Look-up request; St. Joseph's R.C. cemetery, Ballyshannon

[bmcg66]

Hi.
I would really appreciate it if somebody could look for a headstone for me in St. Joseph's R.C. cemetery, in Ballyshannon.
The grave I am looking for belongs to Anne Gallagher, who died on October 21st 1928. Her obituary in the Donegal Democrat says she was buried in the cemetery on October 23rd 1928.
I would also like to know who, if anybody, was buried in the grave alongside her, so information about their names, and death date, etc., would also be much appreciated.
Many thanks!!
Brendan

[mmcpadden1947]

Hi Brendan,
I will be happy to do that for you.
It may be up to 2 weeks.
Hopefully there will be a headstone as many families then couldnt afford one then.
Its in the Diocese of Clogher while its neighbouring parish,about half of a mile away is in Diocese of Raphoe.
Both divided by the River Erne.

Its sometimes helpful to know this.
If your ancestors are from Donegal you might find Donegal Genealogy Resources helpful.

Will be in touch soon.
                                              Maura

[bmcg66]

Thanks a million Maura.
I look forward to hearing from you!!
Best wishes,
Brendan

[mmcpadden1947]

Brendan,
I visited that cemetery to day & unfortunately had no luck.
There are up to eight Gallagher graves,mostly in the last 40 - 50 years.
The oldest one I saw went back to 1915 & reads : Erected by Thomas Gallagher in loving memory of his wife,Catherine,died 9 09 1915,age 76.
Thomas Gallagher ,Tonery,died 26 08 1934,his wife Elizabeth,died 7.03 1989
( could have been a much younger 2nd wife)

This is a well maintained,currently used cemetery,but there were up to 12 + plots with no markings,just grassed over,a few had fancy stones added.
Annie could well be buried in some of those Gallagher graves, but been from a much earlier generation didnt have her name added when a later generation were sufficently affluent to erect a headstone.
Do you know was she was a Gallagher by birth or marriage,if the latter had she any children.

Only for you having the Newspaper obituary,I would have suggested the Old Abbey cemetery.
I was telling an older resident & she said that was used by generations & the bodies taken across the Estuary.
That would continue to be used by their descendants.

Sorry the outcome isint better.
                                                 Maura

[bmcg66]

Hi Maura

Thank you very much for taking the trouble to look around the cemetery. I really appreciate it!!

Anne Gallagher's grave is definitely one of those that is without a headstone.
She was my great grandmother. Her maiden name was McGee.
It was a stroke luck that her obituary was in the Donegal Democrat, and that it said she was buried in St. Joseph's cemetery, otherwise I wouldn't know where she would have been buried. In all likelihood she would have been buried with her husband (my great grandfather) Patrick Gallagher, and with some of their children that died young. Their surviving children (including my grandfather) emigrated to Lancashire, England, in the 1920's and 1930's. They never returned to Ballyshannon after the death of their parents. That would probably account for the fact that there is no headstone on the grave.

Thanks again Maura. I am very grateful for all your help.
Best wishes,
Brendan