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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Derry (Londonderry) => Topic started by: McKeown on Sunday 09 October 11 10:27 BST (UK)
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Hi,
over the past few days I discovered a John Irwin B 31/10/1867 to Robert Irwin & Catherine McKane in Ballykelly County Derry. John is My Grandmothers Grandfather.
Can anyone help me pad this out?
I had a look at Ballykelly online and it was a "Plantation Village" built in the 1830's. I would not think that Irwin would be an Irish name, and I surmise he was a "Planter" himself.
So, can anyone please guide me to any good resources of information on Ballykelly or these people I have mentioned.
Thanks,
MM
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Are you sure about the date? The reason I ask is because your other post says your grandfather's grandfather was born 1808.
Samuel Duffy B 1808 in Donegall (spelling?) Ireland married Elizabeth Hyndman B1820 of Donegall (spelling?). They are my Grandfathers Grandparents.
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Hi,
A parent search on the IGI, part of familysearch.org gives five children for this couple, all born in the Ballykelly area. In each case the mother's name is spelt McKANE. However I have found the marriage of a Robert Irwin to a Catherine McKEAN on 17 Jun 1862 in St. Canice Church of Ireland, Eglinton, Co. Londonderry. Eglinton is abour six miles from Ballykelly towards the city of Londonderry and both villages are much older than 1830. They were Built by the London Guilds who were given the land around them to plant in 1609. Ballykelly was built by the Fishmongers Company and Eglinton by the Grocers Company. Your date of 1830 probably refers to some of the more imposing buildings which stand today.
Regards
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Hi, if the above marriage is correct here's a link to it on the Family search site, it includes the bride and grooms fathers names:
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.2/9SLC-PPT/p4
Regards
Joe
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I think I see this couple still living in the Ballykelly area in the 1901 Census
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Londonderry/Faughanvale/Tullymain/1522512/
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Hi MM try this link to ballykelly there are a lot of people who had connections to the Villliage writing on the site one reference is to an Irwin in the Village
My Late Aunt Lived in a house on the outskirts of the Village which was owned by a Harry Irwin
there are also Irwins buried in the very old Church of Ireland Burying Ground called Tamlagh Finlagan which was the church before the present one in Ballykelly
Good luck Gerald
http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/yourplaceandmine/londonderry/ballykelly_village.shtml
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Hi,
The Irwins in the old churchyard in Tully road just outside Ballykelly are two of my lot. John Oliver Irwin from the townland of Leeke, south of Ballykelly village, married Mary Stewart in 1874. John Irwin inherited a farm in Derryork, near Dungiven, and when he and his wife died they obviously choose to be buried near Ballykelly. However there is another Irwin grave there with names which I do not recognise.
Regards
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Hi,
The Irwins in the old churchyard in Tully road just outside Ballykelly are two of my lot. John Oliver Irwin from the townland of Leeke, south of Ballykelly village, married Mary Stewart in 1874. John Irwin inherited a farm in Derryork, near Dungiven, and when he and his wife died they obviously choose to be buried near Ballykelly. However there is another Irwin grave there with names which I do not recognise.
Regards
Any relation to a Leslie Irwin from Derryork?
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Hi Aghadowey,
I have come across the name but I cannot find a connection. I believe that his mother was Jane Ramsay which is also a Derryork name. His name also appears in the neighbouring townland of Ballyness.
Regards
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Are you sure about the date? The reason I ask is because your other post says your grandfather's grandfather was born 1808.
Samuel Duffy B 1808 in Donegall (spelling?) Ireland married Elizabeth Hyndman B1820 of Donegall (spelling?). They are my Grandfathers Grandparents.
Hi,
Theses are different families. I have been tracing both over the past few days.
MM
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Many Thanks to everyone for replying.
I will take my time and look at the info posted and get back to you.
I do not know about any kids, or relations over in Derry. I will need to check this out.
Thanks again,
MM
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Again,
Thanks to all. I have been looking at the Church. A very beautiful Church it is.
It is weird to think that I actually know where that is, and have driven through Eglinton a few times when over in Ireland. The next time I pass through I will have to drive down for a look at it. Can get a day trip over for £70 with Ryan air too.... hmmm
Anyway, the parents you list are correct it seems and the 1901 cnesus seems to be spot on too. Thanks. This is fascinating me now. I would like to try padding out the life of Robert Irwin(e). The whole Plantation idea fascinates me. I have Irish roots from the hunger, but this seems to be the other edge of the sword if I am not mistaken. However, they still had to have a reason for getting out, the children that is, leaving the parents behind.
Does anyone have any hints/ tips or clues as to how to pad out Robert and who he was. What he was doing there, and I would guess the Planters records might not be too bad. Can we locate a place for him back in Mainland Britain?
Thanks again,
MM
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I think I see this couple still living in the Ballykelly area in the 1901 Census
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Londonderry/Faughanvale/Tullymain/1522512/
This is interesting. 10 years later in 1911, there is a Catherine IrVine living there. With her Son Joseph. This Catherine is 9 years older.
I found a Son named Joseph born 5th Feb 1878
Whats everyones thoughts on this?
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai002816319/
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Birth here:
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.2/93PB-BSY/p1
Regards
See Catherine had 12 children only 4 of which were still alive in 1911
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Hi Joe,
Just got another Son, Edward Irwin. B.1880
Thanks.
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Theres also John (b.1867), Margaret Jane ,(b.1869) and Eliza Ann (1865) using parent search:
regards
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Just got Margaret Jane.
Cant see Eliza Anne (Just found her now...)
Thanks!!
MM
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Name spelt Erwine
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.2/93RR-C43/p1
also John:
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.2/93LD-DZW/p1
Regards
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Does anyone have any hints/ tips or clues as to how to pad out Robert and who he was. What he was doing there, and I would guess the Planters records might not be too bad. Can we locate a place for him back in Mainland Britain?
The name Irwin can be found from some of the earliest 'Planter' documents of the early 17C, one of the best early documents for finding out which areas an ancestor may have settled in are the Muster rolls, these contain the names of adult males bearing or capable of bearing arms. From the Muster Rolls of County Londonderry (1630) I can see 11 Irwin's, 4 in the City and Liberities of Coleraine,2 in the N. W. Liberties of Londonderry, 4 in the Barony of Loughinsholin, also1 in the Barony of Keenaght, any or none of these could be a potential ancestor.
This from the Ulster Ancestry website: IRWIN "Origins in Ulster : Scottish Plantaion
Irwin in Ulster is very often confused with Irvine especially in Fermanagh.
This may be due to the fact that both the Irwins and the Irvines arrived in Ulster about the same time (1630) from the same part of Dumfriesshire with both settling in Fermanagh, South Tyrone
The name can sometimes be found as Erwin but this is mainly in Antrim."
So you can see the name had quite a large spread, through various other documents, Hearth Money Rolls, Religious Census records from the 18C, etc. it may be possible to narrow down the area where your ancestors lived prior to the 19C but it would be almost impossible to trace a direct line back to the Plantation as so few documents survive, unless you happened to be related to one of the landed gentry.
Regards
Joe
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Hi,
Have looked through several old sources. The Hearth Tax Rolls, 1663, have no Irwins in the parish of Tamlaght Finlagan (Ballykelly). The 1740 census of Protestant Householders has a John Irwin in the parish in the townland of Calheam. However this townland is not recognised. In the 1766 Religious Census there are again no Irwins listed in Ballykelly.
The 1796 Flax Growers Register has two, Joseph and Thomas in Ballykelly but townland is not listed in this register.
Regards
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There's a Caulhame townland but it's in Desertoghill Parish near Garvagh. Caulhame/Calhame is also a part of Aghadowey townland but again it's not close to Ballykelly.
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There are some Irwins (Benjamin Irwin) at Shanreagh parish of Tamlaght Finlagan, in Griffith's Valuation.
Shanreagh is just down the road from Ballykelly. There is a back road that joins Ballykelly with the road that the Shanreagh area is near.
On the Limavady map of 1904 there are several Irwin's mentioned.
Henry Irwin a woollen draper Main street
Miss Irwin, miller at Drummond (again near Ballykelly)
The Misses Irwin Drumrane cottage and Joseph Irwin miller of Roe Mill and Glen Mill.
from Shanreagh
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Thanks to all who have replied.
This has made interesting reading for myself. I thought that the Planters would have been better recorded, but it seems not.
It must only happen like this in "Who do you think you are?"..
ha ha
Thanks again.
MM.
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Heading over this summer to Donegal, so a wee stop off in Ballykelly might be in order.
Thanks for the info folks.
MM.
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Over the past few days I discovered a John Irwin B 31/10/1867 to Robert Irwin & Catherine McKane in Ballykelly County Derry. John is My Grandmothers Grandfather.
Can anyone help me pad this out?
I had a look at Ballykelly online and it was a "Plantation Village" built in the 1830's. I would not think
I have been reading PRONI wills of Olivers who died in the Londonderry Registration District, looking for connections to Irwin / Irvine. There are four male Olivers who died in the 1870s who seem to be interrelated with Irwins, and one mentions relatives named Kane: Look at James Irwin d. 1878.
I have just established an autosomal DNA connection between my Irwin / Irvine family and descendants of Olivers of Lislane, which is what caused me to go back and read those wills. I suspect these families intermarried over the generations, as they are quite tricky to sort out. The Irwins in particular seemed to be more mobile, perhaps because of some were millers.
I could not look at birth records today on Family Search for some reason, so do not know whether you have a civil or church record, or both, for Ballykelly. Some of my family attended the Presbyterian church at Ballykelly but lived in other areas.
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Joe, thank you. Yes, this does look like my family. Sorry for the late reply. Been busy elsewhere.
I think I see this couple still living in the Ballykelly area in the 1901 Census
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Londonderry/Faughanvale/Tullymain/1522512/
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Hi Julie,
I will try to get back into this in the next few weeks. Thanks for the reply.
Over the past few days I discovered a John Irwin B 31/10/1867 to Robert Irwin & Catherine McKane in Ballykelly County Derry. John is My Grandmothers Grandfather.
Can anyone help me pad this out?
I had a look at Ballykelly online and it was a "Plantation Village" built in the 1830's. I would not think
I have been reading PRONI wills of Olivers who died in the Londonderry Registration District, looking for connections to Irwin / Irvine. There are four male Olivers who died in the 1870s who seem to be interrelated with Irwins, and one mentions relatives named Kane: Look at James Irwin d. 1878.
I have just established an autosomal DNA connection between my Irwin / Irvine family and descendants of Olivers of Lislane, which is what caused me to go back and read those wills. I suspect these families intermarried over the generations, as they are quite tricky to sort out. The Irwins in particular seemed to be more mobile, perhaps because of some were millers.
I could not look at birth records today on Family Search for some reason, so do not know whether you have a civil or church record, or both, for Ballykelly. Some of my family attended the Presbyterian church at Ballykelly but lived in other areas.
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Stewart, Irwin, Morrison, Haslett, Murrell - Dungiven area Co. Londonderry
Hi Kinkerswell - I have noticed in the names you put forward as researching there are 2 that I am familiar with. These are Irwin and Murrell.
These 2 surnames have appeared as 2nd middle names in my Dickey family who originated in Co Derry / Scotland. My great/great grandfather left Derry for the US in 1811. A descendant of his went to NZ c. 1860s/70’s. Another descendant married an Irwin in NZ.
Do you have any Derry Dickey connections as far back in your research material as yet? Look forward to your reply. Thanks and regards – Dinny.
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Not Kingkerswell but wondering who are the Irwin/Murrell connections who came to NZ in 1860/70s & the one who married an Irwin & who was the Irwin? I have relations here in NZ who have 'Murrell Mackenzie' as two middle names - I wonder if they are connected to yours? My connections are through Irwin/Ramage families who lived at Shanreagh t/l near Limavady.
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I know this is an old post, but would just like to mention that Robert Irwin who married Catherine McKane was my 3xgreat-uncle. His father was Joseph Irwin (a land steward) c1800-1897 married to Margaret (surname unknown) 1809-1872 and they lived at Carrickhugh. Joseph and Margaret had at least 6 children, James, Joseph, Eliza Ann, Margaret Jane, Robert and Edward. Margaret Jane (Peggy) 1837-1904 was my great-great-grandmother and married William John Ferguson.