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Quite a lot of interest to me here since I last posted. I see that the gravestone in reply#42 has the Charles Blakely who married Sarah Simpson (tree in reply#37) as the father of Thomas who erected the stone. Thomas’s baptism was recorded in Leitrim Presbyterian on 14 July 1843 showing his parents are Charles and Sarah. William, son of Charles, and Isabella Brown married in Leitrim on 7 December 1843, meaning if William and Thomas were brothers there was a large age gap (or possibly Thomas was baptised at a mature age?). My “connection” to Benraw/Leitrim is the attached photo of my grandfather William Blakely Kane (man in centre of doorway) labelled “Leitrim 1934” which I speculate may have been a visit to his Blakely relatives. I know nothing more about a link to that part of Co Down. My grandfather was the grandson of William Blakely (1848-1909), a draper in Newtownards. His father was William Blakely (1823-1873 a weaver in Newtownards) and grandfather was John Blakely an innkeeper, also in Newtownards, who died in 1859. John also had sons named Robert and Charles, baptised in N’ards in 1833 and 1836 respectively, who disappear from view and I had presumed died young. I’m now wondering if this Robert could be the Bangor Cabman (father of James Hamilton Blakely in 1855) and the name Charles a link to the Leitrim/Benraw family? John the innkeeper and his brother William both lived in Newtownards, as did their father Duncan Blakely who signed the Freeholders Register on 25th January 1790. I have always presumed that Duncan was descended from William “Blackley” of Newtownards, a butcher by trade who took leases in the town in 1740 and 1742.
Does anyone recognise the house/people in the photo?

Hi wyanga

Our family have a tradition that we are descended from the Kanes of Ardihannon although I have yet to find proof of this.

"Ferdoagh O'Cahne, gentleman" of Ardihannon took a lease from the Earl of Antrim in 1637 and Edward O'Cahan renewed the lease of the townland in 1709. Therefore the Kanes did not in fact disappear from the area for the 100 years post Cromwell but remain tenants of the Earl of Antrim throughout. In 1736 the Earl sold the freehold of Ardihannon to Sir William Dunkin of Bushfoot and it passed by inheritance to his son-in-law Francis McNaghton of Benvardin (later of Dundarave via Calcutta!). The Kanes remained there as tenants as shown in the agricultural census of 1803, with some of the family (including our branch) apparently moving to other McNaghton lands at Glenarm.

Francis Kane born 1819 lived at Ardihannon which leads me to guess he was the grandson of Francis who farmed there in 1803. His family, including parents John and Jane, are buried in Billy Parish Churchyard with a well preserved gravestone. They ran Kane's Royal Hotel where the National Trust's Giant's Causeway Visitors Centre now stands.

Ballyclare Rugby Club ground is called "The Cloughan" and is between the Cogry and Doagh roads on the western outskirts of Ballyclare. The grounds are in the town land of Ballyclare but right on it's northern boundary with Coggry town land. The map of the area on askaboutireland.com has no Griffith tenement numbers but does show a house where the current clubhouse stands. Griffith has several Todds  living in the rural part of this town land including Samuel, Alexander, Robert (farming 10 acres), Andrew, Sarah and Margaret (5 acres).

https://www.google.com/maps/@54.7519681,-6.014168,16z

The 1851 census survival for Craigs only covers the part of the parish in the Barony of Kilconway. Two thirds of the parish is in the Barony of Toome Lower, so the family not being in the surviving census does not exclude them living in Craigs in 1851.

Portrush used to have a ferry link to Glasgow - was that where they were living or just the port of departure? Portrush is right on the border of Co Londonderry (the western outskirts of the town are in that county) for which the 1831 census survives. Sadly this census only gives the name of the head of household, how many males and females are in it, and their religions. This is crucial to identify potential matches and also to identify church records to confirm matches.