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Writer's picturemoughty

Day 9 - Independent Research and Other Activities


Lark at the National Archives

The Research Trip is almost over...time flies when you're having fun! Thursday and Friday are the days to catch up by visiting whatever repositories make sense for your research. People continued their research today at the Valuation Office, at the Library and the Archives. And some spent the day enjoying the sights of Dublin. The weather today was much improved over yesterday.


I had some administrative meetings for next year's trip but was able to get some time this afternoon at the National Archives.


Happy Hunting!


Here are some of their reports...


From Sheila and Dave...

Today we all headed off in different directions to seek the elusive, only-to-be-found-in Ireland info, and to wrap up loose ends. We spent a second day snapping phone pix of Griffith’s revisions, and will have plenty of materials for hours of ‘fun’ making sense of what we’ve gathered. And after working so hard to find these ancestors, it was bitter sweet to then see their names drop out of the land records one by one.

One of Eric Bogle’s songs about how they may have felt kept running through my mind… Leaving the land… Leaving all I've ever been and everything I am… Leaving the land.


From Pat P...

Well, Donna, between the VO and the Royal Irish Academy, I finally found missing pieces! My second great grandfather, Daniel Boylan (~ 1819-1897) lived in Gilltown, County Meath, where he had at least six sons. I found a Joseph Boylan in that town on the Tithes Applotment list (1833) and both a John and Joseph Boylan in the town on an 1839 Valuation Record and again in Griffiths. On the 1901 census, a Joseph and Nicholas are both in Gilltown in separate residences; by 1911, it's only Nicholas. Joseph died in 1906 and Nicholas, the informant, was noted as a 2nd cousin; when I got his will at NAI, he was again listed as a 2nd cousin. But, I had no idea how they were connected or how (if) my Daniel fit.


At the VO, I found Daniel! He replaced Joseph in the revisions for about 20 years and was himself replaced by Nicholas. Again, no relationships. Today in the estate papers found at the RIA, there was a detailed explanation for all of these men.


Joseph was the original tenant (1825); he distributed some of the land to his brother, John, accounting for the two different parcels in Griffiths. In 1864 Joseph surrendered his lease to his son, Daniel. Daniel then sublet some of his lease to his 1st cousin, Joseph, son of Uncle John. In 1891 Daniel sold his lease to his son, Nicholas. I have civil death records to confirm the approximate dates of all the transfers of property.


One final comment in the estate papers was that Joseph let his brother John live with him in the "old house in the small division." I believe that exact house is now an Airbnb and I'll be staying there for two nights next week!

While I still have lots of work to do to analyze all this new information, I'm thrilled beyond belief! Thanks for all your help!


[Congratulations to Pat who, prior to the trip, did her research and found the potential records at the Royal Irish Academy. Her preparation really paid off.]


From Lark...

While I was working in the Valuation Records for my townland in County Monaghan, I came across an adjoining townland that seemed familiar to me but I couldn't remember why. I took a quick look at some of the entries in that townland, and saw there was a surname that's recently come to light as a new generation in our tree. Another good find!


From Gina...

I am an opportunist. When the sun shines I want to see plants. I went the National Botanic Gardens at Glasnevin this morning. There I discovered that David Moore, the second director, “was appointed botanist to the Ordnance Survey in 1833 on a scheme to investigate the natural history of Ireland. He surveyed in Derry and Antrim for over four years and contributed to the memoir Ordnance survey of the county of Londonderry(1837).“ Who knew that the OS included a botanist?


From Andy, Michael and Bill...

Great day in Dublin, Ireland today. Nice breakfast with the group. Farewell to Catherine D, and 1/2 day at the NLI reading books ordered Tuesday afternoon. Followed up with a walk to The Guinness Storehouse Tour with Andy and Michael. Great tour, great 🍺, and fun company. Having fun in Dublin. [with the picture to prove it]








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