My Family Home and relatives

[Steve1948]

I found out recently that I was born Kenneth Morrison in 1948 to my mother Margaret Kathleen Morison who had an address Derrygarron, Maryborough, Queens County, Ireland. I was then adopted in England. I have found this district  is now called Portlaoise but unable to find any reference to Derrygarron but believe it was a farm. I have also recently found I have a sister who I have now met and we would like to visit the area and find any living relatives. Does anyone know if Derrygaron still exists and any pointers to how to find family members. (We do have DNA but only show 2nd and 3rd cousins.) Thank you.

[Maggsie]

this the place.
https://www.townlands.ie/laois/maryborough-east/straboe/shaen/derrygarran/
Maggsie

If you zoom in it's an area, like a small village.

[shanreagh]

Derrygarran, the reference that Maggsie has found is a vital piece of information and an aid to finding family/ancestors in ireland.

Derrygarran is a what is called a townland defined as

'A townland is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin, pre-dating the Norman invasion, and most have names of Irish Gaelic origin. However, some townland names and boundaries come from Norman manors, plantation divisions, or later creations of the Ordnance Survey.15/12/2020'

Derrygarran has an area of:

1,441,784 m² / 144.18 hectares / 1.4418 km²
0.56 square miles
356.27 acres / 356 acres, 1 rood, 3 perches

In the 1911 census there was a person called Elizabeth Morrison, a widow in this townland and she may have had three living children and so may be some relation to your birth mother> She had a Sophia A Ruttle staying with her at the time of the census described as a 'niece'. 
This Sophia marries later in 1911 to a Henry Cooke
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1911/09968/5624638.pdf

ETA link to census
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Queen_s_Co_/Shaen/Derrygarran/791345/

This lady dies in 1923 and the death was reported by her son Thomas Morrison
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1924/05039/4378914.pdf



NB we will not be able to give you the names of living people.....

[Kiltaglassan]

Welcome to RootsChat 

Derrygarran townland on OpenStreetMap NW of Portlaoise

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/4637211#map=12/53.0458/-7.2458

In 1901 census - Morrison
House 4 in Derrygarron (Shaen, Queen's Co.)
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Queen_s_Co_/Shaen/Derrygarron/1648607/

[shanreagh]

Kiltaglassan has found the 1901 census for Elizabeth/Eliza Morrison and her husband  and I note that the husband is a RIC pensioner. RIC was the police force for Ireland and there was quite a firm policy of stationing officers/staff away from their home areas.  Also the 'police' famillies  tended to stick togther and Sophia A Ruttle marries a policeman and also whizzing through Ruttle references there are a few in that family who are also from the police.

So tracking them back you may have to look at other counties.

ETA John Morrison dies 4/2/1911 at Derrygarran and the death is reported by a son J R Morrison
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1911/05403/4509255.pdf

[kateheffernan]

Hi Steve
I was born in the 80s, grew up in Derrygarran (also spelled Derrygarron). I moved back to live here in 2020. We had a neighbour, two doors up, Sophie Morrison, who died in 2022. She and her sister Margaret grew up in that house, and Sophie continued to live in it all her life, that's how I knew her. She has an orchard that all the kids spent a lot of time plotting to steal apples from! I mentioned your post on here to my mum, and she knew that Margaret gave a baby up for adoption. She says Margaret is still alive, and now lives in Co Galway. I cam across your post, as I have been doing some research on the area (I'm a writer), and was intrigued that there was a Morrison family on the 1901 and 1911 census, the only name to survive in the area through the century. The house is still standing. I'm sure we could help you get in touch with Margaret.

[Steve1948]

Dear Kate Heffernan, I have only just seen your reply so sorry for not responding sooner. Thank you so much for your message and information. I am meeting my sister again today and will show her the messages on this forum and ask her if she is happy for you to try and see if our mother wants contact with us. If she agrees I can let you have a picture of both of us and contact details. Thanks again for the info. Steve ( Born Kenneth).

[Steve1948]

Hi again Kate, I met my sister yesterday and its a yes please if you able and willing to help us.

Also a big belated thank you to all who replied, we are most grateful for all the help everyone has given.

 

[kateheffernan]

Hi Steve. Delighted this message got to you! I got your private message, but for some reason I am not allowed to reply it yet.