Barney Donachy m Agnes Shirkie, Derry, Ireland

[DonHugo]

Where do I go now?

My MRA Barney Donachy married Agnes Shirkie. Both born about 1800 in Derry, Ireland. Both were Catholics, I think, as children subsequently married in Catholic church.

He appears in the 1841 Scottish census, age 35, with 7 children, all born in Derry. The eldest is 16 and the youngest is 3. There is also a lodger Elinor Sharkey, age 50.

The family surname in the 1841 census is DONAGHLLY.  This spelling is not found anywhere else but has been confirmed as the correct transcription of the original record. In subsequent census the name changes to DONACHY then DONNACHIE.

Barney's surname in Ireland could well be DONAGHY or some phonetic variant.

In the same way Agnes's surname could be a variant of SHIRKIE.

Barney was an agricultural labourer then a labourer at a coal pit.

Any sugestions on a way backward woill be very welcome.

DonHugo

[aghadowey]

Very difficult to trace a family in early 1800s County Derry without having the name of a townland. Church records (if they exist) might help but you need to know an area (at least the parish) before starting to search in Ireland.
Civil registration and census records are too late and the surnames are very common as you realised.
There might be clues in Scottish records like when the children married, etc.

[DonHugo]

aghadowey

Many thanks for the prompt reply even though it is not what I was hoping for.

Unfortunately there is no other pointer than Derry, Ireland on any marriage or death certificate that I have seen.

There is only a family tale that the family went from Scotland to Ireland and back but there are no dates or locations in the tale.

Regards,

DonHugo