Randalstown and Crebilly queries

Your information is a bit sparse. O’Neill & Boyle are very common names around Randalstown so it’s hard to advise without a bit more information.

I can see that John O’Neill married Catherine Boyle c 1861 in Drummaul parish. What happened to them after that? Where did they die and are there any parents names from Catherine’s death certificate?

I can see a Hannah Boyle marriage to Bernard O’Neill in 1864 in Randalstown chapel. One of the witnesses was Bridget Boyle. Those names fit but I have no easy way of saying whether it’s your family. That family lived in Drumkeeran. Father was John Boyle, farmer. But it’s hard to say if there’s any connection with your Catherine without some more information.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1864/11607/8272063.pdf

That John Boyle had plot 11 in Drumkeeran which was a 14 acre farm which he farmed jointly with Felix Boyle. Is Felix a family name?

Felix died in 1910 aged 102 which is quite impressive, though probably not correct:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1910/05414/4512817.pdf

His wife was Eliza and died in 1890:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1890/06099/4740498.pdf

Felix didn’t hang about and remarried Sarah McKay in 1891:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1891/10672/5889149.pdf

Household in 1901:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Shilvodan/Drumk…

There was a John, son of John (deceased) who married in 1865:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_re…

John junior died in 1888:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1888/06179/4766358.pdf

This looks to be his widow in 1901:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Shilvodan/Drumkeeran/916639/

That John was born c 1840 according to his marriage certificate and so could be Catherine’s brother. But I don’t have enough information to say for certain.  It’s all rather speculative.

Thank you so much for your reply and extensive research.

Catherine and John O’Neill arrived in Westmorland (now Cumbria) in 1862 where he started work on the railways. They had around 7 children in total.

I’ve struggled for a while to narrow down their lives in Ireland and any family connections. Finding other Boyles has been a breakthrough.

Catherine and John O’Neill had some connection to Drummaul House around the time of their eldest son’s birth in 1861.

KazzW,

Now you mention a connection with Drummaul House I do recall another post about this family this family a few years back.  Perhaps that was you? I think you may struggle to get back much earlier due to the general lack of records in the area for that period.  Have you considered trying to find out if you are connected to the Drumkeeran Boyles? The Valuation revision records on the PRONI site show they were still farming there in 1930. Perhaps they are still there?

I noticed 2 Probate Abstracts for the Drumkeeran Boyle family. The full files should be in PRONI (in paper format).

Probate of the Will of Felix Boyle late of Drumkeeran County Antrim Farmer who died 2 December 1910 granted at Belfast to Robert Boal Solicitor

Administration of the Estate of Elizabeth Boyle late of Drumkeeran County Antrim Widow who died 7 December 1910 granted at Belfast to James Boyle Farmer.

Possibly DNA testing may be a way of matching with others who have additional information about where the family originate. Family Tree DNA reportedly has more people with Ulster roots than any other company. That obviously increases the chances of finding a match. You might want to try them or, if you have already tested, you can transfer your results to them for no fee.

The North of Ireland Family History Society is running an Ulster DNA project in conjunction with FTDNA and can offer testing kits at a reduced price.  http://www.nifhs.org (Go to DNA project on the website).

Thank you so much.