Place Names

[ABradley]

Hi,

I'm researching the name O'Rourke/O'Rorke and came across the place names "Kelstown?" and "Rosston?" Co.Down,which appear to be the incorrect spelling.
Can any one help?

Thanks

Andrew

[Elwyn Soutter]

Neither are familiar to me. Can you give the source (and date) of your information?

[ABradley]

Hi Elwyn,

Thanks for your reply.

I have been checking villages and townlands in Co.Down but could find nothing similar.

The names were mentioned on LDS Family Search,1881 census.I havn't been able to see original document.

Francis and Mary O'Rorke,Scotland - residence Govan,Glasgow,Lanarkshire.

Andrew

[aghadowey]

Unfortunately both Francis and Mary were born well before the start of civil birth registration in Ireland (started 1864).
Looking at the original census image might help- think it should be available on Scotland's People website (www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk)

[ABradley]

I think I have found "Kelstown".

The name now only exists as a road.

"Keelstown Road,Downpatrick,BT30

[aghadowey]

Road names in rural districts of Northern Ireland are fairly recent and many were based on names of townlands but I can't see Keelstown or anything close as a townland in Co.Down. See www.thecore.com/seanruad to find townlands and parishes in Ireland.

[Samghoul]

Hi  I have also been searching for this family they are my great grandparents I have also been to Belfast to look at records but have not managed to get any further it would be interesting to find out how we are related.   My own name is O'Rourke but from census details this seems to have been changed from Rork to Rourke and then the O added later.
Jeanette

[gaffy]

There are several 'local' newspaper references to Keelstown indicating a minor place name, including:

1858: 'at the Keelstown four roads'
1882: 'Keelstown Forge, which is situate on road from Downpatrick to Crossgar, and about equi-distant from each'
1934: 'at her residence, Keelstown, inch, Downpatrick'

The 1910 Belfast and Ulster Towns Directory has the following entry under Downpatrick:
Cargo, H., & Son, general smiths, Keelstown

That reads across to the following 1911 census return listed under Down-Inch-Magheracranmoney:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Inch/Magheracranmoney/238102/

This is the exact modern day location known as Cargo's Corner, where the Keelstown Road meets the Belfast Road:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/CargosCorner/@54.3571691,-5.741933,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x486114f19150e66b:0xef1980f86fb841d!8m2!3d54.357166!4d-5.739739

Note that a 1900-1901 section of the OSNI 6 Inch to 1 Mile County Series Edition 3 Map (1900-1932) shows a 'Smithy' at this staggered crossroads.

[oldohiohome]

Here are a couple mentions of "Rosstown".

Title: The state of the Protestants of Ireland under the late King James's government
 
"gent. Robert Newcomen of Rosstown"

[no clue what county, and the text was too packed together for me to start looking for it]
 
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?cc=eebo;c=eebo;idno=a47446.0001.001;node=A47446.0001.001%3A6;seq=298;vid=55378;page=root;view=text

-------------
The Encyclopaedia Britannica: Or, Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and General Literature, Volume 7, Part 1842 - Volume 8, Part 1842, page 134

"Newry, ... The prospect towards the Bay of Carlingford is magnificent, and the villages of Narrow-water and Rosstown on its northern coast are objects of much interest to numerous visitors. The lordship ... is the property of the Needham family.

https://books.google.com/books?id=YD47AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA134&lpg=PA134&dq=%22rosstown%22,+northern+ireland&source=bl&ots=PCtdUdmIBw&sig=H0iXp_4v1JoXrOIIEJnwosHyUJk&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjM-u7I2_vcAhWSKXwKHVedA0EQ6AEwB3oECAMQAQ#v=onepage&q=rosstown&f=false

I searched the book for Rostrevor and didn't find it, but I haven't yet heard Rostrevor called Rosstown. And the next question would be where was the village of Narrow-water.

There were O'Rourkes (mine) near Rostrevor.