McGough or McGeough of Dundalk

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out.

I have passed this to a volunteer in the area who will be in touch shortly

Best wishes

Clare Doyle

Genealogy Support 

Hello Ed

this is a tricky one as there are over 30,000 people in Dundalk. I rang a business there called McGeoughs based in Jocelyn Street but they tell me the McGeoghs of that place have died out, this is of course only the ones they know about and they came from Park Street. It was suggested I look here for deceased persons and there are some McGeoughs https://billiongraves.com/cemetery/Dowdallshill-Saint-Patrick-Cemetery/… I also searched the Irish online phone book here http://m.eirphonebook.ie/ and there are some hits but mainly around the Dundalk area. Matthews is a frequent enough name in Louth too. Remember with all the mobile phones now landlines are not an indicator of all the residents of that name.

A letter to the local newpapers may elicit some more information, see http://www.dundalkdemocrat.ie/ or the http://www.independent.ie/regionals/argus/ or the local radio at http://www.lmfm.ie/Home 

You could search for marriages here, select civil records and follow on but you would then require to purchase certificates to get the actual address and fathers name etc for correct marriage confirmation, short versions are €4 and let me know if you wish to pursue this and I will explain. https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/

An interesting site for Louth is here http://www.jbhall.freeservers.com/

I have little more to add but if you like to mail me at stpeters@irelandxo.com I will search for any other information you may require.

Regards

Pat

Pat (if I may address you so) -- a million thanks for your amazing research already - in so short a period of time.  I have followed up, in the last hour, some of the suggestions you have made (particularly the cemetery listings)..  It is hard for me to know whether I am looking at family or not! 

Perhaps the best line of research at this point really would be to pursue the civil records.  I do have precise dates of baptism for 12 McGough children born around 1880-1890!  Are you a professional genealogist?  If so, we could "talk" about what you might propose. Thanks.  Ed

Hi Ed you can call me as you like but not too early, I am just an amateur who lives near Dundalk, 25 miles, by the standard of the others I am in the minor leagues. I gave you my volunteer email address above so feel free to write or use the site but notification are only once every 24 hours. I am off visiiting ancestors places over the next couple of days so be a bit patient.

If you want info on hotels or public transport etc let me know. Also places of interest to visit.

Regards
Pat

Thanks Pat, appreciate it!

Clare

Genealogy Support 

Dear Ed: I think that my grandfather is the Thomas (b 1880) listed above. Our family spells it McGeough. My mother, Deirdre (b 1921), was the daughter of Thomas McGeough and Sarah (Sadie) Madden. After marrying in Ballymena in 1917, they lived in Belfast. Their other children were Shaun (b approx 1919) and Keara (b approx 1923). I am going to verify all with our library's genealogy expert this Wednesday. My daughter and I are visiting Ireland in early 2017. It is exciting that Ireland is so organized and generous with their old records. You and I might be related. I hope you had a wonderful trip!

Denise - this is very interesting.  If this Thomas McGeough proves to be your ancestory, then we are indeed related.  And - if that is so, then I can tell you Thomas's mother, and even a bit about her parents.

So - may we trade email or posting on this forum later in the week, after you have met with genealogist?  One way or another?

Glad you're getting over to Ireland.  Our trip to Louth, Monaghan - and to Belfast -- was absolutely wonderful.  You will love your experience over there!

Ed

Ed-

Yes! I found a copy of Thomas's Baptism record where it indicates his parents were Patrick McGough and Catherine Duffy. Thomas was baptized Dec. 14 1880 in Dundalk. In tiny print at the bottom is listed the priest, Fagan and, more importantly, Sarah Madden (my grandmother, Thomas's wife-to-be and the reason the baptism copy was requested. Thank goodness someone lost the first baptismal record or the connection might not be so certain).

I also have the hint of the marriage of Patrick M'Gough and Catherine Duffy in 1880 but not an actual certificate. I don't have any record of the Jocelyn Street that you mention but the 1911 census shows them living in Dundalk (3 Kelso Terrace, Dundalk Urban No. 4, Louth). It appears Patrick was a railway inspector.

We are related and I would love to know more about Catherine and also her parents!! Do you know what the protocol is at this site for exchanging emails? Or is it better to keep posting information for everyone to see?

-denise (your cousin or something)

Denise -- this is terrific!  For more than thirty five years I searched and searched for the name of the town and county in Ireland where the Duffys came from -- and was told it would be looking for a needle in the haystack.  Last year, I found the elusive clue, which led to more information.  Yes -- I can tell you about Catherine Duffy (and her brother James -- my great grandfather).  I am now at the office, but when I get home I can also search out a possible portrait of Catherine Duffy; and I certainly have two photographs of her brother James.  They came from Inniskeen - in County Monaghan -- very very close to the Louth border, and not at all far from Dundalk -- where Catherine lived after her marriage to Mr. McGeough.  Her mother (also Catherine) lived with them.

I think we should/could transition to email (if you are agreeable) -- and then from time to time we might decide to post some further updates for the edification of this wonderful Ireland Reaching Out Community -- I think it is a fantastic project. My address is edwduffy75@gmail.com

I will send more when I get home . . . but I am delighted to discover a (I think) cousin!  We will have much to share.

Ed Duffy

Denise -- Your Thomas McGeough was born, I believe, on 14 December 1880 in Dundalk.  He was the eldest of a large family who resided first on Jocelyn Street, and indeed later on Kelso Terrace (cf. 1911 Census -- Kelso Terrace).  Previously, I had traced the fortunes of a younger brother of his -- James McGeough.  James McGeough went to Belfast before World War 1, and was a painter of boats (probably in the shipyard). Then, during the war, he came to America.  According to his 1917 Selective Service registration, which I located -- he was at that time residing in Manhattan with my grandfather Edward Duffy's older brother John Duffy (who had recently been widowed).  Then, in subsequent years, James (who remained single) became a crew member on the "Presidential Lines" - passenger ships like the "Coolidge" in their Pacific voyages.  He continued to do this kind of work until his death in the 1950's.  He is buried in suburban San Francisco.

Thomas McGeough's mother was Catherine Duffy, who was born and baptized in Inniskeen, County Monaghan, in 1857.  Among her elder siblings (and I have names of a few) was my great grandfather James, born in August 1843, also in Inniskeen.  They were baptized at the Roman Catholic Parish of Inniskeen.  That building is still standing -- but it is now serving as the site of the Patrick Kavanagh Centre -- commemorating the life of the outstanding Irish poet of that name, who came from Inniskeen.  (The church parish itself has a new home).  The baptismal font used for the baptism of Thomas McGeough's mother, and of my great grandfather, is still located in the Patrick Kavanagh Centre.

Catherine Duffy -- after her marriage to McGeough resided of course in Dundalk.  Her father -- who was also James Duffy -- died in 1880.  For decades they had farmed a six acre property (leased to them) in Lacklom, a townland in Inniskeen.  Somehow the property remained in the Duffy family until the early 1900's.  But following her husband's death, Catherine (the mother -- nee Cook) - moved with her daughter Catherine Duffy McGeough to Dundalk.  She lived until she was 99 years old -- dying in Dundalk at the home of her daughter Catherine McGeough Matthews (a younger sister of Thomas) in Dundalk.  The year of her death was 1956.  When I visited Innisken last summer, the farmer who currently owns the 6 acre property showed me where the Duffys lived (the house is no longer standing) -- and he called the field "Kitty Cook's field."  He had no idea why it was called that.  But I did -- it was the maiden name of your Thomas's grandmother Catherine Cook Duffy!

I believe I have successfully attached a photo below of James Duffy (the younger) - the brother of your Thomas's mother Catherine.  This photo was taken in about 1880.  He had come to America in 1869.  He died in 1905 -- His wife and he had twelve children -- of whom only five survived into adulthood.  Their children and I are in contact.  

There is much more -- but perhaps this is a good beginning?  I do not want to overwhelm you with data.  If you wish to visit Dundalk, I can give you a couple pointers (it is a delightful city to tour).  The train station alone is worth the visit.  It was built in the 1860's -- it has been beautifully restored.  Obviously our ancestors had to have used it often.  Dundalk is easily reached by train from either Belfast or Dublin.

Ed

Correction above -- there are so many Catherine's in this lineage -- I confused myself as I wrote (above).  It was your Thomas's mother Catherine Duffy McGeough who lived until 1956, not Catherine Cook Duffy.  I am sorry for that error.  Ed Duffy

of the parish records are very difficult to read. Hello, I am of the McGough's of southern Monaghan, northern Louth. Carrickmacross area. My great grandparents Hugh McGough (McGue) b. 1817 and wife Mary Halfpenny b.1821(Haplin) fled the famine in 1849 to northern Ohio. They had 2 gorls before leaving Mary b1846 and Catherine b.1848. Many others as came to Ohio, Duffy, McQuillan, Farnan, Byrne. Callan.  Hugh's sister Catherine married Phillip McQuillan and had 3 children. Records are in Killanny and Magheracloone parish. Many of the pages of these records are difficult to read. 

Thank you for putting Killanny, and Magheracloone Parish, on my radar.  We have visited Inniskeen; and must have drive right through the townland you are referencing -- as we stayed several nights over at Carrickmacross (and therefore drove to and fro).  Your great grandparents came over to the US earlier than my greatgrandfather did.  He did not come over till 1869.  I have just been searching transcriptions of the parish records for Killanny.  Let's stay in touch.  Ed Duffy