Could some kind person explain townlands to me?

[Lisajb]

I am finding it difficult to get my head around them!  

I am finding it more or less impossible to locate someone in the 1901 census and it's been suggested that I look at the townlands as a whole rather than searching for the name.

Thank you

[kingskerswell]

Hi,
   See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Townland

Regards

[gaffy]

Feel free, if you wish, to post the details for the person you're seeking in the 1901 Ireland census, loads of folk here love the challenge and have a few 'tricks of the trade' to deploy, eg. in terms of name variants / misspellings.

[Sinann]

Is this what your looking for ?http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Westmeath/Mullingar_North_Urban/Springfield_or_Spittlefield/
Michael isn't there

[Sinann]

Feel free, if you wish, to post the details for the person you're seeking in the 1901 Ireland census, loads of folk here love the challenge and have a few 'tricks of the trade' to deploy, eg. in terms of name variants / misspellings.

See http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=691922.0

[Sinann]

There is a lot more names on the 1911 census for Springfield so the surrounding areas also deserve a look
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Westmeath/Mullingar_North_Urban/

[Lisajb]

This will probably be better on another thread, but anyway, he's in the 1911 dog licence register at Springfield, and I suspect possibly on the 1909 and 1910 dog licence register at Friars Mill Road.

He married in 1907 so he won't be with a wife - gave his age as 30 and status of bachelor on marriage reg.

His age is given as 43 in the 1911 census

And age on death registration is 75, giving a birth year of 1876.

I thought I'd found him in England in Bury, Lancashire - but another kind soul said that one was still there in 1911, so not Michael,

Either that or he's in prison, in hospital or in the workhouse, in which case I will probably never find him! Or with an alternate spelling of the name, not Meagher or Maher.  I think there are a few possible spellings of the name.  I am going through the list in Sinann's last post now.