrick Toole was from county Kerry.

Cheers

Douglas, have you visited the Old Graveyard in Ballynure?  I'm wondering if you are the Mr. Knox from Scotland that my father, wife, and I met in the graveyard many years ago?

According to information provided by a family genealogist from Larne, one of my ancestors, Jenny Lennon, married a John Knox b. 1781, son of James Knox.  Their children were Peggy (married James Moore), William, Robert (married Margaret Lennon), Elizabeth, James, Henry, John b. January 12, 1819 (married Anne Douglas), and Joseph.

Terry Lennon

Sparks, Nevada, USA
 

Hi Terry,

I’ve come across your John Knox and Jenny Lennon a few times.  I know there are at least two descendants of that couple who have had DNA tests done.  Have you?  Which of their children are you descended from?

Regards

Hi Ganstry,

Sorry it has taken me so long to respond to you.

Yes, I have done the Ancestry DNA tests.  At one point, Ancestry had a feature to identify groups of people who shared DNA and linked them to a common ancestor.  The common ancestor I was linked with was one of Jenny Lennon and John Knox's children.  If I remember correctly, Henry Knox.  Ancestry has deleted this functionality, so I suspect that it may not have been very accurate or that it caused more confusion than it provided explanations.

In any event, according to the information that I have, I descend from Jenny Lennon Knox's brother, Henry Lennon.  Jenny and Henry were the children of Robert Lennon, b. abt. 1739, d. 11 February, 1811, and Margaret Wilson, b. abt. 1752, d. 29 March, 1844.  It appears that Robert and Margaret had 12 children born between 1773 and 1796, including twin boys born 27 Februuary, 1790. 

Terry Lennon

Sparks, Nevada, USA 

Hi Terry,

The Lennon descendants I know about have all tested on FTDNA.  You can transfer your results there from Ancestry for free if you’re interested.  Some of these testers were picked up as part of the Ballycarry DNA project:

https://www.nifhs.org/dna/ballycarry-dna-project/

I know of about 6 descendants of Robert Lennon and Margaret Wilson who have tested, representing at least 4 of their children, including your ancestor Henry Lennon.

By the way, do you know anything about Henry Lennon’s wife Agnes Wilson?

Regards,
Ganstry

I don't really know anything about Agnes Wilson.  The birth and death information that I have is from a Descendants Chart prepared by a fellow from Larne.  I'm operating on the premise that his research is accurate.

You are well versed in Ballynure genealogy.  Is it safe to assume that you live in that area?  When this COVID-19 stuff is under control, Teri and I, with my sister, niece, and niece's husband, are planning a trip to Ireland.  Teri and I have been multiple times and we're working to get our siblings to Ireland and show them where our families came from.  (Teri's family is from near Rathdowney, in county Laois.)  If it's convenient, maybe we can meet when we are in Northern Ireland. 

I'm going to have to get my DNA information transferred over to FTDNA.  It would be fun to see what family connections show up.

Best regards,

Terry Lennon

Sparks, Nevada, USA

Hi Terry,

Yes, I grew up near Ballynure and that’s still what I consider “home home” though I currently live in Coleraine.  I’d be happy to meet up when you’re over.  I’ve attached my email address.

A year or so ago I was given a family history which suggested Agnes Wilson was a sister of Thomas and John Wilson who also married Lennons.  I’ve no proof, but it would certainly fit.

Regards,
Matthew

Hi, Mathew.

The relationship is quite probable.  
 

It appears that the Lennon's, and possibly the Wilson's, lived in Ballylagan and Ballygowan.  So, I'd think the families intermarrying is likely.  According to the Griffith's Valuation, it looks like two of my Great, Great Grandfather's brothers lived on the land that is now the Ballynure Tree farm.
 

Let me check the information I got from Alister and whatever else I can track down over the next several days and see if we can confirm the ties between the Lennon and Wilson families.

All the best,

Terry Lennon
 

The problem with the Wilsons is there were loads of them in the area, and not all the same family.

If the Allister you’re referring to is the one I’m thinking of then he knows a lot more about the Lennons than I do.