RootsChat.Com
Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Galway => Topic started by: finglaspete on Saturday 05 November 16 15:16 GMT (UK)
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My Great grandfather Thomas O'Rorke was born somewhere in County Galway around 1845, I have hit the proverbial genealogical brick wall, after years of attacking, I have to put my hands up, and maybe one of you can help me.
As I said, that is it, he was born in County Galway, his fathers name was James, this says it on the Marriage certificate of Thomas when he married in 1876. He was in the RIC and travelled a lot around the southern counties, I know this, but I would really love to know is just where he was born and what his mothers maiden name was.
I have looked through a number of baptismal certs in the area, though I know someone on here will have an answer, I have helped many here over the years, and have been helped too, so here I am again.
Thank you in advance for any help you can give me,
All the best in family history
Pete :)
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Have you got him on any census? Is birthplace different on any of them or just Ireland.
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Just a small footnote to my last, Thomas was very enthusiastic about the Irish language, and filled out his census forms in Irish himself, being a sargeant in the RIC, it is rare to see forms filled out in Irish in the 1901 and 1911 censii, and he was one of them. I am ultimately also looking for a connection to Reverend John O'Rorke, because my mother and her sisters insisted that they descended from the more imprtant Breffni O'Rorke family, all very proud very Irish etc.
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Hi Milliepede
Yes he was down in Bagenalstown as a retired RIC sargeant, and he states in his own pen as Gaelge that he is from County Galway.
Please take a look, it is mightily unusual during British rule.
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai001660873/
Hope you can help me :)
Pete
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http://www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/roscommon/military.htm ?
http://www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/galway/military.htm ?
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Thanks Hallmark
I took a look, though because he was born in 1845ish he wouldn't have gone into the force until about 1865ish, I remember seeing his record some years ago, and it said he was from Galway, but single, not much to go on there,
I just turned my paperwork upside down and found that he joined in Roscommon, though he was from Galway. he was appointed in 1866 aged 21, he was recommended by his parish priest a Fr P A O'Connor? Mean anything to anyone?
Pete
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Then is what you posted previously all incorrect?
hi there
My great grandfather Thomas O'rorke was baptised in dunmore, near tuam 22/12/1844, his father was michael and mother margaret mcdermott, I would be very interested to hear if there is anyone else who has this in common, I would like to know if he is also related to the O'rorkes in Moylough, five miles away, or the O'Rorkes in Manorhamilton.
I know there is a line going back of the breffni o'rorkes for many centuries, but i just cannot get a connection. Can you help?
He became a policeman and moved around the southeast of ireland in his career. ending up in Bagenalstown, carlow, where i think h is buried.
all the best
pete
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Hi Aghadowney
Yes, that was seven years ago, I have learnt so much about Genealogy since, and was probably clutching at straws back then looking for a fast solution, when now I am looking more methodically, and that is why I come back with this fresh approach :)
But yes, thank you for pointing that out, I thought that had gone down the plughole and disappeared, anyway it never got any replies, probably due to my lack of knowledge, and seven years later, still no better off.
Anyway Aghadowney my friend, can you help me out today?
Pete
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Not sure what the enrolment age was back then... but see you have a Year!
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Hallmark
Yes, I have most of his police records, though I would just love to know where he was from in Galway. Another little fact I learnt about him recently, when looking at his pension records that prior to his death he was collecting his pension in County Roscommon, maybe he went back to Galway and that was his nearest pension collection point. Though his NOK reported his death to the RIC pensions death, she lived in Ballymore, Kildare, I thought he was buried down there, had a look, but couldn't find anything, even though his death is recorded in Naas district, all very confusing.
I have been so successful with some aspects of my FH, but this one has always been a mystery, I know as much now as I did when I started and nothing more.
Pete
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Where in Roscommon was he collecting Pension?
He could gave died and been buried anywhere and his sister registered the death at her local office
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Wow! I never looked at it that way, I must get the death certificate. It only says on the pension book that he was collecting the pension in Roscommon, he also joined the force in Roscommon, though he was 'from' Galway, still as clear as mud, but maybe the death cert will throw some light, very good point Hallmark.
Pete
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http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Roscommon/Roscommon_Rural/Ballyboughan/783450/
only a possible clue!
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Do you know when/where he died??
What do you know??
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If right marriage he was born 1835 ? and a widower
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FGDC-5YF
no details in register
http://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000634175#page/117/mode/1up
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by the way i was working off this birth 1888 for Mary Teresa in Tipperary
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1888/02515/1932298.pdf
and Celia Francis in Carlow 1883
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1883/02711/1998242.pdf
edited to add they are both based on the census return you provided for in 1911
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Wife Mary died 1898
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1898/05838/4653684.pdf
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1901
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Carlow/Bagenalstown_Rural/Kilree_Street/1038871/
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daughter Annie died 1902 age 12
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/details-civil/c18bbb11229443
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John Joseph the informant on both deaths was born 1882
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1882/02781/2020897.pdf
plus others earlier
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01isw/
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Thomas Patrick O'Rorke born Sally Park Waterford 1880
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FRM8-7TY
1901
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Dublin/Inns_Quay/Goldsmith_Street/1324521/
died 1914 at Kilree St informant his father Thomas
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/details-civil/2125d410168089
http://www.willcalendars.nationalarchives.ie/reels/cwa/005014918/005014918_00685.pdf
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We could be pulling every Thomas off whatever, but some FACTS need to be posted!! Dates etc....
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Thomas senior died 1922 at Ballymore informant his daughter Mary Duff
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/details-civil/c215669577863
Gerald Duff and Mary ORorke 1919
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/details-civil/9a986b6890281
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Thank you Hallmark and Daithí
To be honest I don't know where he died, though his last posting was in Bagenalstown, and Castlekelly being about fifteen kilometres away, sounds good, though the date was wrong, his daughter registered to the RIC pensions dept to stop his pension, and it states on that he died on 17 May 1922, and that he was drawing his pension from Roscommon up to his death. His daughter and Next of kin reported it, she lived in Ballymore, Kildare. that is all still up in the air, though it was good to see the Death cert of his wife, and the name of a new son as the registering person, thank you.
I do feel that the gentleman Padraig O'Ruairc in the census document could very well be his brother, and possibly who he went to after he retired, gives a bit more substance to the reason he drew his pension in Roscommon, his signature kind of looks similar to Thomas's on the doc too.
The marriage that you showed in Oughterard seems good, though it says he was born in 1835, and on his police record it says he was born around 1845, though he may have been lying about his age, not unusual then. I do though have a marriage for two people of the same names in Vicarstown, Queens in 27/1/1876, and I know he had a son, my grandfather on 1/11/1876.
Lads, thank you very much, there is still much for me to do, but I think you have given me something more to go on.
All the best in Genealogy
Pete
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Daithí
Just reading a bit more, yes! thank you, you confirmed it, his daughter Mrs Duff, reported it in Ballymore, Kildare. I am indebted, so he must have come back down from Roscommon to be looked after by his daughter.
Thanks again, and a marriage date and a husband name for Mary, I don't know, I just can't move with this man, but yet fly with others, amazing!
Pete
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"Mrs Duff, reported it in Ballymore, Kildare. I am indebted, so he must have come back down from Roscommon to be looked after....."
Not necessarily!
He could have died in New York or wherever... she just reported it!!
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Hi again Hallmark,
I said what I had said to Daithi, because he showed a link to the death of Thomas, confirming it was in Ballymore.
Pete
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It is indeed very strange that two people of both same names should marry i was wondering why there was such a big gap in the births from 1865 to 1876
http://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000634583#page/25/mode/1up
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wonder was the wife in the 1865 marriage meant to be Mary Geraghty
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/supp_births/2341991x.pdf
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".... Castlekelly being about fifteen kilometres away, sounds good, though the date was wrong, his daughter registered to the RIC pensions dept to stop his pension, and it states on that he died on 17 May 1922..."
the Date I posted wasn't a Death Date, it was date when Will was GRANTED!!
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Daithí
Yes definitely Geraghty, it is an easy one to get caught on, I have seen it before. That kind of shines through in a lot of Irish names, so many variations.
Pete
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"the Date I posted wasn't a Death Date, it was date when Will was GRANTED!!"
Hallmark
Yes I kind of guessed that, though the date is about two years prior to the date stated for his death on his pension record, and for the facts(which you mentioned earlier) were that he was a policeman in Bagenalstown, though at some point after he retired, he was drawing his pension in Roscommon, though after he died in Ballymore, Kildare. How long he was in Roscommon, I can find out if it clears up anything for you, though the town in Roscommon is not stated on the Documents.
Thanks to Daithí and yourself, I have moved forward, in a slightly different direction than what I came here for, but a movement anyway.
And my sincere thanks to Daithí and yourself :)
Pete
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How do you know he died in Ballymore, Kildare??
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Based on Mary Teresa O'Rorke's birth 1888 this could be a good bet for her husband Gerald
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Westmeath/Fore_West/Lakill_or_Moortown/1776967/
to note on marriage cert it say's his father is also Gerald which is often interchangeable with Garrett
edited to add as he does in 1911 Gerald
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Westmeath/Fore_West/Lakill_and_Moortown/879766/
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Hi
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If there’s a way to pm me do. I am related to Mary Teresa and can fill in some of your blanks. Not many mind. I don’t know where Thomas was raised other than it was down a long lane on land with a lake on the Galway Roscommon border.
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I don’t have much. This is Thomas O’Rorke and Mary Heraghty. Thomas lived in Bagnalstown until he was sent to B’more Eustace for the “air”. He died there. I was brought to Arles as a child to see all the graves. I saw your pm but I can’t find it now!! I’m new here. Were you doing a blog a few years back. I saw it and gave it to my brother who usually deals with family business. He’s older and so knows more. Im surprised he didn’t get in touch with you because we are second cousins! 😀 I was just 10 when my granny (mary Teresa) died and she wasn’t a fan of small kids! So there were no heart to hearts iykwim. Pm me again. Please.
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She Ireland,
Absolutely amazing, I have been doing FH for so long, the things I have learnt, and the people I have met have been way beyond what I would have thought was going to come in the first place.
The O'Rorke(my mum's maiden name) side has always been a mystery, a long story and not really for public view. I would love to tell you, and I am going to send you another PM, if you don't get it, post here again.
That picture is unbelievable! I knew there must have been something out there of him because of who he was. Thank you, there is someone I know who would be most impressed to see such a picture.
Once again, I will send you a PM, and thank you.
Pete
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I think I read your story some years ago on a blog post. So I think I know some of it. Sad and surprising to read tbh. You had a photo of yourself on there and there was a noticeable resemblance to one of my brothers!
I think the thanks will be going the other way when you find out I’m new to FH research and will be piggybacking on yours! Ha!
I’ve emailed you. I’m also pleased to meet you. I started FH just a week ago!!
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Hi. First time on the site for me. Your post about Thomas caught my eye. My Gr Gr grandfather Dennis (Denis) Rourke was likely from Galway and I have been searching for years for the exact spot. He was born in 1834. His parents were James Rourke and Cecelia Heath (this information comes from his death certificate). He had a younger brother James (born 1843) who also emigrated to New York State. The obituary of Dennis says he also had brothers Thomas, Patrick and James all living still in Ireland. Dennis died in 1901 and is buried in Williamstown, New York. He was a prosperous farmer. I have never been able to find birth/baptismal records for him. The only information I have that he was from Galway is in a local history book for the town of Williamstown written during his lifetime that states he was born in Galway, Ireland.
I do not know if your Thomas is a brother of my Denis. I have found information on some Rourkes living near Cloonfagna in the Parish of Ballynakill including a James Senior and Junior and a Patrick.
Another possibility is from Griffiths Valuation list that a James, John, and Thomas Rourke were tenants in the Parish of Kiltartan, Town of Lissatunny near Gort from 1847-1864.
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Finglespete and SheIreland, I have read your rootschat with extreme interest. IrishFreckles is my cousin and we have both been researching our Rourke roots in Ireland for years to try to find where in Galway or Roscommon they are from. Pete and are 5th-8th cousins by DNA on Ancestry.com. This means that somehow we are related. As my cousin said, our great-grandfather Dennis had a brother Thomas, who may have been a constable. My aunt Eileen said one of the Rourkes was indeed a famous constable, but didn't name them. I believe based on land records that our Rourkes may have come from Ballynakill Parish in Ballymoe on the Roscommon border, possibly in Cloonfaghna or Derreen. Our Heath great-grandmother was probably from Tisrara parish right across the border or could have also been from Derreen because I have another DNA match with a Bartholomew Heath, who rented in Derreen in the 1830s.
We would appreciate all the help you can give both of us. We want to find where they are from and visit that part of Ireland soon. Thanks for all you do, HaleRourke