To all listers: Here's the advent of a new era in locating that pesky townland or "village". (From a friend, with permission). >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >> ANNOUNCEMENT New Internet Discussion Group & Website - Irish Placename Studies We are pleased to announce that a new discussion group with the above title has been created. Irish Placename Studies has been designed to fulfil a number of requirements: - To provide a central point for general enquiries about Irish placenames - To bring together those currently working in placename & related fields on the internet - To consolidate and build on the various placename and mapping projects on the internet - To work in conjunction with established placename organisations in Ireland - To raise awareness of, and begin to act on, poorly researched areas of Irish placename studies Basically, from your point of view what all that boils down to is this: We're there to handle queries about untraceable townlands or parishes etc., discuss modern and medieval placename issues, bring amateur enthusiasts and experts together, raise awareness of issues like the near total lack of recording and study of Irish field names etc., and above all to drag together all those disparate groups producing digital parish & townland maps and placename database materials like the awe-inspiring IREAtlas to begin a coordinated effort to digitally map out Ireland's placenames, making huge volumes of accurate data available free to... well people like you. Oh, and there'll shortly be a website tied to the discussion group, and acting as a home/ gateway to whatever datasets or articles we produce or can find elsewhere on the 'net. The general idea is to build up a critical mass of people so that achieving some of the above (admittedly gigantic) tasks actually becomes feasible. The discussions are all moderated, so there aren't any nuts pushing obscene or offensive ideas or material, and the tone is open, friendly and enthusiastic. 8-) So, want to be in on this enormous, exciting, challenging, terrifying project from the start...? or just want to ask some simple questions? Here's what you need to do: Step 1: email a blank message to this address - irish-placename-studies-subscribe@egroups.com Step 2: there is no step 2... you're in! 8-) Looking forward to seeing you there... MAQQI list owner, Irish Placename Studies list-group owner, Irish Archaeology & History Mailinglist Suite: Stone Age: stone-age-ireland-subscribe@egroups.com Bronze Age: bronze-age-ireland-subscribe@egroups.com Iron Age: iron-age-ireland-subscribe@egroups.com 400-1200AD: early-med-irl-subscribe@egroups.com 1000-1700AD: lategael-subscribe@egroups.com 1600-1900AD: early-modern-ireland-subscribe@egroups.com Archaeology: irisharchaeology-subscribe@egroups.com Settlement: irish-settlement-studies-subscribe@egroups.com Natural History: irish-natural-history-subscribe@egroups.com >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Pete Schermerhorn, in the glorious Berkshire hills of western Massachusetts

Looking for any information on MICHAEL CASSIDY, born 1818, and DENIS CASSIDY, born 1826. Their father is possibly JOHN Thanks Frank in Florida

Hello, I am looking for information regarding John FITZPATRICK (1799-1889) born in Ireland, moved to NY?PA? then onto IL. He married Ann SHERIN/SHERAN from Ireland (aft. 1801-1888). I believe they may have come from Queens County (LEIX, LAOIS). This is what I have so far but is still yet unconfirmed. I obtained most of this information from a "shirttail" cousin, but the source only reads as their family tree entry, not an actual source. If anyone has any suggestions on how to find out the information, I would greatly appreciate it! *John Fitzpatrick (born 1766)Queens County, IRE + Mary McGowan or Gowan (IRE) -John Fitzpatrick *-Thomas Fitzpatrick -William Fitzpatrick -Patrick Fitzpatrick (March 17, 1802) *Thomas Fitzpatrick (IRE) +Mary -Patrick Fitzpatrick *-John Fitzpatrick (1799) -Alice (?) Fitzpatrick (abt. 1834) Thomas' son John would be my ggggrandfather who married Ann Sherin/Sheran. *John Fitzpatrick (1799)(IRE) + Ann Sherin/Sheran (1801) (IRE) -Thomas Fitzpatrick *-Katherine Fitzpatrick (Jan. 10, 1855 in PA) -John Fitzpatrick -Patrick Fitzpatrick -James Fitzpatrick Katherine Fitzpatrick would marry Thomas Ashton who is my gggrandfather. I have descendent information to share and would very much appreciate how to find out more. I tried for death certificates, the only record found so far was Katherine Fitzpatrick which only gave me parents names and her state of birth. I still need to figure out when and where they were in PA before I can start looking through the census. Any suggestions are most welcome. Thanks! Kari

CHURCH RECORDS The most important source of information for the genealogist is parish records. However, there is much confusion concerning the existence or availability of Irish Church records. The first problem is to identify which records exist for a particular area and the period covered. The parish is an administrative unit, be it ecclesiastical or civil. In general, the Church of Ireland parish boundaries follow those of the civil parish, but in the 18th and 19th centuries new parishes were formed or old parishes were united with others depending on the population of an area, and the religious present in that area. Many of these changes are recorded in Lewis's Topographical Directory (PROPER REFERENCE!!) (1838). Roman catholic parish boundaries are more difficult to define, these have changed over the years and they are often called by names differing from the name of the civil parish in which they may be found. Religions such as the Methodist and Presbyterian do not have parish structures. Some did have their own church areas and these too may have changed in time, such as the circuits of the Methodist church. REGISTERS The information contained in parish registers differs, depending on the person who kept the register. Many registers were simply notebooks and on the death of the person who created the register these were often considered the personal property of that person by their family and kept or destroyed by the family accordingly. Later registers were in a printed format, yet, the registrar may not have filled in all details. For some baptismal registers we find the name of the father and the mother, the mothers maiden name, the townland that they came from, the names of witnesses and where they lived and the fathers occupation. For others, we find simply the names of the people involved in the ceremony, nothing more. Some registers are written neatly, some others are very difficult to read. Marriage registers may contain the names of the parties being married, their fathers names, their ages, their occupations, their townlands and the names of the witnesses. ROMAN CATHOLIC RECORDS There are very few Catholic records which pre-date 1800, a handful were begun in the very late 18th century (1796-98). In general, baptismal and marriage records date from the 1820's-30's, and there are few burial records. Some records are written in English, while others are written in Latin. Roman Catholic parishes often spread through more than one civil parish and so while searching records it is often necessary to read the records of a few parishes. Most Roman Catholic parishes had a parish church and several other churches or chapels in the same parish. Sometimes only one register was kept for the whole parish and then other times each church/chapel had its own register. Quite often, there is no indication of townlands for the persons involved in the ceremony, making it very difficult to identify ancestors. The National Library of Ireland has microfilmed many of the pre-1880 registers for all counties and continues to do so. PRONI in Belfast has microfilm copies for all Roman catholic parishes contained within the six counties of Northern Ireland, it also has copies for most of the parishes in counties Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan and some for counties Louth and Leitrim. The Diocese of Cashel and Emly is the only Catholic Diocese which does not give permission to view its records. CHURCH OF IRELAND RECORDS Until 1871 the Church of Ireland was the state church in Ireland. Disestablishment occurred in 1871 and in 1875 the Parochial Records (Ireland) Act was passed which declared that marriage registers dated pre 1845, and baptismal and burial records pre 1871 were public records and should be deposited in the Public Record Office of Ireland in Dublin. Parishes opposed this Act and there was a further Act passed in 1876 which allowed these records to remain in local custody provided there was provision made for their safe keeping. By 1922, the records of 1,006 Church of Ireland parishes had been deposited in the Public Record Office, 637 parishes kept their records in local custody. All but four of these records which had been with the Public Record Office for safe-keeping were destroyed by fire in the Four Courts in Dublin in 1922. This was a loss to all, not just members of the Church of Ireland, because these registers also contained information on those of other religions. Conditions in Ireland during the time of the Penal Laws 1691-1760, gave the Church of Ireland the exclusive right to administer baptism, marriage and burial ceremonies. A complete list of all parish records which were sent to Dublin can be found in the '28th Report of the Deputy Keeper of Records in Ireland, 1896 and in this is given the period covered by the baptisms, marriages and burials of each parish. Only baptismal, marriage and burial registers were covered by the Parochial Records Act (1875) and it was these types of records which were sent to Dublin, all other records (such as Vestry Minutes) kept by any parish were maintained locally. METHODIST CHURCH RECORDS When John Wesley came to Ireland in the mid 18th century people joined the Wesleyan Methodist Society from all denominations but remained in their own churches. Methodist preachers were not allowed to baptise children (1804) and so Methodists brought their children to the Established Church. There was a split in the Methodist church in 1816 - the Primitive Wesleyan Methodists maintaining a link with the Church of Ireland and the Wesleyan Methodists who allowed their preachers to baptise children. Primitive Wesleyan baptismal registers begin in 1860 and in 1878 the Primitive Wesleyan Methodists and the Wesleyan Methodists united. The Society of Primitive Methodists which began in England in 1812 was also found in Ireland from 1832, and a third branch of Methodism - the Methodist new Connexion also practised here. Methodist churches did not have their own burial grounds and so few burials are registered. Some may have been registered in Church of Ireland registers. Separate baptismal registers do begin in the 1830's and the Methodist Church in Ireland does have a volume of baptismal entries from all over the country, which contains some baptisms from 1815 to 1840. Many Methodist churches in the six counties of Northern Ireland have had their registers and other records copied by PRONI as have those from counties Cavan, Donegal and Monaghan. Methodist registers can vary for a locality depending on the circuit, baptismal registers are usually for a circuit, while churches kept their own marriage registers at least from 1845 onwards, when civil registration of Church of Ireland marriages was introduced. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH RECORDS The Penal Laws applied to all those who were not members of the Church of Ireland, the state church in Ireland and so, while Presbyterianism was introduced to Ireland in the 17th century, it was illegal for a Presbyterian Minister to perform a baptism or marriage, as it was also for Roman Catholics. Information on Presbyterians is also to be found in Church of Ireland registers for this early period. As with Methodist Churches, Presbyterian churches rarely had their own burial grounds and again there are few burial registers. Many places have more than one Presbyterian church, referred to as 1st, 2nd, 3rd. These were the result of dispute over doctrine, the choice of minister, or simply because the congregation had grown too big and needed new accommodation. Many of the churches known under these titles originally began as seceding congregations - congregations who objected to an Act of Parliament in 1712 which accepted patronage as a method of appointing ministers. Seccession congregations were re-united in 1840 into the Synod of Ulster. Presbyterian records are held by the Presbyterian Historical Society for some of the counties of Northern Ireland and also churches in the Republic, particularly those records for churches which no longer exist. PRONI has copied those for the nine counties of Ulster. RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (QUAKERS) This society began in Ulster in the mid-17th century, mainly around Lurgan, Co. Armagh and Lisburn in Co. Antrim. Record keeping was very important, birth, marriage and burial records exist from the 17th century. Documents are maintained by the libraries of the Society of Friends in Antrim and Dublin.

Thanks to everyone who helped with this query! Regards and good luck with your research Michael Brennan Kent England Home: michael@janbren.freeserve.co.uk

In 1640, h the Duke of Buckingham was proprietor of the following : viz.- 1. Shanbogh, arable, pasture and shrub, 264 a., a bog. 2. Burris, arable and pasture, 660 a. 3. Derreenishanagh, arable, pasture and moor, 254 a. 0r 4p. 4 . Municultipenan, arable, pasture and moor, 223 a. 5. Dermeslough, arable, pasture and moor, 64 a. 6. Ballydeemodery, arable, pasture and moor, 63 a. 0 r. 20 P. 7. Rood, arable and pasture, 37 a. 3 r. 0p. 8. Derryborgin, arable and pasture, 100a. 3 r. 20p. 9. Bardnasallogh, arable, pasture and shrub, 80 a. 10. Balluorgin, arable and pasture, 8oa. 2 r. 2 p. 11. Ballykeran, arable, pasture and shrub, 71 a. 2 r. 0p. 12. Cappagh, arable, pasture and shrub, 114 a. 13. Kilbeg, arable, pasture and shrub, 171 a. 14. Knockroe, arable and pasture, 49 a. 15 Mrs. Pigott, Magherinstart, arable, pasture and moor, I24 a. 1r. 29 p. The next in order, 16, is Terence FitzPatrick, Lismore, arable and pasture, 692 a., a bog, 892 a. 2 r. 0 p. 17. The Duke of Buckingham, Ardnarny, arable and pasture, 31 a. 3 r. 0 P. 18. The same, Grancemore, arable and pasture, 280 a., a bog, 118 a. o r. o P. 19. Mrs. Pigott, Grangebeg, arable and pasture, 325 a. 20. Duke of Buckingham, Ballybrogy, arable, pasture and shrub, 304 a., a bog. 21. The same, Kilrottom, arable, pasture, moor and shrub, 219 a. 1r. 2 p. 22. Morgan Cashin, Carran, arable and pasture, 689 a. 23. Parson of Aghboe, Keallagh, arable and/pasture, 1,571 a, 24. Mr. Carpenter, Aghaboe, arable, pasture and moor, 295 a. 25. F. Fitzpatrick and Ant. Cashin, Knockmullen, arable and pasture; 96 a. 26. Barnaby Fitzpatrick, Gurtnebooke, arable, pasture, wood, moor and meadow, 487 a. 27. Parson of Aghaboe, Farranagh, arable and pasture, 69a 2r. 10p. Half the Chapter. 28. Anthony Cashin, Cross, arable and pasture, 147 a. 29. Mr. Carpenter, part, Friar's Land, arable and pasture, 50 a. 30. Thomas Hovenden, Boherard, arable, pasture, moor and shrub, 341 a. 3I. Morgan Cashin, Coolbally, arable pasture, moor and shrub, 260 a. 32. Sir Charles Coote, Palmer's Hill, arable and pasture, 113 a., a bog. 33. Theobald Butler, Billiegiebane, arable, pasture, moor and shrub, 135 a. 34. Florence FitzPatrick Towrooe, arable, pasture, moor and shrub, 12 a. 35. Morgan Cashen, Ballygoudanbeg, arable, pasture and moor, 50a. 36. Thomas Hovenden Ballygoudanmore, arable, pasture, moor and shrub, 88 a. 37. Geoffry FitzPatrick, Kilmulfoyle, arable and pasture, 266 a. 38. John FitzPatrick, Ballygihen, arable, pasture, wood, moor and meadow, 1,430a. 39. Morgan Cashen, Larah, arable and pasture, 124 a., a bog, 11 a. 2 r. 0p 40. Daniel FitzPatrick was proprietor of Knockfin, arable, pasture, moor and wood, 250 a. 41. Kileneseare, arable, pasture, wood, and moor, 246 a., a bog 25 a. 0 r. 0 P. 42. The same, a wood. 43. The same, Clonkinahanbeg, arable, pasture and moor, 29 a., a bog, 19a. 0r. 0p 44. Florence FitzPatrick, Clonkinahamore, arable, pasture and moor, 129 a. 3 r. 0 P. 45. The same, Kileteloga, arable, pasture and moor, 182 a. 46. The same, Oldglass, arable, pasture, moor and shrub, 303 a.

Extracted from the History of the Queen's County (Laois/Leix) "In the immediate neighbourhood of Aghaboe Protestant Church, tradition yet points out in the fields the position and direction of former roads, that led to his old monastery. In some cases, the inhabitants have found traces of ancient stone foundations, disposed in groups. These are supposed to indicate sites for houses, belonging to the effaced City of Aghaboe. The writer was assured of such statements as being facts; for his attention had been directed to various spots in confirmation, by a respectable resident and local proprietor. There, too, were objects to be found, said to have been associated with the memory of St. Canice, and a popular veneration was paid to him. In part of a rich pasture field, some aged hawthorn branches were to be seen, and beneath them there was a small pile, resembling a stone cairn. My informant (Mr. Jeremiah Dunne, J.P. who was owner of the place on which this object might be seen) told me a tradition that the coffin of St. Canice had been laid there before his interment, by the people of Aghaboe. When the writer visited that Spot,(1869) one of the aged hawthorns had fallen ten years previously, and it lav across the ordinarily travelled roadway. Although the trunk was greatly decayed, yet its branches were partially covered with green leaves; and although this tree caused considerable obstruction owing to its position, the proprietor of the farm obliged his drivers to take a detour when passing by the spot, nor would the poorest person in the locality dare to remove any of the rotten branches for firewood. This feeling was generated by a long-established reverence for the sanctity of holy Canice, and through a fear of desecrating any object however remotely connected with him. Somewhat removed from this spot, and, in the centre of the same field, a depression in form of a cross was shown, and here it is said, the saint's coffin was laid a second time, while the citizens of Kilkenny and Aghaboe were about to engage in a deadly conflict for possession of Blessed Canice's remains. Before they came to blows, however, the miraculous apparition of a strange man moved down over the ditch, which fenced a former-road, now completely obliterated, according to popular tradition. He besought all present to go into the adjoining field, where their differences might be adjusted. On complying with his request, they were then told to return, when they found two coffins remaining on the cross, where St. Canice's remains had been deposited. They were told to remove one coffin to Kilkenny and the other to Aghaboe. The mysterious stranger, supposed to have been St. Canice, then disappeared; whereupon the contending factions departed, both bearing a coffin respectively to either destination. Hence, the people of this place contend it is not possible to say, whether St. Canice had been interred in Kilkenny or in Aghaboe, although they hope it was in the latter place as being his earliest foundation. Such is the local legend, while it is so interesting and popular, we cannot, omit placing it on record. "

In a message dated 1/7/01 12:01:49 AM Eastern Standard Time, michael@janbren.freeserve.co.uk writes: << Your question on Shragh, Johnstown is proving difficult. There is a Johnstown in Kilkenny and Kildare but I cant seem to find one in Laois. >> Unfortunately, I don't have the beginning of this thread - other than it was apparently started by "Judy". So, Judy, if you're out there reading, there's still hope. Although there is no plain Johnstown in Co. Laois, there is a Johnstown Glebe. It is a sort-of western suburb of Rathdowney, about a mile from the center of Rathdowney along the R 433 (the road to Templemore). As for Shragh, we have a nearby Srah - about 2 1/2 miles SE of Rathdowney, at 308 756 on Discovery Map 60............but the original posting may have separated the Shragh from Johnstown, as it would not make sense for a postal address to be "Srah, Johnstown (Glebe)", as Rathdowney is nearer to Srah than Johnstown Glebe is. Nevertheless, some of this information may be useful. Pete Schermerhorn, in the glorious Berkshire hills of western Massachusetts

There are a number of particularly good web sites hosted by people around the world and relating to genealogy in Ireland. Some are maintained as a county web page. The following are URL's to sites which I consider to be particularly good. I'm not including any covered by Paul Gorry on the link to his site here and this is only a few sites - nothing comprehensive. it could be said that they are county specific, the names listed on them will be - but some of them also have very good explanations of the various general things you come across when doing research in Ireland. I'm posting these to this list, not because they are specifically related to the county but because if you chose to check out these sites then you may learn the answers to some questions you have. Sometimes you will see things explained in one way somewhere and another way somewhere else and the second explanation will be much clearer. ---------------------------------------------- A good description/explanation of the various Irish divisions you will meet and the records that you will find them of use in is found at the following: http://home.att.net/~genfiles/IreBirth/ire_div.htm On county Monaghan there is none better than http://www.exis.net/ahd/monaghan/default.htm ---------------------------------------- Philip O'Rourke is based here in Ireland and I could never recommend his site enough to anyone. Not because it contains names upon names for you to find, but because Philip loves Ireland and what he does on his web site. You have to read through his introduction and then 'My Irish Journey' and if you appreciate his words, then you will know why I recommend this site http://communities.msn.com/IrishAncestralPages --------------------------------------------- Fermanagh Gold is maintained by Jan Hart and is at: http://www.fermanagh.org.uk/goldhome.htm ---------------------------- Margaret Turner has a particularly good county Cork web page: To use the County Cork Web Page http://www.sci.net.au/userpages/mgrogan/cork/ire.cork.htm Use the Find facility for a particular surname or place, or, choose one of the categories at the top of the page. The Find facility allows you to AND (all words) or OR (any) words. --------------------- Raymond Kelly has a very good web site for county Down: which has been built to help people researching their ancestors in County Down especially in the areas of Banbridge, Dromore, Kilkeel and Mourne in the shape of Maps, Photos and Free Look ups where possible. www.cksc11654.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk ---------------------------------- Lindel has Donegal Gene website at: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~donegal/. --------------------------------- Paul Gorry gives a list of links to various web sites which host genealogical information from Ireland http://indigo.ie/~gorry/Free.html ---------------------- This Kerry site is also very good. A Dingle, County Kerry Genealogy Helper http://members.aol.com/waterlilys/index.html

To search for an Irish web site on whatever topic you chose then this is a good search engine. http://interactive.iol.ie/SearchIreland/main/

Sorry for the long subject line but these are all the places covered by the 'Rathdowney Review' - with more being added each year. The Review is an annual production - it comes out at Christmas and is in the main sold locally. Those who know of it can order it from the editor about the time it is published. I've mentioned this to people on the Laois lists in the past and anyone who has seen it speaks welkl of it. Published by locals - it's not a profit seeking publication, the locals are simply that - people from the loaclity, not genealogists, historians, journalists - just the kind of people I've spoken of in other mails - people who do something because they love it. It's not possible to order back issues of this Review as only a limited number are published every year and the cost of production is barely covered. This is now in it's 16th year. All copies for this year have been sold to the best of my knowledge. The Review has articles on what's been happening in the locality in the previous year, who married, died, moved away - it carries obituaries, photographs. It also does something else which very few annual local productions do - it has family histories in it. Someone may have died in one of the areas over theyear and so an article may be written about that person and their family - going back a number of generations. All the in laws will be mentioned if they are known. Or else, it may be that someone came home from somewhere - the long lost relative and so an article may be written about that family. Oral history................. If ever it is found that they have made a mistake, someone remembered something incorrectly - the committee makes it known the following year and apologises. I have three copies of the Review and I've just looked through them and made a list of articles dealing with family history - specific people or families. There is lots more to be found in the Obituaries for each area and in articles I have excluded from this list. I'm just posting this in case anyone may be interested in these. For the moment, if anyone has any questions about any of these articles I will not be able to answer them. In time yes. What I would like to do is show this committee if there are people interested in the Rathdowney Review, I would also like to show you that this is what they do, because some of you may be interested in writing your own family history and having it published in the Review. There are few communities in Ireland which do this kind of thing, those of you who have been here will know how little interest there really is in genealogy here. Those who are interested and who do write histories of their localities have to pay to have their 'history' published and are then dependant on selling it locally. Those of you with the interest rarely get to hear about these publications and so lose out. For those articles where the title only gives the first name of the person I have taken the surname and put it in at the end. Jane Articles with a Family History interest from the Rathdowney Review 1997, 1999, 2000 A King and his favourite- The Second Baron of Upper Ossory A Tribute to the Late Seamus Quinlan Ballybrophy Station celebrates 150 years Bergins - Served Ballacolla for Two centuries Births in Rathdfowney in 1899 Campion Family - Ballagh Castle - 5 Generations Dan Daly - A Legend Donaghmore's Workhouse Museum Donoghmore's Heritage Dr. Daniel P. Hennessy Remembered Errill cemetery Eva Keegan - A Special Lady Family Reunion for the Begadons Grennans of Middlemount Henderson's of Cooloutha Jimmy daly Story 1914-2000 John Keegan of Shanahoe - A Famous Son of Upper Ossory Margaret ready to live in her third century - Guilfoyle Paddy campion - A Special Friend from the Past Perry's Brewery Primary Education in Rathdowney and Skeirke in 1835 Rathdowney Births in 1897 Rathdowney Parish Births 1900 Richie - A true Rathdownean - Sheeran Stories from Bygone days Strawberry Fields Forever - Barbers The Cahills of Moore Street The Changing Faces of Garron The Clancy's of Grangemore The Corcorans of Rathpatrick The Coss Family of Kilcotton The Day the Music Died - Ryan The Dillons of Kylebeg The Doherty's of Galmoy The Kelly's of Aughmacart The Life and Times of Paddy Dollard The Long Living Ryans of Garryduff The Loughmans of Granstown and Lisduff The Lynam's of Borris-in-Ossory The Meehans of Coolkerry - an Update The Miney's of Rathdowney The Past Millenium in the Rathdowney Area The Phelans of Aghaboe The Seven Septs of Laois who were transplanted to Tarbert, Co. Kerry in 1608-1609 The Sheridan's and their Music The Wheelers of Rathdowney The Wynne's of Errill

Hi Judy I Decided to do a search on QUELCH because it is not a very common name. The results were according to the Index to Griffith's Valuation of Ireland, 1848-1864 Quelch, Arthur County : Dublin Parish : Dublin City Location : Royal Exchange Ward Dame Lane Quelch, Arthur County : Dublin Parish : Dublin City Location : Royal Exchange Ward George's St Great St Quelch, Arthur County : Dublin Parish : St. Andrews Location : Dame-Lane Quelch, Arthur County : Dublin Parish : St. Bridgets Location : Georges-Street Great South Quelch, Fanny County : Offaly/Kings Parish : Lynally Location : Screggan Quelch, William County : Laois/Leix/Queens Parish : Rathdowney Location : Rathpiper South It seems that you are looking at three counties: DUBLIN, LAOIS and OFFALY to start with. As you know PURCELL is quite common in Ireland so if you decide that one of the above belonges to your family then that will narrow the search down a bit. Your question on Shragh, Johnstown is proving difficult. There is a Johnstown in Kilkenny and Kildare but I cant seem to find one in Laois. If I take my family as an example. They lived in Ballickmoyler in Co. Laois but the address for mail etc. was Ballickmoyler, Carlow, Co. Laois. Because Carlow was the nearest large town and the nearest mail sorting office. A lot of my families births were registered in Carlow. So beware of location names appearing on certificates which may or may not be in the county they area supposed to be in. Johnstown could have been their nearest point for registration of births but they lived in the next county. I hope all of this makes some sort of sense. There were only two PURCELL's listed in the Index to Griffith's Valuation of Ireland, 1848-1864 living in Johnstown, Kilkenny Purcell, Bridget County : Kilkenny Parish : Freshford Location : T/Freshford/Johnstown Road Purcell, James County : Kilkenny Parish : Fertagh Location : T/Johnstown/Chapel Street Regards and good luck with your research Michael Brennan Kent England Home: michael@janbren.freeserve.co.uk I am also researching the following members of my family: All descendants of William BRENNAN, (c1800's) of Ballickmoyler, Co. Laois. IRL MORAN & LALOR/LAWLER/LAWLOR, Arless Co. Laois. IRL; KELLY/CARTER, Ardateggle, Co. Laois. IRL BULGER/BOLGER/BRENNAN, Dublin City. IRL; BORAN, WALL & RYAN, Arless, Co. Laois. IRL BRENNAN, James, IRL; BRENNAN, Martin, d1963, Belfast, N.IRL > > Descendants of Henry Quelch > > 1 Henry Quelch 1795 - b: 1795 in Ireland > .. +Mary Purcell m: 1814 in Ireland > ...... 2 Joseph Quelch 1816 - b: Abt. 1816 in Ireland > .......... +Jane ( Fury) Fleury m: June 11, 1844 in Notre Dame, Montreal, > Ille De Montreal, Quebec, Canada > ...... 2 John Quelch 1817 - b: January 24, 1817 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix > (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland > ...... 2 Honora Quelch 1818 - b: December 25, 1818 in Shragh, Johnstown, > Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland > ...... 2 William John Quelch 1821 - b: February 18, 1821 in Shragh, > Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland > .......... +Maria Dowd m: September 28, 1857 in Ile De Montreal, Quebec, > Canada > ...... 2 Patrick Quelch 1823 - b: March 23, 1823 in Shragh, Johnstown, > Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland > ...... 2 Henry Quelch 1825 - 1863 b: August 24, 1825 in Shragh, Johnstown, > Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland d: 1863 in Canada > .......... +Bridget Maher m: June 05, 1854 in Montreal, Ille De Montreal, > Quebec, Canada > ...... 2 Ellen Quelch 1827 - b: May 13, 1827 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix > (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland > ...... 2 Mary Quelch 1829 - b: June 29, 1829 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix > (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland > ...... 2 Edward W. Quelch 1832 - b: July 11, 1832 in Shragh, Johnstown, > Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland > ...... 2 Margaret Quelch 1834 - b: January 21, 1834 in Shragh, Johnstown, > Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland >

Continuing Lewis's description of county Laois from c. 1837 A great part of the county particularly the mountainous districts to the north west was once covered with timber, in proof of which it may be stated that in the neighbourhood of Lough Annagh, oak, fir and yew trees are found in numbers lying a few feet below the surface, some of the roots adhering to the trunks and others remaining in their original position, the trunks having been burned off ad the charred cinder adhering in all tits freshness to both trunk and root; large trunks and roots of trees are also perceptible in the lake with their timber sound and remarkable tough. In the reign of Elizabeth, captain Leigh received the thanks of that Queen for having valiantly led the English cavalry from Birr to Athy through the woods and forests of Oregan. The country has since been entirely cleared of its old woods; but new plantations have sprung up in most parts. The farmhouses like the farms are generally small; many have neat gardens and orchards, which, with the hedgerow trees, give them the appearance of much rural comfort. Draining and irrigation are but little attended to. The principal portion of the county belongs to the great floetz limestone filed which forms the base of the greater part of the level country of Ireland; the Slieve Bloom mountains in the north west, are of the sandstone variation, and at the Slievemargue in the south east the coal formation commences near Timahoe, and extends east and south east to the Barrow and southwards almost to the Nore. It forms the northern extremity of the Kilkenny firled, from which only a small river separates it, and the coal is n every respect similar in each part; the portion included in the Queen's county extends about 3 miles by 2. The strata range is in Kilkenny, but the dip being to the west, the pits on this side are deeper. There are five collieries at work; namely Newtown, Wolf Hill, Doonane, Poulakele and Moydebegh; those of Rushes and Tolerton, though very valuable, are not wrought at present The pits at Newtown are from 45 to 48 years deep, all those around Moydebegh are from 61 to 64 years. The coal at Newtown and Doonane is equal to the best Kilkenny coal and sells at 20s per ton. Hence the poor people, even in the immediate vicinity of the pits cannot afford to use it, and it is entirely purchased by maltsters, brewers, distillers and smiths by who it is much sought after inasmuch as, being almost pure carbon, without any admixture of bitumen, it requires no preliminary preparation even for malting purposes; it is conveyed to all the surrounding counties chiefly on one horse carts. In the summer of 1836, 64 pits were at full work, for unwatering, which five steam engines were employed, but the coal is mostly raised by horses. The works furnished employment to 700 men and the value of the coal raised is estimated upwards of £78,000 per annum. Yet, notwithstanding thee advantages there workmen from their irregular and inconsiderate habits are miserable poor; and the district is frequently disturbed by broils and tumults; so that police stations are thickly distributed throughout this portion of the country iron ore shows itself in some parts and mines were wrought until the failure of the supply of timber for fuel caused them t o be relinquished; a ranch of the iron manufacture which had been successfully carried out at Mountrath when timber was plentiful has been discontinued for the same reason. Copper and Manganese have also been found. Slate quarries have been opened at Roundwood in Offerlane and at Cappard. Near Mountmellick are quarries of soft siliceous sandstone, which is wrought in to chimneypieces and hearthstones that are in great demand. Ochre, fullers' earth, and potters clay are met with. Potteries have long been established in the neighbourhood of Mountmellick, in which large quantities of tiles, crocks and garden pots are made. The other manufactures are confined to cottons, flannels, friezes and stuffs of a coarse durable kind for the clothing of the peasantry. Much broad cloth was woven in Mountmellick for the Dublin market, and a broad stuff called 'Durants' was also manufactured three and at Maryborough; but the trade has long declined. The same observation is applicable to serges, the use of which has been in a great measure superseded by that of cotton cloth. Cotton factories were erected at Cullinagh, Abbeyleix and on the Barrow near Athy, but al failed; the only one at present in the county is at Mountrath. In Mountmellick are an iron foundry and extensive breweries, a distillery and tanneries. At Donoughmore is a very extensive starch manufactory, the produce of which is almost exclusively sent to Dublin. Flour mills at Mountmellick, Coleraine, Maryborough, Castletown, Rathdowney, Donoughmore, Abbeyleix and Stradbally, besides several in other parts are each capable of manufacturing 12,000 barrels of flour annually. The Nore is the only river of any magnitude that passes through the county; it rises in the Slieve bloom mountains and enters Kilkenny near Durrow, receiving in this part of its course the Tonnet with its branch stream the Dolour, the Old Forge river, the Cloncoose with its branches the Cromoge and Corbally, the Trumry, the Colt, and the Erkin or Erkenny. The Barrow, which rises in the same mountain range, and forms the northern part of the eastern boundary of the county, receives the Blackwater, the Trihogue and the Owenass or Onas; it is navigable for barges from Athy downwards and quits the county for that of Carlow at Cloghgrennan. The Grand canal enters the county at Clogheen near Monastereven and is carried along near its eastern boundary for eight miles to Blackford, where it re-enters county Kildare and shortly afterwards communicates with the Barrow at Athy. Portarlington has carried a branch from Monastereven to Mountmellick. The roads are numerous throughout every part of the county; in general they are well laid out and kept in good order. The intended railway from Dublin to Kilkenny is to cross the Barrow from Kildare at Ardree below Athy and will proceed by Milford, Grange, Shruel and Graigue to Cloghgrennan and proceed thence by Leighlin Bridge to the city of Kilkenny. Relics of antiquity of every description known in Ireland are to be found here. There is a pillar to nearly perfect at Timahoe, in a valley near the ruin of a monastic building. On Kyle hill, about two miles from Burros in Ossory, is a rude seat of stone, called by the common people the Fairy Chair, which is supposed to have been an ancient judgement seat of Brehons. Near the southwestern verge of the county is an ancient Irish fortress, called baunaughra or @Ka?? Strngth@ little known because of its retired situation on top of a high hill surrounded by a deep circular fosse with a mound or wall on the summit. The other principle relics are described under the headings of the parishes in which they are situated. Monastic institutions, of a very early date were numerous, most of them have so completely fallen into decay that even their site cannot now be ascertained. The ruins of Ahgaboe, whither the seat of the See of Ossory, was removed from its original situation Saiger in the King's County until its final removal to Kilkenny, still exist in such a state of preservation to afford some idea of the extent and character of the buildings. The ruins of Aghmacart are also visible as are traces of those of Killedelig, Killermogh, Mun??hid or Disert Chuilin, and Teampul-na-cailliagh-?? Near Aghaboe. The churches of Dysartnos and Kilbane have been preserved as parish churches. The site of the monastery of Leix is known only by the town of Abbeyleix; that of Timahoe is conjectured with much probability from the round tower there, Rostuirc was near the Slieve Bloom mountains; Stradbally or Monaubealing stood near the town of Stradbally; Teagh Schotin and Slatey in Slievemargue; the sites of Cluainchaoin and Clua?murchir, Disert Fularthaigh, Disert Odrain, Kilfoe and Leamchuiil or Lahoil are wholly unknown. An ?? The remains of military antiquities is the rock of Dunamase, described in the account of the parish of Dysartnos. Lea castle on the barrow, eight miles from Dunamase is supposed to have been built around the same period, its architecture much resembling that of the other and it was further secured by its natural position, being protected on one side by the Barrow and on the other y a deep morass; it as incapable however, of holding out against Cromwell by whom it was taken and destroyed. The castles of Shean, M?? Lord Mortimer built Ballymanus and five others in the same part of the county, as posts of defence for the English tenants whom he endeavoured to settle on his estates. Shean or Sim castle was built on a conical hill; though not of great extent; it as of considerable strength, but not a vestige of it is now in existence. Burros in Ossory was a stronghold on the Nore, belonging to the Fitzpatrick's and a great pass to Munster; it was a scene of very bloody engagement during the war of 1641. Ballygihin, Castletown, Watercastle and castlefleming with several others belonged to the branches of the same family. Shambogh in the same district was a castellated mansion, which served as a protection against the repartees who infested the deep woods with which this part of Ireland was then covered, Grantstown, Ballagh, C??Byrne, Gortneclay, Coolkerrry and Kilbreedy are all in the same barony. Castlecuf in Tinnehinch built about 1641 by Sir Charles Coote celebrated for his military prowess is a very large ruin; he also built the castle at Ruish-hall. The castles of Clara, Ballinakill, Coolamona, Tinnehinch and Castlebrack are in the same district; the last named contains some subterraneous apartments, which were opened and partially explored, but presenting nothing more than small caves and the air being very foul, no attempt was made to penetrate to any extremity of any of them. The ruins of an old castle at Ballyadams, which gives name to the barony, are still visible; another is to be seen t grange. Shrule castle was in the southwestern extremity of the county near the town of Carlow. The entrance into the ruins of Cloghgrennan castle separated the county of Carlow from the Queen's county. The remains of Rathspeck castle were applied to the building of the nearby parish church. A conical heap of stones ion the summit of a very lofty hill, near the boundary of Stradbally barony is known by the name of Cobler's castle. The modern mansions of the nobility and gentry are noticed under the heads of their respective parishes. The middle classes of the gentry pay much attention to the improvement and embellishment of their grounds; their dwelling houses are handsome and convenient with suitable offices. The habitations of the peasantry though in many parts superior to those of neighbouring counties are very deficient in appearance of in internal comfort. Abbeyleix and Castletown are the exceptions, much attention being paid to the houses there; in the baronies of Maryborough and upper Ossory they are comfortable but in the northern barony of Tinnehinch they are very poor, being little better than hovels, and in the neighbourhood of the collieries still worse. A plot of ground from half an acre to an acre is generally attached to the peasant's hut, as a potato garden, for which he pays in labour from 20s to 50s rent. The fuel throughout the entire county is turf, the coal being used exclusively for manufacturing purposes, wood was formerly so abundant that a clause was introduced into many old leases binding the tenant to use no other kind of fuel; and at the present time the ancient custom of dues and services is inserted in many leases. A strong attachment to old customs is pointed out as being one of the characteristics of the peasantry; but that this adherence is not caused by prejudice alone is proved by their adoption of improved practises of agriculture, when the success of others had ultimately convinced them of their superior advantages. Another fact illustrative of this observation, is that the peasantry in all parts, even in the mountainous districts speak English fluently, the Irish never being heard except with some of the very old people. The custom of frequenting wells for devotional purposes is declining fast. Of the Chalybeate springs the most remarkable are those of cappard, Mountmellick, Killeshin and Portarlington; the first named being the strongest, but none of them are in much repute for their sanative qualities beyond their own immediate neighbourhood. There is a very singular curiosity called the Cut of Killeshin, about three miles from Carlow, on the road to the collieries. It is a pass through a lofty hill above half a mile long, and from 10 to 40 feet deep according to the rise of the ground, but not more than four feet four inches wide, cut through solid rock, so that cars have barely room to pass along it. The constant flow of water and the friction of the carriage wheels have occasioned this extraordinary excavation. The carrier as he approached the gap at either end, shouted loudly, and the sound was easily conveyed to the other extremity through the excavation. Should the cars have met within the cut, the driver of the empty car was bound to back out, a task of no small difficulty along this narrow and ill constructed road. A new road has been opened, which has obviated the necessity of making use of this pass. Contiguous to this cut are the ruins of Killeshin church, with an antique and highly ornamented entrance archway, surrounded by an inscription in Saxon characters now illegible. Adjoining the church was a rath with a deep fosse. This place was remarkable for once having been the chief town in the county, though not a stone building of is now standing, except the ruin just mentioned

The following is a general description of county Laois/Leix/Queen's county taken from Lewis's Topographical Directory of Ireland - c. 1837 I think. I have also in the past posted a description of county Laois from a 1931 directory which gives some statistics on emigration and population in the county taken from census statistics. Jane QUEEN'S COUNTY An inland county of the province of Leinster, bounded on the east by the counties of Kildare and Carlow and on the north by Kings county on the west by the same and Tipperary county and on the county by the counties of Kilkenny and Carlow. It extends from 52o 46' to53o 10' (N. Lat.), and from 6o 56' to 7o 48' (W. Long.); and comprises and area, according to the ordnance survey, of 396,810 statute acres, of which 335,838 are cultivated land and 60,972 are unprofitable mountain and bog. The population in 1821, amounted to 134,275; an in 1831 to 145,851. The slight notices of Ptolmey respecting the interior of Ireland lead to the inference that this county was inhabited by the Brigantes; but Whitaker asserts that the Scoti wee the first settlers in it. Afterwards, it was divided into Leix, which comprehended all that part of the county contained within the river barrow to the north and east, at the Nore to the south and the Slieve Bloom mountains to the west; and Ossory which included the remainder. So early as the middle of the third century the latter of these divisions, with parts of the adjoining counties, was ranked as a kingdom, and annexed by Conary, King of Ireland, to his native dominion of Munster, instead of being as formerly attached to Leinster. Subsequent passages of history prove it to have been a district of considerable importance. When Malachy was forming a confederacy all of the native princes against the Danes, the king of Ossory was specially required to conclude a peace with the people of the northern half of the island, the common enemy; and in the time of Cormac Mac Culinan he had the command of the first division of that monarch's army in his unjust and unfortunate invasion of Leinster, and fell in the battle of Magailbe, in which Cormac himself was slain. His dominions were afterwards disposed of by Flan, King of Ireland. St. Patrick visited both Leix and Ossory in his peregrinations through the island to establish the Christian religion. In the war raged by Roderic O'Connor, King of Ireland against Dermod MacMurough, King of Leinster, which led to the invasion under Strongbow, the king of Ossory was one of the princes who were specially summoned by the former of those potentates. The district was then subject to the Mac Gillypatricks or Fitzpatrick's, who acted with so much vigour against Mac Murrough that, when the English had partially established themselves in the country Mac Murough prevailed on them to join him in an invasion of Ossory, which they ravaged, notwithstanding the gallant resistance made by Donald Fitzpatrick, then King. Though defeated, this toparch persevered in his determination not to treat with Mac Murrough, and was again defeated and forced to seek refuge in Tipperary. He afterwards formed an alliance with Maurice Prendergast, who upon some offence received from the King of Leinster, had quitted the service of that monarch, and both invaded the neighbouring territory of Leix, which they ravaged with little opposition until O'More, then dynast of it was compelled to apply to Mac Murrough, by whom, aided by the English, he was quickly reinstated. Prendergast and Donald subsequently quarrelled and the former after skilfully extricating himself from an ambuscade laid for him by the either retired with his followers in safety into Wales. Donald, although twice defeated was not subdued. The position of his territory on the confines of Munster and Leinster afforded him opportunities of intercepting the communications between Waterford and Dublin, of which he availed himself so effectually, that a league was formed against him by Strongbow (who on Dermods death had succeeded to the kingdom of Leinster) and O'Brien, King of Limerick. But the appeal of arms was prevented by a treaty, in effecting Maurice Prendergast who had returned to Ireland, rendered his old ally good service. From this time Donald continued faithfully attached to his new friends. His territory was the place of rendezvous for their army when it was preparing to march against Donald O'Brien King of Limerick who had now declared war against the English; and he proved his adherence still further by guiding the army through the woods until it encamped before Limerick. At this time the whole of the district no forming the Queen's county was known by the name of Glanmaliere and leis; the latter division was made of county palatine; and on the division of the immense possessions of William, Earl Marshal, between his five daughters, it was allotted to the youngest, who had married William de braosa, Lord of brecknock. Their daughter Maud, Married Roger Mortimer, Lord of Wigmore and from this connection the imperial house of Austria, and the Royal families of Great Britain, France, Prussia, Denmark, Holland, Sardinia and Saxony derive their descent. Mortimer preferring to reside on his English estates employed one of the O' Mores to defend and manage this Irish property, who, within twenty years after, became so powerful, that he held it as his own, and became one of the most turbulent opponents of the English Settlers in that part of the pale. So fully as his authority recognised as lord of the district that he was summoned by the English Government to oppose Bruce and the Scots. For two centuries after, the district was the seat of the O'Mores and the English, which was carried on without any occurrence of much historical importance on either side. During the same period the Mac Gillipatricks or Fitzpatricks maintained their independence in Ossory, but generally adhered to the English. In the 5th year of Mary, both districts were reduced to shire ground, and incorporated under the name of Queen's county, the assize town being named Maryborough, in honour of the Queen. But this new arrangement did not immediately tranquillise the county. At the close of the reign f Queen Elizabeth, Owen Mac Rory O'More, was so powerful that Sir George Carew, president of Munster, accompanied by the then Earls of Thomond and Ormonde, was induced to hold a parley with him, to bring him back to his allegiance, in which they entrapped him in an ambuscade, and the Earl of Ormonde made prisoner, and detained till he paid a ransom of £3000. The daring insurgent himself was shortly afterwards killed in a skirmish with Lord Mountjoy; and the followers of the O'More's were driven into the counties of Cork and Kerry then nearly depopulated. At this juncture many English families, to whom grants of the lands thus forfeited had been made, settled here. Seven of them whose founders were most influential in securing the new settlements, acquired the names of the seven tribes. The families so called were those of Cosby, Barrington, Hartpole, Bowen, Ruish, Hetherington and Hovendon or Ovington, of whom the first only has retained it's possessions; tat of Barrington still extant has alienated its property; all the rest are extinct in the male line. In the reign of Chas. I, large grants of land were made to Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, now forming the extensive manor of Villiers, which has descended through the female line to the present, duke. In the same reign and, and during the unsettled period of the commonwealth, the families of Pigott, Coote, Prior, Parnell and Pole settled here; those of Vesey, Dawson, Staples, Burrowes and Johnson obtained lands in it after the Revolution. The county had its full share of the calamities of the civil war in 1641, at the beginning of which the insurgents secured Maryborough, Dunamase and other places of strength. The Earl of Ormonde arriving at Athy from Dublin, detached parties for their relief; on his retreat the whole of the county submitted to general Preston, but was forced again to submit to the royal arms. In 1646, Owen Roe O'Nial, seized upon several forts init. In 1650 Cromwell's forces entered the county and met with much resistance; in the course of the struggle most of it's fortresses were dismantled by his Generals Hewson and Reynolds. During the Revolution of 1688, a signal victory was gained by the troops of William as a noted togher or bog pass near Cappard, where they defeated a much superior number of the Irish after the termination of the war, the country was so harassed by the ravages of the reparees that the resident gentlemen applied to King William to have a force of infantry and dragoons quartered in it, and specified the castle of lea as one of the principle stations for their reception. The county is partly in the diocese of Killaloe, partly in those of Dublin and Gleandalough, partly in that of Kildare, but chiefly in those of Ossory and Leighlin. For purposes of civil jurisdiction it is divided into the baronies of Ballyadams, Cullinagh, Maryborough East, Maryborough West, Portnehinch, Slievemargue, Stradbally, Tinnehinch and Upper Ossory. It contains the greater part of the borough and market town of Portarlington; the disfranchised borough, market and assize town of Maryborough; the ancient corporate and post town of Ballinakill; he market and post towns of Mountmellick, Mountrath, Stradbally and Abbeyleix; the post towns of burrow in Ossory; Rathdowney, Ballybrittas, Clonaslee and Ballyroan; and the suburb of the borough of Carlow called Graigue; the largest villages are those of Ballylinan, Castletown, Emo, Newtown and Arles. It sent eight members to the Irish parliament, two for the county at large and two for each of the boroughs of Portarlington, Maryborough and Ballinakill. Since the Union it has been represented by three members, two for the county and one for Portarlington; the election for the county takes place at Maryborough. The constituency, as registered up to Feb 1st, 1836, consisted of 405 £50, 270 £20 and 1210 £10 freeholders; 3 £50, 16 £20, rent chargers; and 37 clergymen of £50, in right of their respective incumbencies; 3 of £20 and 2 of £10 making a total of 2143 registered voters. Queen's county is included in the Home Circuit; the assizes are held at Maryborough, Mountmellick, Mountrath, Stradbally, Burros in Ossory and Abbeyleix twice in the year at each of these places. The county gaol is at Maryborough, and there are bridewells in Burros in Ossory and Abbeyleix. The local government is vested in a lieutenant, 18 deputy lieutenants and 82 other magistrates; besides whom there are the usual county officers, including four coroners. There are 42 stations of the constabulary police, having a force of a sub-inspector, 9 chief officers, 45 sub-constables, 291 men and 15 horses; besides which there are three station s of peace preservation police. The amount of the Grand Jury presentments in 1835 was £21,575.15.7, of which £293.16.0 was for the roads, bridges &c., of the county at large; £4124.10.0 ¼ for those of the baronies; £9835.15.0 ¾ for public buildings, charities, officers salaries and incidents; £6680.8.2 for the police; and £541.0.4 for the repayment of advances made by the Government. The district lunatic asylum for the Queen's and King's counties, Westmeath and Longford, is at Maryborough; as is also the county infirmary, and there are dispensaries at Abbeyleix, Balymoyler, Ballybrittas, Ballinakill, Clondonagh, Errill, Mountrath, Mountmellick, Newtown, Coleraine, Portarlington, Rathdowney, Stradbally, Swan, Balickmoyler, Burrow in Ossory and Clonaslee which are supported by Grand jury presentments and private subscriptions, in the proportion of one third of the former to two thirds of the latter. In the military arrangement it is included in the eastern district, and contains one barrack for infantry at Maryborough, constructed for the reception of 61 non-commissioned officers and men. The surface of the county is either generally fat or gently undulating with small hills, exhibiting a pleasing variety rather than a picturesque effect. The inequality is mostly caused by eskers, ridges of which traverse the county in several parts, they are mostly formed around nodules of limestone, calcareous sandstone and coal shale, the parent rock of which are found in the county or close to its confines. The principal of these eskers called the Ridge, rises near Athlone and thence proceeds across the King's county, enters the Queen's county at Mountmellick and proceeds to Rathleague through the extremity of Maryborough, forming in this county an unbroken line about 6 miles long, varying in height from 12 to 45 feet, being generally broad at the base and narrowing upwards to the width of a few feet. Near the same place very copious springs bursts from it, called the Blessed Well of Maryborough, and much resorted to by the peasantry who perform devotional ceremonies, called stations around it. Beyond Rathleague, the esker maintains a south eastern course, and are broken and interrupted but they soon resume a regular ridge like form and divide into two branches one southwards towards the Doon of Clopoke and the other eastwards towards Stradbally, again forming an unbroken line of more than miles. The tract extending from Urlingford in Kilkenny County, to Dawson's Grove near Monastereven in the confines of Kildare is the most improved of any in Leinster. It is generally well planted, not in isolated patches close to the mansion houses, but over the whole face of the landscape, so as to give it much the appearance of an English woodland scene. The Dysart hills which are situated in this rich tract of country, add much to its variety and beauty; they are wholly composed of limestone, and their direction is north and south between the baronies of Maryborough, Stradbally and Cullinagh, not forming a continuous elevation, but in most cases standing singly; the Rock of Dunamase and Doon of Clopoke are two of the most striking of them. To the west the land rises in the lofty range of the Slieve Bloom mountains, which form a marked line of division between this and the King's county: their summit is called the 'Height of Ireland', from a popular opinion that it is the most elevated point in the island; near it is the pass of Glandine, a narrow defile, impassable for carriages and forming the only mountain communication between the King's and Queen's counties. The northern side of the mountains of this range is very fertile while the southern though more exposed to the genial influences of the sun is nearly barren and mostly covered with heath. Towards the southern boundary of the county the ground rises into the Slievemargue hills, which separate it from Kilkenny. The only lake is that of Lough Duff on the border of the King's county to which one half of it is considered to belong. The soil, which rests chiefly on a substratum of limestone, varies from a stiff clayey loam, well adapted to the growth of wheat, to light sand which however produces good barley, turnips and potatoes. In the Slieve Bloom mountains the surface inclines to a black and in some parts a yellow clay, of unequal depth covering a mouldering rock or gritty gravel, it's general character is spongy wet boggy even where highest and very rocky. The Dysart hills are fertile to their summits, which, though too steep for the plough afford rich pasturage for sheep. The soil of the southern barony of Culinagh is gravely siliceous clay towards the mountains; in the central parts it is a rich loam and in the south, light and sandy; the largest bullocks in the county are fattened on the rich pastures in the low lands. In the northern barony of Portnehinch the soil is light and unproductive, unless in some favoured spots where a persevering course of judicious cultivation has improved it's character. Bogs are frequent in every part, chiefly about Maryborough; they may all be considered branches of the great central Bog of Allen. The turf from them yields both white and red ashes; that affording the latter is most esteemed either for manure or fuel. In some places are large tracts of marshy land called callows, which are inundated during winter but in summer afford excellent pasturage. The land on the banks of the Barrow is alluvial and forms rich and valuable meadows, The average size of farms, particularly in the tillage districts, is not more than from 12 to 14 acres; some noblemen and landed proprietors hold large tracts of land in their own hands, the superior cultivation of which is very effective as a leading example towards the general improvement of agriculture in the county. Wheat is not generally grown even in the mountain districts; barley is also extensively cultivated; potato and oats form an essential part of the rotation system. Green crops are often seen, particularly turnips of which the Swedish is the most esteemed; rape and vetches are extensively raised; clover is to be seen everywhere. flax is planted only in small quantities for domestic consumption. The implements and carriages employed in rural economy are generally of t he most improved description; both bullocks and horses are used in ploughing, generally in pairs, where the soil is very stiff, two pairs of the latter are sometimes put in the same team. The manures are line and limestone gravel, here called corn gravel, procured with little labour or expense, and composts from the farm yard. The common fence s of white thorn plant on ditches well constructed but too often subsequently neglected; stone walls are also raised for the same purposes, particularly for the demesnes of the nobility and gentry. All the improved breeds of English cattle have been introduced into the county. The most esteemed dairy cows are a cross between a Durham and native breed, as they are good milkers of large size and easily fattened. Dairies are numerous and productive, cheese is made in small quantities; but butter which is of very good quality is the chief produce. Pigs are reared in very great numbers; no farmhouse is without them, but the breed is inferior to that in the southern counties; the small farmers and cottiers also keep goats. The horse's area light small boned, active race good for saddle but not well fitted for heavy agricultural use.

Hi there Could anyone tell me how to go about finding out where HENRY QUELCH and MARY PURCELL were born in Ireland? Also, on the tree below is there anywhere I can find out if I have the proper place of birth in Laois for the births of these children? ie. Is Shragh a town, and Johnstown a district? I would very much appreciate if some kind soul could fill me in here. Thank you Judy Descendants of Henry Quelch 1 Henry Quelch 1795 - b: 1795 in Ireland .. +Mary Purcell m: 1814 in Ireland ...... 2 Joseph Quelch 1816 - b: Abt. 1816 in Ireland .......... +Jane ( Fury) Fleury m: June 11, 1844 in Notre Dame, Montreal, Ille De Montreal, Quebec, Canada ...... 2 John Quelch 1817 - b: January 24, 1817 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland ...... 2 Honora Quelch 1818 - b: December 25, 1818 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland ...... 2 William John Quelch 1821 - b: February 18, 1821 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland .......... +Maria Dowd m: September 28, 1857 in Ile De Montreal, Quebec, Canada ...... 2 Patrick Quelch 1823 - b: March 23, 1823 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland ...... 2 Henry Quelch 1825 - 1863 b: August 24, 1825 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland d: 1863 in Canada .......... +Bridget Maher m: June 05, 1854 in Montreal, Ille De Montreal, Quebec, Canada ...... 2 Ellen Quelch 1827 - b: May 13, 1827 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland ...... 2 Mary Quelch 1829 - b: June 29, 1829 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland ...... 2 Edward W. Quelch 1832 - b: July 11, 1832 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland ...... 2 Margaret Quelch 1834 - b: January 21, 1834 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland

Hi everyone and seasons greetings Reposting my list of interests The following are some of the names to be found in my Family Tree. Most of them are from the Counties of Laois and Carlow areas of Ireland. All are of the Kinship of William Brennan Bef. 1850 (My Great, Great, Grandfather) and the dates listed are Birth Dates. AYLWARD, James (Jim) BORAN, Nicholas (Nixie) January 1926 BRENNAN, Annie 1891 Granddaughter BRENNAN, Catherine (Katty) 21 November 1916 BRENNAN, Christina 22 December 1919 BRENNAN, Christina Unknown BRENNAN, Christina (Crissie) 23 December 1912 BRENNAN, Elizabeth (Lily) 26 October 1922 BRENNAN, Ellen Unknown BRENNAN, Hannah 25 October 1874 BRENNAN, James Unknown BRENNAN, John 1894 BRENNAN, Mark Abt. 1836 BRENNAN, Mark 29 May 1881 BRENNAN, Markie April 1914 BRENNAN, Martin 29 November 1888 BRENNAN, Mary (Mollie) 14 September 1915 BRENNAN, Michael 5 August 1883 BRENNAN, Patricia Unknown BRENNAN, Thomas 9 July 1876 BRENNAN, William 15 April 1873 BULGER/BOLGER, Mark BULGER/BOLGER, Colette BULGER/BOLGER, Deirdre BULGER/BOLGER, Eileen 1917 BULGER/BOLGER, Ernie BULGER/BOLGER, Marie BULGER/BOLGER, Mark BULGER/BOLGER, Mark BULGER/BOLGER, Patricia BULGER/BOLGER, Rose DOOLEY, Paddy May 1904 KAVANAGH, Patrick (Paddy) 29 October 1899 KELLY, William 10 March 1894 KELLY, Mary (Molly) 11 June 1922 LALOR, Catherine (Katie) 1854 LYONS, Michael 13 October 1910 MORAN, Bridie May 1909 McDONALD, Patrick 3 August 1903 MORAN, Mary Anne 27 September 1874 O'SULLIVAN, John WALL, Bridget Unknown Regards Michael Brennan Kent England Home: michael@janbren.freeserve.co.uk --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi, List. Just want to post my interests. LAWRENCE DOWLING, born in 1831, son of WILLIAM DOWLING and ANNE BROWN married MARY MOORE, daughter of JOHN MOORE. Children born in Gurtahile: JOHN 1872, THOMAS 1875, ANNE 1876, ANASTASIA 1878, twins MICHAEL and MARGARET 1884, JAMES 1886. MICHAEL married ELLEN DOOLEY, daughter of PATRICK DOOLEY and CATHERINE WALSH, born in Turrow in 1881. They married in 1910 in New York. Apparently, CATHERINE WALSH's first husband was a JOHN MOORE. Their children that were born in Turrow were: PATRICK 1863, ELLEN 1864, MARY 1865, BRIDGET 1867, THOMAS 1869, JAMES 1870, MARTIN 1872. If these names ring a bell to anyone, please let me know. Happy Holidays! Maureen NaughtonMaureen@cs.com

Looking for more information about Michael Delaney born 14 Februray 1824, in Laois. He came to the US in 1848, married in Ohio 19February 1853 to Ellen Heffernan and eventually settled in Knox County, Missouri. Brad Griffith -- Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people. - Giordano Bruno

Looking for any information on HENRY QUELCH and MARY PURCELL and their children born in LAOIS IRELAND. Thank you Judy in BC, Canada Descendants of Henry Quelch 1 Henry Quelch 1795 - b: 1795 in Ireland .. +Mary Purcell m: 1814 in Ireland ...... 2 Joseph Quelch 1816 - b: Abt. 1816 in Ireland .......... +Jane ( Fury) Fleury m: June 11, 1844 in Notre Dame, Montreal, Ille De Montreal, Quebec, Canada ...... 2 John Quelch 1817 - b: January 24, 1817 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland ...... 2 Honora Quelch 1818 - b: December 25, 1818 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland ...... 2 William John Quelch 1821 - b: February 18, 1821 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland .......... +Maria Dowd m: September 28, 1857 in Ile De Montreal, Quebec, Canada ...... 2 Patrick Quelch 1823 - b: March 23, 1823 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland ...... 2 Henry Quelch 1825 - 1863 b: August 24, 1825 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland d: 1863 in Canada .......... +Bridget Maher m: June 05, 1854 in Montreal, Ille De Montreal, Quebec, Canada ...... 2 Ellen Quelch 1827 - b: May 13, 1827 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland ...... 2 Mary Quelch 1829 - b: June 29, 1829 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland ...... 2 Edward W. Quelch 1832 - b: July 11, 1832 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland ...... 2 Margaret Quelch 1834 - b: January 21, 1834 in Shragh, Johnstown, Leix (Laois/Queens) County, Ireland

Over the years I have asked questions and been asked questions by those who those who progress past names and who begin to wonder about words they see 'benefice' 'in fee' 'rectory' vicarage'. I always thought that Civil Parishes were there before religious parishes. We're always told that the Churhc of Ireland Parishes pretty much follow the boundaries of the Civil parishes and yet, as we read through lewis Topogaphical Directory of Ireland we find that this is not necessarily so. This is being posted to the Donegaleire list because it specifically mentions the Diocese of Raphoe. This will be continued............. Extracted from: RECTORY VICARAGE AND PARISH IN THE WESTERN IRISH DIOCESES K. W. Nicholis Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries, "In most areas of western Europe the parochial system (whose essential feature was that a particular church was entitled to the tithes and the profits arising from spiritual minstration within a given area, the parish) was in general a creation of the ninth, tenth and eleventh centuries. In England the system was already fully established by the time of King Edgar (959-63). In the Celtic countries, Wales, Ireland and Scotland, the introduction of the system was of much later date, and followed on the Hildebrandine reformation and in the wake of Norman conquest and penetration. For Ireland, outside the towns of the Ostmen, there is no evidence whatsoever that the formation of parishes had even commenced before the arrival of the Normans. The Norman invaders of Ireland consequently found a land yet undivided into parishes, with the result that for some time after the conquest we find the lay lords exercising 'the right of conferring tithes at will on anyone in orders or [on] any religious corporation [which] preceded the more rigid rule that tithes should be paid to the local parish priest'. This is in contrast to the situation in contemporary England, where grants of portions of the ecclesiastical revenues of a parish 'were always of pensions charged on the parish church, never of pieces of land'. In Ireland, however, even after the establishment of the parochial system and down to the end of the mediaeval period we find in the Munster dioceses the peculiar ecclesiastical benefices called 'particles' (particulae), composed of the tithes of particular lands within a parish and which for purposes other than the payment of tithe continued to form part of that parish.The formation of parishes in the eastern and southern parts of Ireland which were occupied soon after the Norman invasion seems to date from the period of their settlement, the last quarter of the twelfth and the opening years of the thirteenth century, and the parishes in these regions, usually small and often very small, corresponded in general, as was the case in some regions of South Wales, with the holdings of the military tenants of the area. Professor J. Otway-Ruthven, in a paper published in 1965, has traced the development of the parochial system in the rural deanery of Skreen in Meath, one of the most thoroughly settled and Anglicised areas of mediaeval Ireland, and a similar pattern of parishes, reflecting in their boundaries those of the secular manors or fees, is characteristic of most of southern Leinster and of Munster. As a contrast to such parishes, Professor Otway-Ruthyen cites the case of such an enormous parish as Ardnurcher, in Cos. Westmeath and Offaly, which extended over a heavily wooded and boggy region in which Norman penetration had been very slight. In the regions mentioned, as in England, there was no regular system for the partition of the parochial tithes. Originally, of course, the rector or parson had been the parish priest and had received the entire tithe; however, with the coming of the custom of impropriation, by which the parochial revenues were vested in a religious house, and with the increase of the practice of granting rectories as benefices for the support of clerks who were actively engaged elsewhere, in study or in official work, it became necessary to provide vicars who would perform the actual duties of the cure. By the end of the twelfth century the vicarage was becoming a benefice in its own right, in which the holder had a right of freehold, rather than a mere perpetual curacy, and was acquiring its own endowment, consisting of a portion of the tithes of the parish. There was no specific rule, however, for this vicarial remuneration; the vicar might receive a half, a third, or only a quarter of the total tithes, or he might receive the 'small tithes' of the parish, while the rector received the 'great tithes' (those of corn, hay and wood) or again the vicar might receive the tithes of some particular lands within the parish. In other cases the rectory remained 'entire', the rector continuing to exercise the cure and receiving the entire tithe of the parish, and no vicar existed. In the purely Irish dioceses of Ulster, however- Clogher, Derry and Raphoe - we find, in contrast to the haphazard arrangements already described, a system of quite extraordinary regularity. In these dioceses, as throughout the ecclesiastical province of Tuam and in the dioceses of Sodor (Isles) and Argyle in Scotland, the archaic custom of the tripartition or quadripartition of tithes, otherwise unknown in the British Isles although common elsewhere in Europe, and under which the bishop received a third or a quarter (respectively) of all tithes within the diocese, was in force, and in every parish there existed both a sinecure rector and a vicar, who received fixed shares of tithe under the system of tripartition or quadripartition. The system is best described in the words of Bishop George Montgomery, writing about 1609 : ". . . The Byshop of Clogher hath besyde his lands the fourth part of all tythes throughout his Dyoces, which is called quarter episcopalis. The Byshops of Derry and Rapho have the third part, and it is called tertia episcopalis." "The rest of the tythes are devyded betwene the Parson and Vicar. In Clougher the Parson hath two fourth parts, the Vicar hath one. In Derry and Rapho the Parson and Vicar have each of them one third part." "The parsonages were usually bestowed upon students that intended to take orders, towards their mayntenance at schoole, and were enioyned within few yeares after they accepted the parsonage to enter into orders, but hold not themselves bound to execute devyne service. "The Vicars are tyed to perpetuall residence and service of the cure, and besyde their portion of tythes, have the benefit of all oblations and other small ducties at buryals and christenings to themselves alone for attendance of the service ...." "The parsonages and vicarages through all theise three Dyoceses have byn ever collated by the Byshops of theise Sees, without contradiction or challenge of any person" Bishop Montgomery's statement as to all livings being in the collation of the bishops seems not to have been true for an earlier period, as in the fifteenth century several lay advowsons, probably relies of the Norman settlement, occur in the diocese of Derry, and a single doubtful example occurs at that period in the diocese of Clogher. Impropriations were very rare in the three dioceses mentioned. The coexistence in each parish of a sinecure person or rector and a serving vicar was the almost universal practice in the Gaelic parts of Ireland. In the three dioceses mentioned only a single parish of Derry formed an exception to this rule; the '1306' Taxation of Raphoe Diocese shows it already fully established there, and by the beginning of the fifteenth century it was here and elsewhere referred to as the immemorial custom.The rule of tripartition or quadripartion of tithes may possibly have led to the conclusion that the shares other than the bishop's should each go to different persons, but it is perhaps significant that in a number of places the parson or rector was the direct successor of the ancient comharba and in fact bore that title."