Gortlee Graveyard

[wendyaross]

Happy Christmas to All!

I have just located my 3xgreat grandparents at Letterkenny, Donegal.  From my recent research, it appears that the already scant Irish records are more so, the further back in time I go.  Wondering it anyone knows of the existence of any records for this cemetery or better still does anyone live near it.  I have found only one dark and dismal photo of the place on the internet, despite the fact that it is still in use .... unless of course there is a new cemetery with the same name.

My ancestors were Alexander Larkey, d. November, 1837, aged 93 yrs. and buried in Gortlee Cemetery on 23 November, 1837. Also, Fanny Larkey, d. 22 February, 1844, aged 82 yrs.  I am assuming (and I know I shoudn't) that she was buried with her spouse Alexander.

Regrettably, I do not know if a headstone was ever erected.

I have been in touch with the local libraries but the records they hold are not that old.

Hope someone can help.
Cheers,
wendyaross

[shanew147]

if this is the same graveyard, then this might be a slightly better photo - http://www.geograph.ie/photo/2604996

This is located on the Gortlee Rd. and the graveyard and building (or an earlier version of it) are shown on the c1837 OSI map as 'Covenanters Meeting House', and the later c1890 map as 'Presbyterian Church'

see : Gortlee Rd, Church & Graveyard

The old Cemetery can be seen on Google street view, and there's a 'new' cemetery directly across the road - see link

Slater's 1846 directory shows three Presbyterian Meeting houses (1st, 2nd and 3rd) in Letterkenny, plus a Covenanters Meeting house, an RC chapel, Baptist chapel, Primitive Methodist chapel and an established church (Church of Ireland).


Shane

[wendyaross]

Hello Shane,

Thank you for your prompt reply. It was very much appreciated. That surely must be the cemetery I am looking for. I drove up and down Gortlee Road (Googling) for two hours, a week ago and failed to locate it. I could see cemeteries from the satelite view but decided it must be situated behind a row of houses! 

It does look quite different from the photo I saw on the internet, in that it is quite open in your views. I can't for the life of me find the gloomy, overgrown one I saw.  The notation stated that the cemetery could not be accessed so I am assuming the gate is usually locked. The shot could have been through the bushes at the rear and sides of the cemetery where you can see old graves in the google webcam pics. A pointless exercise!!

Love those old maps too. Thank you for your time and effort.

I am way down under in Melbourne, Australia. I would truly love to walk the same ground the ancestors did in Scotland and Ireland,  so many years ago. Maybe I'll get there one day.  Perhaps my Alexander and Fanny Larkey were even buried from the old church.

Anyway Shane, I must put all this away until the festive season has passed.  Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and Happy, Healthy and Safe 2013.

Cheers, Wendy

[rathmore]

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~donegal

come down the page and type in the Basic Search box- Alexander Larkey of letterkenny

it mentions Fanny Larkey, March 2, 1844 relict of the late Alexander Larkey

if you type in Gortlee cemetry it says records kept at Donegal County Library

[wendyaross]

Hello Rathmore,

I spent several hours exploring the freepages-donegal site and other counties therein.  In fact that is where I found my 3xgr grandmother Fanny Larkey.  I have had recent correspondence with the Central Library at Donegal and they tell me they have no records for Gortlee Cemetery at all.  They do have marriages and baptisms for the three Presbyterian churches but they are all too late to be relevant to my research. They also sent me a copy of their family history guide which shows descriptions of the material they hold.

I am assuming the later burials in the new Gortlee Cemetery would be only recorded in the official BDM's of Donegal.

So more work to be done. Perhaps further communication with the Library would be beneficial.

Thank you for your input.  It is very much appreciated. I will post any new info, here should anyone else come looking for the same names in Letterkenny. 

Cheers,
Wendy

[rathmore]

old church and graveyard along Gortlee Road

http://www.geograph.ie/photo/2604996

or you could try the paper - Donegal Daily - http://www.donegaldaily.com

they put in obituary notices for Gortlee cemetry.

[wendyaross]

Rathmore, thank you for your reply. Still at computer and feeling guilty, with heaps still to be done for Christmas.  If you look at the earlier postings, find the same photo of Gortlee Cemetery from shanew147.  It is a good shot of the cemetery so thank you again.  I had a quick look at the Donegal Daily.  It appears to be all the current news.  Wondering how old that paper is and if they have archives.  I agree that there are some amazing revelations to be found in the old papers.  I will investigate further but it will all have to wait until after the festive season.

Happy Christmas and Prosperous New Year.
Wendy