Cassidy's of Tyrone

[Dean1]

I hope some kind person may be able to help me.   I have resisted searching for the Cassidy's because a) I find Ireland difficult to research and b) I didn't know enough about them to pose a reasonable question.   More info has come my was (in spades) and I would now like to ask if anyone can help with:

James Cassidy (Catholic) b c1872/3 in Fivemiletown, Co. Tyrone - his father was Francis Cassidy who was still alive on 5th February 1903 (from James' marriage certificate - marriage took place in Dundalk, Louth to Ellen McGeough.   James appears on the 1901 census in Clones, Co. Monoghan where he is a Drapers Assistant, age 28 and he says he was born in Co. Tyrone.   This is definitely him.   He continued to be a Draper all his life dying eventually in Rathfriland, Co. Down on 12 July 1942 (from Cassidy grave in Rathfriland).
I would love to know who his mother was and where she was from and also his father who I know was Francis Cassidy - he was a farmer on the wedding certificate of his son but I suspect not a landowner.   Other names which occur in this family are Joseph and Gerard.   The oldest daughter was named Annie - perhaps a clue to his mother's name.
I have not been able to find any records for Fivemiletown that are accessible to me and FSOrg does not come up with anything.
Historically, the Cassidy's may have come from Fermanagh i.e. Ballycassidy.

I do hope someone can help.

Sue

[kingskerswell]

Sue,
     I can find the birth of a James Cassidy, born to Francis Cassidy and Notty McQuaid in Irvinestown, Co Tyrone in 1871. There were at least two other children, Patt 1865 and Bridget 1869 and for one the mother's name was spelled NAUGHTY and for the other ANNE. These other children were also registered in Irvinestown.

Regards

[Dean1]

My goodness - a Naughty in the family!!! Whatever next.   If her name was Notty McQuaid and sounded like Naughty what on earth could/would that be short for I wonder?
This is my husband's family (he thinks the name is hilarious!) and he says it could well be them because there was a Patrick Cassidy that he had heard of in the family BUT there are many, many Patricks in Ireland!   Bridget has never been heard of.   Irvinestown sounds an odd place for RCs to be (maybe I have the wrong idea about what I have been told - I am not remotely Irish) but Francis Cassidy is supposed to have been a Farmer and I don't doubt it would have been on someone elses land - he may well have had something to do with horses also (probably with a plough that long ago) ..........I imagine he was an Agricultural Labourer.   Castelderg is a place I thought they may have come from and I see it is not so very far from Irvinestown and even closer to Fivemiletown.    Do you think that Ann and Naughty are the same person or are you saying there is a second family???  - is there an actual address for them?   If it is the census then James must have been born in 1771 not 2 (not outside the realms of possibility) - does the census say what the occupation of Francis was?    I wonder why they said they came from Fivemiletown - perhaps Francis, James father, came from there originally!!!   I am surprised they haven't named a child Francis - that continues to this day within the family.   If Irvinestown is the correct place, sadly, Ann sounds more likely.               

[Dean1]

"he may well have had something to do with horses"

I have just remembered that my mother-in-law used to refer to the elder Cassidys as "Horsetraders"!

[kingskerswell]

Hi,
    Irvinestown registration district would have had many RC families as would most registration districts in Ulster. However I cannot narrow down the previous information any further. Thus Ann and Notty may have been two different people but it is worth bearing both in mind until something better turns up.

Regards

[aghadowey]

For reference here's James Cassidy in 1911 census-
www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Rathfryland/Church_Street/258581

James in 1901?
www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Monaghan/Clones_Urban/Diamond/1631492

[Dean1]

Thank you both for your information.

Aghadowey, I have found that I can search all Ireland with these links.   Fantastic - maybe I WILL find Francis Cassidy.

Sue

[aghadowey]

DEATH: Notty Cassidy, age 58, Oct./Dec.1894 Irvinestown registration district volume 2 page 101.

[Dean1]

Thank you for that.   Still trying to get my head around what Notty could stand for??   Surely you wouldn't put a nickname on a census but you never know.


I am beginning to think this may well be the family.   James said he was born in  Fivemiletown - I am not sure that he was (no proof) - that doesn't of course mean his father came from there but Irvinestown is not so far away.

Sue