Thomas McDonnell, b.1813, m. Anne Jackson 1844 Crossmolina, Mayo

Crossmolina was a union of Church of Ireland parishes, and also included Addergoole, Kilfyan, and Magaunagh. The church was in the town of Crossmolina and was built in 1810. The 1st Edition OSI map shows the church c1840. The present church is St. Mary's and is at the same location - and appears to be the original 1810 building.

For some details of the town and civil parish : Crossmolina - Lewis 1837.

Was Margaret baptised in the same parish ?

The closest match I see to Ballinagur seems to be the townland of Ballynagor which is in one of the civil parishes, Magaunagh / Moygawnagh included in the parish union.

p.s. The townland of Ballynagor is located abt. 11km (~ 7 mles) north of the town of Crossmolina - see Google Maps.

Shane,

Thank you so much for your very informative reply!

As for Margaret's baptism record, according to the Irish Family History Website, she was baptised on 26-Apr-1846, in the "Parish/District:Crossmolina, County Mayo". Does that mean that she was baptised in the present church of St.Mary's in the town of Crossmolina? Her parents were married 13-Feb.-1844 in the "Parish/District:Crossmolina, County Mayo". Would they have been married in this same church also?

Also, Margaret's father is Thomas "McDonnell", on her birth record and on his marriage record. However on his birth record (assuming I have the correct one) he is Thomas "O'Donnel" born Sept. 1813, "Address: Cloonagh, Parish/District:Kilmoremoy, County:Mayo". Could he also have been baptised in St. Mary's Church in Crossmolina or is there another Church of Ireland in the vicinity?

Thanks again for all of your help. 

Kathi K

There only seems to have the one church of Ireland Church in Crossmolina parish Union at the time, the one built 1810 in the town of Crosmolina and later referred to as St. Mary's, so pretty cetain that's where both the baptism and marriage took place.

Kilemoremoy is a seperate parish, not adjacent to Crossmolina, and located to the north east, and includes parts of Counties Mayo & Sligo.

HI Kathi

Shane is correct that the civil parishes of Kilfian, Moygownagh, Addergoole (Laherdaun) and Crossmolina were all in the Crossmolina Union of Church of Ireland. Ballinagur is the townland Ballynagor in Moygawnagh Civil Parish which had a significant Church of Ireland population pre-Famine times.

Almost all records in St. Mary's church were destroyed in the 1798 rebellion, but many exist thereafter on Microfilm in the NLI and Mayo County Library. Moygawnagh had a church and Vicar Rev Brushe for a period after the Famine but all its records were lost in the destruction of the Public Record Office in 1922. Thus your best bet is the Crossmolina union Microfilm registers which would show any baptism's or marriages from Moygawnagh when it's own church was not operating. 

MacDonnell is NOT O'Donnell and coupled with the Kilmoremoy reference which as Shane points out is actually Ballina parish some distance away indicates you have the wrong birth cert. 

I have not come across the McDonnell family name in Ballinagur in pre-Famine times but it does not mean that the family were not there. Records are very hit or miss for these times. If you can give email me info (and its sources - very NB) on the McDonnell side I will see what I can find. liamalexheffron@gmail.com

Ballinagur still has the ruins of the last of the Protestant farmers there as well as the school house - in Moygownagh parish.

www.moygownagh.ie

Liam Alex

Thank you for your prompt responses. Every little piece in the puzzle helps, especially information on how to navigate the

complicated parish unions and townlands. 

Kathi

 my gr. grand mother was Ellen Jackson from Crossmolina she married William Clarke. Thay lived outside Ballina. They had 4 children and 3 of them went to Pittston Pa after Ellen died around 1880, I think they had an aunt Kathryn Jackson married name Reap lived in Avoca Pa. The McDonnells from Kilfian were cousins of ours through the Jacksons. There are lots of cousins in Ballina, Ireland and Pa and throughout the US. It would be wonderful to talk to you sometime Liam Clarke