Searching for information on the Durkan family Johnsfort c1890

Tom:

I looked at the 1856 Griffiths Valuation head of household listing for Johnsfort townland and found three Durkan entries: a James, a Michael and a Thomas. Not sure if one of these is the father, grandfather or uncle of Julia and Michael. As you probably know, Durcan/Durkan/Durkin are very common names in East Mayo and Kilconduff parish specifically which makes it difficult to research. ( I have a great-great grandmother named Durkan in Kilbeagh parish). I looked up civil birth records for Julia which is a less common name and found an 1883, and 1885 and 1887 birth records. I listed the 1885 and 1887 below since the 1901 census age was 14, I also looked at Roots Ireland which is a pay site and Roots has an 1885 and 1887 baptismal records for Julia Durkan with a mother names Mary in Kilconfuff parish. I would suggest that you not go thru Roots since the baptismal record may or may not show Johnsfort. Instead, I would write to the GRO for a copy of the civil birth record. Go to this link http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Apply-for-Certificates.aspx  hit the link for birth record in English. You will get a screen which asks for a User Name and Password. Hit cancel and the form should appear. Fill out the form. Make sure you ask for a copy which costs around 4 euros. Provide the GRO with the info from the two index records below (Year, Swineford district and the volume and page numbers). Tell them you want the record for the Julia born in Johnsfort. You can also ask them to e-mail you the copy of the record.

I also looked at the 1911 census and found a Michael Durkan (33) with his wife Anne McManus Durkan.They were married right before the 1911 census was taken. Possibly this is Julia's brother? (see link below).

Roger McDonnell

First Name: Julia  

• Last Name: Durkan  


• Year: 1885  


• Registered Quarter/Year: Jul - Sep 1885  


• Registration District: Swineford  


• Volume: 4  


• Page: 428  

First Name: Julia  

• Last Name: Durkan  


• Year: 1887  


• Registered Quarter/Year: Jul - Sep 1887  


• Registration District: Swineford  


• Volume: 4  


• Page: 402  

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Mayo/Brackloon/Johnsfort/741719/

Hi Roger McDonnell, Castlemore Roscommon, amazing reactivity! many thanks for your info - brilliant, I am particularly interested in tracking down the Father of my paternal grandfather (P.J. DURKIN born 1872 in Johnsfort but not listed as living there in the 1901 census) His mother was Mary, his brother was Michael who later married Anne McManus their neighbour's only daughter, and his sister Julia listed as being 14 yrs old in the 1901 census. It is quite possible that he would be the Michael Durkan listed in the 1847 and 1856 editions of "Griffiths Valuations"  I guess I could verify this by getting Julia's B. Cert as you suggested - many thanks for your help. Best wishes Tom

Hi Tom

Three of my mother's grandparents were born Durkan, all from the townland of Cuilmore (the one in Kilconduff civil parish), so I find it very hard to make sense of the little bits of family folklore passed down to me.

My late second cousin Se?n Gallagher wrote down the following version of the Durkan/Durkin family history:
`Two Durkin brothers left Johnsfort, Swinford - one went to Lisbrogan (Straw Durkins) and second went to Culmore (American).  A third may have gone to Swinford, built our house and house next door (O'Connors).  This man may be grandfather or uncle of my grandmother (Maggie Durkan).  O'Connors' was left to his son who later sold same and left.  My grandmother went to live with her uncle or g/father in Swinford at age 12 years around 1882. Later married John McDonagh around 1903.'

The "American Durkans" of Cuilmore are my ancestors.  There is some debate as to which of my ancestors spent time in America and acquired the nickname later inherited by his descendants.

In 1901 and 1911, the houses on either side of McDonoughs [sic] in Swinford were occupied by Meade and Jones, which doesn't tally with the above story.

The James Durkan listed as an occupier in Johnsfort in Griffith held land only and did not live in the townland.  He may have been the same person as my GGgrandfather James Durkan (Martin) who held land in Cuilmore in Griffith (as did another James Durkan), but who didn't have a house in Cuilmore either.  Between 1864 and 1866, 2 houses were built on James's Cuilmore holding.  My mother was born in one of those houses in 1921.  I don't know where James himself lived: none of the places mentioned in my family folklore matches any of the places where there is a James Durkan occupying a house in Griffith!

If I could identify the "Straw" Durkins of Lisbrogan and also the "Tanner" Durkans of Carrowbaun in Meelick civil parish, also said to be related, perhaps I could make more progress.

There are no Durkans or variants in Lisbrogan in the censuses, but three families to choose from in Carrowbawn [sic]!

None of this is likely to be of much help in answering your specific question.

I have been putting off the task of doing a one name study of all the Durkans in Mayo, but I may be left with no option ...

Paddy Waldron

I've had another look at this family.

Patrick Durkan married Mary Gallagher on 3 Feb 1858 in Swinford parish.

They lived in Johnsfort and had 10 children including Patrick (b. 13 Nov 1867), Michael (b.18 Aug 1878) and Julia (b. 8 Aug 1885).

Michael married Anne McManus some time around 25 Mar 1911 (the marriage is on the same page of the civil register as that of my own grandparents Thomas Durkan and Bridget Durkan).  I have not seen the marriage record yet and have only the evidence of the messages above that this was the Anne McManus who was the only daughter of John McManus and Bridget Reily at home in the 1901 census in Johnsfort.  That Anne had four sisters, three others still alive in 1911, but none at home in 1901.

Anne's aunt Mary McManus married Martin Campbell on 4 Mar 1866.  Their son James Campbell married Bridget (Delia) Durkin on 30 Mar 1910, and the marriage register says `3rd et 4th consang.' which I think means that bride and groom were second cousins once removed.  I'm looking for the details of that relationship.

James Campbell died on 23 Nov 1944 leaving no surviving children and I think it was probably after that that my grandfather's sister Nora Durkan went to live with his widow Delia.  Nora and Delia were cousins, possibly as close as first cousins, but I am still looking for proof of that relationship.

All help in filling in the blanks will be gratefully received.

I have established that Patrick Durkan who lived in Johnsfort with his wife Mary Gallagher was originally from the townland of Collagh.  I have seen a list of uncles written by his niece, which includes "uncl Paddy and Mary Gallaghe".  The proof that there were not two different couples named Patrick Durkan and Mary Gallagher came from this extract from the death certificate of Patrick Durkan:

http://mayo.rootsireland.ie/view_detail.php?recordid=885379&type=dcv&re…
Civil Death Record
Name:     Patrick    Durkan         Date of Death:     17-Dec-1889    
Age:     62         Parish / District:     SWINFORD DISTRICT
Address:     Johnsforth         County:     MAYO
Status:     Married         Denomination:     Roman Catholic
Occupation:     LANDHOLDER         Sex:     Male
Graveyard         Informant
Graveyard:            Relationship:     Sister In Law
Parish:            Name:     Mary Durkan
County:            Address:     Collagh
Notes:
ANASARCA, 4 DAYS, NO MEDICAL ATTENDANT.

Patrick had at least two brothers living in Collagh with wives named Mary at various times, so the informant could be either Mary n?e Jiffers, wife of Michael Durkan of Collagh (last recorded child b. 1864) or more likely Mary n?e Dunleavy, second wife of Daniel Durkan of Collagh (children b. 1881-1892) or possibly the wife of yet another of Patrick's many brothers.