Michael Sweeney Ballyedmond

Hi,

Michael was my grandfather & Jackie was my uncle. There were 3 other children, Michael (my dad), Maura & Bill. 

It would be lovely to hear from you.

Mike

Dear Mike, I can’t believe that finally I’ve found some of our relatives! 
 

my father was John (jack) Sweeney son of John sweeney who was your grandfather’s brother. My sisters met your grandparents and Jackie at the farm back in the 60’s, I was off gallivanting with the school at the time and was really miffed when I discovered they’d gone to Ireland. I believe they stayed with aunt Mary in tuam. 
My sister and I went over in 2020 to celebrate getting our Irish passports, it was fortunate that our mother was full Irish, a fact we didn’t realise until after she died, she was born in Co. Antrim but before partition,her family, the Murphys from Sligo regularly travelled to Belfast for work. Our grandfather John Sweeney married an English woman, sadly they both died before we were born.

my sister couldn’t remember where the farm was but we paid a visit to the cemetery in clonbern. I met a lovely old man who showed us your grandparents and Jackie’s grave, but, as you can imagine the weather didn’t allow for any further searching but that’s when we learnt that there had been other children.
I’ve become really stuck trying to trace anyone else, particularly Kate devan/davin sweeney. Also great grandfather’s parents. There’s a lady in America who is posting info, sometimes incorrect, which is making things difficult. 
I’m hoping to get over fairly soon , I would be really grateful if you could point me in the direction of the old farm. 
Sorry I’m rabbiting on a bit it’s just I’m so thrilled to actually find family.

Best regards, Maggie Sweeney 

Dear Maggie

It was wonderful to read your reply.

In the late 60's and early 70's when we were over on holidays, dad would take us to see Aunt Mary in Tuam.

Dad and Maura lived in Birmingham, whilst Bill travelled the world but spent his latter years in Dublin.

I've attached a picture of the family house as your sisters would remember it in the 1960's. That house was built by my dad circa 1955/56 for his parents. It was built to replace the old stone thatched cottage that stood on the same side of the road 

If my IT skills are up to scratch, the second picture is of the house in February 2023, taken during my visit to Clonbern.

Kind regards

Mike

Dear Maggie

The attached picture was taken in the early 70's by my dad.

Left to right, is Granny Sweeney (Bridget), my sister, Bridget-Ann, myself, my brother, Liam and my mother Kathleen who hailed from Drumlish, Co. Longford.

Kind regards

Mike

Dear Maggie

The attached photo was taken in the 1950's, near to the original home.

Left to right, is Granny Sweeney, Uncle Bill, my dad (Michael), Grandfather Sweeney and Uncle Jackie.

Kind regards

Mike

Thanks for all the photos, Catherine thought she recognised the house from the picture of you all standing in front, looking for all the world that you wanted to be somewhere else!There’s a big difference between the photos, the wall has disappeared and there are now trees behind.

when we were there in 2020 the elderly gentleman who helped us in the cemetery took us to the last house Jackie lived in, it was on the main road going south from clonbern. We couldn’t imagine that this was in any way part of the farm. Does the farm still exist? Don’t ask me where I got this information, maybe the American lady, we were led to believe that Jackie gave the farm to his nephew Rory ?

I’m having trouble sending photos, I have converted them to jpeg but this site won’t accept them. 
how do you feel about continuing by email?

maggiesweeney26@gmail.com 

Do you live in Ireland or have you stayed in the uk?

maggie x