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Since my original post I have found a reference to the marriage in 1804 of William Cooper to Margaret Butler in the Diocese of Ossory Ferns and Leighlin Marriage Licence Bonds indexes 1623-1866.  Their son, George Cooper (my gg grandfather) was born in 1817 and I have an old letter from his son-in-law recording that Peggy (Margaret) Butler of Hacketstown, Co Carlow was his wife's (paternal) grandmother.  These details perhaps suggest a birth date for my William Cooper in the early 1780s, so a different person from William Cooper of Aghold, bap 1793.  However, it would be very interesting to piece together the extended Cooper family in the area.  Best wishes Michael Cooper

I note that Thom's Directory (1844 onwards) lists all officers, but not NCOs.

I am researching a William Cooper from Kiltegan, Co Wicklow, who I believe was a Permanent Sergeant in the Wicklow militia sometime after 1816, possibly up to the 1840s.  Does anyone have access to a list of permanent staff of the regiment during this period or know where one could be found?  The regiment was 'disembodied' after 1816, but retained 24 sergeants and 30 corporals at that date.  The number of NCOs was gradually reduced thereafter (particularly in 1829).

William Cooper married Margaret Butler (from Hacketstown) around 1815.  The Adjutants of the Wicklow militia were William Butler (1817-21) and Richard Butler (1821-46), so there could have been a family connection in William's appointment. 

Richard Butler was a Lieutenant in the 91st Foot in the Peninsula Campaigns of 1813 and 1814.  William Cooper may also have been in the regular army and I have found someone of that name, born 1788 in Dublin (although that could just be his place of enlistment), who served as a private (latterly corporal) in the 2nd Battalion of the 83rd (County of Dublin) Foot between 1808 and 1816.  That battalion also served in the Peninsula.  There is a Royal Hospital Kilmainham pension record for the William Cooper in the 83rd Foot on find my past if anyone has access to that.  I'm not sure if he is the right person, but as my William Cooper's children were born from 1817 onwards the dates fit. 

Any information gratefully received.  Many thanks.  Kind regards.

Michael Cooper

Dear Philip

Very good to hear from you.  I did know of your existence from May Skuce's daughter, who visited us in the 1970s.  My father last visited Derrynafulla in the 1930s!

Our mutual great-grandfather George Nolan Cooper was the son of a Head Constable in the Royal Irish Constabulary.  He and his brothers all followed suit by joining the RIC.  George was posted to Cork, where he met Margaret Emma Smith.  They were married at Christ Church (Holy Trinity Parish), South Main Street, Cork.  He was then posted to Glengarriff, where he served from 1892 until his death in 1919. 

Margaret Emma Cooper nee Smith already had a connection with Kilmacomogue Parish, her mother being a Vickery from Whiddy Island.  Her father came from the Isle of Man, joined the army and served in the Crimean War, Indian Mutiny and Cape Colony before being posted to Bantry, where he met and married Kate Vickery.  He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on the day before his marriage in 1867 and moved to Cork after leaving the army.

The Cooper family can be seen in the 1911 census, http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Cork/Kilcaskan/Cappyanghna/376340/ , but Margaret Emma died in childbirth the following month.  As you will know, May Cooper, the eldest daughter, married Dick Skuce from Derrynafulla in 1916 and went to Canada.  William Valentine Cooper, the eldest son, joined the Irish Guards and was killed at Passchendaele.  I've obtained photocopies of his service records from the Irish Guards.  With the exception of your grandmother, the family dispersed to the north of Ireland, England or further afield. 

I've added some details at ancestry.co.uk if you have access to that site.

Kind regards

Michael (Cooper)

Many thanks for your message.  Fortunately the records for my great grandparents survived the fire.  It transpires that they were buried at Kilmacomogue Parish Church, Bantry.