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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: Johnf04 on Sunday 15 June 14 02:56 BST (UK)

Title: Help deciphering an Irish placename
Post by: Johnf04 on Sunday 15 June 14 02:56 BST (UK)
My ancestor Jeremiah FARRELL was born in Ireland, but married, in Ayrshire, Scotland, in 1829, Ann MUIR. Their 6th son, Hugh, was born in Scotland on 7/1/1855. This birth is the only record I have found of Jeremiah's place of origin, but I can't read it.

Title: Re: Help deciphering an Irish placename
Post by: Johnf04 on Sunday 15 June 14 03:21 BST (UK)
A larger piece of the register entry:
Title: Re: Help deciphering an Irish placename
Post by: maggbill on Sunday 15 June 14 06:35 BST (UK)
Wow, this is a difficult one.

If it had been a place near Glasgow - I would have had an immediate shot at "Bellshill"... but it is Ireland.  There seems to be a "B" at start and two "ll's" in middle ???  And it doesn't say "Co" for County, so  is it a town name??
Good luck!
Title: Re: Help deciphering an Irish placename
Post by: maggbill on Sunday 15 June 14 06:37 BST (UK)
I should have said, that is the second line I am talking about.  On first line (Name of street? ) are the first two letters actually numbers, 46???  hmmmm.... Very difficult.
Title: Re: Help deciphering an Irish placename
Post by: Johnf04 on Sunday 15 June 14 06:42 BST (UK)
In the first picture, the top line says "46 years" (Jeremiah's age). The second word on the second line is "Ireland".

Title: Re: Help deciphering an Irish placename
Post by: maggbill on Sunday 15 June 14 06:49 BST (UK)
Now why couldn't I see the word "years" lol.  Just goes to show how many eyes make ?light work?  And of course the last word is "Ireland".  So the main word  is still the problem..  Again - good luck with it John.
Title: Re: Help deciphering an Irish placename
Post by: Kay99 on Sunday 15 June 14 06:53 BST (UK)
Think the first part of the word before Ireland could be Ballan...

Kay
Title: Re: Help deciphering an Irish placename
Post by: Johnf04 on Sunday 15 June 14 06:56 BST (UK)
Think the first part of the word before Ireland could be Ballan...

Kay
The letter after the "B", though, doesn't look the same as that after the "LL". And then there appears to be an "H", very similar to the last letter of Jeremiah's name, in the larger view, 3rd after the "LL".
Title: Re: Help deciphering an Irish placename
Post by: maggbill on Sunday 15 June 14 07:06 BST (UK)
Just another "stab in the dark".  Could it be "Ballinakill" which is in County Laois?
Title: Re: Help deciphering an Irish placename
Post by: maggbill on Sunday 15 June 14 07:09 BST (UK)
Just discovered that there is also a "Ballinakill" in County Galway and County Meath!   What would we do without these Irish challenges!  Also the mystery word doesn't seem to end with two "l's" does it?
Title: Re: Help deciphering an Irish placename
Post by: Johnf04 on Sunday 15 June 14 07:13 BST (UK)
I have wondered, too, whether it is a Scottish clerk's attempt at writing what someone with a strong Irish accent tells him. When Jeremiah was married, his surname was recorded as "Ferl"!
Title: Re: Help deciphering an Irish placename
Post by: Sinann on Sunday 15 June 14 12:53 BST (UK)
You could try out the various suggestions here to see if there are any Farrells living there in the 1820/30s
There is one listed for Ballinakill in Laois for example.

http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/index.jsp
Title: Re: Help deciphering an Irish placename
Post by: Johnf04 on Sunday 15 June 14 22:09 BST (UK)
Thank you Magbill. Kay99 and Sinann for your suggestions. The Galway parish has Farrells with forenames that occur in my family.

Jeremiah's parents were Thomas FARRELL and Allison SLAVEN. In Jeremiah's death registration, Thomas's occupation is "salt works labourer", and I note there were salt works in Galway.
Title: Re: Help deciphering an Irish placename
Post by: Sinann on Sunday 15 June 14 23:32 BST (UK)
There is one Slavin listed in the Applotment books for Galway. Not quite right but close.
Your farm had to be over a certain size so not everyone is listed.
Title: Re: Help deciphering an Irish placename
Post by: montie on Monday 16 June 14 02:03 BST (UK)
Myself, if it's near Galway, I'd go for Ballynahinch
Title: Re: Help deciphering an Irish placename
Post by: Johnf04 on Monday 16 June 14 03:20 BST (UK)
Myself, if it's near Galway, I'd go for Ballynahinch
Unfortunately, I don't know what county Jeremiah's from.
Title: Re: Help deciphering an Irish placename
Post by: Geoff-E on Monday 16 June 14 08:51 BST (UK)
For geographical reasons, emigration to Scotland is probably more likely from the north of Ireland.  From my own research it seems that most who went to Cumberland arrived from Antrim and Down and I'm sure it's probably true for Scotland too.
Title: Re: Help deciphering an Irish placename
Post by: montie on Tuesday 17 June 14 02:23 BST (UK)
For geographical reasons, emigration to Scotland is probably more likely from the north of Ireland.  From my own research it seems that most who went to Cumberland arrived from Antrim and Down and I'm sure it's probably true for Scotland too.

I would agree with that... In fact, when I thought of Ballynahinch, I was thinking about the one in Co. Down, but I thought research was focused on Co. Galway - and there is also a Ballynahinch there. I am not even sure it *is* Ballynahinch anyway :( Very difficult.
Title: Re: Help deciphering an Irish placename
Post by: Johnf04 on Monday 14 July 14 10:53 BST (UK)
Thank you all for your assistance.
Title: Re: Help deciphering an Irish placename
Post by: annclare on Monday 14 July 14 12:54 BST (UK)
Have come on this late but it looks very like Belturbet in Cavan.

annclare