Culmore Holly Bush area family

[Sarahs Mom]

I am looking for the family of John Cleary and Hannah Lynch.  John was a ferryman at Culmore Fort 1860's- until?  His family lived at Culmore Fort and in a House/Cottage adjoing this.  Several of their children migrated to America in the 1880's but came back for visits in teh 1890's and had children there that are in the Parish record's for St. Patricks church.  One of their older daughters Elizabeth Cleary married James McGeehan she is listed as still living in 1934 in her brother's obit.  There were also two twin daughters Mary Ann and Nancy Cleary who married Gillespie Brothers, Mary Cleary-Gillespie moved to Philadelphia.  Julia Cleary may have married a Martin.  Several of the branches of the Cleary family who migrated to America continued to go back to Ireland and visit family there through the 1930's.  Trying to find out who they were and where they lived.  Culmore and Holly Bush were the locations.  I have a note that also says in 1964 two of the Cleary's visited the little house next to Fort Culmroe and two sisters named Betty and Jane Cuttbert were living there. the home where Hannah Lynch-Cleary and her daughter Sarah/Sallie Cleary lived.  A few days later they went to Greenock, Scotland and met the McGeehan's, Doherty's and Compson's.  Went back to Holly Bush and Culmore area and met Margaret and Mary Martin.  I am trying to figure out how these folks relate and wish they would have used first names for the people they visited in Scotland.  Any help would be appreciated.  Thank you,

              Sincerely Tiffany

[Christopher]

Hello Tiffany,

Have you thought of posting a message to the Greenock Telegraph

Christopher

[brycewj]

Hi Tiffany,

This is surely a very long shot but thought I would give it a try anyway! I posted this on Rootsweb some time ago...  Note  the names Lynch and Hannah Clery (a mispelling?), Culmore, and Greenock.

Any of it ring a bell?

Bill Bryce
Roberts Creek, BC
Canada

Looking for any information on:

Henry BRYCE/BRYCELAND/BRIESLAND/BRISLAND/BRESLAND/BRESLIN etc.
born abt 1813, married to Catherine LYNCH, born abt 1817.

They had four children: Mary (abt 1847), James (abt 1850), Rose Ann (abt 1853), and William (abt 1857).
Believe the family came from the Derry-Donegal border region ( Ballynagard, Kilderry, Culmore have been mentioned) but the family emigrated at some point to Greenock, Scotland. Catherine died there in 1886 as did the children; Mary 1897, James 1902, Rose Ann 1904, and William 1904.

Believe Rose Ann married a John Gallagher and they had a son, Henry, in 1880, baptised in St. Patrick's RC, Parish of Iskaheen, Diocese of Derry.
Rose Ann's maiden name was listed as BRESLIN and the parents townland was listed as Greenock. The sponsors were John & Hannah CLERY.

NB. Various surnames have been used on various documents, sometimes, even on the same document, e.g. on Rose Ann's Marriage Certificate, her maiden name is spelled Briesland, while her father's name is spelled as Bresland.

Any help would be most appreciated.

Bill

[maryderry]

i had a look at henry's christening, it lists the fathers name as HENRY not john.


                                 regards Mary.

[brycewj]

Thanks, Mary.  I was aware of this discrepancy but thought it might have been a msitake in the church records.

Bill

[Mitsy2shoes]

Hi Bill, I'm interested in the connection with Catherine Lynch. my grt grt grt grandparents were John & Hannah Cleary.You mentioned that they were sponsers to Catherine. Any info would be greatly appreciated. I  may have info that could help you too. Josie

[brycewj]

Hi Josie,

Sorry to take so long in answering but we've been away visiting grandchildren. 

The only thing I can speak to is that our Catherine Lynch (married to our GGF, Henry Briesland/Bryce/etc.) was the mother of Rose Ann Bryce who married John Gallacher.  Rose Ann and John were the parents of Henry Gallacher, born 1880 in Ballynagard, Kilderry, Londonderry, and it was to this child that John & Hannah Clery were the sponsors.  We found this information on the St Patrick's RC Church BMD in Iskaheen.  The connection between Catherine Lynch, Henry Briesland, daughter, Rose Ann Bryce, and the Gallachers was confirmed by several people, one of whom still lives in the area.

Henry Bryce/Bresland/Briesland/etc. died in Ballynagard, a townland close to St. Patrick's, in 1870 at which point, his widow, Catherine Lynch moved to Greenock to live with a couple of her daughters, eg Rose Anne & Mary.  Catherine died in Greenock in 1886, aged 69 and is buried there.


We are interested in finding out more about Catherine's earlier life, parents, etc. as well as her husband, Henry.


Hope this helps one way or another.  Let me know.
 
Cheers for now,

Bill

PS I'm still unclear about Ballynagard's location at this earlier age.  Was it in a County Derry civil parish or a RC parish, or in County  Donegal?

[Mitsy2shoes]

Hi Bill, thank you for responding its a busy live being grandparents isn't it. The info I have is that John and Hannah were sponsers,  Hannah Cleary's maiden name was lynch so maybe we could work out between us in which way they were related. Hannah was also a sponser on one of my certs to her grandaughter's birth. It is also said that John & Hannah moved to Greenock from Culmore. I'm also confused about the district,sorry I'm not much help on that one. I believe from the baptism records that the Lynch's were a large family. Josie   

[joemc]

 I'm still unclear about Ballynagard's location at this earlier age.  Was it in a County Derry civil parish or a RC parish, or in County  Donegal?

Hi, Ballynagard is a townland in county Londonderry it shares a border to the north with the townland of Culmore and also to the northwest with the townland of Craig in the Parish of Muff, county Donegal. It is/was in the Civil Parish of Templemore, see the link to the map below from the 1840's which will show you a contemporary view of the townland in the mid to late 1800's.

http://maps.osi.ie/ choose the historic 6 inch map which was produced between 1837 - 1842

Although Iskaheen was in the Parish of Muff, Co. Donegal it would have been the nearest RC church at the time and can be seen on the map near the village of Muff

Regards
Joe