Elizabeth Collins, born 12/31/1903 in Galway, Ireland

I just saw this website recommendation on another thread:

http://ellisisland.org/search/passSearch.asp

Elizabeth Collins emigrated to Ellis Island in 1925 (at Age 21, unless it was her birthday - then it would be 22).

Hi Lisa,

It looks like your family of interest was at Cloonameragaun Townland, Aughrim Civil Parish, in the Poor Law Union of Ballinasloe.  If you search the Irish civil registration index, you will find your family's BDM events registered under the SRD of Ballinasloe.

Here is a quick summary from the 1911 census for your family (your Grandmother's parents are Patrick and Catherine Collins.

SurnameForenameAgeSexRelation to headReligionBirthplaceOccupationLiteracyIrish LanguageMarital StatusSpecified IllnessesYears MarriedChildren BornChildren LivingCollinsPatrick43MaleHead of FamilyRoman CatholicCo GalwayAgricultural LabourerRead and writeEnglishMarried-1133CollinsCatherine43FemaleWifeR CCo Galway-Neither write or ReadEnglishMarried-1133CollinsJoseph8MaleSonR CCo GalwayScholarwrite and ReadEnglishSingle----CollinsElizabeth6FemaleDaughterR CCo GalwayScholarReadEnglishSingle----CollinsJohn Patrick2MaleSonR CCo GalwayInfant-EnglishSingle----DonnellyWilliam16MaleStep SonR C

Since they are Catholic I've checked for you and found a Roman Catholic church at the Town of Aughrim in the civil parish of Aughrim.  Be sure to join the Aughrim Parish Ireland XO site.  Someone there should be able link you up with the COLLINS descendants from Aughrim town (Village?).

Also checked the RC registers for references for you:

Baptism and marriage register cover:

• 1828 through 1901 on LDS Family History Library film 1,279,215 (items 9-12)
• 1828 through 1900 on Positive film 2431 in National Library of Ireland in Dublin. 
• You can also search the East Galway Family History Society's online index for a fee.

From www.seanruad.com here is the administrative divisions summary for your townland:

TownlandAKAAcresCountyBaronyCivil ParishPLUProvinceCloonameragaun 101GalwayKilconnellAughrimBallinasloeConnaught

I've also checked the Irish phone book for COLLINS people in GALWAY county and find at least three:

• Patrick Collins: Cahercrea Loughrea, (091)841749
• Paul Collins: Knockavanny Tuam, (093)25786
• Madeline Collins: Cloghscoltia Barna Galway Co. Galway, (091)590820

Hope that helps.  All the best,

James McNamara

feakle@irelandxo.com

Wow James - I am just a tad overwhelmed!  It appears I have more research to do but this should provide much to chew on for the next couple of weeks or so!  THANK you!  I will join the recommended Parish here at IrelandXO as you recommend.  Shall I re-post this thread, or will it be moved?

Most Welcome Lisa.  I really think you should at least talk to the Patrick Collins.  If you are in California, just remember that it is 8 hours later in Ireland, 5 hours later from New York.  There is a chance this Patrick is a nephew to your grandmother or a grandchild of the 1911 family.  How you approach is just to ask if they are related to the family who lived in the townland, Aughrim parish in 1911.

It wouldn't hurt to repost but I think you just have to follow down from 1911.  I think there is a fair chance if there is a local Irishman-woman volunteer, they may just know this family. so after joining the Aughrim parish in Galway, then repost something really simple like, does anyone know of descendants of the 1911 family from (townland name from my other mail).

You should visit the www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search and find this family to see them in 1901 and 1911.  I can see they were married about 1900 so they will have either one or no children in 1901.

You can also check the property ownership from 1901 to present for a small fee through the land registry office in Dublin, see http://www.valoff.ie/Research.htm

You can also get the marriage record for your Collins great grandparentsat: www.groireland.ie and get birth records for the children.  You will find out your greatgrandmother's maiden name with the birth record and you will learn the names, occupations, and residences of your great-greatgrandfathers.

Lots to learn.

All the best,

James McNamara

Thank you once again James!  Indeed, I thought it prudent after looking at maps to at least contact Patrick, and I appreciate your suggestion as to what to ask - so NEW to me!

I cross-posted on the Aughrim Galway message board, link here:

http://irelandxo.com/group/aughrim-galway/messages/elizabeth-collins-bo…

As noted earlier, I am pretty overwhelmed - but in a good way!  I cannot thank you enough.

Lisa Allen

Email SENT! :-)  I am gushing with anticipation!

Lisa

I just want to post here that due to Ireland Reaching Out Volunteer, Mary McLoughlin - I have been connected to my grandmother's younger brother's daughter, who interestingly has the same name!  I now have discovered many family members I never knew I had!  Thank you SO MUCH Ireland Reaching Out!  I am one of your success stories!  I hope to travel to Ireland and the UK during 2014 (and perhaps even secure dual USA/Irish Citizenship in the process)! :-)

Hi Lisa,

Congrats on the connections:

To qualify for the Irish passport you must have at least one grandparent born in Ireland.  You will need legal certificates of your grandparent's birth, the birth certificate of your parent (child of the Irish grandparent), the marriage certificate of your parents, and your own birth certificate (again all must be legal certificates).

All the best,

James McNamara

I might add a note here - after doing some research with the Irish Embassy website, it also appears that I need both my father's and grandmother's death certificates as well.  The trouble is, New York hasn't even provided me with my father's birth certificate yet, and I ordered it months ago!  I have heard from others that it can take a very long time.  I will be checking into this to make sure there is no snag or hangup, but in the meantime I will try to keep all of you posted - thank you once again, it has been so nice to catch up with my grandmother's niece! :-)