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Please can anyone help me with the Woods family from counties Cavan and Meath.
***************Cormey****************88
George Woods and Anne Gilliland were my great-great-grandparents.  According to an old relation, George Woods and Anne Gilliland were married in county Meath circa 1870.  The family story is that the family were “well to do” and originally came from England.  By 1886, the family was at Mullantra, Kingscourt, co Cavan.  However, I have also been told that the family had a connection to co Antrim.

George Woods and Anne Gilliland had 9 children:

Thomas Woods – born 2 July 1876, co Cavan, son of George Woods and Anne Gilligand (per IGI).  From family tradition, Thomas emigrated to Australia where he became an hotelier;

George Woods – emigrated to Australia where he became a sheep farmer in some very rural location, and did not marry;

Annie Woods – married G Quiney, moved to Welling, Kent, and had two daughters (Barbara who married someone named Frampton, and Kitty)

Robert Woods – born 17 December 1879 and baptised 4 April 1880 (No 449) Parish of Enniskeen, Diocese of Meath in the Counties of Cavan & Meath, baptismal ceremony performed by Hugh Gelston.  (This information is from documents held by the family, and the source is given as the Public Record Office of Ireland, and a certified copy of the entry in the Parish Register.)  Robert moved to Glasgow and married Catherine McCormack in 1911.  Robert’s marriage certificate quotes his father as George Woods, labourer, deceased, and his mother as Annie Woods ms Gilliland, deceased.  Robert died in Glasgow in 1925.  Robert had 4 daughters, and I’ve been in touch with that side of the family.  I wrote to the General Register Office in Dublin for a copy of Robert’s birth certificate, but the reply was that no entry exists for Robert in the records for 1878 to 1880 inclusive.

Letitia Woods – born circa 1881.  Letitia moved to Glasgow and married Thomas Campbell in 1908.  Letitia’s marriage certificate quotes her father as George Woods, farmer, deceased, and her mother as Annie Woods ms Gilliland, deceased.  Letitia died in Glasgow in 1931.

Emily Woods – born circa 1882.  Emily moved to Glasgow and married Samuel Smith in 1925.  Emily’s marriage certificate quotes her father as George Woods, farmer, deceased, and her mother as Annie Woods ms Gilliland, deceased.  Emily died in Ayr in 1958.

Joseph Woods – born 24 May 1886 at Mullantra, District of Kingscourt, in the Union of Bailieborough in the County of Cavan.  On the birth certificate, the father is given as George Woods of Mullnatra, labourer.  Joseph moved to Glasgow and married Clara Smith Stewart in 1911.  Joseph’s marriage certificate quotes his father as George Woods, labourer, deceased, and his mother as Anne Woods ms Gilliland, deceased.  Joseph died in Glasgow in 1933.  Joseph had one son who was my grandfather.

William Henry Woods – born circa 1890.  William moved to Glasgow and did not marry.  William died in Glasgow in 1957.

Isaac Woods – born 2 May 1895.  Isaac moved to Glasgow and married Annie King in 1918.  Isaac’s marriage certificate quotes his father as George Woods, farmer, deceased, and his mother as Annie Woods ms Gilliland, deceased.  Isaac died in Glasgow in 1968.  Isaac had two sons, and I’ve been in touch with that side of the family.

Although all the children left, I understand that George Woods and Anne Gilliland stayed in Ireland.  The marriage certificates of their children indicate that both died before 1908.

I know that the Woods family was quite extensive in Meath, and traces itself back to Sir John Woods of Dunshaughlin, and includes the branch of Woods of Milverton Hall at Skerries, co Dublin.  I’ve seen lots of internet sites for this family.  Family tradition would indicate that this Woods family is a good match for our “well to do” English origins, but obviously I have no definite link.

Also, I’ve seen that Land Owners in Ireland 1876 lists a George Woods owning 60 acres in Cavan.  However, I’ve no reason to know that this is my George Woods (especially if labourer rather than farmer was the correct occupation).

If the family was Scottish, I could quite merrily go on my way tracing them through the Scottish records.  But I am stuck with tracing Irish stuff.

So I would be extremely grateful if any one can help with the origins of George Woods and Anne Gilliland, or point me in the right direction.

Many thanks

David