Spanish in Stranorlar.

[Nutthouse]

Hi,

After a conversation with my Gran I am trying to find out a bit more about her family.  Namely her Gran through her fathers side who was from Stranorlar.

Sounds simple enough, except apparently she was Spanish and my Gran would like  to know what part of Spain she was from.

Going through the census with what little info she has been able to give me I'm pretty sure I have found the family in Stranolar. But it says everyone was born in Co. Donegal.  I have some numbers to records from what should be their church which are handily now in Belfast and I think the codes to the Marriage registration in Roscommon.  Ready to pull the trigger on them when she gets back to me to double check the info incase I am well of the mark.

In the mean time though has anyone ever came across Spanish settlers in Donegal 1880ish and into the 1900s.  Or any tips on where to look for more info, Surely it couldn't have been a common sight.

Many thanks

Iain.

[Viktoria]

This may be way off the mark but much further back than the 1800`s it seems some Spanish sailors , who were shipwrecked after their ships ,  which were part of the Spanish Armada ,ran aground in Tobermoray Bay  and the Spaniards settled there .                                                             I wonder if anything like that happened in Ireland, Spanish sailors shipwrecked on the Irish coast.

                         Just a slight possibility. Best of luck.
                                                                                Viktoria.

[Nutthouse]

The Armada was the first thought too by my Gran when we were talking.  But with the 300 years between events I sort of dismissed it.

I've been looking for another shipwreck closer to the time and area but as yet nothing. 

[Viktoria]

                                                                                                                                                              If the surname is Spanish and the origins did lie with Spanish armada sailors, it would of course just need there to have been an unbroken male line down the intervening 300 years.
This is not impossible.

If as you say all the  more recent family were born in Co.Donegal,there has to be an immigrant of some sort involved.
Best of luck, what an interesting query . Viktoria.

[rathmore]

Stranorlar is in County donegal

11 ship went down around Ballyshannon between 1833 to 1934

[Nutthouse]

Cheers Rathmore.

Do you know of any sites that document them?

[rathmore]

What family name our you looking for?

[Nutthouse]

The Irish end is Robinson.

I'm waiting to get 100% confirmation from my Gran on Monday I have the right family before I order the wedding Cert to get the Maiden name.

Pretty sure I have the right lot, only one Robinson on the census and just happened to be a blacksmith too .

I was kinda hoping though with it being a small place.  Someone would have turned up something before.

This looking for stuff gets addicting though, only started off looking for sigs on a bit of paper 

[Nutthouse]

Well I got the Wedding Cert in from Roscommon.  The great Spanish maiden name I was expecting is.........

Hughes 

As yet no one has been able to decipher the Residence at the time of Marriage or Profession.  But I guess that's half the fun LOL .