Author Topic: Dunnigans of York / Ireland.  (Read 317 times)

Offline kevshae

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Dunnigans of York / Ireland.
« on: Wednesday 01 November 23 23:18 GMT (UK) »
I would like to ask for any help in locating the births / baptisms and particularly the marriage (if indeed they did marry) of my 2nd great grandparents John and Mary Dunnigan nee Goughan.

John died in Walmgate 12th April 1897 age 68 and was buried in the York cemetery 15th April.

Mary (Dunigan) died 16th Feb. 1896 in Walmgate age 55 which according to the date at death makes her birth 1841 which cannot be correct since her first child Bridget was born in York in 1849. Referring to census ages of Mary, the 1833-ish dates may work, meaning she was 16 when Bridget was born. 

I do have the baptisms, deaths and burials of their children in York.
The earliest census I could find for John and Mary is the 1851 census in York.....both from 'Ireland' as stated on all UK censuses but never a town given.

I do have a baptism for a Mary Goughan 3 June 1833 in Kilmoremoy, County Mayo, father Pat Goughan mother Bridget Mullen and thought I had a hit with that after 30 years of research until I located two more potential Mary Goughan baptisms in that region and similar date.

As seen on different censuses in York the name Goughan and certainly Dunnigan changed or was written differently but nevertheless the children and their marriages we have, except John the son who never married.
Daughter Maria may or may not be 'our' Maria who married a Francis MERCER in Walmgate York in 1875, since she died by felo de se (a very sad situation) as an 'unmarried woman" in 1883.

I believe only a marriage of John Dunnigan and Mary Goughan can take us further- and if found, that may not give parents names or dates of birth but I live in hope.
           Thank you forum members for any help.
                                 Kevin. 



Offline shanreagh

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Re: Dunnigans of York / Ireland.
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 02 November 23 00:32 GMT (UK) »
The irish, well some of them, followed an irish naming pattern.  By examining the names and birth order of the children we can get clues as to family members and thatis useful for tracking back especially if we track back laterally ie using the siblings of John & Mary.

Could you pl give the names and birth order of the children born to John  and Mary Gehan, Goughan Dunni/egan etc.  * ETA I have also seen the name Goughan having a Mc in front ie McGoughan

Here is a little bit about the irish naming patterns

https://irelandxo.com/ireland-xo/news/irish-naming-conventions-and-baptism-traditions

When you look at this you will find that the eldest daughter is named for the maternal grandmother. So if Mary and John followed this pattern then maybe the birth you found where the mother is Bridget may be a possibility, unless the other two Mary's also had a mother called Bridget.

Offline kevshae

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Re: Dunnigans of York / Ireland.
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 02 November 23 01:29 GMT (UK) »
Hello shanreagh and thank you for your explanation and taking time to help.
   I had wondered if John and Mary's firstborn daughter Bridget was named after Mary's mother, but then I thought about just how common an Irish name Bridget is anyway. You may however be correct, and it could be a lead at least.
Thank you.

Here is the birth order of John and Mary's children all born in york:

Bridget Donnagan
1849–1889

Maria Dunnigan
1851–1883

Ann Dunigan ..my g. g. grandmother. She married Joseph Henry Holdstock.
1854–1931

Catherine Dunnigan
1858–1860

Catherine (Kate) Dunnigan
1860–1898

John Donnigan
1866–1927
===========

I began copying and pasting Mary Gaughan baptisms I found in Ireland from 1832-1834 and there are 11 so I stopped after the three below. The first one however may be a contender so far since she was born in Sligo and there is one of Mary and Johns son-in-laws living in York being born in SLIGO.

1) Name   Mary Gaughan
Baptism Age   0
Event Type   Baptism
Birth Date   2 Jun 1833
Baptism Date   3 Jun 1833
Baptism Place   Kilmoremoy, Mayo and Sligo, Ireland
Parish Variants   Ballina, Killmore Moy, Kilmore Moy
Diocese   Killala
Father   
Patt Gaughan
Mother   
Bridget Mullen


Name   Mary Gaughan
Baptism Date   14 Mar 1833
Baptism Place   Backs, Mayo, Ireland
Father   
John Gaughan
Mother   
Brigt Newcome.

----------------------------------
Name   Mary Gaughan
Baptism Age   0
Event Type   Baptism
Birth Date   5 Mar 1833
Baptism Date   10 Mar 1833
Baptism Place   Crossmolina, Mayo, Ireland
Diocese   Killala
Father   
Henry Gaughan
Mother   
Catharine Hurt.
---------------------------------

Name   Mary Gaughan
Baptism Age   0
Event Type   Baptism
Birth Date   12 Oct 1834
Baptism Date   26 Oct 1834
Baptism Place   Kilfian, Mayo, Ireland
Diocese   Killala
Father   
John Gaughan
Mother   
Bridget Heraghty.
==================
Also two John Dunnigan , Dunigan baptism possibilities especially the one born also in Sligo...

Ireland, Catholic Parish Registers, 1655-1915
Birth, Marriage, & Death
Name:   John Dunegan
Baptism Age:   0
Event Type:   Baptism
Birth Date:   1831
Baptism Date:   5 Dec 1831
Baptism Place:   Moynalty, Meath, Ireland
Diocese:   Meath
Father:   John Dunegan
Mother:   Margt Brady
---------------------------

Name   John Dunnigan
Baptism Age   0
Event Type   Baptism
Birth Date   1831
Baptism Date   12 Nov 1831
Baptism Place   Killenummery, Sligo and Leitrim, Ireland
Parish Variants   Killenummery and Killery, Killerny, Killery
Diocese   Ardagh
Father   
James Dunnigan
Mother   
Anne Lain

Offline gaffy

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Re: Dunnigans of York / Ireland.
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 02 November 23 08:39 GMT (UK) »
If there was something truly exceptional about one of the surnames, you might stand a chance, but  surnames like these (and their variants) aren't uncommon across Ireland.  Factor in forenames like John and Mary and the bottom line is that you really need to find something in English records to narrow things down significantly within 'Ireland' - and I don't mean just county, I'm talking about down to parish level, if not townland. Without that, you simply won't know for sure (well, as sure as you can reasonably be) if any finds you make are actually them.  For example, a John Doonakin married a Mary Coughlan in Gallen and Reynagh RC parish (Co. Offaly) on 27 January 1844:

https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000632383#page/8/mode/1up (top of right page)

Is it them?  I've absolutely no idea, I've no way of knowing.



Offline kevshae

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Re: Dunnigans of York / Ireland.
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 02 November 23 14:17 GMT (UK) »
Thank you for your research and comments and the link.

Yes I would need or have needed 'something' concrete - if only right! If only my grandmother born in Barnsley asked her mother about her Irish family in York!
    There are no family documents and all we have located in 35 years are the census records in York, John and Mary's children's baptisms and all the deaths and burials of that family, plus the many online prison sentence records of son John Dunnigan born 1966 in York.
 
     All the above details are no help with the Irish roots especially as Walmgate in the mid 1800's was a sad and extremely poor part of York crowded with immigrants and it's no wonder therefore we have no 'photos of any of the Dunnigans except one of Ann my 2nd g. grandmother as an old lady in Barnsley.

My thoughts are that since John and Mary were in the process of leaving Ireland for England, they didn't marry and their first child Bridget was born in York when Mary was maybe 16, but surely this young couple didn't leave Ireland alone yet no parents are on any UK censuses, nor any Irish relatives ever living with them.

Thanks for helping and I agree, if there is no marriage then there could be no way of correctly establishing the parentage of this couple. On familysearch just now there was no marriage to be found in Ireland of John and Mary and you are correct- all these Christian names are very common with not even any having second Christian names to narrow it down.