Knockninny [Derrylin] Catholic registers

[Gortinanima]

Both PRONI and the National Archives of Ireland have microfilm copies of Knockninny RC Church records which begin in 1855 so I assumed that the births, marriages registers began in that year. I was searching the Cavan BRSgenealogical database and was surprised to see that their database had earlier records for Knockninny Catholic church. I emailed them for verification and got this reply:

'Knockninny baptisms and marriages begin in 1835 although there are some gaps. Knockninny RC records are included in Cavan’s database since Knockninny is in the Diocese of Kilmore. Irish World in Tyrone who oversee Fermanagh and Tyrone records do not have church records for Knockninny computerized. I hope that this information is helpful in your research'.

So it seems that there was an earlier register of births and marriages that run from 1835 [but was not microfilmed], so this is great news!!

Researching families of  McManus in Derrymacausey; Green in Trasna; McAvinue in parishes of Kinawley/Tomregan/Galloon.
 

[johal52]

If I were visiting Ireland could I go and look up those Knockninny records somewhere?

Valerie Campbell Ackroyd

RESEARCHING in IRELAND: Reilly and Gilleece/Aughyoule/Drumrush/Belturbet

[Gortinanima]

The original records are probably with the priest in Derrylin.

PRONI has microfilm of births, marriages 1855-1871

Cavan genealogy has the registers from 1835-1905 [with gaps - I think the period 1855-1871]

Available at:

rootsireland.ie

[johal52]

I actually paid a researcher in Ireland to look my family up but he couldn't find my exact ggparents although he found families with the same last name. Just couldn't find the right first names and dates. So I have about given up 

[andarah]

Would this have been the only Catholic church in that area?

I just found my gg grandfather's first marriage in Derrylin, but I don't know if it was his area of just his wife's.  I also don't know what church, but I doubt there was many RC churches.

Do you know if they would rather people contact the priest to look at the records or if they would rather a researcher look at it themselves?  My father will be in Ireland next month and he's willing to look things up for me (they are his ancestors too, afterall).

[Gortinanima]

Derrylin is in Kinawley parish - there are 3 chapels in the parish -  there is also a Catholic Church in Teemore [a small village 2 miles from Derrylin] and there is a Catholic church in Kinawley as well as one in Derrylin.

Teemore & Derrylin registers would be the same. Kinawley registers are separate.

Kinawley parish is in the Diocese of Kilmore - mostly county Cavan with part of Fermanagh.

I am sure if you contact the priests in advance that would help.

[johal52]

I don't suppose there would be any local histories written about that area? My ggps lived in, as I said, Drumrush and Aughyoule but after they married they moved to Belturbet. When Ireland was divided, I think Aughyoule became part of Northern Ireland? I know that two great uncles were postmen in Belturbet but the last thing I know of the family was from the 1911 census when they lived in Belturbet. One brother and two sisters came to Canada but don't know anything about what happened to the rest of the family. I tried visiting the churches while I was there but no one was in the churches in Belturbet. If I contacted the priest in Belturbet, how difficult would it be for him to find any records of deaths so that I could know when my ggm passed away?

[kingskerswell]

Johal,
         If you give us some names we may be able to help. I can find two Reilly/Gilleece marriages, one in 1878 and another in 1882 both in Co. Fermanagh.

Regards

[johal52]

Thank you! My ggf was John Reilly and my ggm was Mary Ellen Gilleece. I do have a copy of their marriage certificate. They were married Feb 19, 1882 at the Chapel at Knockninny. According to the entry, Mary Ellen's father was James and John's father was also John. John Reilly senior was deceased at the time of the marriage. SO was James. Mary Ellen was 27 and lived in Aughyoule and John was 25 and lived in Drumrush.

What I have been searching fruitlessly for are their birth and death records. Or any other kind of records relating to birth, death and siblings. The person who did some research for me at Ulster Ancestry couldn't find any records that matched the information I had for Mary Ellen or for John exactly although he found records (in the Valuations) for Gilleeces and Reillys in the area dating back to 1829. There are three Reilly farms in Drumrush in 1829 but no John Reillys. There is a Peter, a Thomas and an Owen "Gilleese" all renting from a landlord in Aughyoule in 1862. And plenty of Reillys, which may explain how John and Mary Ellen met. Could be that John was originally in Aughyoule but by the time they married in 1882, he had moved to Drumrush. But with all of the information that Ulster Ancestry did provide me there is nothing that definitely points to either John or Mary Ellen's line.

Any suggestions for how I could proceed further? Thank you so much for your interest!

Valerie Campbell Ackroyd