Alexander Sweeney born 1874.

Hi Marlene,

Looks like you're in luck as the parents' marriage record is on www.rootsireland.ie/ & is quite comprehensive:

Date of Marriage:24-Nov-1856
Parish / District:COLERAINE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE
County:Co. Derry
Husband David Swinney Address:Kirkistown, Ballyrashane Denomination:Registrar District Occupation:LABOURER Status:Bachelor (Previously unmarried)
Wife Martha Connor Islandmore Ballywillin Registrar District Spinster (Previously unmarried)
Husband's Father James Swinney Occupation:LABOURER
Wife's Father Name: Alexander Connor SHOEMAKER
Witness 1 Thomas Forsythe
Witness 2 Peggy AnnCrawford

Children's baptisms from roots:

Name:Anne SweenyDate of Birth:25-May-1861
Date of Baptism:15-Jul-1861Address:Culhamin [calheme (?) Ballymoney] Near PortrushParish/District:BallywillinGender:
CountyCo. Antrim
Denomination:Church Of Ireland
Father:David SweenyMother:Martha /Occupation:Labourer

Name:David SweenyDate of Birth:15-Mar-1864
Date of Baptism:29-May-1864Address:Crossreagh [co Londonderry]Parish/District:BallywillinGender:
CountyCo. Antrim
Denomination:Church Of Ireland
Father:David SweenyMother:Martha /Occupation:Labourer

Name:Margaret Jane SweenyDate of Birth:28-Sep-1866
Date of Baptism:24-Feb-1867Address:Ballylaggan [ballylagan]Parish/District:BallywillinGender:
CountyCo. Antrim
Denomination:Church Of Ireland
Father:David SweenyMother:Martha /Occupation:Labourer

Name:Martha SweenyDate of Birth:9-Apr-1869
Date of Baptism:30-May-1869Address:Ballylaggan [ballylagan]Parish/District:BallywillinGender:
CountyCo. Antrim
Denomination:Church Of Ireland
Father:David SweenyMother:Martha /Occupation:Labourer

I searched for David Sweeney with father James but the earliest was 1867!

There is only 1 Sweeney (& no Swinneys) in the 1851 Irish Census

If you haven't already you may want to try geni.nidirect.ie/

Col

Thanks Col, I have the same brick wall. Can't find any earlier records.  David's parents were James Sweeney and Esther (maiden name Tait) and there is a story that they came originally from Magilligan area.  His wife Martha seems to be called Connor, Nogher and Knogher?

Regarding the surname Connor and Nogher, I can confirm they are interchangeable in Ireland. A bit like Kilpatrick and Kirkpatrick or Robertson & Robinson. Sometimes people used one and sometimes the other. It’s much less common today because officialdom requires us to have one spelling but in the 1800s variant names were very common here. Likewise the O’ and Mc prefixes were sued and then dropped at whim.