Connolly and Hackett Familys of kilasher Parish

[NZfitzy]

I am looking for help to locate my GGrandmother Margaret Hackett's birth details. Her parents were Margaret Connolly and Peter Hackett noted as married May 1861 in Kilasher Parish on their second daughter Mary's birth certificate. Mary was born in Scotland but Margaret is listed as being born in Ireland. Would like to locate a copy of the marriage certificate of Margaret and Peter as well to see who Peter's parents are. From a death certificate for Margaret Connolly I have found her parents were John Connelly and Mary McGachern? not sure of spelling. Any help tracing these families and where they were from would be much appreciated.

Cheers
Josephine

[glensman]

I do not have a detailed knowledge of Fermanagh but some general points may help.  Registration of births did not begin in Ireland until 1864.  Registration of non- Catholic marriages began in 1845.  From 1864 all marriages were registered.  So the first question - what religion were these people?  If they were Roman Catholic you will be depending on Church records.  If they were not Roman Catholic you should be able to find the marriage record for 1861 on GRONI's online site.  I have had a quick look and do not see it there although sometimes records have been wrongly transcribed.

Next question is which parish?  I suspect that Kilasher is what we now know as Killesher.  If so PRONI records (not online) have good coverage of the period you want for a number of churches.  For instance the records for Killesher Roman Catholic church cover births, marriages and burials from 1855- 1881.

So religion and modern parish name may hold the key for your search.

[NZfitzy]

Thanks for  your reply Glensman and the information you provided.

The Family are Roman Catholic so because of the years involved 1861 and 1862 I suspect I will be dependant on Church Records. Do you know what the RC Church would have been in Killasher Parish ? I have worked out from Marriage ,death and census records my Great Grandmother  Margaret Hackett would have been born in 1862. Hopefully if her parents were married in Killasher Parish in 1861 she was also born and baptised there. The Family then moved to Scotland where their next daughter Mary was born in 1864 in Bathgate Linlithgow. Earlier this year I visited Scotland from New Zealand and spent a day in Scotlands People and found out heaps of information and all pointing to Ireland now and mainly Northern Ireland although there is a bit in the South as well. I did not even know about Killasher until I visited Scotlands People and it's so important to have Parishes I have realised with Irish Genealogy. I may have to make my next trip to Ireland and spend time at  Groni or Proni.

Cheers
Josephine

[glensman]

Hi Josephine

PRONI's Guide to Church Records shows just one Roman Catholic Church in Killesher and the records cover the period in which you are interested.  I will be in PRONI within the next few weeks and will have a look for you.  The quality of the records varies considerably - some are just not decipherable, others a joy to behold.  Sometimes even if they are easy to read the amount of information given is scant.  We can but hope.

It may be that others with a detailed local knowledge will be able to help further.  One possible avenue of exploration is Griffiths Valuation which was carried out in NI between 1848 and 1864.  Fermanagh records date from 1862 and show the name of the head of each household along with details of the holding.  You can search the records at http://www.askaboutireland.ie/   -  click on Griffiths Valuation and follow the instructions.  The instructional video is excellent.  You can even superimpose a modern-day map on the old ones.   However some local knowledge would ease this task considerably and perhaps if we find some records in PRONI you will have some additional detail for your search.

John

[NZfitzy]

Hi John

Thanks so much for your help. It is much appreciated. That Griffiths Valuation site looks interesting as well. I see there are lots of Hacketts and Connollys there so will investigate it further.
Cheers
Josephine

[gaffy]

Coming at it from a potential sibling angle, the RootsIreland search index shows a John Hackett baptised 1868 to parents Peter Hackett and Margaret Connolly, record content is pay to view.

I think it was possibly in Knockninny and the RC parish of Kinawley. Record content is pay to view.

[NZfitzy]

That is very interesting Gaffy. I noticed a John on the 1871 Scottish Census for the family said he was born Ireland but I thought it must have been an error because siblings Mary born 1864 and James 1866 were born in Scotland before him and a Bridget was also born in Scotland after him in 1871. They must have gone back briefly. Is  Knockninny  Kinwally Parish near Killasher Parish ? Maybe that could be the Hackett's Parish if they married in Killasher. I read somewhere the wedding normally takes place in the wife's Parish so Margaret Connolly could have been from Killasher.

[gaffy]

Yes, these places are fairly close together about 10 miles south of Enniskillen in the general area around Florence Court Forest and Upper Lough Erne.

Added: Here is the RC parish map:

http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/browse/counties/rcmaps/fermanaghrc.htm

[glensman]

I was in PRONI today and found some information for you in the Killesher R.C. Parish records (MIC 1 D/79).  The records were quite difficult to read in places but here is what I gleaned:

19 May 1861: Baptism of Hugh Carrigan, son of Hugh.  Sponsors Thomas Carrigan and Margaret Connolly.
19 May 1861: Marriage of P. (ineligible but could be Hackett) to Margaret Connolly.   Witnesses Jeremia? Carrigan and Ellen Carrigan.
23 July 1862: Baptism of Margaret Hackett daughter of Peter Hackett and Margaret Connolly of Gortinennon?  Sponsors Patrick Reilly and Anne Meals?  of  Muleniffey?

Unfortunately no parents mentioned but in 1862 the Hacketts were in what to me looked like Gortinennon.  A bit of research since I came home, found an old townland named Gortinmoan which is now known as Gortermoan and is in Killesher parish.  The Mulleniffey name may be Mullanavehy which is also in the parish.  Also if you search Gortermoan on Griffith's Valuation you will a find a number of Corrigans including Hugh.

I had a quick look through Kinawley parish records for any sign of family names there around 1835-1845 but without any success. 

Some food for thought there.

Regards

John