Slan aBhaile 2012
Welcome
Thanks for visiting the Derry, Northern Ireland website, a GenWeb project. I became interested in Derry as a natural part of my quest for geneology information on my family. My grandfather and father gave me a natural interest in my family history and the factors that confronted them. I was lucky enough to get information on one of my great grandfathers and his emigration to America from Derry. My wife and I made a recent trip to Northern Ireland to look over the “homeland” and we were lucky enough to meet Dr. Don MacFarlane. Don has a strong interest in this area and he has meticulously collected and maintained the valuable information contained on this site.
I expressed an interest in contributing my own personal experiences to the project. To accomodate my technically challenged mind, a colleague converted the site to a WordPress Blog. I believe this will allow for a more free exchange of ideas and inputs from a wide range of visitors.
About: Information about the contributors to this site
Introduction: A brief overview of Derry
History: Early and recent history of Derry with extensive links to other sites of interest
People: Famous sons and daughters of Derry
Tourism: Things to do in Derry
Geneology: A primer and links to more intermediate and advanced information
Further, general links of interest have been added to the blogroll on the front page. My intent is for myself, together with Don and the volunteers, to carry on the valuable work in this new format. I hope you find something interesting. Please feel free to add comments or suggestions. I look forward to hearing from you.
Vic Barnett
Dayton
Ohio
HOT OFF THE PRESS
The ebook ’The Sea is Wide – New Celts from Old Horizons’ is now available for downloading at very modest cost from Smashwords from this site (see links below). Sample downloads at no cost can also be viewed and give a flavour of the contents of this book which will shortly also be for sale in paper version at National Trust outlets in Scotland, Ireland and elsewhere. The contributors are all highly acknowledged experts in their field. Please do not be put off too much by some formatting problems in the meantime in the Introduction section of the ebook. This is due to some quirk with Smashwords which will be corrected soon. Anyone who chooses to purchase the ebook now will be able to download it later without these minor glitches and at no extra cost. The chapters themselves appear in the meantime in their proper page format exactly as you would expect.
http://www.smashwords.com/extreader/read/75880/120/the-sea-is-wide-new-celts-from-old-horizons
Poll Start Date: 28th August 2010
It would be helpful to the website and to gauge interests if visitors without a query in the form of a post could complete the survey:
BEST POST 2011
This was written by Mary Cornell (after a frustrating search over the last year) from information supplied by Gaynor Watters, North Queensland, Australia. This story goes to the heart of the struggle for colonisation of Ireland and it sounds like Mary and Gaynor could have a lot more digging to do!
The particulars concerning the family of John Cornwall, attained by King James 2nd, Parliament 1689 point to Hertfordshire as the probable place of origin and home of the Cornwall family in Ireland. John Cornwall built the Blackwater Fort in 1575, and it was there that the articles of peace with Turlough O’Neil were signed on 27th June 1575. This John Cornwall list of family were thereafter to be settled in Ireland [perhaps to ensure the peace agreement was honoured or perhaps banished (attainded, not attained?)]. Through the line of Edward Cornwall who died before 6 March 1676 (in Heath Money Roll 1664) and Mary Mitchell of Annaginary (?), their four children included:
1. John Cornwall, of Cornwalls Grove, who married Barbara Lindsay (daughter of Dr.Alex Lindsay – second son of Robert Lindsay, Loughrey – killed in siege of Derry).
2. Barbara, born 1674, buried 13 February 1747, Newmills (Newmills is Presbyterian and they share a minister with Carland , 1st Presbyterian Church about three miles away).
3. John, born 1666, died 22 March 1731, buried in Newmills also. He had eight children, the sixth of which was Grace, born 1708, married 3 April 1734 to Wm Whitsitt (Whiteside?). Grace died in 1749, buried Cornwall’s Grove, Newmills.
Editorial Comment
1. The Blackwater Fort mentioned may likely have been in Ireland (there are three Newmills and three Blackwaters; one in Northern Ireland, one in Hertfordshire and one in Cornwall – indeed one lot may have been named after the other?) A branch of the River Blackwater runs through Newmills in County Tyrone where the Battle of the Yellow Ford was fought in 1597. Note: Most sources attribute the building of the first Blackwater Fort in 1575 (rebuilt in 1598 after it was destroyed by rebels) to the Earl of Essex.
2. The English struck a truce with Turlough O’Neill (Chief of the O’Neills), and later with Turlough’s scheming cousin, Hugh, upon Turlough’s death in 1595. Hugh took over as Chief and he tried to secure terms of permanent peace with the English. He distrusted the English but he had no natural antagonism to them as he was reared in the Dublin Pale from the age of nine by the Lord Deputy of Ireland after Hugh’s father was murdered.
3. Blackwater Fort became the Camp David of Ireland but peace broke down and Hugh raised the rebellion against the English which culminated in the Battle of the Yellow Ford. The Government forces marched to relieve the besieged Blackwater Fort, led by General Henry Bagenal . The rebels were led by the Chieftains Hugh O’Neill, Hugh Roe O’Donnell and Hugh Maguire. The outcome was a complete rout of the English with very heavy losses for the Government troops who left the scene with their tails between their legs. The remnants of the English forces had to be bailed out by boat from Newry for Dublin. The tables were turned in 1607 when the three chiefs, in their Flight of the Earls gave up the fight, abandoned their people with false promises, fled to the Continent, and left Ireland open for plantation by the English.
4. Turlough O’Neill had a sizeable support of Scottish Highland Galloglasses in his army as he was married to the daughter of the Duke of Argyll.
5. Annaginary (?), where Mary Mitchell was from, sounds like Annagry in Donegal (a Scottish Plantation) situated between Dungloe and Gweedore (just outside Mullaghdoo Scotch). Loughry (not Loughrey) is a townland in Derryloran Parish due south of Cookstown in Tyrone. Mitchells still in Derryloran (Cookstown) mentioned in Griffiths in 1848-52 were Alexander and James (Coagh Street, Cookstown) and Hugh (Gortalowry).
Reply to Eric and Pam
The Kanes were much more plentiful, as you would expect of an offshoot of the famous clan O’ Kane who had their castle at Dungiven which still stands today. More than half of Banagher Parish is mountain terrain and empty of houses, so the inhabited part forms a cluster in the north west of the parish, clustered around Feeny village. Therefore, you have a small area to search.
Banagher Parish contains 27 townlands and at the time of the Plantation it was divided up ; seven townlands were kept by Derry Church of Ireland See, six went o the Skinners’ Company; three to the Fishmongers; ten were privately owned with rent paid to the Companies. 13,432 acres are mountain land; 546 acres are bog, some of that was reclaimed for cultivation.
Principal residences in the mid 1880s belonged to Messrs Stevenson, Ross and Rev. Hunter. There was a large bleach-green at Knockan, where 8000 pieces of linen were annually bleached and finished for the English markets. The Roman Catholic parish comprised the parishes of Bovevagh and Learmount, and contained three chapels, one at Feeny, one at Altinure in the mountain district, and one at Foreglen.
Major Heyland’s story was well-written and well worth reading. I was able to find Ballyvelton and Castleroe on the Interactive Map, but was constantly lost after zooming in. I will attempt Drumcroon and Camus tomorrow–with rested eyes.
You are correct about the GILMER spelling. Brothers John and James signed GILMORE when writing to their brother Robert as GILMER. Brother William’s wife Mary signed as GILMOUR. I learned decades ago: it isn’t how it’s spelled but how it sounds. Clerks wrote what they heard, people spelled by sound, and brothers changed the spellings of their surnames for distinction within a large family. Makes genealogy very interesting.
Thank you.
I’m researching the family of Robert B. Gilmer, Sr. (b.1772, Castle Roe; d.1867, Berks Co., PA) from the Coleraine area in Ireland. Probable allied families were BOYD, QUIGG, ADAMS and YOUNG.
Robert’s father’s given name is unknown but Robert’s mother’s name seems to have been Margaret BOYD. Robert’s brothers were William, James and John; his sisters were Margaret, Sarah, and Mary.
Several letters survived: 1803 (2); 1804; 1806; 1822; 1833; 1858; 1859 – of which two were from Melbourne. “Home” seems to have been Ballyvelton farm and a lease was mentioned. Letters from James and John originated from “Ballyvelton.” Although the letters are short, there are brief descriptions of the times.
I’m working toward discovery of the father’s given name and confirmation of the mother as Margaret Boyd. Anything you could tell me about the area, the flax industry there and how they may have lived, would be very helpful. Thank you for being here to guide researchers.
Castleroe Estate belonged to the Heylands of Somerset and mention is made of a son who served in the 40th Foot (2nd Somersetshire), Major Arthur Rowley HEYLAND, who was killed at Waterloo. A monument was erected at Mont-Saint-Jean and a memorial was also erected at Bangor Cathedral – “Sacred to the memory of Arthur Rawley Heyland of Ballin Temple, in the county of Londonderry, Major in the 40th Regiment of Foot who closed a life of private excellence and professional honour in the glorious victory of Waterloo, June 18th 1815 in the 34th year of his age.” Poignant letters home from Major Heyland, just prior to his death, can be found on the Anstie Webpage .
Castleroe is not situated in Coleraine but in the neighbouring parish of Macosquin less than two miles down the road. The Interactive Map clearly shows Castleroe, as well as a locale called Somerset which commemorates the Heyland connection. Best source for finding out more on rural conditions at that time, flax industry etc, can be found in Volume 33, Coleraine and Mouth of the Bann, Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland, ISBN 085389 554 6.
All of the allied names are to be found in Macosquin parish in the area of Drumcroon and Camus between the A37 and the A29 trunkroads. I think Gilmer is a corruption of the name Gilmore which is also to be found in the same parish.
Hola Inés
Usted no ha dicho lo que las investigaciones que han hecho de este lado del charco. Griffiths 1851 parece demostrar que los de apellido Lawrence, en Irlanda del Norte, casi todos ellos procedentes de Coleraine y por debajo hay una lista de aquellos que se quedaron.
Si se comunica con GRONI deben ser capaces de buscar en su nombre por un módico precio. Tenga en cuenta, en particular, Samuel, que parece haber sido un hombre de la propiedad.
Lawrence Sarah, Hanover Place,Coleraine
Lawrence Samuel, Upper New Row,Coleraine
Lawrence Samuel, New Row,Coleraine
Lawrence Samuel, Blindgate St.,Coleraine
Lawrence Martha, New Row,Coleraine
Lawrence Samuel, Beresford Place, Coleraine
Miro adelante a oír de ti y gracias por tu consulta.
I am from Argentina, my grandfather, Henry Lawrence, came in 1871, never returned to Ireland, got married here in Argentina and their children were born and died? in 1938. All the information I have, Consulate, marriage, birth, says children born in Coleraine, say ten? A sister named Sophia, but I find not a single aspect of their family in Ireland. Thanks. Ines
Soy argentina, mi bisabuelo, Henry Lawrence, llego en 1871, nunca volvio a Irlanda, se caso aqui, en Argentina y nacieron sus hijos y falleció en 1938. Todos los datos que tengo, Consulado, casamiento, nacimiento sus hijos dice nacido en Coleraine, dicen que tenía una hermana llamada Sophia, pero no encuentro ni un solo dato de su familia en Irlanda. Mil gracias. Ines
John Steinbeck’s Derry Roots
Extract from Derry Journal May 2009
On visiting his mother’s forebears in 1952 – Hamiltons from Mulkeeragh, just outside Ballykelly in Drumachose Parish:
“Every Irish man – and that means anyone with one drop of Irish blood – sooner or later makes a pilgrimage to Ireland. I am half Irish, the rest of my blood watered down with German and Massachusetts English. But Irish blood doesn’t water down very well; the strain must be very strong”
I am looking for information on my ancestor that immigrated from Londonderry, IRE about 1700 to America. The following is all the information I have on him when living in Ireland:
David Scott was born May 18, 1678 in Londonderry, Ireland, and died 1760. He married (1) Mary Stanley in Londonderry, Ireland. He married (2) Elizabeth St. John, daughter of Samuel St. John.
Notes for David Scott:
In the Irish War of Revolution, the young apprentices of Londonderry closed the gates against James II and the townsfolk manned the walls shouting ‘No Surrender’. The 105 day siege that followed from April to August in 1689 crushed Irish commerce and industry. At the turn of the century a great wave of Presbyterian “Scotch-Irish” emigrants from Ulster Province arrived in America, settling in Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.