looking for location = 'Altyarn' ? possibly near Ballymoney (Derry or Antrim?)

[BlantyreJoe]

I have an old family notebook with names and dates and locations. I see a few of the births (c1905) were at 'Altyarn' but I dont know where this could be?

Names were McCloskey ('from Ballymoney, Derry') and O'Donnell ('from Bunnaninver, Donegal').

Any clues / pointers for Altyarn would be gratefully received

Thanks, Joe

[aghadowey]

Births for that period should be in the online civil registration index- see www.familysearch.org.
The place listed in the index will be the registration index. Once you know that you can check http://www.thecore.com/seanruad to see the townlands in that registration district/Poor Law Union which shoudl locate the place.

[BlantyreJoe]

Thanks - tried that and narrowed down to Londonderry or Limavady - but there are NO townlands called Altyarn, and I've tried all combinations of searches, so the author might have got the spelling 'wrong' or .... 

Still looking

[aghadowey]

Do you mean that there are too many possibilities in the civil index to be sure of the reg. dist. so with Londonderry or Limavady are likely?

Can't see anywhere in Limavady that's close and several in Londonderry begin 'alt'.

You mention Donegal in your original post- there's Altahan (Stranorlar) and Altan (Dunfanaghy)

[BlantyreJoe]

Thanks for that   Registers helped - pointed to address of Ballymoney, Dungiven, Derry.  (My) Ballymoney is/was a few miles west of Dungiven. I have found an old 1925 map of the area online at www.benbradagh.com/ and it clearly shows the Ballymoney that I'm interested in.

Also, just beside it, on the modern day map is Altagarron Rd - which sounds very like Altyarn if the 'g' is softened.

Will now start to look for detailed church records in this small area.  Thanks for your help.

[kingskerswell]

Hi,
  Altnagarron is a small area just to the South-west of the townland of Ballymoney. It is to the south of the junction of Mullaghmeash Road and Altnagarron road. If your McCloskeys were of the Roman Catholic faith the nearest church would be St. Peter and St. Pauls in Ballymoney,   nowadays called Foreglen, a hamlet off the main Londonderry/Dungiven road.

Regards