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Hi
The families I am researching are Connolly and Coffey.
James Connolly was born in Tullamore abt 1805. His wife Elizabeth Coffey was born in Westmeath abt 1804. Elizabeth was Jame's second wife. His first wife was Bridget Kelly from Tober. James and Elizabeth married in1833 at Ballymore, County Westmeath.
The parents of James are Martin Connolly and Margaret Whelan.
I don't have the parents of Elizabeth. She may have been called Betty.
This couple is my 3xG grandparents. The family went to Australia in 1844. There is a possibility that James was also sent to Australia as a convict in the early 1830s and returned to Ireland. I have never heard of that through the family but it is something I am looking into.
I am interested in finding more about Martin Connolly and Margaret Whelan and also the parents of Elizabeth Coffey.
I understand there was a son Thomas born to James and his first wife Bridget Kelly and from what I can see he did not accompany the family to Australia so I wonder what became of him as well.
Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Hi
I have a news article that speaks of the departure of the William Nicol to Australia in early 1937. It does not provide names but lists that some people were from Knoydart and some from Glenelg as well as other places. There is also mention of the MacDonald Estates. Does anyone know where they were located?

I have DNA matches to those who went to Prince Edward Island in 1773 but so far have not been able to make the link by a paper trail. My ancestors who came to Australia were Allan and Ann McDonald.

Thanks
Colleen

Hi
My ancestors departed the the Isle of Skye in 1837 on the William Nicol.

Newspaper reports indicate that they were most likely from the McDonald Estates in Knoydart.
Can anyone tell me where these were located please?

Many thanks
Colleen

Hi Monica

So I had a good study of that image. That is the Donald McDonald for our family. What I hadn't taken much notice of before was that it says Donald was born in Ayrshire - some way from Inverness I would have thought. Donald's death certificate says he was from Invernesshire and doesn't list his mother. He is buried next to Angus, who would be his step brother in the Casino cemetery.

I am wondering now how likely it would be that the family moved to Invernesshire before going on the William Nicol to Australia. I wouldn't have thought that likely or common.

Thanks for prompting me into more research.
Colleen

Hi Monica so our Allan was married to Annie McDonald. Some thought that this is second marriage. Annie’s maiden name from death certificate of Son Angus is also McDonald. First marriage thought to be to Flora McInnes. One child from that union is Donald. Marriage date for Allan and Annie thought to be around 1825. Parents of Allan from his death certificate Alexander McDonald and Isabella Cameron. Any help greatly appreciated.
Unfortunately nothing after their arrival apart from death certificates and will provide any information of their earlier life. The family you found is our family.