Hi jandakermode,
Unfortunately, as no doubt you are aware, Irish research can be difficult.
Have you checked out the links at the top of the Donegal section, and - particularly - at the top of the general Ireland section? There is much valuable information there on researching in Ireland.
I guess you have seen the entry for persons named ALLEN (a Samuel and a William) at Glenmaquin in the Griffith's Valuation. A summary list of Raphoe is on Lindel's great Donegal site:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~donegal/Lindel's site has much material and many links. And fascinating information about life in Donegal (though not specifically Glenmaquin).
If you don't have a map showing where the townlands of Glenmaquin Lower and Glenmaquin Upper (in the Parish of Raphoe, Poor Law Union of Letterkenny) are, there is a good one at:
Click HereState Registration of non Roman-Catholic marriages began in 1845; and of all births, deaths, and marriages in 1864.
There is information in the FAQs at the GRO Ireland site at:
http://www.groireland.ie/faqs.htm#14There is also an interesting summary at:
http://scripts.ireland.com/ancestor/browse/records/state/The LDS have filmed the Irish BDM indexes and these can be ordered in to LDS FHCs - though I think it would be quite a task searching them.
The IGI includes indexed births from 1864 to 1875 inclusive. In a quick search of the IGI, I found one entry which might be relevant:
John ALLEN b 9 Jun 1879, Glenmaquin, Donegal; parents John ALLEN and Margaret JOHNSTONE
It may be that someone who has the British Isles Vital Records Index CD could find others. Though, of course, other members of the family (like your Martha) may well have moved away from Glenmaquin.
Good Luck,
JAP
