Sweeney Family - Dunbartonshire

[goldenbreed]

Hi,

I'm wondering if someone can shed some more light on the Sweeney family that originally came from Ireland to Dunbartonshire, Scotland.

All I know at the moment is that James Sweeney and his wife Mary(nee McLaughlin), both born in Ireland, lived in Dunbartonshire during the 1860/70s and had at least one child, James b. c1861 in Ireland. James married Annie Smith and had three children - James b. c1881, Mary Jean b. c1887 and Michael b. c1893, all born in Renton, Dunbartonshire. Michael married Helen Campbell and had at least one child, Michael b.1832 in Dumbarton.

I would greatly appreciate any additional information concerning this family as I am rather stuck with the research at the moment.

Thank you for any help.

Andrew.

[MonicaL]

Hi Andrew

There are these entries showing on IGI at www.familysearch.org which may be for children to James and Mary:

1. HANNAH SWINEY Birth: 29 APR 1864 0269, Kilmacrenan, Donegal, Ireland
2. MICHAEL SWEENY Birth: 10 MAR 1868, Donegal, Ireland
3. BERNARD SWEENY Birth: 10 MAR 1868, Donegal, Ireland
4. CATHARINE SWEENEY Birth: 27 NOV 1868, Donegal, Ireland
5. CATHARINE SWEENY Birth: 22 AUG 1871, Donegal, Ireland

Official registration didn't start in Ireland until 1864, so not seeing anything at this stage for son James' birth c. 1861.

Monica 

[MonicaL]

Are these the Sweeney's in 1881 - everyone born in Ireland:

Mary Sweenie 47
Jane Sweenie 25
Jno Sweenie 23
James Sweenie 20
Michael Sweenie 16
Cath Sweenie 9

Address: Millers Land Main St, Bonhill Dunbartonshire

Monica

[mrs acb]

Hi ,I am from Irish/Dumbarton Sweeneys too,Only my lot are Denis Sweeney and his Wife Mary Boyle.Annie their Daughter is my great gran.I suspect they are a compleatly diffrent buch of Sweeneys but if I can help I will! Anne

[goldenbreed]

Thank you, Monica, for the information which filled in a few gaps.

Another part of the tree I'm trying to add to is that concerning Michael Sweeney (b. c1893 Renton, Dumbartonshire; d.1931 Dumbartonshire). I know he married at least once to a Helen Campbell and had a son, Michael b.1832 in Dumbartonshire, but I believe there might have been a daughter, too and maybe a previous marriage. If you can help with this one, too I would be most grateful. Thank you again.

Regards,

Andrew.

[goldenbreed]

Thank you for the kind offer, Anne, but I think we might have different trees at the moment. However, they probably link up somewhere!

Regards,

Andrew.

[Lodger]

My great-aunt was briefly married to a Denis Sweeney from Dumbarton. They married in 1912 and he died about 1915. His age was given as 26 on the marriage certificate and his parents were Charles Sweeney (deceased by 1912) and Mary Moan. Denis had a brother, Hugh I think his name was, he died in the 1940s I think and is buried with Denis and my gt-aunt.

[mrs acb]

Hi Lodger,Yip this is my family too! Charles Sweeney is the older brother to my great grandmum Annie Sweeney ,Annie was 2 in 1884 when Charles and Mary Jane were married then the emigrated to the USA so I doubt my ggranmum would have known them well.I have lots on this family  and I belive among other things that Charles died in the USA .I don't have my Sweeney file to hand right this minute but after Charles died Mary Jane Moan his wife returned to Dumbarton where she moved into 12 Castle street with Charles younger brother David as a " housekeeper" a short time later she produced illegitimate twins named David and Agnes,it is assumed David her brother in law was the father.She later moved to Stirling st Renton where she died in I think 1939.I may be mistaken and I will have to check it out but I thought Denis died 1970.I will have another look and get back to you.Where is Mary Jane Moan buried,do you know. I have loads on this Sweeney family.If you are local to Dumbarton I would be happy to meet and exchange notes 

[Lodger]

I know nothing at all about my great-aunt's husband Denis, other than the information he supplied for his marriage certificate and that he died in May 1915. My aunt Sarah never married again and she lived on until 1975 - 60 years a widow. She never spoke of him and as far as I know she wasn't particularly broken-hearted when he died! She must have kept in touch with his brother, as he is in the same grave here in Motherwell. I actually think he may have been living in Motherwell at the time of his death but definitely not with her.
My gt-aunt was a very secretive person (my grandfather, her brother, used to say that she wouldn't tell you if the house was on fire!). According to my granny, Denis Sweeney was a "far-out" relation of McCafferty cousins who lived in Dumbarton and that is how Sarah met him.
Sarah's mother was a McCafferty and she had 3 sisters and 1 brother in Dumbarton (all born in Donegal). One of the sisters, Mary, was married at St Patrick's Dumbarton in 1894 to a man named James Docherty and, according to the marriage certificate his parents were John Docherty & Mary Sweeney. That was the only Sweeney connection I ever made down there.
James Docherty had an older brother named Hugh, he married another McCafferty sister, Sarah. They married in Donegal in 1883. So 2 sisters married 2 brothers.
Hugh was born about 1860 and James was born about 1870.

So these Sweeneys are not related to me really. I have no idea where Mary Moan is buried, she is not in the plot in Motherwell.