Hi – I have a letter written in 1909 by a Canadian family member who visited relatives in Lisdrumbrughas townland. I think he also visited Keady. In Canada the family was Presbyterian so I’m guessing in Ireland the family attended either a Presbyterian or possibly Church of Ireland church. I’m hoping someone could help me identify any of these locations he mentioned in his letter:
Church: we visited the churchyard and graves of some of our deceased relatives. The church was surrounded by a fine grove of trees including beech and maple.
Mill and bridge, presumably close together: we came to an old mill operated by water power from the old Gallen River [I assume this is Callen River] that my father used to cross going to church [his father had left in the early 1840s]. We were shown the spot where the old bridge stood. A fine new one stands only a few feet away.
Orange Lodge: the name of the lodge was Peels Oraig [no idea if that’s an Irish word or if it’s supposed to be Orange] Hall, erected in 1903 of solid brick.
Fort: returning home by another way we visited an old fort, and after some difficulty we succeeded in ascending the eastern slope of 500 or 600 feet. We came to a thorn hedge and scaled the outer wall of the fort. Inside there was a flat piece of land 100 feet wide.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
BobWilliams
Tuesday 23rd Jan 2024, 09:38PMMessage Board Replies
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Here’s a link to the 1901 census of Lisdrumbrughas. You can see from that what precise denomination your ancestors were:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Armagh/Brootally/Lisdr…
If the family was Presbyterian then the choice of churches would seem to be either 1st Keady (aka The Temple) or 2nd Keady. Both have graveyards. I am not sufficiently familiar with the area to say which it might be from the description in the letter.
Here’s a link to transcriptions of some old Presbyterian graves in Tassagh, Keady compiled by Tennison Groves in the 1920s:
http://www.ulsterancestry.com/free/ShowFreePage-130.html#gsc.tab=0
Regarding the Orange Lodge, you could try the Orange Order’s head office to see if they can identify the correct lodge. There is or was a lodge on the Aghavilly Rd which is very close to Lisdrumbrughas but I do not know its name.
http://www.grandorangelodge.co.uk/index.aspx
There is an old fort in Lisdrumbrughas, on the Goland Rd, a minor road just off the Monaghan Rd. Those circular forts, usually on hilltops, are quite common across Ireland and often date to mediaeval times. Link to the fort here:
https://apps.communities-ni.gov.uk/NISMR-public/Details.aspx?MonID=5622
The description today says that some features are definable, suggesting there isn’t much to see. It may have deteriorated somewhat since your ancestor visited over 100 years ago.
The bridge and nearby mill might be Ballymargy Bridge, on the modern Hanslough Rd. There used to be a flax mill close by. There were a number of mills on that river, all taking advantage of the decent flow of water but this was close to a bridge so might be the one referred to in the letter.
Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Wednesday 24th Jan 2024, 03:28AM -
Elwyn, thanks very much for your detailed and informative reply. I now have a number of clues to follow up on, which is exactly what i was hoping for.
BobWilliams
Wednesday 24th Jan 2024, 07:29PM