Tar Abhaile: What Have We Learned?

So a quick recap: Tar Abhaile was broadcast on the Irish language channel TG4 in the six weeks leading up to Christmas. Each week two people were featured who had ancestors that emigrated from Ireland. They hoped to find the townland of origin of their ancestors, or if already known, find out more information about them.

Tar Abhaile continues a recent trend in genealogy programming (for example, another show created in Ireland, the Genealogy Roadshow, is now on PBS in America) where the focus is not a celebrity but a regular salt-of-the-earth working man or woman. This is genealogical research that everyone of Irish descent can connect with.

One of the strengths of this show was how a different era of emigration from Ireland was featured each week. The makers of the show avoided falling into the trap of only showing the descendants of Famine emigrants. Over one million people emigrated from Ireland during these tumultuous years, but many more emigrated in the decades before and after.

If a second season of the show is made I would have one main recommendation; showing an example of just one document from the North American side would be very useful. This would help North Americans of Irish descent to become more familiar with genealogy sources on this side of the Atlantic, particularly if they are only setting out on their genealogical journey. If such a document was to contain the name of a county, parish, or townland of origin this would be even better. It would also highlight where a researcher can find this information, whether it is on a cemetery headstone, military document, death certificate, obituary, or local history publication.

Throughout this series, Griffith's Valuation has probably been the most important set of genealogical records that have been utilized. This has allowed the participants to find out the exact holdings that their ancestors would have rented, farmed, and ultimately left from on their journeys to the U.S. and Canada. The climax for the participant was getting to stand on their ancestors plot of land, with long-lost cousins often being the ones still living and farming there.

All involved such as Red Pepper Productions, TG4, Ireland Reaching Out, The Gathering, and Aer Lingus should be applauded for creating and contributing to an innovative and stimulating genealogy show.

To read a review and watch previous episodes, scroll down or click: episode 1, episode 2, episode 3, episode 4, episode 5, episode 6.

The 69th Head Off To War

This picture shows the 69^th Regiment, New York State Militia boarding the James Adger in 1861. It was originally published in Harper's Weekly: A Journal of Civilization.

The caption reads: “The 69^th (Irish) regiment embarking in the “James Adger” for the war, April 23, 1861.” Someone has written “May 11 1861” and “Brooklyn” above the caption. They are being cheered by a sizable crowd and one solider is holding a flag with what looks possibly like the emblem of a harp on it.

If you have an interest in the participation of the Irish in the Civil War then you should consult the excellent and aptly named website, Irish in the American Civil War.

Source: New York Public Library Digital Gallery

Note: Thanks to Harry Smeltzer of the Bull Running's blog for pointing out that this is a picture of  the 69^th Regiment, New York State Militia and not the 69th Infantry Regiment (New York).

Review: Tar Abhaile, Episode 6

The final episode of the engaging genealogy show Tar Abhaile was on last night (Sunday). This episode had special resonance for me as it dealt with my present and past. County Mayo was featured, where my mother's family come from, and one of the participants was from my new home state, Virginia (and not too far away, at all, from where I live and work!).

This weeks focus was a family reunion for the Feerick sept in Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo. The name is a great example of how surname research can be so vital. MacLysaght outlines that the name, Mac Phiaraic (a derivative of Peter) in Irish, is very closely identified with Ballinrobe and originated as a branch of the Bermingham's of Dunmore, Co. Galway.[1]

The second half of the show was about Chuck Feerick and his son, Chuck jnr. Chuck snr's great-grandfather, Patrick, left Ireland about 1885. For Chuck, the interest lay in Patrick's parents, John and Cecily Hynes. He wanted to find out more about their lives, including where they were married.

In the show Chuck mentioned that Patrick Feerick was first in Rochester after he emigrated from Ireland. In the image, below, from the 1900 federal census, you will see a possible listing for Patrick (PJ) and his family.[2] 

Possible Feerick family in Rochestser, NY, 1900 US federal census

An often asked question is why emigrants go to certain towns and cities in the US. In this household, there is also an uncle of PJ's, 75 year old James Hamilton. He could have been a relation from a previous generation that came to the U.S. and provided the first link for chain migration.

As an aside, an interesting note is that Mike Feerick is on the advisory board of Ireland Reaching Out. This is the umbrella organization under which many of the research groups featured in the show operate.

To read a review and watch previous episodes, click: episode 1, episode 2, episode 3, episode 4, episode 5.

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[1] MacLysaght, Edward. The Surnames of Ireland. 6th ed. Dublin: Irish Academic Press. 1999. p. 106.

[2] "United States Census, 1900," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MSJW-9YX : accessed 23 December 2013), P J Feerick, Election District 5 Rochester City Ward 11, Monroe, New York, United States; citing sheet , family 103, NARA microfilm publication T623, FHL microfilm 1241075.

From Mayo To Minnesota And On To Washington

When we start out with our family history research the journey can often be a lot smoother than anticipated due to the work of a previous, and possibly unknown, relation who has already conducted much research.  Their write-ups and books can be a great find.

The publications that go beyond the names and dates can also be of benefit to non-family members if they include information about a migration that the ancestors of the information seeker took part in.

One such example, from one part of Ireland to a place in the U.S. or Canada, is a charming document written by James Hoban. As well as giving all the important information about his ancestors, he focuses on the migration of people from the Ballyhaunis area of Co. Mayo to Minnesota and Washington states.

You can read the document here.

Review: Tar Abhaile, Episode 5

Episode five of Tar Abhaile featured two contrasting family histories. Mike Kelly, from Detroit, MI, had a grandfather who left Ireland around 1900 and knew where his ancestors were from. Bill Corcoran from Tuscon, AZ, didn't even have a county of origin.

The show started with Mike's story: his grandfather, Joseph Kelly, left Ireland and made his way to the motor city. Mike's great-grandparents were James Kelly and Anne Cahill. They came from the Ballymacward area of East Galway. Early on we learn from Mike that his grandfather and grand-uncle, Michael, first came to Boston to their sister, Bridget, who was already set up there.

We learn some useful lessons as we learn about Mike's family history. He thought he was at a dead end after he had accessed everything he could find online. This, however, is a first step in research as you have to consult the non-digitized material, of which there is still a colossal amount. The idea of identifying a local Irish paper (even if you just have a county) and putting a notice in the paper was showcased. We tend to put our requests for more information about our ancestors online but by doing this we are most likely only going to find fellow genealogists. By using a paper advert, you will reach a larger group of non-genealogists who can still be aware of their family history. Mike is a Kelly, which is a very common Irish name. Agnomens, or nicknames, were, and still are used to separate families in the same area with the same name. In his story, we learn about one type: occupational agnomens.

A common feature of emigration from Ireland is also touched on. In those large Catholic families there simply wasn't enough land and employment for everyone. In this story we see that half the children in a family go to America. This is how it was for so many families in Ireland.

While it might seem that Mike knows everything there is to know about his ancestors, including that all important townland of origin, he learns many new things, including a case of murder and mistaken identity.

The second story featured Bill from Arizona. He was very different to Mike in that he didn't have a county of origin, let alone a townland. This was also the first feature in the series where DNA testing was included. Bill's great-grandfather and two of his brothers emigrated to Minnesota. Bill was raised by his grandparents as his mother died when he was a baby. His grandfather, John Corcoran, was the second son of one of those initial immigrants.

This particular story was the equivalent of hitting the genealogical goldmine. A 91 year old man finds evidence of a direct-line sixth-generation ancestor who died in the mid 1700s in the west of Ireland! I can only imagine the amount of research that went into finding out Bill's family history.

In an interesting snippet of occupational history, we learn about an 'old-timey' job that most have probably never heard of before: bank ranger. To find out what this was, and to learn about Mike and Bill's stories, you can watch the episode below.

To read a review and watch previous episodes, click: episode 1, episode 2, episode 3, episode 4.

Irish Emigration Cheat Sheet

If you are just getting started with your family history research, or are finding out that you have Irish ancestors who emigrated in different decades, then this concise review of Irish emigration will be of help to you.

Compiled by Cath Madden Trindle, CG, it breaks down Irish emigration into pre-famine and famine generations, ports of embarkation and arrival, and suggestions for the types of records that will lead you to the townland of origin.

You can access it here, on the website of Santa Clara County historical and Genealogical Society (California).

Irish County Of Origin For Civil War Ancestors

I have written before about the excellent Irish in the American Civil War website. Last week, the author, Damian Shiels, wrote a lengthy piece titled, "How to Find American Civil War Veterans from Irish Counties: A Case Study of Matthew Dooley, Roscrea [Co. Tipperary]."

In this article, Damian uses the example of his research on Matthew Dooley to highlight many resources of relevance when it comes to Civil War research. There is a New York State angle to this research too. This makes the article even more useful as the vast majority of Irish in the Civil War were from the state of New York.

It is a must read if you have Civil War ancestors and are looking for your townland of origin.

Review: Tar Abhaile, Episode 4

A county-specific surname was the focus of the most recent Tar Abhaile, with members of the Brosnan/Brosnahan sept (or clan, if you will) coming home from all parts of the world. One such person was Gayle Brosnan from Arizona. The name itself is unusual among Irish surnames as it is one of a small amount that are toponymic (derived from a geographical place name), probably derived from Brosna, Co. Kerry.[1]

Her story was most fascinating and charted one of the furthest back emigrations that has been featured on the show. Her ancestor, John Brosnan, emigrated soon after the 1798 rebellion with family stories indicating he had been involved.

To be successful in tracing one's ancestry back to Ireland after an emigration that occurred over 200 years ago is a notable feat. Even though the surname and family stories gave pointed clues to a specific county, untangling all the Brosnan's in Kerry to uncover the correct ancestors still had to be done.

You can read more about the Brosnan gathering and East Kerry Roots Reaching Out by clicking here.

To read a review and watch previous episodes, click: episode 1, episode 2, episode 3.

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[1] MacLysaght, Edward. The Surnames of Ireland. 6th ed. Dublin: Irish Academic Press. p. 28.

The Irish In Iowa

Where would genealogical research be without the staggering amount of work that volunteers do? From indexing records on Familysearch to documenting headstone transcriptions, and everything in between, volunteers make an incalculable amount of records available to those researching their families.

One such example is the 'Irish in Iowa' website, created by Cathy Joynt Labath. Unfortunately, the site has not been updated since 2007, but it contains a large amount of useful information for those with Iowan-Irish ancestors.

Among many different types of records that she has transcribed, one of the most useful sets is a database of Irish immigrants collected together based on their Irish county of origin. Military, Catholic, census, cemetery, naturalization, and directory records are also present.

This website, though, is more than just transcriptions and offers a large amount of information about Irish settlements in many different parts of the state.

All in all, this website is an absolute must for anyone who has Iowan-Irish ancestors.

Benevolent Irish Society, St. John's

The coming of millions of Irish people to Canada and the United States led to the creation of charitable, benevolent, and fraternal organizations for these immigrants and their descendants. One such example that I recently came across is the Benevolent Irish Society (BIS) in St. John's, Newfoundland.

The BIS was founded in 1806 by prominent Irish residents to aid orphans, neglected children, the sick, the old, and disabled on a non denominational basis. Membership in the society is restricted to those of Irish descent.[1] The organization is still in existence today, over 205 years later. A history of the organization is available on this Newfoundland and Labrador website.

Such societies are of obvious genealogical use as they regularly printed lists of members, officers, and those who gave financial contributions. Some of these 19th century records are housed in the Archives and Special Collections at the Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. Another accessible example of records for the BIS is this early, excellent list of all members and donors for the 1806-1807 period.

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[1] Association of Newfoundland and Labrador Archives. Fonds - Benevolent Irish Society Fonds. 2013. https://arc.anla.nf.ca/benevolent-irish-society-st-johns-n-l: accessed 20 November 2013.

Waiting For The Boat To America

The hustle and bustle of life waiting on the Queenstown (Cobh, Co. Cork) docks is on display in this vivid print from a wood engraving, titled Emigrants Leaving Queenstown for New York. People of different social classes can be seen waiting for the boat, from the boy without shoes in the foreground to the men with top hats in the background.

The image was published in Harper's Weekly on 26 Sept, 1874.

Source: Library of Congress PPOC

Review: Tar Abhaile, Episode 3

In this week's Tar Abhaile, Angie Mihalicz from Beauvail, Canada avails of the assistance of the North Kerry Reaching Out volunteer group (to see reviews and watch previous episodes, click: episode 1, episode 2). Her great-grandfather, Peter McGrath, went to Canada with his mother Ellen in 1847. She knew Peter had come from somewhere on the Shannon river in Kerry and was very curious about how her ancestors made the journey to North America.

Both stories in this episode show the importance of acknowledging and then ignoring county boundaries and, instead, thinking regionally. People from north Kerry didn't just live, marry, and work exclusively in the county. They also did these things in neighboring Limerick, along with, of course, emigrating from the port there. It is important to remember this for anyone who has found an ancestor living near a county boundary.

This was also the first story in the series that focused on the passage across the Atlantic in detail. Why they might have chosen Canada, the types of ships, how they might have heard about the service, and the conditions of passage were all discussed.  

The Ordnance Survey maps, created in the 1830s and then used later in the century for Griffith's Valuation, are also highlighted. For those who can pin-point their townland of origin in the mid-19th century, these maps provide such detail that the house of residence in the field can be found in most circumstances.

Towards the end of her journey Angie touched on a facet that is experienced by many people in north America tracing their Irish ancestors—their American and Canadian born relatives of previous generations not talking about their past, or wanting to acknowledge their Irish ancestry in any great detial. Memories of 19th century discrimination against the Irish lingered long and this can make it harder for those with Irish ancestry to research their family history.

So does Angie find her townland of origin by the Shannon? Watch below to find out.

From the Blaskets To Beyond Boston

Understanding migration patterns can sometimes be the key to finding the place of origin in Ireland. Another example of this is the number of Kerry people from the Blasket Islands who settled in Springfield, MA. Indeed, the most 'Irish' section of this city was traditionally the Hungry Hill neighborhood.

Commentary from different sources[1][2] indicates that this migration was probably not famine related, but occurred primarily in the first half of the 20th century. But of course, both push and pull factors would have been evident, with the Blaskets being one of the harshest places in Ireland to eke out a living.

More broadly, the scores of young Kerry-born men living in Springfield in the early 20th century is vividly illustrate by a search in the United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 database.

Earlier this year, the Mass Live news website featured articles about the Irish in Springfield, focusing on how the Hungry Hill area got its name and the launch of a book, From the Great Blasket To America: The Last Memoir by an Islander, by a Blasket man, Michael J. Carney.

This document, prepared by archaeologist Chris Fennell, University of Illinois, provides a useful historical introduction to the Blaskets and a bibliography of sources for those with ancestors from the area.

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[1] Fennell, Chris. Tradition and Modernity on Great Blasket Island, Ireland. University of Illinois: unpublished document. Available online at http://www.histarch.illinois.edu/BlasketProject.pdf: accessed 19 November 2013.

[2] Kelliher, Judith. 'Native Irish speaker Michael Carney, of East Longmeadow, scheduled to release his Blasket Island memoir at national celebration in Ireland'. Available online at http://www.masslive.com/living/index.ssf/2013/05/native_irish_speaker_michael_carney_of_east_longmeadow_scheduled_to_release_his_blasket_island_memoi.html: accessed 19 November 2013.

Thanksgiving Tweet Treat From Irish Roots Magazine

Irish Roots Magazine tweeted about their Irish genealogy sources in the US series.

Irish Genealogy Sources in the US series - see our current issue of Irish Roots magazine. http://t.co/qzl0H4d06p #genealogy
— Irish Roots Magazine (@IrishRootsMag) November 28, 2013

Their current edition focuses on directories.

Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center

Philadelphia was one of the many northeastern cities that saw heavy Irish immigration in the 19th and early 20th centuries. That automatically makes the Catholic Church records of the area a valuable genealogical resource. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia covers the city and county of Philadelphia, along with Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties. It was founded in 1808 from the Archdiocese of Baltimore and originally encompassed all of Pennsylvania, Delaware and some of New Jersey.

The main place of research is the Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center (PAHRC) in Wynnewood, PA. At the center there are many sources of interest to genealogists: parish histories; Catholic newspapers; manuscripts; and periodicals are just some of the resources.

Most importantly, though, are the baptismal and marriage registers, along with records for three orphanages (St. John’s Orphan Asylum, St. Joseph’s House for Homeless Boys, and St. Francis’ Industrial School in Eddington). An important year of reference for research in the registers is 1920. After this year, the records are at the individual parishes and for inquiries before this year you need to contact the center (they don't seem to reference the year 1920 itself, but it is presumed they are at the center too).

While the PAHRC is open to research by appointment you can't conduct research in the parish registers yourself. This is done by the staff and there is an hourly research fee. Lastly, the archdiocesan has a section on its website that lists all of its parishes.

Information Wanted: Albany, NY talk

Of Irish genealogy, you can learn more about it at the Irish American Museum in Albany, NY, from Lisa Dougherty. The talk is on tomorrow, Wednesday, 26 November, 11am-1pm. Admission is free. Thanks to Irish Genealogy News.

Review: Tar Abhaile, Episode 2

Episode two of Tar Abhaile was on last night (scroll down, or click here, for a review of episode one) and it featured one person from each side of the border than is often crossed in this blog - Brenda Cavillin (nee Killeen) from Ontario, Canada, and Blake Dickie, from St. Louis, MO. Despite being from faraway places, they shared a common place of origin, Tulla. Co Clare. The episode also showcases the value of graveyard research in Ireland.

Brenda's journey was highlighted first and her ancestry goes back to the mid-19th century as her probably 5x great-grandfather, James Kileen, went to Canada in 1847. He did so as his father received land for army service, possibly a land grant for serving in the British army. James had two brothers in Ireland, Charles and John, and they shape the rest of Brenda's visit.

Blake's case was quite interesting in that he was adopted but was able to find out who his birth parents were. He struggled to find information about his mother's family but was successful with research into his father's side. Two of Blake's ancestors, John Moroney and Susan McNamara married, probably, in Springfield MA; both were from the Tulla area. Susan's parents were John McNamara and Bridget Clune. Bothe these families are the focus of Blake's journey to Ireland.

Like Martha in the first episode, Blake got to meet one of the oldest people in the area, Jackie Moroney, and he was related to him. It was very touching to hear Jackie tell Blake that he could see his own father in Blake's facial features. He also found out who Bridget Clune's parents were which was one of his main goals.

For Blake, one of the valuable lessons of Irish genealogy in North America was learned: he came to Ireland soon after discovering he had Irish heritage but learned little. This is completely understandable but it shows that you need to carry out extensive research in the U.S. and Canada first. This was a good theme to touch on in Blake's story.

After finding the place of origin in Ireland, the next thing that most family researchers want to discover is what was life like for their ancestors in Ireland. In this episode I felt the viewer really got an understanding of that; in particular, through learning about the life of the Rev. Charles Killeen, Brenda's ancestor. Also, the extra information that was found on the grave of Rev. Killeen, in the Killeen family graveyard in Kiltenane, and on the Clune family graves was a fantastic extra bonus.

Obviously the show is not about trawling through family history documents, as this is done before the person comes to Ireland. However, I felt it would have been very interesting to hear more about the land that Brenda's ancestor received from his army service, and to also show some documents in relation to that. Also, a small piece about the huge Irish concentration in Springfield, MA might have added additional perspective to Blake's story.

The Tar Abhaile series is showcasing the success of the Ireland Reaching Out (Ireland XO) organization. Ireland XO focus on the simple but brilliant idea of finding out who left a particular area, tracing their living descendants all around the world, and inviting them back to where their ancestors are from.

Review: Tar Abhaile, Episode 1

TG4, the Irish language television station in Ireland, has recently begun broadcasting an innovative new genealogy show called Tar Abhaile (Come Home). Tied in with the Gathering, Ireland's yearlong celebration to invite members of the diaspora home, the show will focus on two people each week as they go to Ireland, learn about the lives of their ancestors, and meet extended family members.

The show will broadcast each Sunday for six weeks from 17 Nov to 22 Dec (click here to lean more about it). I will provide a review whenever a participant is from the U.S. or Canada

The first show, which aired last Sunday, featured Marsha Tomas who traveled from Chicago to Limerick. Her great-grandparents, Bridget Barry and James Cooke, had emigrated separately from the county. Their daughter, Ann Cooke, was Marsha's grandmother and she lived with Marsha as she was growing up in Chicago.

Marsha, her husband, and two children, traveled to Ireland where their learned about their ancestors and met 99-year old Tommy Cooke, a descendant of a brother of James Cooke.

The main genealogical records highlighted in the show were the Petty Session Court records. Marsha and her family learned about their ancestors brushes with the law, and also their family history that involved the 19th century Land War.

Rather than exclusively focusing on Marsha and her family, the show focuses just as much on the area where her ancestors came from. For me, this is a good idea as all Irish genealogical research turns into local history research when you find where your ancestors are from.

As a genealogist, I would have liked to have seen one or two more records highlighted, maybe the Chicago marriage records for Bridget and James or a local history record in the section about the Land War.

Overall, though, it was very enjoyable and is different than the other genealogy shows currently on TV.

Marsha's story is featured in the first half of the show, which you can watch, below.

Upstate New York Irish II

There are two organizations of interest if you live in the Buffalo region of New York and are looking to start tracing your Irish ancestry. Firstly, there is the organization that is indispensible to every genealogist, the local library system, in this case the Buffalo and Erie County public library. They have produced a helpful online publication, Irish Genealogy: Selected Sources in the Grosvenor Room. The Grosvenor Room houses the special collections.

Among the usual listing of books and resources, one in particular caught my eye. The Buffalo Irish Genealogical Society, the second relevant organization, carried out an indexing project of Irish burials in Holy Cross Cemetery, Lackawanna, NY. This index was published in the Buffalo Irish Times, a paper aimed at the Irish community in the area. The records cover 1872 to 1964, and are available on microfilm in the Grosvenor Room, call number WNYGS ML229.

An Irish Potter

Artifacts left by early 19^th century Irish immigrants can often be few and far between. One rare example is this piece of pottery at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC.

It was made by William Lundy and “the unusual decoration on this jug features two American flags and an anchor.”[1] Lundy worked as a potter in Troy, NY and was most active in the 1820s.[2] Many Irish immigrants came to this part of New York State in the first half of the 19^th century, attracted by the developing industries in Troy and nearby Albany. 

You can view the artifact in more detail on the Smithsonian website. If anyone is a descendant of William Lundy, or knows where he came from in Ireland, it would be great to hear more about his life in the comments section.

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[1] Smithsonian Institution. Stoneware Jug. 2012. http://collections.si.edu/search/results.htm?q=record_ID%3Anmah_574186&repo=DPLA : accessed 6 November 2013

[2] Cushman, Paul. The Work and World of an Early 19^th Century Albany Potter. Albany: Albany Institute of History and Art. 2007. p.48

Langford Goes From Laois To London, Ontario

Over the past few months the Irish Genealogical Research Society, based in London, England, has put some very useful databases on their website. The most recent addition was a database of 250,000 names taken from their journal the Irish Genealogist (IG).

This journal is a treasure trove of decades of genealogy articles of all types: family genealogies; research on the occupations, clothing and customs of our ancestors; and transcriptions from all sorts of family history records, such as parish registers, voter registrations and membership rolls, to name just a few.

I recently came across some editions of the IG on the shelves of the Virginia Room at the City of Fairfax library in Fairfax, VA. These journals, from the 1970s, had many articles of interest to those looking for an ancestor’s townland of origin in Ireland.

One very interesting article was "The Journal of an Emigrant to Canada."[1] It detailed the diary entries of Thomas Alexander Langford from Laois (also known as Leix and Queen's County)  as he traveled to his uncle Isaac in London, Ontario, Canada. He sailed from Liverpool to New York City in December 1853 and then took various modes of transportation up through the state of New York and across the border.

It was a fascinating read and told of the ships journey, being quarantined on Staten Island, his stay in New York City, and his travels northwards. 

Did he meet his uncle in the end? You'll have to get a copy of the article to find out! 

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[1] Begley, Donal. “The Journal of an Emigrant to Canada.” Irish Genealogist. Vol 6. No. 1. 1974. pp.43-47.

Information Wanted: Arizona Research Day

Of learning about Irish genealogy, for those that live in Arizona, more can found out via the Irish Genealogy News blog.

Upstate New York Irish

Oneida County is in the upstate area of New York and is bisected by the Erie Canal. Many Irish worked on this project in the early 19^th century and settled in this part of the state. An interesting article in the Irish Genealogist journal outlines some newspaper articles that refer to Irish immigrants in Oneida County and, importantly, where they came from in Ireland.[1] People from Mayo, Tipperary, Tyrone, Galway, Dublin, Antrim, Monaghan and Wexford are mentioned.

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[1] Grimes, Marilla R. ‘Some Newspaper References to Irish Immigrants in Oneida Co., New York.’ Irish Genealogist Vol. 6. No. 2. 1974. pp. 97-98.

Information Wanted: How Many Irish Were In Canada in 1921?

Of how many Irish were enumerated in the 1921 census of Canada, more can be read on Claire Santry's Irish Genealogy News blog.

Low Country Irish III

James Armstrong of Derry d. 9 October 1852; Margaret Armstrong (1st wife) of Leitrim d. 10 October 1849; Julia (2nd wife) of Galway d. 4 October 1896

John Alexander Armstrong of Derry d. 3 February 1867

Capt. Edward Miles of Down d. 17 September 1846; Margaret Joanna Monica Miles (daughter, unknown if she married)  d. 2 October 1847

John Dougherty of Magilligan, Derry d. 30 November 1844