Ancestors

Andrew:

I searched Roots Ireland in both Roscommon and Mayo from 1830-1850 and could not find any Dugan baptisms where the parents were Michael and Catherine. This is not surprising since many RC churches do not have records back to the 1840s.

Based on the surnames you mentioned and the town of Ballaghaderreen, I'm wondering if your family came from Castlemore pairsh or near Castlemore. See the 1855 Griffiths Valuation head of household listing for Castlemore which is in Roscommon but long ago was part of Mayo. You will note that there are many Dooghan and Regan records in this parish including a Michael Dooghan.

http://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/roscommon/castlemore.htm

Kilmovee is in Co. Mayo just to the south of Ballaghaderreen parish now in Co. Roscommon. Castlebar is a good distance to the west of Kilmovee and Ballaghaderreen.

Let me know if you have any further info or questions.

Roger McDonnell

Hello, Roger, sorry its taken so long to get back to you. I am almost certain that they came from Kilmovee/Ballaghadereen and I think Michael had a brother Thomas mainly because they live close to one another in Measham, also living with M. and C was Milla Ragins listed as cousin. Another distant family member whose name is now Dughan has been to Kilmovee seen references to a plot of land rented by "the widow Dougan" who is Thomas's mother. I started searching about 10 years ago and have been on virtually every site there is, even Irish Gaelic translation site. On the 1851 census Michael has put his birthplace as Bottradon and Catherine as Dareybrode, I think this is due to what the census taker heard. At that time would they have spoken Gaelic or English? When I saw the advert on Irish TV for Reachout I thought maybe some descendants still lived in the area and would maybe respond. I am too old to travel and spend the necessary time needed to do my own research, so I had given up trying the Irish connection. Regards, Andrew Dugan.

Andrew:

II spent a lot of time looking at townlands in the general area of Kilmovee and Ballaghaderreen. There are three main parishes: Kilmovee, Kilbeagh and Castlemore. The best names I could find to match your names were Boghtaduff in Castlemore parish Co. Roscommon and Derrynabroc in Kilbeagh parish in Co. Mayo. They are about 9 kilometers apart.

Emigrants probably spoke both Gaelic and English but the accent is likely what made it difficult to be accurate.

Roger