‘ALL IRELAND SOURCES NEWSLETTER’
Editor: Terry Eakin, 334 Burns Bay Road, LANE COVE, NSW 2066
Contact E-mail address: tea04055@bigpond.net.au ISSN 1443-5888
Volume 12, No. 12 December 2010
Introduction: ‘All Ireland Sources’ is a monthly newsletter distributed free by E-mail to Family History Societies and
interested researchers near the end of each month. Distribution by Australia Post each three months (three issues) costs $6.00
annually within Australia. The aim is to bring items of interest regarding Irish record sources to the Australian genealogist.
The editor would appreciate being made aware of records relating to the Irish, particularly those held in Australia or new in
the LDS Family History Library. Back copies available free for downloading from www.sag.org.au Note new email address.
PRONI RE-OPENING DATE ANNOUNCED:
On 30 November 2010, Culture Minister Nelson McCausland announced that the new Public
Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) will open to the public on 30 March 2011. The new
premises are situated at 2 Titanic Boulevard, Belfast, BT3 9HQ and is within 1½ miles (2½
kilometres) of City Hall and will have good bus connections with the rail service and Belfast City
Airport. I’ll do a report later in the year after I experience the new PRONI in June and July 2011. It is
exciting to know that PRONI will be open for my visit in 2011.
Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin: In April 2010, Dublin’s Glasnevin cemetery launched its new
museum and archive which is aimed at attracting thousands of tourists each year. For genealogists, the
cemetery’s online database of burials makes another source available for Dublin genealogy. All
recorded burials back to 1825 are now available on this website: www.glasnevintrust.ie on a fee
paying service but viewing indexes is free of cost. The indexes results page gives surname, first name,
location, year of death, ceremony (burial), age and what data is available for purchase.
A
tick
symbol indicates there are others buried in the grave. Note: It is possible they may have no
relationship to one-another nor to the grave owner.
Credits cost one euro each and may be pre-paid or paid during the purchase. Standard search
costs three (3) euros and gives the grave number of the deceased the researcher has selected. In an
extended search, eight (8) credits gives the grave number, plus details of all others buried in that
grave. Show entry image costs two (2) credits: Where available for pre-1900 burials, show the
corresponding entry image. I could not see how many records were in the database. I searched for
Thomas Egan, died 1850 and the result was the correct one in 1850 plus a search 3 years either side of
1850 which gave seven (7) results, 1847 (1), 1849 (1), 1850 (1), 1851 (3) and 1853 (1). Four results
had others buried in the same grave. It will prove a valuable resource even if a bit expensive.
Glasnevin Cemetery: On the worldwide free access ‘Cemetery Records Online’ site
www.interment.net I looked at Glasnevin Cemetery, County Dublin, Ireland located at Finglas Road,
Dublin 11, Ireland. It is described as the largest cemetery in Ireland. It is estimated about 1,200,000
burials of several denominations and nationalities are interred in it. It is split into sections, as you
enter the main gate and turn right you are going into the Garden Section, Dublin Section (E), Dublin
Section (W), South Section (W), South Section (E) and the Offices. As one turns left at the main gaite
there is Saint Brigid (Dublin) Section, Saint Brigid (Garden) Section, and Saint Patrick Section
(North) and Saint Patrick Section (South).
This is not a complete listing of all of the burials in this cemetery. But there are 25,523
records available free. The records are indexed A-Z so just go to the link, Surnames A, Surnames B,
etc. Results can be copied and/or printed out on your computer.
Book Review:
Three centuries of life in a Tyrone parish: A history of Donagheady from
1600 to 1900 by William J. Roulston published in 2010 by the Strabane History Society. It is a soft
cover book of 402 pages and sells for E£10.00 plus packing and postage. The book is available online
from www.ancestryireland.com ISBN 978 0 952892 06 9 or www.booksireland.org.uk
This book tells the story of the civil parish of Donagheady and its families over three centuries.
Donagheady is the most northerly part of County Tyrone. It is a large parish, stretching from the River
Foyle to the Sperrin Mountains. In the period covered by this study, Donagheady experienced massive
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‘ALL IRELAND SOURCES NEWSLETTER’
changes with the result that the parish in 1900 was a very different place from the one it had been in
1600. Through the Plantation and subsequent waves of migration in the 17th century, especially from
Scotland, the character of much of the parish was transformed.
The creation and disintegration of the estate system in Donagheady is also charted in this volume
and the fate and fortunes of the landowning families and their tenants is explored. The histories of the
main religious denominations are covered, as well as the nature of rural society itself. Other chapters
in this book examine the impact of the Great Famine on the parish, the development of the village of
Dunnamanagh, attempts to improve educational provision, the rise and decline of rural industries, and
the relationship between Donagheady and the wider world.
The author, Dr William Roulston is a local being from the townland of Gortavea in the parish of
Donagheady, and grew up on the farm that has been in his family’s possession since 1830. He is the
Research Director of the Ulster Historical Foundation in Belfast. My copy arrived in the post on 24
December 2010 and I’ve spent the Christmas period reading the 16 chapters and the two appendices.
The book is well set out and divided into two parts, 1600-1750 and 1750-1900. The 97 townlands are
listed and numbered to identify each on a map on pages 4 and 5. William’s earlier book written about
ten years ago, ‘The Parishes of Leckpatrick and Dunnalong’ covers part of this area as Dunnalong
formed the ‘lower half’ of Donagheady. For those who do not own a copy of this earlier book, the text
can be read on the website of Bready Ancestry ( www.breadyancestry.com ).
The brief history in the introduction gives the reader a simple lesson on the civil parish, its layout
and geographical features, the townland names and their meanings, the features, standing stones, and
other monuments. There was no town or village in 1600, just before the Plantation began in 1609 with
the arrival of mostly Scottish settlers and workers.
Part I:
Donagheady, 1600-1750
Chapter 1 covers Plantation and Reformation and is supported by very good references in notes at
the end of this and each chapter throughout the book.
Chapter 2 The Church of Ireland to 1750 is covered in detail. It gives the reader an
understanding of what can be found in parish vestry minutes which are available for most CI parishes,
especially those whose registers were destroyed in the Four Courts fire in 1922. Donagheady survived
but Dunnalong parish registers were destroyed.
Chapter 3 The Presbyterian churches (meeting houses) and ministers are covered in detail.
Chapter 4 The Roman Catholic Church religious practices in this period remain largely hidden
but the native Irish generally remained true to Catholicism.
Chapter 5 Landlords and estates 1650-1750.
Chapter 6 Freeholders and farmers are listed in great detail for some townlands and the
reference notes direct the reader to sources for further research.
Part II:
Donagheady, 1750-1900
Chapter 7 The Church of Ireland history of ministers is quite detailed and servants are
mentioned at times. The list of over 80 vestrymen with abode and occupation in 1870 is quite
informative. Parish business included abandoned children, and in one month the parish clerk
transported six foundlings to the hospital in Dublin.
Chapter 8 The Presbyterian Churches gives details of the various meeting houses in the parish
of Donagheady. There is much detail about the various ministers.
Chapter 9 The Roman Catholic Church history gives information on the various priests and
parish history.
Chapter 10 Landlords and estates covers the Abercorn estate, the Hamilton of Dunnamanagh
estate, the Ogilby of Altnacree estate and other estates in Donagheady.
Chapter 11 The rural community covers the events and personalities during this 150 year period
supported by four pages (98) of references and chapter end notes.
Chapter 12 Protest, rebellion and famine covers Volunteers and United Irishmen military forces,
tithes and disputes over tithes, and the Great Famine.
Chapter 13 The village of Dunnamanagh presents the social history of the community in an urban
environment. Fairs as held there were a feature throughout Ireland in this time period.
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‘ALL IRELAND SOURCES NEWSLETTER’
Chapter 14 Schools and education is covered from start to finish including hedge, church and
estate schools followed by the National school system.
Chapter 15 Rural industry covers small business enterprises in the form of mills, foundries and
bleach greens with water power being used to drive the machinery. Corn and flax mills dotted the
parish. Other industries included brick-making, quarrying and distilling.
Chapter 16 Donagheady and the wider world includes information on emigration to the USA,
Canada England and Australia.
Epilogue looks at 1900 and who is present to carry on the family traditions in the 20th century.
Appendix 1:
Residents of Donemana and District. A.D. 1855.
Appendix 2:
Names from Griffith’s Valuation of Donagheady parish, 1860 arranged by
townland.
There is an index to place-names and an index to surnames to help the reader and researcher.
This book is recommended for public libraries, family history societies and individuals with Irish
research. Everyone with county Tyrone ancestors should purchase their own copy for
reference. Similar records can be found in most of the 32 counties of Ireland for the
period pre-1900. Then we have the 1901 and 1911 Census images indexed and free
on line and available worldwide.
Family Research Starter Kit :
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‘ALL IRELAND SOURCES NEWSLETTER’
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Place-Names in the Six Counties now Northern Ireland (since 1 Jan 1922) :
This place-names project has been closed down by Queens University despite the funding
being provided by outside sources. The leaders have been made redundant earlier this year. The Place
Names Northern Ireland Branch intend to make the website available for use by researchers and
students. The website is www.placenamesni.org is still functioning and I advise readers to do their
research on their interested townland names whilst the site is operating.
Click on the link above in blue whilst holding down the control key and the home page will
display. The type of searches available are:
 Place-Name Search using Start, Middle or End of the name.
 Map Search which loads a map of the six counties of Northern Ireland.
 Index Search which displays an A – Y Index with links below each alphabet letter, e.g. A
has ab act agha aghi aghna alta anna ard augh and each when clicked lists the townlands
beneath that abbreviation. e.g. click ard and up comes listed in alphabetical order all
place-names beginning with that prefix. Arda, Ardagh, Ardagh, Ardaghmore or Glentop,
etc. In the table displayed there are eight (8) columns with headings, Place Name ID;
Place Name; Type; Parish 1851; Parish 1861; Catholic Parish; Barony, County. Each
place-name is linked to an historical table of all spellings and meanings, etc.
The Map Search displays the six counties of NI with major towns marked. Click on any
portion and each layer gives more information and at about the 5th click, the named townlands
with boundaries are displayed. This is easy and quick to use, please try it. You can scroll
across a county boundary or across baronies, etc.
The Index Search brings up the listing under each letter of the alphabet with the index as
described above. Clicking the letter, e.g H will bring up all townlands in the six counties in
alphabetical order beginning with H. However refine your search by selecting the nearest
match below and click on that link, e.g. Ha or He or Hi or Ho or Hu will refine your search.
Remember all townlands beginning with H will be displayed if the H is clicked. Try it before
it is gone or sold off.
Articles, suggestions and information for this newsletter are welcome and may be E-mailed to: tea04055@bigpond.net.au or
posted to Terry Eakin, 334 Burns Bay Road, Lane Cove NSW AUSTRALIA 2066
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