John Darragh Killowen Coleraine

[Doire]

I am looking for information on my Gt grandfather John Darragh born c1840 died 1st Sept 1890.
Married Sarah Ann Christie on 2 Dec 1874 in Killowen Church of Ireland. Father's name Joseph .....Sarah Ann's father was Alexander..... but there I am stuck. Where would I get birth records  for c1840? Would the church hold them?

[Gortinanima]

Killowen Church of Ireland registers are extant [PRONI MIC/1/61]
Baptisms 1824-1869
Burials 1825-30, 1843-1881
Marriages 1824-1845

1831 census Index [head of household only]
Charles Darragh, Killowen, Killowen
Joseph Darragh, Killowen, Killowen

[aghadowey]

Coleraine Library also have a copy of PRONI microfilm (box #114).

[Doire]

Thank you for that info. It is very helpful.

[Doire]

Moving on a step..... I have now found John Darragh's birth in1836 to Joseph Dorrock and Catherine Campbell. Their first children appear c1830 but I can find no record for either JOSEPH or CATHERINE before that. There is a Joseph in Killowen in 1831 census but nothing further. Catherine's death was in 1844 but I have no death record for Joseph. Records before this are hard to come by. I have looked the C of I records for Killowen where all the children were baptised but nothing. It would appear Joseph married again in 1845 to Mary McIntyre. Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks

[Sandel1]

I know that it has been some time since you were using this thread, but I recently got my DNA match through ancestry and two other users match to me and assure me that they link to me through John Darragh of Coleraine and/or his wife.  This has been a great surprise as I thought our family origins were Limavady and Ballymoney.  Two other DNA links from Family Finder give me cause to believe I have ancestry at Loughan/Damhead, and I see there were quite a few Darragh surnames there in the 19th century and more recently - does anyone know if John of Killowen was their relative, or if there are links to Campbell or Spallen/Spalling of Damhead in that era? Or perhaps Logan, Olphert St, Coleraine town?  And finally do any of these names link to Limavady rural area McDonald, McGuinness, Loughhry, Neill, White or Morrison in late 1900s?

[aghadowey]

… or if there are links to Campbell or Spallen/Spalling of Damhead in that era? Or perhaps Logan, Olphert St, Coleraine town?  And finally do any of these names link to Limavady rural area McDonald, McGuinness, Loughhry, Neill, White or Morrison in late 1900s?

May just be a co-incidence with those surnames but we have DNA match to someone with a Charles McDonald (1817-1889) married Ellen Loughery. Son James McDonald (1841-1926). Not sure if this is our connection but looking at their family tree this branch is only one I can see in correct area. Still no idea yet how they could be connected.
Also someone with a James Spallin (1805-1881) and have several matches with Campbell-Arthur connections. All a great big puzzle so far 

[Sandel1]

Thanks for response.  I ran these McDonald names through Family Search as I always do when I get a child and two parent names - helps to set the picture to run them through irishgeneaology.ie which is my second port of call and I find the McDonalds at Landagivey, as farmers and a Mullahinch Chapel marriage (no idea their records would be available still). I think my McDonalds were mill labourers and not of the same religion, so I doubt this is the link.  I had no idea there was ability to use DNA matching on this site - is there a facility to hold raw DNA or is it a matter of recording matches people send you? I have so many having run raw DNA from Ancestry through Family Tree where I get Campbell and Spalling at Damhead and MyHeritage where I get Twigg/Tosh with relatives buried in Coleraine cemetry one of whom was a Scottish McDonald married to Tosh.  DNA seems to add to the mysteries!

[aghadowey]

Records for St. Mary's R.C. Church, Aghadowey, and the earlier Mullahinch Chapel come under Coleraine records- baptisms 1843-1880 microfilmed at PRONI
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/PRONI-Guide-to-Church-Records.pdf
Looks like almost the same coverage online (free)-
https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0341
Nothing before 1864 (start of civil registration) listed here-
https://www.johngrenham.com/records/rc_church.php?churchid=0341&parish=Coleraine

The McDonald and Loughrey surnames probably just a coincidence.

I had no idea there was ability to use DNA matching on this site - is there a facility to hold raw DNA or is it a matter of recording matches people send you?

What site?

I do seem to have a possible DNA link to Spallin but looks more likely to be Burnquarter rather than Lisnick family.