I have been earnestly trying to find a source that lists those that came over with Oliver Cromwell during the invasion of Ireland in the 1640s. While many counties were affected by the land proclamation as a result of this invasion, I am particularly interested in County Wexford overall.
A distant cousin, in Ireland, firmly believes that our Eyre ancestors acquired lands in County Wexford, via Philip Boyne, as a 'thank you' for supporting Cromwell .. meaning that they came over with Cromwell and were one of thousands that acquired lands in payment for their service and settled in Ireland.
Now, Giles Eyre, of the famous Galway Eyres, did acquire lands in this manner in Wexford. However, we have yet to establish any connection between our Eyre branch and any in the Galway region. If we could, that would make things so much easier thanks to the Eyre Dedication by Allen Stewart Hartigan which goes way back to the Eyre "seat" of Derbyshire, England.
Anyways. So far, we can only get back to:
Henry Eyre. I guesstimate his birth to be approximately 1760-1770. We are going to assume he was born in Co. Wexford.
As far as we know, his only child is:
John Eyre. I guesstimate his birth to be approximately 1790-1800. He was married to a Sarah Edwards. Again, assume he was born in Co. Wexford. We have no further information on these two people.
Now, John and Sarah had several children (in order of birth): Phoebe (b. 1823), George (b. 1826), Alice (b. 1832), John (b. 1835, d. 1912), Thomas (b. 1836), and William (b. 1845, d. 1908) ... William being my great-great-grandfather.
Now - Henry, John, Thomas, and William are all mentioned in the record of claims for the Rebellion of 1798 in Co. Wexford.
I also have all those kids mentioned in the Kilnamanagh Baptismal Register 1818-1836 (Co. Wexford).
So, I'm needing more information on John and Sarah ... John's father, Henry ... and all the way back to the Cromwell invasion.
Since obtaining any records (birth, marriage, death) going backward from the very early 1800s seems to be getting harder exponentially, I figure I could work forwards from when our first Eyre came to Ireland during the Cromwell invasion and got the lands in Co. Wexford. Hence, my search for a list of those that came with Cromwell and receive lands as payment for service. My distant cousin is quickly running out of resources to search on the above mentioned people. I have a feeling the records (mainly church birth, marriage, death) we need just never existed or were destroyed at one point or another.
I have Google'd and Bing'd for months now for websites and publications. I can only find the history of the invasion and the fact that there were lands given out .... but thus far, none that list people in particular. I can't even find reference that lists do not exist - which I can only conclude that they DO exist ... but who has published them ??
Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.