Nevin (Navin) Family from Erriff

Leon:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

The subscription site Roots Ireland has baptismal records for four older siblings of Austin: Mary 1835 Thomas 1843 Margaret 1844 Anne 1847 There is a gap in records from May 1836-March 1842 so I would assume that there were other children in the gap period. I was not able to find a marriage record. The 1855 Griffiths Valuation head of household listing shows four Navin records but no Thomas and none of the four were in Eriff.

I  checked the 1901 census for Erriff and there were only two families listed both with the surname Hoban.

I also checked the free site www.irishgenealogy.ie for a Thomas Navin or Mary Navin death record and did not see a likely record.

Roger McDonnell

Roger,

Thank you for your amazingly quick response and valuable information.  I understand the realities of Irish records but continue to search for additional sources and clues.  Do you know if the Erriff Chapel is still standing?  Is their a cemetery located near the Erriff Chapel?

Again, Thank You!

Leon

Leon:

I think the cemetery you want is Cushlough I found an Irish Graveyeards site which has the records for people with headstones in the Cushlough cemetery. I found records for seven Navins including  an Austin who appears to have been born in 1877. Maybe he was a nephew to your Austin. I also provide a link to Aghagower RC parish but they do not show an e-mail address.

Don't know if the Erriff chapel is still standing.

Roger

http://irishgraveyards.ie/search.php?area_id=21&yardid=184&lastname=nav…

https://www.tuamarchdiocese.org/parish-details/?page=ddb_parish_details…

From the parish and chapel details in the late 1830s (see attached image)I can see the Chapel at Erriff townland on the 1st Edition OSI Maps, the area does not seem to be covered by the later c1890 online OSI map or Google Street View, but based on the OSI 2005 satellite image or Google Satelitte view does not look like the building is still there, the road leading past it looks suspiciously green - wonder if it's still operable, or has maybe fallen in disuse ?

edited : the chapel at Erriff is marked as "in ruins" on the 6" Cassini maps on GeoHive, dated early 20th Century c1920/1930 -see attached image.

Hello Roger,

Fantastic information!!  I was able to link the headstones information you provided from Cushlough Graveyard of Mary and John Navin to a family history given to me by a DNA match 4th cousin here in the USA. Some of the puzzle pieces are coming together.  I am gaining confidence that the Navins from Shralea/Erriff are my ancestors.

Could you help me locate the Navin Family Plot in the Old Aghagower Cemetery.  I am told it is centrally located near the base of the round tower.  The headstone is for Austin Navin (1770-1828) and wife Mary (1770-1828).

I am also very interested to learn if there are any living Navin relatives in the Aghagower Parish.  I am planning a trip to Ireland in the fall and would enjoy visiting with them.

Thanks again for all your assistance.

Regards

Leon

Hi Leon!

I just returned from a trip and saw your note. I live in the States so I can't help you with the graves in the cemetery. Did you try some of the cemetery sites online?

I will let our HQ know about your trip. Have a great time!

Roger

Dear Leon:  I have some very helpful information for you from our local volunteer which I am posting below.  If you would like to make contact with him when you arrive, please email me at:  jhalloranryan@irelandxo.com and I will make the introductions.  The information that he shared is below:  

The townlands of Erriff and Srahlea were cleared of tenants in 1851. It is not very clear where the tenants went. If the Navins did not reach the US until the 1860's. they must have been kept on as herds in Srahlea. There was church in Erriff but it must have closed in the 1820's as the church in Cushough in the townland of Derryherbert was built about that time which is the replacement church.  I am not sure when the graveyard at Cushlough church was opened it is much closer to Erriff than Aghagower. The tenants of Erriff and Srahlea were just described as villagers in The Sligo estate rent roll. The Sligo papers are in the National library,  the townland of Erifff had 14 houses in the census of 1851. but only three in 1851.

There is among the Sligo papers a list of herds in 1881 and there is John Navin in Srahlea and a Thomas Knavin, Derrycroff a townland a few miles to the north. 

The Navin family in Srahlea died out about 30 years ago  but they still have relations closeby. I hope that is of some help. There are a few other Navin families living locally but I am not sure if they are connected. I could meet a visitor and give him the names of people who may be related.  

As I stated above, if you have any questions or want contact information, please contact me.  

Kind regards,  

Jane

Hello Jane,

Thank you for your most informative note.  I very much appreciate the information provided by the local volunteer.  I will certainly contact you once I confirm my visit to County Mayo.  Would you know if there is any written local history for the Erriff/ Aghagower area?  Is there a written history for the Aghagower Parish?

Do you have a specific reference for the "Sligo Papers?"  Had no luck researching them.

Warm Regards,

Leon

Hello,

I have exhausted my researched of the Navins from Erriff/Aghagower and determined that this is not my Great Grandfather's branch of the family.  Perhaps cousins.  I am looking for Austin Navin, born 1830-1845 in County Mayo.  I do not know the exact Townland.  I have found a baptismal record for an Austin Navin, baptized 30 July 1835 in Bekan Parish.  Son of Patrick Navin and Mary McGrath.  I am looking for other factors to validate.  Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

Thank You!

Leon 

Leon:

Bekan parish is a long way from Aghagower. Do you see the 1830 Austin Nevin baptismal record in Aghagower?

Roger

Name:Austin NevinDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:18-Jul-1830Address:
Parish/District:Aghagower RC parishGender:MaleCountyCo. Mayo
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:Martin NevinMother:Bridget NevinOccupation:
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:Austin Gibbons Sponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Mary Nevin 

Hello Roger,

Thank you for highlighting that record.  I have reviewed.

I know for certain that my Great Grandfather married Mary E. Ford (age 15) on 30 April 1870 in Pittston, PA.  She was from County Mayo.  Townland unknown.  That would make this Austin Nevins nearly 40 years old.  Possible but not probable.  They married only 3-4 months after her arrival in the USA.  I am looking for a possible linkage of Navin and Ford families in Ireland.

Appreciate your assistance.

Leon

Hello,

I will be coming to Ireland in August and will be in the Aghagower Parish/ Bekan Parish area 25-26 August.  Is there any local person that I can contact?

Thank you!

Leon

Dear Leon:

Thank you for your update.  Will you leave this with me and I will contact a local volunteer for you?  I will let you know via this thread.

 All the best,  

Jane

Hi Leon:  Please email me at:  jhalloranryan@irelandxo.com  I have an email address for you.

All the best,

Jane

Hi Leon,

I am descended from the (same) Navins of Erriff, I can provide you with information that I have on them. I have done quite a bit of research, if you give me your e-mail.

All the best, Aoife

My email is jdldsg7@gmail.com

Dear Sir/Madam,

I would be grateful for any assistance you may be able to provide me in researching my ancestors in the Westport area of Mayo.  I believe my Great-Great-Grandmother, Ellen McNavin, was born in or around Westport to a Peter (Mc)Navin in c 1832.  She emigrated to Stockport, Manchester, England sometime before 1851 where she worked as a servant in a household.  She married my GG-Grandfather in 1854.  Ellen’s father is identified as “Peter McNavin”, farmer, deceased, in her marriage record in 1854.  Ellen’s granddaughter is my grandmother.

I’ve established Westport as the likely origin for Ellen as a result of both ruling out other prospective parents/locations and the fact that a Michael O’Gara was a sponsor at the baptism of Ellen’s daughter Mary in Stockport in 1857.  Michael O’Gara’s sister Elizabeth married Thomas Wood in Aughaval on December 27, 1837.  A Margaret Navin was a witness to the marriage between Elizabeth and Thomas Wood.  Michael’s brother Christopher married Cecily Wood in Aughaval on January 15, 1838.  These are the only entries for the O’Gara family in Aughaval in the period of interest.

I note that there was a Peter Navin who married Bridget Gavan in Aughaval in 1825.  The name “Peter Navin” is sufficiently rare that combined with the O’Gara connection I’m hypothesizing that Ellen was Peter’s daughter.  The witnesses to Peter Navin and Bridget’s marriage were Michael Gavan and Cicely Navin.  Cicely was also a witness to the marriage of Anthony Navin in 1827.  I’m guessing that Peter, Cecily and Anthony were siblings and likely children of Thomas and Mary Navin who died in 1870 and 1882, respectively, at the elderly ages of 100 and 103.

I would be very grateful for any assistance or insight you may be able to provide in confirming my conjecture above.

Lastly, one nagging concern I have is the description of my GG-Grandmother in 3x English civil records and 2x church baptism records as “McNavin” (and derivatives) while all the individuals in Westport appear to be named Navin (and derivatives) without the “Mc”.  May anything be read into the addition or deletion of the “Mc” for purposes of identifying likely ancestors or relatives?

Many thanks in advance for any assistance you may be able to provide!

Regards,

Pete Dale

BTW, my e-mail for contact purposes is pdale (at) peterdale (dot) com.  Thanks!

Greetings!  Our family is also descended from the Navin Family in Erriff/Aghagower.  My great-great grandfather, Thomas Navin (1807-1882) and Mary Mahon would have been born and married in this parish and emmigrated to Iowa in the United States via Canada in 1852.  He is the son of Thomas Navin who born in 1780 and died in 1828.  We think he was also the son of a Thomas Navin born in 1740 in Aghagower.  I am planning a trip to visit Aghagower in early June 2024 and would love to see if there is a volunteer who might be able to meet us and help us find where the Navin farm would been in Srahlea and/or if there are any Navins still living nearby.

Thanks so much for any support you can provide!

Steve