Hi, I am new to RootsChat and noticed your posting re Duncan Burns. I believe that he is also my Great, great grandfather. His son William moved to London and joined the Metropolitan Police force and I am descended from that line. I have also found a son James who was a carpenter in Ballintra and other possible leads. Like you, no luck with the birth record, or marriage of Duncan. The family were Roman Catholic and the Ballintra Parish records only go back to 1860. I believe that Duncan's wife was a Catherine and her surname was Gallagher. I think that they are Scots by origin (probably Ayrshire) and that some of them went to the United States and Canada. There is a Mathew Burns of Ballintra (also a blacksmith), wife Margaret and numerous children emigrating from Londonderry in 1847 to St John's New Brunswick.
Some of my info is solid but some is conjecture and the result of fishing expeditions.. So maybe we should compare notes? Not sure how to go about that.
Looking forward to hearing from you