RootsChat.Com
Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Wexford => Topic started by: canberragirl on Friday 12 September 08 16:34 BST (UK)
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How would I go about finding info on a relative whose occupation was a lighthouse keeper in Wexford. Unfortunately I don't know which lighthouse. He is Thomas Kevin Delaney b. 18/7/1910 in Wexford town.
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I know it's too early for your Thomas but the following page mentions two Delaney's (including a Thomas from Wexford) who served on a Lightship around 1911 - maybe the occupation was a family tradition?
http://www.cil.ie/sh610x3938.html (Commissioners of Irish Lights)
Shane
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hi,
i know of 4 lighthouses in wexford, theres maybe more.
duncannon north,rosslare,tuskar rock and the famous hook head.
i visited hook head a couple of summers ago and its a beautiful place. the tour around was given by one of the last men to work in a lighthouse in ireland before they where automated. the same man had worked in every lighthouse in ireland at one time or another and could describe the differences in each one. there is a tourist board website that you could contact and see if they have any histories that you could access;
www.thehook-wexford.com
tony
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Thanks to Tony and Shane for your info on the lighthouse keepers. My Thomas Kevin Delaney's father was also a Thomas who was a seaman and his father Richard Delaney was also a seaman so yes it seems to have been a family tradition. I will try and contact the people at "Commissioner of Irish Lights" and "Hook Head" . Regards Maeve
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I frequent the Hook Head area for holidays etc as a family member has a house in the area. A visit to the tip of the Hook and and the lighthouse is a sort of Family Tradition. Definitely worth doing when the waves are up!
The lighthouse has a little museum (and coffee shop) attached - next time I'm in I'll have a quick look for any mention of Delaney's
Shane.
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Shane that's very generous of you, thanks so much for your help. I couldn't help but notice the family names that you are interested in, some of them are quite similar to mine. I am actually from Dublin originally but my grandfather Joseph Carroll on my father's side was born in Wicklow and lived in South County Dublin where my father grew up. My g/grandfather Michael Carroll was also from Wicklow and married to a Bridget Doyle from Wicklow and my gg/grandfather Patrick Carroll was from Avoca, Wicklow married to a Frances (Fanny) Byrne of Avoca, Wicklow. I notice that you have Wilson as well - my husband is a Wilson of NSW, Australia and his ancestors I think are from Cambridgeshire UK. I haven't started compiling his info yet just trying to plough through my own first. However, I'm now curious to have a look at his as well.
Regards Maeve
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One of my 'problem' ancestors is a Henry Wilson who left his wife and children (possibly with a young female companion) in Leeds and went to NSW, probably in the late 1890s. Henry was born in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire.
After he vanished he was traced by the Salvation Army to Sydney, Australia on behalf of his wife, but they lost track of him after that....
Shane
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Sorry this link's not much help ... it shows a lighthouse keeper at Tory Island, Co. Donegal taking a tea break http://tinyurl.com/449qtp
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Will the records for Lighthouse Keepers be at Kew ?
The naval and coastguard records are. And pensions may have been paid from London . There should be pension records after 1908 .
Linden
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Trinity House have run the Lighthouses from the time of Henry 8th to this day :
http://www.trinityhouse.co.uk/corporation/genealogy.html
and the Manuscripts Section of the Guildhall Library
http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/guildhalllibrary
it seems Irish light houses were never administered from Trinity House - for Irish Records the Guildhall library suggests contacting
Commissioners of Irish Lights, 16 Lower Pembroke Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.
their website is http://www.cil.ie/
Shane
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Thanks to all you Rootschatters for the help on lighthouses and lightships in Ireland. It turns out that the Commissioners of Irish Lights was the place to go afterall. I emailed them and within 24 hours they came back with the service record of both my Thomas Delaney relatives (father and son) nothing on the grandfather Richard as his records would be much earlier in 1840-50. However they don't have any family info on their lightshipmen e.g whether married, or what their addresses might have been, only County of origin. Still, I'm thrilled, Thanks heaps. Now it makes sense why all the men folk were not at home on Census night 1911.
Regards Canberragirl
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I think there is awebsite forIrish light houses and I remember letters written fromone of them during the Famine . There are lots of photos .
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Shane that's very generous of you, thanks so much for your help. I couldn't help but notice the family names that you are interested in, some of them are quite similar to mine. I am actually from Dublin originally but my grandfather Joseph Carroll on my father's side was born in Wicklow and lived in South County Dublin where my father grew up. My g/grandfather Michael Carroll was also from Wicklow and married to a Bridget Doyle from Wicklow and my gg/grandfather Patrick Carroll was from Avoca, Wicklow married to a Frances (Fanny) Byrne of Avoca, Wicklow. I notice that you have Wilson as well - my husband is a Wilson of NSW, Australia and his ancestors I think are from Cambridgeshire UK. I haven't started compiling his info yet just trying to plough through my own first. However, I'm now curious to have a look at his as well.
Regards Maeve
Just remembered that you mentioned Doyles from Co. Wicklow - one of my ancestors is Sarah Doyle born 1850 to Denis Doyle & Mary Byrne married in 1836. I know of four sibling at the moment Denis 1838, Mary 1841, Elizabeth 1844 & Patrick 1847. They were based in Killarney, which is a townland close to Bray, Co. Wicklow.
Shane
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To Shane W
I haven't done a lot of research "yet" on the Doyles but I know they came from Wicklow town we have Bridget Doyle b.1829 approx. married in 1845 to Michael Carroll of Wicklow. Bridget was the daughter of Moses Doyle and Bridget Shiel of Wicklow - she had a sister Mary Doyle baptised 1820 Wicklow parish and we think a brother Robert Doyle. When we get some more details off the registers will let you know if they connect, there could be more siblings. Also Moses could have brothers and sisters too, haven't got that info yet. Could take a few months.
Regards Maeve
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Hi Canberragirl I just thought i would let you know that the Delaney's were a well known Wexford seafaring family. They came from Parnell St (once called NewStreet.) and many off them served in the Lights service, on Lightships. I have never heard of any of them in the Light Houses ,but that doesn't mean that they didn't . In 1961 I spent some time on a lightship with Thomas Kevin Delaney, who was mentioned in another post and sailed with another one of the family Jim. Delaney. There are no Delaneys in Wexford today as far as I know. If I can find out any thing about them i will let you know.
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To Shellback
Thanks for the information on the Delaneys anything you can remember about the Delaney families would be helpful, my father always said that Thomas Kevin Delaney of Parnell St was his cousin, we are trying to find a connection between Thomas kevin and my grandmother Mary Jane Coates (father's mother) who was brought up by a family of Wades in Wexford) - Thomas Kevin's mother Mary Alice Delaney is formerly a Wade married to a Thomas Delaney (Thomas Kevin's father).
Regards Canberragirl
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Hello Canberragirl,
There are a couple of businesses by the name of Delaney in Wexford. It's quite a good idea to send a message to an existing business if it bears the same surname as ancestors that you are trying to trace. Most business people tend to know a large number of people in their local community and some of them are the best people to approach if you want to know the history of an area. If they are unable to assist with useful information they may be able to put you in touch with others who can assist.
Christopher
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Thanks Christopher for the suggestion - I may just approach the Delaneys in business in Wexford but at present there are a couple of very kind Rootschatters investigating the Delaneys for me so I will hold off on that for now and see what they can find out for me. Thank you again.
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Dear Canberra girl,
My father is a Delaney from Parnell Street, Wexford, and my grandfather was a sea captain.
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Hi,
In his book on Rosslare Harbour, John Maddock writes in relation to Tuskar Rock Lighthouse that during the 1880s the board of Trinity House bought two houses at Slaney Street and The Faythe, Wexford, for Lightkeepers families. Maybe someone can confirm if other houses in Wexford town were similarly used for the families of Lightkeepers.
Cheers
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Dear Canberra girl,
Thomas Delaney was my father's uncle and Kevin was his fist cousin. Mary Wade was Tom's wife.
My father would love to hear from you and will fill you in with more detailed information. As I am new to the site I cannot reply to your mail.
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Dear Wexford Lass
At last I've found someone who can fill in the blanks for me a million thanks for replying I look forward to our correspondence.
Apparently you can send Personal Messages after three posts. So just keep posting here for the moment.
Regards Canberragirl
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Hello Canberra Girl
so you found your Wexford Delaney roots I am a lighthouse keepers wife and am also related to the delaneys of Parnell Street through my mother who was an O Rourke of Parnell St Wexford who was a first cousin of the Delaneys of Parnell Street Michael Delaney was my Godfather . A closer relative would be a Mary Delaney Kinsella of wexford I will get her address for you All the sea/Lighthouse/lightship.delaneys came from Parnell Street .
Warm wishes
Lighthouse lass
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Dear Lighthouse Lass
Thanks for letting me know this I'm happy to talk to any of the Delaneys and explain my connection. Looking forward to hearing from you.again.
Regards Canberragirl
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Canberragirl... Thomas Kevin Delaney was my great Uncle, I was named after him!! My Grandad was Richard Delaney, his brother, his sisters were called Peg (Margaret) and May. They lived at 32 Parnell St, we used to visit with Peg up until she died in I think 1996. My grandad married Margaret Oleary and they lived in the town in Columba Villas and later Bernadette Place in Wexford. They had 6 children, 3 girls and 3 boys. (My mother Veronica is their daughter). He died in 1980 and she died in 1990. She was related to the OLearys of Upper John St, Number 69, well known for housing a poultry business!! Would be interested to chat more!!
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Lighthouse Lass
Not clear on the connection with your family in Parnell Street and would be very interested to find out more, as the only children from the 4 Delaney siblings (Thomas Kevins brother and sisters, known to them and everyone else as Kevin Delaney, married to Kathleen who recently died in Wexford) was from my grandad Richard, who had six children with his wife, my grandmother Margaret. None of the other 3 had children, in fact May and Peg were never married.
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Wexford Lass,
Would also be very interested to hear of your connection!!! I am looking forward to all of your responses!!!
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... does anyone know of the connection with Mark Delaney from Fishguard in Wales, the football player? Apparently he is related in some way too, I understand his grandad would have been Kevins and my grandads first cousin?
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Hi Kevcrq
I just noticed you're online. Well I seem to have uncovered another Delaney in Wexford - how great
I'm still trying to absorb all this information and I don't think its all sunk in yet. But I will send you a PM to discuss details
Thanks Canberragirl
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cev. The Delaney from Fishguard may be descended from Dick Delaney of Parnell St. who was bosun on the Fishguard /Rosslare boats and married and lived in Fishguard. If it is the same family,( I am almost certain that they are the only family of that name in Fishguard)
he would be either a grandson or greatgrandson.
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I am looking for George Brownell, b about 1809 and Married Maria. he was a lighthouse keeper at Stackallen I think and so were many of his relatives. need much help
Pamela
Australia
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Thanks to all you Rootschatters for the help on lighthouses and lightships in Ireland. It turns out that the Commissioners of Irish Lights was the place to go afterall. I emailed them and within 24 hours they came back with the service record of both my Thomas Delaney relatives (father and son) nothing on the grandfather Richard as his records would be much earlier in 1840-50. However they don't have any family info on their lightshipmen e.g whether married, or what their addresses might have been, only County of origin. Still, I'm thrilled, Thanks heaps. Now it makes sense why all the men folk were not at home on Census night 1911.
Regards Canberragirl
If you ever make it to Hook Head, there is a picture in the hallyway of the coffee shop detailing all the lightkeepers that ever served there, their titles and years of service ...
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Thanks for the help on lighthouses and lightships in Ireland. It turns out that the Commissioners of Irish Lights was the place to go afterall. I emailed them and within 24 hours they came back with the service record of both my Thomas Delaney relatives (father and son) nothing on the grandfather Richard as his records would be much earlier in 1840-50. However they don't have any family info on their lightshipmen e.g whether married, or what their addresses might have been, only County of origin.
Canberragirl
There is a wealth of information on all things nautical in two books recently launched in Wexford. Written by John Power and in two weighty volumes it provides a chronological history of events around the Wexford coast from 1859 – 1960. It provides details of wrecks, lighthouse keepers, lightship men, lifeboat men, custom officers and ordinary sailors and fishermen from the locality.
See:
http://www.wexfordpeople.ie/lifestyle/maritime-book-is-launched-2936988.html
On page 73 of volume 2 the following appears:
William Delaney:
The death occurred on 24th February 1913 of William Delaney, aged 48 years, a member of the Irish lights. He was serving on board the South Rock lightship off the Down coast up to the time of his death. William was the eldest son of the late Richard Delaney, Parnell Street, Wexford. Flags were flown at half mast on ships in Wexford Harbour on receiving the news of his death.
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Here’s William’s 1901 census record providing his home address: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Ards_Upper/New_Row/1232258/
In 1911 he was on his lightship
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Quintin/Lightship/241860/
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I am looking for George Brownell, b about 1809 and Married Maria. he was a lighthouse keeper at Stackallen I think and so were many of his relatives. need much help
Pamela
Australia
There is some information that may help you on website www.slanetimes.com - heading headstone inscriptions - stackallen. It lists the memorials to a few Brownell's including a George.
I am looking for a John Brownell born c1815 who was also a lightkeeper married to a Maria born 1818. who's daughter Louisa moved and married Liverpool 1873.
Good luck
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Searching for years for Lighthouse Keeper records for William MURPHY believed to be in Co Wexford as his son John Murphy was born there in 1851. It may be that William died c 1857 as aged 6 John was sent to live with relatives in Newtownards Co Down.
Any ideas where to find such records. Have tried the usual places
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http://www.cil.ie/sh610x3938.html
The Commissioner of Irish Lights will have information on Lighthouse and Lightships in Ireland.
Canberragirl
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Sorry that website has changed if you just google Lighthouse Keepers of Wexford and contact them they will steer you in the right direction.
Canberragirl
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Many thanks. Will try