Christian Gallagher from Cappoquin

The parish records for Cappoquin which are available online go back as far as 1807, so you should be able to find her there if that's the right parish.  You can access those records here:  https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/1099

There appear to be two townlands within Cappoquin parish also named Cappoquin, and you can find more info about them at this link:  https://www.townlands.ie/search/?q=Cappoquin

It's interesting that your Gallagher ancestor was born in Waterford.  There are two main Gallagher "clans", one which originated in Ulster (mostly around Donegal and Tyrone), and the other which originated in Mayo and Galway, both pretty far away from Waterford.  My mother was a Gallagher whose parents were raised in East Mayo.  Some of the Gallaghers moved to other places over the years, of course, especially after the Plantation of Ulster in the 1600's.

In case you are interested, in Irish the surname Gallagher is Ó Gallchobhair (modern Irish spelling Ó Gallchúir), and it means “descendant of the foreign help”, referring to a mercenary warrior brought in from Scotland or elsewhere in Ireland to fight in local wars (known as a gallóglach, or “gallowglass”).  It may also refer to Norse ancestors, since the term "gall" was used for them as well (that is the root word in the name Galway (Gaillimh in Irish).

Thanks Kevin, I appreciate the help.

Regards, Mark H.

Mark:

Just for the record, I searched the subscription site Roots Ireland two days ago and did not find a record for Christian. As Kevin indicated, the Cappoquin records go back to 1807 so a record should have shown up. Is it possible that her baptized name was different?

Roger McDonnell

Thanks Kevin,

I have had a bit of luck with the help of an Australian researcher in Queensland that runs the Facebook group Irish - Speciality Research and she is very good, it took her literally ten minutes to find Christian Gallagher born 1839, baptism 8th Dec 1839, Ballymore, Westmeath, Ireland, diocese Meath, parents Michael Gallagher and Christian Edo.

Although the death details for my Christian Gallagher say b1830 in Cappoquin, they could be incorrect as it would be anecdotal and many years after as recalled by the family of her second husband, and in a foreign country.

Being born in 1839 and from Westmeath puts her and her family right in the thick of the famine and would explain a lot, ie there is no record for any of them after, ie no deaths or marriages for her parents or Christian as her parents most probably perished in the famine and could have easily gone into a mass grave without being recorded, and Christian would have been the perfect age if born in 1839 to be a famine orphan to Australia, it would certainly explain everything perfectly, it fits well.

Also, this is the only Christian Gallagher that has ever been found in any records around that time, or any time that I know of at the moment, so there aren't any other options to be considered.

Lastly, as I do my family tree on wikitree I am going to use this information and still include the previous death certificate information to outline the various case scenarios for Christian Gallagher while maintaining an open case file.

What do think, Mark H.

And thanks Roger as well.

Cheers, Mark H.