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I am searching for information on Patrick Donnelly and his family. They lived as a tenement farmer on the Dromore Townlands, Monaghan, Ireland, between the town of Monaghan and the small village of Clontibret, in the catholic parish of Clontibret.. Oral tradition from his descendants in North America indicate that he was married to Margaret McKeown and that their children, were Owen, Hugh, Nancy, Patrick, Mary Jane,  Arthur, James, Michael, Terrance, Mary, Peter, and Catherine. There is no documentary evidence as yet to support this. 

DNA evidence has confirmed the familial relationship of seven siblings; Owen (born c. 1806), Hugh (born c. 1808), John (born c. 1811), Patrick (born March 14, 1817),  Mary Jane (b. c 1819), Arthur (born c. 1825), and James (born c.1827). These names align with 6 of the ones from the family story giving it credence.

I am looking for anyone or anything that provide documentary evidence to prove that;

  1. Patrick Donnelly was the patriarch of this family,
  2. that his wife was in fact Margaret McKeown and if not, whom?
  3. place/proof of birth, marriage, death for either.

I realize that this is a long shot but I have been working on this for over 45 years and have only made strides in the last few due to DNA results. Thank you all for reading this and I have my fingers crossed.

William Donnelly,

Windsor, Ontario, Canada

WJDonnelly

Friday 31st Mar 2023, 03:49PM

Message Board Replies

  • William:

    I assume you have the Tithe listing record for Patrick Donnelly as well as the Griffiths record? 

    You won't locate a baptismal record for Patrick, Margaret or any of the children because the Clontibret RC records start in 1843.

    The one possible lead is a death index record in 1864 for a Patrick Donnelly who was age 82 at death  Group Registration ID N/R SR District/Reg Area Monaghan Deceased Age at Death 82 Returns Year 1864 Returns Quarter 2 Returns Volume No 8 Returns Page No 204

    As you likely know, civil registration of deaths started in 1864. irishgenealogy.ie has images of death records from 1871-1972 but only index records for 1864-1870. We expect that the 1864-1870 images will be added to the site but we don't know when. You could request a copy of this record to see if it pertains to your Patrick Donnelly.

    https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/civil-records/help/i-want-to-get-a-copy-of-a-certificate-what-do-i-do.

    Roger McDonnell

     

    Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Friday 31st Mar 2023, 06:38PM

  • Thank you Roger. I do have the Tithe Appointment of 1830 and the Griffith's Valuation of 1861. It is both of those records (coupled with the DNA connection with descendants of Owen Donnelly, his presumed son, who lived recently in Crieve and Legnacrieve Townlands not far away) that leads me to believe that Patrick Donnelly of Dromore Townland is the patriarch that I am seeking. It is just that they are non specific and I am at a loss as to what documents or markers may be available as more definitive proof.

    Thank you for the lead regarding the death index record in 1864. I will follow-up with that that.

    William Donnelly

    WJDonnelly

    Saturday 1st Apr 2023, 11:57PM

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