Guilfoyle/O'Reilly

Dear Joe:

Thank you for your post to the Ireland Reaching Out message board and welcome to our programme!

The townland or area of Springfield in County Galway is located in the civil parish of Killoran.  The catholic parish is known as Mullagh or Abbeygormacan.  The records only begin in 1846.

There isn't any baptism record for a John O'Reilly born about 1853 in this parish. 

Springfield is also a townland in County Offaly and the civil parish where it is located is in Drumcullen.  The catholic parish is Eglish.  There did not appear to be any John O'Reilly baptised in this parish in 1853 either.

What information do you have that leads you to believe that Springfield is a place of interest?  Where did you get the information about a seminary school?  You might consider creating a Chronicle about this family on the XO Chronicles tab which is located at the top of the page.  Others who may be also researching this family will be notified of your Ancestor's profile and they may be able to assist you.The link for the Chronicle is below:

https://www.irelandxo.com/ireland-xo/history-and-genealogy

The best of luck!

Kind regards,

Jane.

Dear Jane:

Thanks so much for your help and your reply. Sorry for the delay on this end. I was out of town for a funeral.

The Illinois Deaths & Stillbirths Index 1916-1947 lists the place of birth of my great uncle, John B. O'Reilly, as Springfield Ireland. It does not list the county. In addition to County Offaly I believe there is a Springfield in County Westmeath. The same index lists my great grandfather John O'Reilly's place of birth as Springfield Ireland.

My source for my great grandmother Mary Bridget Gilfoyle's association to the seminary is a sampler I have which contains the following information sewn at the bottom: "Mary Gilfoyle's sampler worked at the Misses Goldings Seminary, Galway September 24, 1841." I also have a sampler on which is sewn on the bottom: "Honoria Hurley Castlerea School.

My great grandparents had eleven children. I believe two of them were born in Ireland. I addition to John B. O'Reilly, they had a daughter Maryann, born 1854, who died in Chicago in 1860. I believe they came to the USA in 1856, and that Maryann was born in Ireland, but I don't have any hard information to that effect.

Thanks again, Jane, I appreciate your all of your help.

Joe

The 1870 Slater's directory for Galway lists: "Golding, the Misses (boarding & day) Middle st," so the school was still in operation in 1870.  

Hi all,

This post is of interest to me as one of my ancestral names is Guilfoyle.  My grandfather, James Guilfoyle, emigrated to US in 1905 abord SS Merion with his sister Eliza and a number of other young people from Borrisokane, Tipperary including Eliza's future husband Richard Burgess and a Phillip Reilly/O'Reilly who listed Bridget (Guilfoyle) McNamara (sister of James and Eliza) as his cousin.

We have not been able to find any other link between the Reilly/O'Reilly and Guilfoyle names or to find any other details about Phillip.

Perhaps there is no association with the Guilfoyle and O'Reilly in this thread but would appreciate any light that could be shed.

Cathi