Abby, Co Galway records

[bearkat]

I have found a 1911 census entry which gives the place of birth as Abby, Co Galway.  She was born around 1830.

I've looked at The East Galway Family History Society database for Abbey records but it only includes baptisms 1839-1900 and marriages 1870-1900.

Does this mean that earlier records are missing or just not included in the database?

[shanew147]

I presume you are referring to the RC parish they list as 'Ballinakill (near Duniry)'  ?

Ryan's Irish records lists this parish as Ballinakill (5) (Leitrim) and has details as follows :
  RC Parish name : Abbey & Duniry (see also RC parish of Woodford)
  baptisms from 1839
    missing dates Oct 1851 to Jun '55, Dec '57 to Feb '59
  marriages from 1870
 
The NLI RC film index show the same details and surviving dates, except they refer to the parish as Ballinakill and Doniry (Derrybrien)

There are at least two townlands in Co. Galway named Abbey, and a number also beginning with Abbey There are also several separate RC parishes included in the civil parish of Ballinakill - so it might be worth double checking which one applies.

see the townland database at : www.thecore.com/seanruad  (Townlands, Civil Parishes etc)


Shane

[bearkat]

Many thanks for your reply.  I've not had much success searching for my irish ancestors. 

Yes, they are the RC records you mention.

Any ideas how I go about checking which one applies?  The 1911 census is the only mention I have found of her birthplace.

[shanew147]

Without other location clues I cant think of any easy way to tell which Abbey she meant on the census...

The Abbey I see on google maps is in the south of County Galway not far from Lough Derg - see : Abbey to Derrybrien, Co. Galway   This town is not far from Derrybrien - which is mentioned on the NLI index. I have not found the other Abbey on the maps.

You can filter the search based on her father's name and parish, so you could search the nearby parishes in the area of Abbey & Duniry checking for matches. see the Irish Times Parish maps :

   Galway East RC Parishes
   Galway West, RC Parishes

It is possible that the records dont survive back far enough for the parish she was born in.


Shane

[bearkat]

Thanks for the advice.

I feel so close to cracking this branch of the family tree.

[bearkat]

Do you know if English RC parish records ever mention the Irish parish people originated from?

[shanew147]

I doubt it..

RC marriage records for a very small number of Irish parishes mention a location where the parents came from (in addition to where the bride & groom lived), but I've never researched English RC records for Irish people who moved there.

Do any of the other census returns show anything else as a place of birth ?

I think that RC parish of Abbey & Duniry is most likely the  location she meant.


Shane

[bearkat]

All previous census entries just say Ireland as place of birth 

I will have to investigate the English RC records.

[-Glen-]

Hi, I've traced my family (the Cunninghams) back to Abbey in Galway (in the 1800s). What name areyou researching from Abbey?
Kind regards, Glen.