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Hello.

Does anyone know the best site for viewing newspapers from County Longford? My 2x gt grandmother has been very elusive and we cannot find her birth or death entry. We know she married in 1872 in Enybegs and we know about her life afterwards but nothing about her parents or siblings etc. A relative has said that there was a write up about her funeral so we are assuming it was in the local paper. She came from a family of priests and was very devout herself and this was written about in the write up. I am hoping to find this piece and maybe shed some light on her early life and finally find out the date she died. I have looked at newspapers.com but as its connected to Ancestry the newspapers are mostly American. Also what would the local newspaper to Enybegs have been called? We believe she is linked to Bishop Heslin but we don't yet know how. 

Thankyou.

Lily Murtagh

Friday 14th Apr 2023, 05:38PM

Message Board Replies

  • Lily, For a fee you can search at IrishNewsArchive.com.

    If you supply some details about your ancestor, perhaps we can help find the birth/baptism or death record.

    Patricia

    Friday 14th Apr 2023, 07:21PM
  • Hello Patricia and Eileen.

    Her name was Ellen Rose Heslin (Eleanor) she would have been born inbetween 1840-1857, I would have thought it would be nearer the second date due to how long she carried on having children. She married Andrew Murphy in 1872 and had her first child in 1873 and carried on having a further 13 children until 1893. We also don't know when she died but she was alive on the 1911 census so it was sometime after that. I can't seem to find any record of her birth or death anywhere.

    Thank you 

    Lily

     

    Lily Murtagh

    Friday 14th Apr 2023, 09:10PM
  • Lily:

    Civil registration of births commenced in 1864. The subscription site Roots Ireland had a September 5 1850 baptismal record for an Eleanor Heslan in the Drumlish RC parish. Father was Charles and mother Mary Cooney.

    See ninth record for  March 3 1932 death record for Andrew Murphy. He is listed as married so Eleanor was still alive. Also Andrew's age appears to be understated.

    https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1932/04884/4322224.pdf

    I did not find Eleanor's death record. I did find a possible lead for a 1937 death record for an Eleanor Murphy. See first record. The age is correct. The informant was Patrick Murphy (son). Did Eleanor have a son Patrick who stayed in Ireland and she was she living with him? 

    https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1937/04789/4287166.pdf

    Roger McDonnell

    Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Friday 14th Apr 2023, 11:16PM
  • Heslin - Griffith's Valuation 1852 - Charles Heslin farming c24 acres of land in the townland o

    Cornafunshion Civil parish of Killoe;

    Heslin - Rev. Michael Parish Priest in the Diocese of Ardagh 1836 and 1837 - Catholic Directory.

    1843 should read parishes in the Diocese

    Credit:  Subscription Site  www.findmypast.ie

    Regards,

    McCoy

    Saturday 15th Apr 2023, 12:08PM
  • Hello Roger. 

    The birth record for Ellen looks positive, the year fits and also Charles Heslin has been mentioned before as her possible father, also one of the witnesses at their marriage was Ellen Cooney who could have been her mothers sister. On their marriage certificate it says Ellen was from Cumafunshaw or Climafunshaw, it's hard to read, don't think those places exist. I do have DNA matches with Cooney names in them but none relating to Ellen at the minute.

    We did wonder if that could have been Andrews death certificate but there are so many mistakes, the address and date are spot on, you noticed the age at time of death was out. I have a memory card from Andrews funeral and it says he was 96 when he died! Although I'm not surprised as Andrew aged 15 years inbetween the 1901 and 1911 census and Ellen aged 20 years!!!! So I don't think either of them had a clue how old they were. Andrew did have a grandson called Patrick J but he lived in the USA and was only a child at the time so couldn't have been the informant, also the grandsons surname wasn't Murphy. Andrew did have a son called Patrick J But he was also living in USA, but then if it was him why was grandson entered on the document and not son. Perhaps the registrar wasn't listening properly.

    The death certificate for Ellen, yes that could be her but its the first time Baymichan has come up. Enybegs their family home was 15km from Ballymichan, a 3 hour walk, so more questions. But a relative did think she died/funeral was around the new year so that fits.

    Apparently the newspaper article about Ellen's death was in more than one of the local papers, so one of them I'm assuming was the Longford leader? Would the longford Journal have had death notices in?

    Thank you for your help. I will do a bit more research into the Cooney's and see what comes up as that seems to fit with what facts we have.

     

    Kind regards

    Lily.

    Lily Murtagh

    Saturday 15th Apr 2023, 12:23PM
  • Lily,

    Attached detail on Bishop Thomas Heslin who was born in the parish of Killoe in 1847.

    Credit: Wikipedia.com

    McCoy

    Saturday 15th Apr 2023, 12:48PM
  • Attached Files

    Hello McCoy.

     

    That's interesting, it''s got to be Cornafunshion, the marriage certificate looks like it's got a U or L after the C but the rest looks like it fits with Cornafunshion. And the Charles Heslin fits. Yes apparently I am related to the Bishop of Natchez and his siblings and there are rumours that we link with the Heslins from Clontumpher but as I can't place my Ellen in either of these branches even though I have DNA matches but none have Ellen in their trees. I am at a loss at how they connect. I am hoping to find some of Ellen's siblings and see if they link it all up.

     

    Thanks for your help

    Lily.

    Lily Murtagh

    Saturday 15th Apr 2023, 01:54PM
  • Lily,

    Death Record - Ellen Murphy - December 30th 1939 - Enybegs - Killoe

    Credit: Irish Press per Subscription Site www.irishnewspaperarchives.com.

    I will check for her civil death record and any other detail and let you know.

    Regards,

    McCoy

    Saturday 15th Apr 2023, 02:01PM
  • Wow! That's her! all the information fits, I couldn't find her death certificate on irishgeneology but not all the civil records are on there. 

    So the Irish newspaper archives are the best site to get the local newspapers? I will have to sign up.

    Thankyou McCoy,  I'm so glad I now have more information about her.

    Lily Murtagh

    Saturday 15th Apr 2023, 03:10PM
  • Eileen

    Saturday 15th Apr 2023, 03:30PM
  • Thankyou Eileen.

    We have all the details from her marriage onwards, children, grandchildren etc but we were missing her death date which McCoy has now kindly found. So just need to find out more about Ellen's siblings to enable me to link the three branches of Heslin's together.

    Kind regards

    Lily

    Lily Murtagh

    Saturday 15th Apr 2023, 03:55PM
  • Eileen

    Saturday 15th Apr 2023, 04:06PM
  • Delighted you now have the information, best of luck with the journey.

    Eileen

    Saturday 15th Apr 2023, 04:25PM
  • Thank you everyone for your help.

    Lily Murtagh

    Saturday 15th Apr 2023, 04:47PM
  • McCoy/Eileen:

    Great work!

    Roger

     

    Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Saturday 15th Apr 2023, 05:06PM
  • Roger,

    Thank You!

    McCoy

    McCoy

    Saturday 15th Apr 2023, 05:21PM
  • And thank you again Roger, every little bit of information that builds the jigsaw can mean so much to those who are searching, it's great when we can fill the gaps but I take my hat off to you Roger, McCoy and Patricia for all your work, I really enjoy searching sources but I am limited as I have no subscriptions , still it's a hobby and so enjoyable.

    Eileen

    Saturday 15th Apr 2023, 07:46PM
  • Lily,

    Attached a Civil record of the death of an Ellen Murphy - Eanbegs on December 30th 1939 - No. 328. It corresponds with the death report in the Irish Press newspaper of January 1st 1940. The person who reported the death is recorded as "Cousin". It was common in the past for a relative or neighbour to notify the local Registrar who was the Dispensary Doctor for the area.

    Heslin - John - Marriage 1873 - Enabegs Church. Father: Charles Heslin, deceased.

    Regards,

    McCoy

    Sunday 16th Apr 2023, 06:44AM
  • Fantastic McCoy,

    Where did you find Ellen's death certificate? I looked on Irish genealogy site and it didn't come up, I entered 1939-1940 to allow for the death to be registered in the new year. Very interesting that Mary J Heaney was the informant. The Heaneys have come up as a "cousin" before on travel documents and my Mum, who was brought up in Ireland for her first 15 years thought they were cousins, but sadly her recollection is fading.

    Interesting that John and Catherine were married in Enybegs but they were both residing in Cornafunshion, would this have been unusual? I am trying to find a birth record that confirms John's mother was Mary Cooney, just to give a extra bit of validation. I have just found a birth record for their son Thomas b1872 and a Mary Heslin was present at birth so that's another name to look into. It's so exciting when you find a name on a certificate that leads to a new branch of the family.

    Thank you again.

    Lily 

     

    Lily Murtagh

    Sunday 16th Apr 2023, 11:18AM
  • Lily,

    The record is from the Civil records. The registration area is different to that of other records being in Ballinalee rather than Drumlish.

    In relation to marriages in Ireland, the bride usually decided the venue and that can be for various reasons - family connections etc

    Best Wishes,

    McCoy

    Sunday 16th Apr 2023, 01:47PM
  • Ahh ok. You have all been really helpful and I appreciate the time you have given me. Your local knowledge is a big bonus. I have made a donation to the site.

    Kind regards

    Lily.

    Lily Murtagh

    Sunday 16th Apr 2023, 07:49PM
  • Given all the other info above, the townland where they lived, which may once have been written as Cornafunsion, is undoubtedly the one now called Cornafunshin (in Irish, Corr na Fuinseann), about which you can see more info at this link:

    https://www.townlands.ie/longford/longford/killoe/killoe/cornafunshin/

    At that site, there are links to other kinds of info, including the Griffith's Valuation (mid-1800's) record mentioned above, where a Charles Heslin is listed, as you can see at this link:

    https://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml?action=doNa…

    kevin45sfl

    Sunday 16th Apr 2023, 09:34PM
  • It's a name I'd never heard before this week and handy to have both spellings.I will take a look at the links.

    Thanks Kevin.

    Lily Murtagh

    Monday 17th Apr 2023, 05:19PM

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