Chink in the wall!!

[Elliebob]

I think that we are making a break through with the Irish McConnells!

We had a call from someone we contacted at the church where my husband's grandparents were married.  We had known nothing further back than his g-grandfathers' names from the marriage cert.

We rang the number he gave us of someone with the same name as my husband and he has a family tree with loads of relatives on it.  He is going to send us a copy so we will be able to see what there is on there!

He said that he knew a cousin was a prison warder and worked all over Ireland and that he had three sons who went into the army.  Bob was able to tell him that the middle son was his father.  All of them were called Robert!

Can't wait now to get sight of this tree.
 

Ellen

[Pat Reid]

Great news, Ellie and Bob!  It's what we all hope for, that break. Goes to show too how a chance remark or "give it a shot" question can lead to a major breakthrough.   
Any Reids from county Down in that lot? (Giving it a shot!) 

Pat

[Elliebob]

Hi Pat

Will have a good look when it arrives and let you know if we find any Reids.

I'm really quite excited, as you say you have to give it a shot - you have nothing to lose by asking and everything to gain.  We were beginning to think our only other option would be a visit to PRONI which is not very easy when you live in Cornwall!

Best wishes
Ellen

[Elliebob]

Bob has just phoned to say that the famliy tree has arrived from Ireland - can't wait to get home and have a go at sorting some of it out.  He says there are pages and pages of it.  He did find his father and uncles on it, with a note saying that although they joined the army and went to Sandhurst the compiler knew no more.  That's the only bit WE knew!

We thought that our grandaughter born in 1997, was the last in the line named McConnell, not so.

Ellen