Placename help

[Sinann]

Hello Patrick and welcome to Rootschat,
I'd need to go through what I have with care but yes I think we must have a connection a good bit back.
The McDonnell's I have so far are
Thomas married Elizabeth Martin
Their children Mary circa 1859 , Michael circa 1861, Patrick circa 1864, Elizabeth b 1865 (my great grandmother ) and Nicholas circa 1866.
Michael inherited the Mill.
A quick look at my notes I see a baptism for 26 Mar 1865 William McDonnell, father James, mother Anne McKeon sponsors Charles Martin and Elizabeth Farrell.
And 1 May 1864 James McDonald marries Anne McKeone witness's John Robinson and Bridget Cullen.
1Jan 1918 Patrick McDonnell marries Margaret Bolan his parents James McDonnell and Anne McKeon witness's C McKeon and Marcella McDermott.

I have other papers I'll go through as soon as I get a chance, bit under pressure at the moment.

[pmcdonnell61]

Hi Sinann

Thanks for your Reply i wondered if your Thomas who married Elizabeth Martin could have been a brother of my James that married Anne Mc Keone ? I had Some for of the information that you Mentioned but i have never been able to get any further than this james  which lists his father as being Thomas Mc Donald Occupation Farmer my james would have been Born around 1834 as he gives his age as 30 when he marries Anne Mc Keone  in 1864 and the i know the Following children were born some of which you mention
.
William Mc Donnell Born 25 March 1865 Tuitestown Castlepollard
Margaret Mc Donnell Born 20 October 1867 Crats Multyfarnham District
Julia Mc Donnell Born 18 May 1869 Taughmon Parish Multyfarnham District
James Mc Donnell 26 January 1871 Taughmon Parish Multyfarnham District(My Great Grandfather)
Patrick Mc Donnell 7 March 1973 Drumhurlin Castlepollard
Thomas Mc Donnell 12 August 1874 Taughmon Parish Multyfarnham District
John Mc Donnell 28 March 1876 Taughmon Parish Multyfarnham District
Michael Mc Donnell 20 October 1878

Anne Mc Donnell Nee Mc Keone Died in 1886 fom uterine cancer aged 46
James Mc Donnell  Died in 1908 From TB aged 77.

I do have other information on this family like some old photos of John (Jack)Who Died in WW1 and his body was never found he enlisted and was sent out to flanders but was not married and as both his parents were dead by this time no more was heard of him and attempts to find out what happened to him the family hit a brick wall as i believe they were looking for Mc Donnell And i think that he enlisted as John or Jack Mc Donald.
my great Grandmother Mary Mc Donald nee Lyons always spelt it that way but my grandfather Spelt it Mc Donnell and we've never Changed it back.

Thanks for any information that you do have i do appreciate it also a distant cousin of mine Billy mc donnell maintains that we are related to the Mc Donnells of Glenidan  i have a photo of the 1918 Glenidan Fife And Drum Temperance Band Which features John/Thomas/Patrick.And Nicholas Mc Donnell.

Sorry that this post is more like the War And Peace Book than a message

Regards Patrick

[Sinann]

It's possible Thomas and James were brothers or cousins, I think the chances of finding out are slim.
I wanted to find Drumhurlin first, that way you might have a chance by getting the land registry for the area. As I'm sure you know there a lots of hints online but as you said finding it on a map isn't easy. Using those hints I searched the OSI Mapviewer and found Drumhurlin Bridge.
http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V1,650249,762228,7,9
It's a start, need to do some more map study but it's too late just now.

[Sinann]

Had a good look at various maps, now if I can get my thoughts straight.
1. Durmhurlin Bridge is right on the point where 3 townlands meet (Griffith's) Taghmon, Clondalever, and Tuitestown.
2. The Annels of Westmeath mention a hill at Drumhurlin
3. There is a hill marked just above Drumhurlin Bridge on the modern OSI map, which is in the townland of Clondalever.
4. There is a Michael McDonnell living at 3a in Clondalever very close to the hill. (Griffith's )
5. The 1659 census has only 2 people living in the Townland of Drumhurlin so it was very small area.
My thinking is that while today Drumhurlin Bridge is in Taghmon, when there was a townland it stretched up into Clondalever and perhaps even into Tuitestown and local people were still using the name long after the townland had disappeared.
Perhaps Michael McDonnell in Griffith's is living in what was the home place of your Thomas and could be a brother of James.
If this is the case than Clondalever may be a townland worth searching.
This all depends on the hill being the correct one. It would be good to find out if it has a name. I'm going to ask someone who might know.

[pmcdonnell61]

Hello Sinann

Thanks so much for your kind look up of my ancestors address.
I have had Ordanance survey maps over the years but to be honest I couldn't make head or tail of them as I think the thing that through me was when you look at the maps there are a couple of areas marked as taughmon.

But anyway I think you may be on to something with regard to the Clondalever area as in the 1901 Census Both James (My Great Great Grandfather) and his son Michael live in the Taughmon Area

which I always thought as according to the census there was a church on the next address which stupidly I thought was A catholic Church
It was only having read your message and reviewing the Ordnance survey map there is a Church Of Ireland Church near both the Drumhurlin Bridge and on the map it looks to be near the base of a hill. Also its very near to tuitestown where my great uncle William That was born in 1865.

And Michael Mc Donnell (My Great Uncle) was living on his own in a house in the 1911 Census his father having died in 1908  and I see no mention of a church on the next address.

I Wondered when you mentioned a Michael Mc Donnell living near the base of a hill in Clondalever according to Griffiths what year that was Printed (As im Not Familiar With Griffiths).

I Do Appreciate Your help.

Thanks So Very Much and I hope I am not imposing upon your time to much.

Regards Patrick

[Sinann]

The print date for Michael is 1854 although the map would be a different date. I need to find the discussion on Griffith's Valualation which is here somewhere to get that date.
http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/

I could be barking up the wrong tree but I think it's worth looking into to. Just need to find the name of that hill or an older map with Drumhurlin on it. I'll send the lady that helped me find Strillstown an email, no harm in asking.

[pmcdonnell61]

 sinann
 
Again I appreciate your kind look ups and help.

I find the whole issue of placenames and baronies and Registrars districts so totally confusing when trying to find out where My ancestors came from And maybe move a little further back.

But I know after having spent a Million Euros at the GRO In Dublin(Or At Least It Seems That Much)
For Births,Marriage,Death Certificates Of Silk,Lyons,Kelly,Brien,Slevin,Mc Donnell,McDonald Familys ect ect
A great deal of which did not belong to Me.(and I have in packed in to a file in case they maybe of some interest to others ).

My Relations Came From Westmeath,Galway,Dublin,Offally.

I am completely overwhelmed when it comes to the above Issues with regard to Baronies,Districts,Unions.

So I Am Greatfull with anything you can help me with.

Best Regards Patrick

[Sinann]

Just heard from my wonderful contact in Collinstown.
She spoke to her neighbour, a man of 80 years who has lived in the area all his life. He doesn't know the name of the hill bit thinks it's highly likely to be Durmhurlin.
He also remembers a Oliver McDonnell who liver in Drumhurlin and worked with the Miller McDonnell during the harvest. This Oliver was also related to the Boland family.
He says Drumhurlin isn't a townland, it's a place name.

Think I need to ask how far from the bridge this Oliver lived. See if I can get a X on a map. Fingers still crossed.

[pmcdonnell61]

That's Great info sinann
And the funny thing is I have an uncle named Oliver Mc Donnell who would be in his mid seventies now but he told me he remembers being taken out there to an old mill as a youngster by his father but he never said that he worked there.  but he couldn't remember where it was in north Westmeath so it shows the name Oliver was in use by the family back then.

I just have to find that couple of missing pieces of this large Jigsaw.

Again thanks for your kind giving of your time.

Ps if you need any look ups in Ballymore let me know