Possible County Boundary Changes County Offaly (Kings County)/Tipperary

[AlbertJ]

In the 1861 Census, my ancestor Michael Clearey (son of Francis a Gamekeeper), gave his place of birth as County Offaly (Kings County) Ireland; but in 1871 this changed to Tipperary.  These counties share a boundary.


I would welcome any help, for example have the county boundaries moved.

Thanks

[brianoleary85]

I wouldn't know about any border changes, but all I can say is that in my own Irish family research I've come across similar discrepancies for family born in county border areas. The birth cert of one individual shows he was born on the Co. Dublin side of the town of Bray (which is mostly in Co. Wicklow) -  in one census he has written he is from Co. Wicklow, in another he has written that he is from Co. Dublin. I would imagine that your ancestor was from an area right on, or exceedingly close to, the Offaly/Tipperary border and was a little "unsure" as to his county allegiance. If there were any border changes, it wouldn't have been anything massive anyway. Unfortunately the Tipp/Offaly border is a fairly long one, but perhaps the areas around Roscrea or Birr might be good starting points?

[conahy calling]

I have to admit that this link about County boundary changes is not very informative ...but you may find it amusing!

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/IRL-TIPPERARY/2013-09/1379021960

[aghadowey]

The confusion might be that the family lived in one county but the postal town/registration district, etc. was actually in the other county so when asked what county are you from both answers could be given.

[taramcdsmall]

Hi Albert

How much further have you gotten in your research on the Cleary's since last posting ?

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=598839.msg4486024#msg4486024

Tara

[myluck!]

The confusion might be that the family lived in one county but the postal town/registration district, etc. was actually in the other county so when asked what county are you from both answers could be given.

I agree aghadowey - also a parish/diocese could influence;
not to mention the GAA! Link

There are many towns in Ireland especially on rivers that are divided
The Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 ensured that all of Drogheda was moved into Louth.
It was previously partly in Co. Louth and Co. Meath

Several areas had the boundaries agreed by this act

Carrick-on-Shannon is in Co. Leitrim but right on the border (the train station is in Roscommon!)
Athlone borders Roscommon/Westmeath
Ballinasloe borders Galway/Roscommon
Bray already mentioned borders Dublin / Wicklow etc

[brianoleary85]

Hi Albert

How much further have you gotten in your research on the Cleary's since last posting ?

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=598839.msg4486024#msg4486024

Tara

Regarding Tara's suggestion in the linked thread that Aghnameadle might be a possible point of origin, that parish would certainly fit well with my suggestion that your ancestor was likely to have come "from an area right on, or exceedingly close to, the Offaly/Tipperary border".

Do you know whether your ancestors were Church of Ireland or Roman Catholic? If they were Church of Ireland (or Church of England having moved to England), this may point all the more closely to Tara's previous suggestion of an Aghnameadle CI Parish origin.

[brianoleary85]

Regarding Clearys in Aghnameadle, the Tithe Applotment books show a couple in the parish in the 1820s: http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/results.jsp?surname=&firstname=&county=&townland=&parish=Aghnameadle&search=Search&sort=last_name_sort&pageSize=10&pager.offset=70

A Thomas Cleary was a head of household by around 1850 during Griffith's Valuation: http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/

Aghnameadle parish is in the Nenagh Poor Law Union, and a search of the indexes available at familysearch.org shows that there were two Francis Clearys who died in the Nenagh Poor Law Union district. One died 1866 aged 60 (Francis Cleary, Nenagh Deaths, 1866, vol 18, p 414) and another died 1867 aged 76 (Francis Cleary, Nenagh Deaths, 1867, vol 3, p 566). If you ordered these from the Irish GRO in Roscommon (cost €4 each for a photocopy), it might turn out that one was listed as a game-keeper and give a highly probable point of origin for your Cleary family in the Tipperary/Offaly area.