My 2nd great grandfather was Francis Day who became a farmer in Slieve East on Dingle in the Electoral Division and Civil Parish of Kilgobban (often spelled Kilgobbin in the older records). My mother's family tree records stated that he was born in England, but his daughter Jane, known as Jennie, Day, my great grandmother who emigrated to the U.S. in 1887, stated in several U.S Censuses that her father was born in Ireland. There is a Francis Day, baptized on 29 April 1822 in the COI Parish of Kilgobban whose address is given as Ballygarret, which is about 6 km distant from Slieve East.
The parents are given as John Day and Anne NR. I know from Francis’ later marriage records that his father’s name was John, so there's a good chance this is his baptismal record. His first marriage was to Catherine Connor on 8 Feb. 1853 in the COI Parish Church of Kilgobbin. They would have three sons before Catherine died in 1863 probably during or not long after the birth of their third son.
Three years later, on 10 Feb. 1866, Francis married Elizabeth Griffin from Coumlanders in the RC Chapel of Dingle. My great grandmother Jennie was born later that year, the oldest of their ten children together. Several of Jennie's siblings would follow her to the States in the late 1800s, settling at least initially in Waterbury, Connecticut. Two of their half brothers from Francis’ first marriage emigrated to New Zealand where I've uncovered several DNA matches that trace back to them.
I've also encountered a number of DNA matches in New Zealand and Australia that trace back to a Jane Day and Mary Day born in or near Ballygarret about 10-15 years before Francis. They don’t appear to be siblings of his, however, because the offspring of John and Anne Day in the COI baptismal records of Kilgobbin are Edward (1820), Mary (1824), William (1827), Anne (1829), Elizabeth (1830), Sarah (1832), Catherine (1834), John (1835), Martin (1837) and Gregory (1839).
This has prompted me to wonder whether Jane and Mary Day who were born either side of 1810 were younger sisters of Francis’ father John and so his aunts or whether they were older cousins or cousins once removed. It's been impossible to find the records to verify it one way or the other even though they were all baptized and married in the COI. Jane married Maurice Costello and Mary married John Leslie in 1830 (John Leslie and James Leslie were the witnesses at Francis’ first marriage). Many descendants of these Costello and Leslie unions also emigrated to New Zealand and are DNA matches for me.
There was also a Day family(-ies) in the late 1700s and early 1800s members of which were prominent clerics in the COI Parish of Kilgobban and Diocese of Ardfert. I have no idea whether my Days had any relationship with them.
If anyone has any insight into the Days of Dingle back then or can help me connect the dots between Francis and Jane and Mary, I’d love to hear.
Many thanks in advance,
Tom
Author
Topic: Francis Day of Slieve East, Kilgobban (Read 1062 times)