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I am seeking details of the origins of "my" Monaghans. My great-great-great-grandmother, Mary Monaghan, and her sister (or sister-in-law), Margaret Smith were tried at Enniskillen in July 1841 of theft of a cow belonging to Samuel McKeague at Samsonagh. Samsonagh is located about 4 miles south of Enniskillen, a little to the south of Drumboy in the parish of Cleenish. Mary was a house servant and Margaret was a farm servant. In family lore, Mary's husband John Monaghan, a miller and Orangeman, who had been murdered one night while inspecting his mill. I understand that Co Fermanagh was gripped by the Tithe Wars during the years 1831-37 and the alleged murder may have occurred toward the end of this period. His widow, Mary, was apparently reduced to a state of destitution.

Mary Monaghan and Margaret Smith wereeach sentenced to 10 years transportation. The two women were transported to Van Diemen’s Land by the Mexborough which departed Dublin and arrived at Hobart Town on 26 December 1841.  Both Mary Monaghan and Margaret Smith were ‘protestant’, and were accompanied by their children, Mary by her two daughters, Mary Ann aged 12 years and Margaret (my great-great-grandmother) aged 9 years, and a son, John aged 7 years; Margaret by her son, Richard aged 7 years. Mary may have left a fourth child behind. The womens’ ages on arrival were given as 36 years for Mary and 40 years for Margaret, and both gave ‘Co. Fermanagh’ as their ‘native place’.

That is about all the detail I have. I would like to establish the circumstances surrounding John Monaghan's alleged murder, the location of his mill, the dale and place of John's marriage to Mary; the baptismal records of the children; and the nature of the relationship between Mary Monaghan and Margaret Smith.

Can anyone out/over there assist?

Thanks in anticipation

Mark St Leon

Sydney, Australia

 

marksl

Thursday 27th Dec 2012, 09:31AM

Message Board Replies

  •  

    Hi Mark,

     

    Thank you for your message.

     

    Church of Ireland parish registers for the period up to 1870 are public records. Registers are available for about one third of the parishes, however many were destroyed in the Public Records Office in Dublin in 1922. Most surviving records are still held by the local clergy, although some are in the National Archives of Ireland and others are in the Representative Church Body Library in Dublin. Lists of these surviving registers can also be found at the National Library of Ireland.

     

    Some links which may help you are:

     

    http://www.ireland.anglican.org/cmsfiles/pdf/AboutUs/library/parregs.pdf

    http://ireland.anglican.org/about/42

    http://www.nationalarchives.ie/

    www.irishgenealogy.ie/index.html

     

    With regards to John Monaghan's murder you could try doing a search for it in newspaper archives. A good place to do this is at http://www.irishnewsarchive.com/

    I would recommend searching in the Freemans Journal as this newspaper dates from 1763 to 1924.

     

    You could also try contacting the Irish World Heritage Centre for assistance. However a fee may apply. Here are their contact details:

    Irish World Heritage Centre,

    51 Dungannon Road,

    Coalisland,

    Co. Tyrone

    B71 4HP

     

    I hope that this helps.

     

    Kind regards,

     

    Genealogy Support

     

    Monday 18th Feb 2013, 11:26AM

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