Bishop George Thomas Plunkett d 1827

[plunquet]

In a copy of a letter my gtgrandfather wrote he says that his grandfather had a brother who was the RC Bishop of Elthin. I have since found that there was indeed a Bishop Plunkett of Elphin and his dates as bishop are from May 1814 to his death in 1827.

Since we know nothing at all about my gt gt gt grandfather other than that his name may have been Francis or John Francis PLUNKETT, I thought I might try to tackle the problem sideways through the Bishop (who may or may not have been his brother!).

I was hoping that somebody could point me to church records etc of the Bishop's appointment or a biography of him as I'm not entirely sure where to start.

In other copies of docs there is a reference to Francis being "native of Waterford" and I thought that if I could establish where the bishop came from that might add more (or possibibly less!) credence to that info.

Thanks

Plunquet

[Christopher]

Hiya plunquet,

The Bishop is not mentioned in a book which I have borrowed from the library .. "A Dictionary of Irish Biography". There are four Plunketts mentioned - two from England and one from Dublin. The fourth is the martyr, St Oliver Plunkett, who was Archbishop of Armagh. He was born in 1625.

Bishop George Thomas Plunkett was appointed as Bishop of Elphin on 4th October 1814, ordained as Bishop on 24th February 1815 and died on 8th May 1827.

Chris 

[plunquet]

Thanks Chris for the info. I had already found that site which only confirmed that there was indeed a Bishop of Elphin named Plunkett around the right time to be the brother of my gt gt gt grandfather.

Where would be the cathedral which would be the Bishop's seat? (if that's the technical term) and is it possible that there would be church records which might disclose a little more info eg where the Bishop was born and other family details?

It's all a bit confusing having little or no info regarding my gt gt gt grandfather except little comments in letters etc.

Thanks for your help

plunquet

[Christopher]

Hiya plunquet,

Have a look at the Elphin Dioscan website.

Chris

[ChicagoD]

Hi,

There is a book, "George Thomas Plunkett Easpag Aillfinne (Bishop of Ehphin) 1814-1827," by Rev. John Joseph Mc Greevy, 1993.  The book is in the Regional Library in Roscommon.  The parents of George Thomas were Oliver and Mary Plunkett, they moved their family from the area of Drumlion, Carrick-on-Shannon, to Belgium.  George Thomas became a Dominican priest and eventually went back to Ireland and was a parish priest in Croghan (near Drumlion) before becoming Bishop of Elphin.

There is a post on Gen Forum listing siblings of George Thomas, one of the seven siblings is Francis, listed as unmarried, a French officer and after the revolution a British officer.

I was also interested in this family because my ggrandfather, Thomas Plunkett, lived in Croghan in the 1840s, I have not been able to find the names of his parents or siblings.

Good luck in your search,

ChicagoD

[johnroscommon]

An eight page extract of Fr. John McGreevey’s book –"George Thomas Plunkett Bishop of Elphin, 1814-1827", is included in the recent History of Drumlion Church 1856-2006, edited by John Keenehan. The book consists of 350 pages, is highly recommended (by me) and is available from John Keenehan <john.keenehan at mailn.hse.ie>. (replace at with @) to stop spammers).
Drumlion is a half Parish of Croghan Catholic parish. For a map of Croghan Catholic parish visit http://www.leitrim-roscommon.com/MAPS/Croghan.html
The LDS British Isles Vital records CD lists a number of children born to Thomas Plunkett and Elizabeth McDermott (1842-1849) and baptised in Croghan Catholic parish. LDS FHL Film 989741.
The “Diocese of Elphin –People, Places and Pilgrimage”2000 , by Fr. Francis Beirne, Four Roads, County Roscommon is still available from the Author
John
www.roscommon.info

[ChicagoD]

Hi John,

Thank you so much for information about the History of the Drumlion Church.  In 2001 I was in Croghan and saw the christening records of my grandfather and his siblings.  At that time the parish priest, Fr. Roger Leonard, was living at St. Michael's in Croghan.  Fr. Leonard told me about George Thomas Plunkett and I was able to copy the book in the Roscommon town library.  According to my grandfather's obituary his father, Thomas Plunket, died in Ireland when he was 9 years old, I'm guessing he died between about 1852 and 1856, before the family emigrated to Canada.  My understanding is the churches in Croghan and Drumlion serve the parish of RC Croghan.  Do you know if the History of the Drumlion Church has any information about the Croghan area?

I saw the Marriage Register at the Cathedral in Ballaghaderreen  with the 1841 marriage of Thomas Plunket and Elizabeth McDermottroe recorded.  I haven't been able to find any other record for either of them other than the christening records of their four children in Croghan. 

Thanks again for your helpful contact information for the History of the Drumlion Church and the Diocese of Elphin.

Denise