McCloskey, Aghadowey, County Derry -genealogy search

[Farellton QC]

Thank you -we may try tomorrow morning.

[aghadowey]

Agivey graveyard is very overgrown and now virtually in the middle of a field with cows grazing through it. Best to bring a stout stick, wellies and watch out for badger and rabbit holes but don't expect to find a McCloskey stone.

[Matthew McCloskey]

Just noticed the post today as I am looking into my background as well.  My great, great, great grandfather was Patrick McCloskey from Chelsea as well.  So we must be related somehow.  Let me know ho the trip went and if you were successful in finding out any more info from Patrick's home. 

[Farellton QC]

Hello Mathew, - I did get to the Aghadowey area but did not find anything in any of the graveyards that we found.  I did not try the one that is quite old at Agivey because it had been quite wet the day before and I did not bring my wellies and did not fancy stomping around amid the gopher holes - it was very unlikely I would have found anything.  Our Patrick McCloskey came so long ago to Canada and it looks like the whole family left Ireland.  Also many of my ancestors were likely to be very poor so gravestones were unlikely.  I will be going back to that area though and may try to do some further digging around (no literally).  My husband is from Northern Ireland and we have a good friend that we stay with not far from the Aghadowey area. 
My grandmother was Aliice (Annie) McCloskey (1876 - 1903) and so my great, great grandfather was Patrick McCloskey.  My father was James Kennedy (Joseph Patrick James Kennedy 1917-1964).
The area around Aghadowey is lovely (as is all of Ireland).  Thank you for keeping in touch. 

[aghadowey]

There aren't any legible McCoskey headstones in Agivey graveyard (if there ever were any).

[Farellton QC]

Thank you for checking1

[Matthew McCloskey]

Too bad!  I am still trying to find out where Patrick McCloskey lived.  I read a couple of memoirs (which I would be happy to share if you would like them) that they came from White Hills, Agadowey.  When I try and find Patrick in Griffith's Valuations,it says Gortnahey Beg, District of Bovevagh.  Is Bovevagh in Aghadowey?  The reason I think this particular entry may be him (rather than the other large number of Patrick McCloskey's!!!), is that the he listed with Barney McCLoskey (Barney was the brother who came with them to Quebec). 

[aghadowey]

There are 2 places in Aghadowey called 'Whitehill' (one word, no 's' at the end) but neither are townlands. See reply #1 on this thread for their locations.

I too am a descendant of the same  Patrick McCloskey.  He is my great great grandfather too so we are 3rd cousins!  My deceased aunt, Sister Isobel McCloskey,  always spoke of Aghadowey as the home of Patrick.  I don't recall her mentioning White Hills. Aghadowey is a tiny hamlet so it's a pretty precise location.

Aghadowey is a parish NOT a 'tiny hamlet.'

Bovevagh Parish (mainly north of Dungiven) is not near Aghadowey- location of Gortnahey Beg-
https://www.townlands.ie/londonderry/bovevagh/
https://www.townlands.ie/londonderry/keenaght/bovevagh/gortnahey-beg/

Griffith's Valuation for Aghadowey was printed in 1859- when did your McCloskeys leave Ireland?

[Matthew McCloskey]

Thanks.  I am new to this genealogy stuff, so I apologize for being an amateur.  You must be rolling your eyes at my attempts...haha. 

Patrick left in 1851 (1852 at the latest.)  So are you saying that the Griffith's Valuations would have occurred after that?  Apparently he also had a brother Manus McCloskey who stayed in Ireland.  However, my skills are not good enough correlate all that !!!!

Tx again for you help.