More from Irish Folk Customs and Belief: Seán Ó'Súilleabháin: Published for the Cultural Relations Commitee, Dublin: 1967 A very large body of custom and belief centred upon the various festivals, prechristian and Christian, which occurred each year. Only the main ones can be included here. I happened to be visiting a family in Dublin about thirty years ago. It was New Year's Eve and, as the bells of the city rang out to welcome in the New Year, I was led outside the door by the man of the house and invited to come in again. This was, I was informed, because I was dark haired, and would thus bring luck to the house for the ensuing year. New Year's Day was referred to in Irish as either Lá Coille (Kalends Day) or Lá na nIarsmaí (The day of New Year gifts), the latter being explained by the custom of young people, boys and girls, going from house to house on that day asking for gifts of money or kind. This custom must have come in at a rather late period, because in olden times nobody would risk losing his luck for the year by giving away money on that day; neither would milk be given away; nor would even the ashes or the floor-sweepings be put out. Digging a grave or burying somebody was also avoided on that day. The Twelve Days of Christmas ended on January 6 (popularly knows as Small Christmas or Nollaig na mban: Women's Christmas, as distinct from the main feast, Nollaig na bhfear: Men's Christmas). The Christmas holly was taken down and burned at this time, and twelve candies were lighted in homes in honour of the Twelve Apostles; the first candle to die out was looked upon as an omen that the person who had lighted it would he the first of the family to die. The Eve of the Feast was known as Oíche na dTrí Rithe (The Night of the Three Kings), and was said to correspond with the wedding feast of Cana. A popular Irish saying was: Oíche na dTrí Ritbe Deintear fíon den uisce, Síoda den triopall Agus ór den ghrean. (On the Night of the Three Kings, water becomes wine, clusters of rushes become silk, and the sand becomes gold.) St. Brigid's Feast (February 1) was originally an important prechristlan festival, occurring as it did at the time of the start of agricultural work. For some reason which is not clear. people would perform no work which involved turning or twisting on that day, such as spinning, digging, ploughing or using a wheel: bíonn Lá 'le Bríde ina shaoire ar cbasaíbh (St. Brigid's Day is free from twistings.) Shellfish was brought into houses near the sea and put in the four corners of the floor to invoke plenty of fish for the rest of the year. Young boys (Brídeoga : "Biddies") went from door to door carrying a churndash dressed as a woman and asked for some gift. Rushes or straw were left outside the house on the Eve of the Feast, and at nightfall a young girl went out, brought the bundle to the door, and knocked, asking in the name of Brigid to be admitted. When this was done, crosses (of various designs and materials, according to different districts) were woven or otherwise made, to the accompaniment of a traditional prayer. A meal was then taken, and the crosses were placed both in the inner side of the thatched roof and in the outhouses to invoke protection for the family and livestock. It was said that, as one cross was placed in the roof each year, the age of many old houses in Ireland could be reckoned by the number of crosses. A girdle (crios) was also woven of straw or rushes that evening, and both the members of the family and the cows passed through it for protection against illness. A cloth, known as brat Bhríde (Brigid's cloak) was left in the open that night and was then preserved for the healing powers it was said to have acquired. Another ancient custom was the throwing of a sheaf of oats or a cake of bread against the doorstep that evening to "drive away hunger and to ensure a supply of food for the family during the year. St. Patrick's Day fell on March 17: Ní dírí bradán fearna i. Lár na caise ná Lá 'le Pádraig I lár an Earraigh (as the sturgeon or salmon swims exactly in mid-stream, so does St. Patrick's Day fall exactly in mid-Spring. It was jocosely said that on that day the cold stone which had been placed in the water at Halloween was again removed. Weather was expected to improve.. every other day fine after St. Brigid's Day, every day fine after his own Feast, St. Patrick is said to have promised. People endeavoured to sow their grain as near to this Feast as possible. The old men celebrated it by going together to the public house to drink "pota Phádraic" (St. Patrick's pot). Crosses in rosette form were made of coloured ribbons and worn on the breast; this custom appears to be of comparatively recent origin. A much older one would seem to be that which took the following form: the father of the family marked the arm of himself and each member of the family with a cross made with a charred stick "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost". Our earliest literary reference to the wearing of shamrock on St. Patrick's Day is for the year 1681, so the custom may not be a very old one. It may be said too that it appears as if the legend of the use by St. Patrick of the shamrock to explain the Trinity is of rather recent vintage (no reference earlier than the year 1727)

An exerpt from Irish Folk Customs and Belief: Seán Ó'Súilleabháin: Published for the Cultural Relations Commitee, Dublin: 1967 As Hallowe'en corresponds with an ancient Feast of the Dead, it was to be expected that much of its lore would be concerned with the dead, the fairies and spirits in general. All " fairy forts " were said to be open on the eve of the festival, and their occupants were believed to change their residence from one centre to another on that night; it was a dangerous night for people to be out of doors, it was said, for fear of "fairy stroke" or abduction. Houses were got ready for any deceased relatives who might visit the old home during the night and food was laid out for them. Candles were lighted in windows too. Colcannon was a popular dish as the evening meal as were nuts, and many games were played and divinatory acts performed afterwards. The food supply for the winter being very important, hunger and famine were symbolically banished by throwing a cake of bread against the door. As the weather was expected to deteriorate from that date on ("when the cold stone was put into the water"), sheep were brought to the lowlands from the higher grazing grounds, and other farm livestock were housed for the winter. This was the time too, for the payment of "gales" or "half-gales" of rent to the landlord, and the servants who had been hired for the summer and harvest were allowed to go.

Hello, I would like to contact people researching any of the following names from either the Mountrath/ Camross or the Errill/ Rathdowney areas. Many interconnected families from this region migrated to Melbourne & other parts of Victoria in the 1840-1860 period.My particular interests are Lynch, Delaney, Pratt. Other connected families are Bowe,Bergin,Breen,Creagh,Delahunty,Dowd,Goss,Hennessy,Kilmartin,Lalor,Shiels,Tidd.A number of people are researching branches of these families.A few years ago I wrote to the Laois newspaper re Camross, & amongst the replies I heard from Kieran O'Dea from Errill who sent me the cemetery records from Errill where Michael Lynch had erected a gravestone to his family.In turn I sent a copy of "Pubs,Punts & Pastures" donated by the authors, Joan Carstairs & Maureen Lane. This was the story of Michael's half sisters, the Dowds, his niece, Maria Kilmartin, all from the region & the Dodd sisters from Birr.Michael was the instigator for most of the families named above migrating to Vic.Many of us would love to find any connections who remained. So many came here that perhaps only the older family members remained. Maureen Doyle. http://www.alphalink.com.au/

Greetings from Oz. Mary Dunphy baptised Apr 1829, (parents Simon/Margaret Morrissey Ballinakill,Abbeyleix) arrived alone Australia 1849,married County Carlow lad James tkins( c1828.) in Oz 1852,had large family etc. Would like to communicate with any one with knowledge of background either of these two people. or families. Kind regards Peter

Does anyone know the year or years that Griffith's Valuation was done for Laois? We have located family names on the idex and wondered about the year of the valuation. Thank you for any reply you might give. Joyce

Hi Listers I realise that this is a shot in the dark but I am desperately looking for any information on Mark BULGER/BOLGER who was married to my Great Aunt Christina BRENNAN who was born in Ballickmoyler, Co. Laois They lived in Phibsborough Avenue, Dublin. sometime in the late 1800's and early 1900's. after they were married. I have no idea what part of Ireland the BULGER/BOLGER family are from. It could be Carlow, Laois or Dublin. I have no other information on this couple except that they had a son named Mark BULGER/BOLGER who was born in St Pappin's Green, Ballymun, Dublin and he was married to Alice. He (Mark Jnr) worked for The Irish Press and was a member of the Bohemians FC. Dublin. He died in the Palliative Care Unit in Our Lady's Hospice, Harolds Cross, Dublin on Saturday 18th Feb 1995. He was then removed on Monday to The Church of Our Mother of Divine Grace, Ballygall Road East, Dublin and Cremated at Glasnevin Crematorium on Tuesday 21st Feb 1995 after mass. There was also three daughters called Patricia Bulger who married Jack McGregor. Eileen Bulger b. 1917 married James O'Riley and Rose Bulger Did they appear on any Census or Headstone Inscriptions any where. Any info on this family would be much appreciated. Kindest regards Michael Brennan Kent England Home: michael@janbren.freeserve.co.uk Also researching the following members of my family: All descendants of William Brennan (1810's) of Ballickmoyler or Arless, 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; Co. Meath, Ireland Brennan, Martin; 1963, Belfast, NI

The following are some of the names to be found in my very large Family Tree. Does anyone recognise any of these names? Could they fit into your tree anywhere? Most of them are from the Counties of Laois and Carlow are of Ireland. Kinship of William Brennan Bef. 1850 (My Great, Great, Grandfather) The relationships you see are to the above William Brennan Bulger Mark Unknown Boran, Nicholas (Nixie) January 1926 Husband of the great-granddaughter Brennan, Annie 1891 Granddaughter Brennan, Catherine (Katty) 21 November 1916 Great-granddaughter Brennan, Christina 22 December 1919 Great-granddaughter Brennan, Christina Unknown Granddaughter Brennan, Christina (Crissie) 23 December 1912 Great-granddaughter Brennan, Elizabeth (Lily) 26 October 1922 Great-granddaughter Brennan, Ellen Unknown Daughter Brennan, Hannah 25 October 1874 Granddaughter Brennan, James Unknown Son Brennan, John 1894 Grandson Brennan, Mark Abt. 1836 Son Brennan, Mark 29 May 1881 Grandson Brennan, Markie April 1914 Great-grandson Brennan, Martin 29 November 1888 Grandson Brennan, Mary (Mollie) 14 September 1915 Great-granddaughter Brennan, Michael 5 August 1883 Grandson Brennan, Patricia Great-granddaughter Brennan, Thomas 9 July 1876 Grandson Brennan, William 15 April 1873 Grandson Bulger, Colette 2nd great-granddaughter Bulger, Deirdre 2nd great-granddaughter Bulger, Eileen 1917 Great-granddaughter Bulger, Ernie 2nd great-grandson Bulger, Marie 2nd great-granddaughter Bulger, Mark Husband of the granddaughter Bulger, Mark Great-grandson Bulger, Patricia Great-granddaughter Bulger, Rose Great-granddaughter Dooley, Paddy May 1904 Husband of the great-granddaughter Kavanagh, Patrick (Paddy) 29 October 1899 Husband of the great-granddaughter Kelly, William 10 March 1894 Husband of the great-granddaughter Lalor, Catherine (Katie) 1854 Daughter-in-law McDonald, Patrick 3 August 1903 Husband of the great-granddaughter McGregor, Jack Husband of the great-granddaughter Moran, Mary Anne 27 September 1874 Wife of the grandson O'Riley, James Husband of the great-granddaughter O'Sullivan, John Husband of the great-granddaughter Wall, Bridget Unknown Wife of the grandson Other names include: Walsh Downes Wall Mulrooney Jackman McCusker Fox Byrne Farrell Hoey McFarlane Keogh Carroll Cahill McCormack Croach Nowlan Flynn Meade Dunne Cunningham Hogan Lalor Lawler Lawlor Costello Lennon Murphy Aylward, James (Jim) Doyle, Oliver Glackler, Leonard A Kelly, Mary (Molly) 11 June 1922 Lyons, Michael 13 October 1910 Moran, Bridie May 1909 Kindest regards Michael Brennan Kent England Home: michael@janbren.freeserve.co.uk Also researching the following members of my family: All descendants of William Brennan (1840's) of Ballickmoyler or Arless, Co. Laois. IRL Moran & Lalor/Lawler/Lawlor in Arless Co. Laois. IRL Kelly/Carter from Ardateggle, Co. Laois. IRL Bulger/Bolger/Brennan from Dublin City. IRL Boran, Wall & Ryan from Arless, Co. Laois. IRL James Brennan from Co. Meath, Ireland Martin Brennan from Belfast. NI

Hi Listers I wonder if there is anyone out there who knows anything of the history of "The Hedge Schools"? Was there such a school and when and where they active? Who attended these schools? I am particularly interested in the Ballickmoyler are of Co. Laois. IRL Michael Brennan Kent England Home: michael@janbren.freeserve.co.uk Also researching the following members of my family: All descendants of William Brennan (1840's) of Ballickmoyler or Arless, Co. Laois. IRL Moran & Lalor/Lawler/Lawlor in Arless Co. Laois. IRL Kelly/Carter from Ardateggle, Co. Laois. IRL Bulger/Bolger/Brennan from Dublin City. IRL Boran, Wall & Ryan from Arless, Co. Laois. IRL James Brennan from Co. Meath, Ireland Martin Brennan from Belfast. NI

There are very many sources for information on Ireland. The general rumour which gets passed around is that all irish records were destroyed in the fire in the Four Courts in 1922. That is not true. For the most part those parish records which were destroyed were Protestant records. There are lots of other souces such as wills and deeds - while many of these were destroyed in 1922, there were many other papers and documents relating to Ireland which were not kept here. These can be an invaluable source for family historians - particularly those who are not just tracing their immediate family but the history of a name here. A lot of information on variuos papers and documents has been published in what are called 'Calendars......" - of this or that". The calendars of State Papers are some such Calendars giving a synopsis of documents relating to Ireland which are held by the Public Record Office of Great Britain and were published between the mid 1800's to early 1900's. The following is the instructions to the authors as to how they should deal with the documents which they were abstracting or describing in their respective volumes. This gives you an idea of what is held in these calendars. They are to be found in hard copy form in Salt Lake City and they are held by libraries here and most likely there are other libraries around the world where they can be accessed. Jane -------------------- CALENDARS. The Master of the Rolls desires to call the attention of the Editors of Calendars to the following considerations, with a view to secure uniformity of plan in the important works on which they are engaged :- He is anxious to extend, as far as is consistent with proper economy and despatch, the utility of the Calendars of State Papers now publishing under his control: 1st. As the most efficient means of making the national archives accessible to all who are interested in historical inquiries 2nd. As the best justification of the liberality and munificence of the Government in throwing open these papers to the public, and providing proper catalogues of their contents at the national expense. The greater number of the readers who will consult and value these works can have little or no opportunity of visiting the Public Record Office, in which these papers are deposited. The means for consulting the originals must necessarily be limited when readers live at a distance from the metropolis, still more if they are residents of Scotland, Ireland, distant colonies, or foreign states. Even when such an opportunity does exist, the difficulty of mastering the original hands in which these papers are written will deter many readers from consulting them. Above all, their great variety and number must present formidable obstacles to literary inquirers, however able, sanguine, and energetic, when the information contained in them is not made accessible by satisfactory Calendars. The Master of the Rolls considers that, without superseding the necessity of consulting the originals, every Editor ought to frame his Calendar in such a manner that it shall present, in as condensed a form as possible, a correct index of the contents of the papers described in it. He considers that the entries should be so minute as to enable the reader to discover not only the general content of the originals, but also what they do not contain. If the information be not sufficiently precise, if facts and names be omitted or concealed under a vague and general description, the reader will be often misled, he will assume that where the abstracts are silent as to information to be found in the documents, such information does not exist (missing last line of page here!) As the documents as various, the Master of the Rolls considers that they will demand a corresponding mode of treatment. The following rules are to be observed: 1st. All formal and official documents, such as letters of credence, warrants, grants, and the like, should be described as briefly as possible. 2nd.' Letters and documents referring to one subject only should be catalogued as briefly as is consistent with correctness. But when they contain miscellaneous news, such a description should he given as will enable a reader, to form an adequate notion of the variety of their contents. 3rd.. Wherever a letter or paper is especially difficult to decipher, or, the allusions more than ordinarily obscure, it will he advisable for the Editor to adhere, as closely as is consistent with brevity, to the text of the document. He is to do the same when it contains secret or very rare information. 4th. Where the Editor has deciphered letters in cipher, the decipher may printed at full length. But when a contemporary or authorised decipher exists it will be sufficient to treat the cipher as an ordinary document. 5thi Striking peculiarities of expression, proverbs, manners &c., are to be noticed. 6th. Original dates are to be given at the close of each entry, that the reader may know the exact evidence by which the marginal dates are determined. 7th. Where letters are endorsed by the receivers and the date of their delivery specified, these endorsements are to be recorded. 8th. The number of written pages of each document is to be specified, as a security for its integrity, and that readers may know what proportion the abstract bears to the original. 9th. The language of every document is to be specified. If, however, the greater part of the collection be in English, it will be sufficient to denote those only which are in a different tongue. 10th Where documents have been printed, a reference should he given to the publication. 11th. Each series is to he chronological. 12th. The Prefaces of Editors, in explanation of documents in the volume, are not to exceed fifty pages, unless the written permission of the Master of Rolls to the contrary be obtained. *****Editors employed in foreign archives are to transcribe at full length important and secret papers.

Four or more FENNELLY s emigrated in 1840-50s from Doonane Parish, Queens County, to Wisconsin. They entered through Canada, we believe. First names are Timothy, Martin, Michael, Timothy (again.) In the U.S., they came to be called FINLEY. Joyce

Those who entered the workhouses were not just Catholics - they were poor people of all religions. There was only one recognised religion in Ireland and it has to be remembered that no matter what religion you practised if you were not Church of Ireland you were in the same boat as the Catholics. This is not just true of Ireland at that time, it is also true of England. Anyone in England who was not Church of England fared as badly as did Catholics in Ireland if they were poor to start with. What is written here can be compared with other parts of the world today - India with all her poverty and other countries such as Romania where so many children were kept in orphanages in the past. Here in Ireland - we have children living on the streets today - as you do whoever you are and whatever part of the world you live in. Jane ------------- The Foundling Hospital: was part of the Dublin workhouse. It was so named in 1730. Children received into it were foundlings and all illigitimate. There were not supposed to be babies amongst them, as children under the age of 6 supposed to be cared for by their own parishes. In each parish Churchwardens employed a woman. the 'lifter' and it was her job to go round the Parish at night 'lifting' any babies she found lying about. She brought them to the next Parish and dumped them! Sometimes she placed a lump of narcotic called diacodioum in the mouth to stupify the child and stop it from crying There were also times that the 'lifter' in the second parish found the child and dumped it somewhere else if not back in its own. One woman had 'lifted' 27 children one year, and 7 died in her hands. These women knew nothing of what happened the chldren once they dumped them.... Babies were brought to the Foundling Hospital in Dublin and they were fed on Panda..(bread and milk)...At an inquiry in 1797 the matron said the diet was unfit to sustain life! The feeding of panda to children had been carried out for 67 years Ghastly happenings were reported from the Foundling Hospital: once 13 babies bodies found buried in a pit. A workman found two dead infants wrapped in a cloth, these were identified by the marks on their arms,. Babies were 'branded' before being sent out of this place to nurses around the city to be minded. Children from all over the country were brought to this workhouse, carried by women in baskets, just thrown into the basket, up to 8 at a time. Some found dead on arrival or seriously injured. At an inquiry 1797:it was reported that corpses were thrown into a hole and covered with quick lime. From 1750-1760: 7,781 admitted; 3,797 died..and 3,932 put out to nurse. Mothers often tried to get their children back, usually they didn't. Older workhouse children were fed: Breakfast: 1/4 lb porridge and a pint of milk Dinner: pint of milk porridge Supper: 1/4lb bread, spread with fresh butter 3oz cheese twice a week Older children still: 1/2 pint beer & 1/4 lb bread (beer not very strong) Comments from inmates and experts or people who had anything to do with it in later years. Food always bad, cockroaches, crickets, earwigs. Stirabout thin and watery full of lumps. Maggots in bread,, meat often stinking. Clothes: for girls very scanty. One petticoat, which was last years frock. Neither frocks nor coats worn by boys were lined. No waistocats. Children in the infirmary slept on straw, thrown on the bed. One thin underblanket and another thin blanket for covering. When a child died, it's boots and stockings and linen weren't buried with it but passed on to other children. Overcrowding was dreadful. 4-8 to one bed. The windows in the room where children assembled in the morning were broken. Childrens feet covered with sores, and their hands were often so swollen that they could not draw the thread sewing. They were afflicted with the 'itch'. (Today the 'itch' would refer to scabies which does occur on the hands) The children were savagely punished at times: one boy complained about badness of bread and he got 20 lashes with cat of 9 tails. Children were stripped to waist and lashed, a 7-8 yr old got 8-9 lashes for being slow to go to bed. An older offender got 60 lashes and had an iron weight tied to his leg. One part of house was known as 'Bedlam'..reserved for lunatics. Children were sent there for complaining (considered refractory): this place even dustier, darker and more generally uncomfortable. The children dreaded confinement in this place. Two old women, both infirm, minded 60 sick children under 8 years of age in the infirmary. The beds were filthy. The 'dead hole' was a step or two from the infirmary door. A carpenter once told someone that he had seen three dead children in a bed. One witness declared that he had seen 30-35 dead children come away for burial at one time.

Not sure if I've written to you before- I'm researching the surname Quinlan in Co.Laois(Queens) too. Richard Quinlan (born about 1893) emigrated from the town of Ballinakill in 1904 to NY USA. His brothers are John, James, George, Andrew, Michael and sister MaryAnn. I don't yet know the parents names but a possible is Thomas Quinlan and Margaret nee Dalton. Does this connect with your Quinlan family? How did you go about finding records in Co.Laois? Thanks, Maryanne

I think today it's a generally accepted thought that those who hunted witches or accused someone of being a witch were really simply afraid of the person - or jealous of the person for some reason or other - and so they gang up on the 'Witch'. The hunters would be called bullies in todays world, those who pick on others who they *think* are weak and who they *think* that they can manipulate or scare. We had few Witch hunts in Ireland in the past. We still have bullies and as with the rest of the world, our bullies are simply small minded people. Poor old Florence here is one of Irelands most 'famous' witches - herself and Dame Alice Kytler from Kilkenny ------------------------------------ Florence Newton was committed to Youghall Prison by the Mayor of the town, March 24th, 1661, for bewitching Mary Langdon, who gave evidence against her as follows:- Mary Langdon being sworn and examined what she could say against the said Florence Newton for any Practise of Witchcraft on herself; and being bid to look on the Prisoner her Countenance changed very pale, and she was afraid to look towards her; but at last she did. Being asked whether she knew her? She said she did and wished she never had! Being asked how long she had known her she said for three or four years, and that at Christmas last the said Florence came to the Deponent, at the hose of John Pyne of Youghall, where the Deponent was a Servant and asked her to give her a piece of beef out of the Powdering tub. And the Deponent answering her that she could not give away her Masters beef, the said Florence seemed to get very angry and said "Thou hadst as good have given it to me" and so went away grumbling. That about a week after, this Deponent going to the Water with a Pail of Clothes on her Head she met the said Florence Newton, who came full in her face and threw the pail off her head, and violently kissed her saying, Mary I pray thee, let thee and I be friends; for I bear thee no ill will, and I pray thee do thou bear me none." And that she the Deponent went afterwards Home, and that within a few days she saw a woman with a vail over her face standing by her bedside, and one standing by her like a little old Man in Silk Clothes; and that this man who she took to be a Spirit drew the vail from the Old Woman's Face, and then she knew it to be Goody Newton; and that this Spirit spoke to this deponent, and would have her promise him to follow his Advice, and that she should have all things after her own heart. To which she answered, That she should have nothing to say to him, but put her trust in the Lord. That within a Month after she said Florence had kissed her, she this Deponent fell very ill of Fits and Trances, which would take her on the Sudden in that violence that three or four men could not hold her; and in her fits she would often be taken with vomitings, and would vomit up needles, pins, horse-nails, stubbs, wool and straw. And being asked whether she perceived at these times what she vomited, she said She did; for she was not then in so great a distraction, as in other parts of her fits she was. And that a little before the first beginnings of her fits several (and very many small) stones would fall upon her as she went up and down and would follow her from Place to Place and from one room to another, and would hit her on the head, shoulders and arms and fall to the ground and vanish away. And that she and several others would see them both fall upon her and on the Ground but could never take them save only some few, which she and her master caught in their hands. Amongst which one that had a hole in it she tyed as she was advised) with a Leather thong to her purse, but it vanished immediately though the leather continued tyed on a fast knot. That in her fits she often saw this Florence Newton, and cryed out against her for tormenting; for she says that she would several times stick pins and into her arms, and some of them so fast that a man must pluck three or four times t get out the pin, and they were stuck between the skin and the flesh. That sometimes she should be carried to the top of the house and laid on a board betwixt two solar beams (in houses in the middle ages the principle room was sometimes called the Solar), sometimes put into a chest, sometimes she should be removed out of the bed into another room, sometimes under a parcel of wool, sometimes between two feather beds on which she used to lie, and sometimes betwixt the bed and the mat in her masters chamber in the day time. Being asked how she knew she was thus carried about and disposed of, seeing in her fits she was in a violent distraction, she answered she never knew where she was till they of the family, and the neighbours with them, would be taking her out of the places whither she was carried and removed. And being asked the reason why she cryed out so much against Florence Newton in her fits? She answered because she saw and felt her Torturing. And being asked how she could think that it was Florence Newton that did her this prejudice, she said, first, because she threatened her; then because after she had kissed her she fell into these fits, and that she both saw and felt her tormenting. And lastly, when the people of the family by Advice of the Neighbours and Consent of the Mayor, had sent for Florence Newton to come to the Deponent, she was always worse when she was brought to her, and her fits more violent than at another time. And that after the said Florence was committed at Youghall the Deponent was not troubled, but was very well till a little while after the said Florence was removed to Cork and then the Deponent was as ill as ever before. And the Mayor of Youghall, one Mr. Myres, then sent to know whether the said Florence were bolted (as the Deponent was told), and finding out she was not, orders were given to put the bolts on her; which being done, the Deponent saith she was well again, and so hath continued ever since. And being asked whether she had such like fits before the said Florence gave her the kiss, she saith she never had any, but believes that with the kiss she bewitched her. And the rather because she hath heard from Nicholas Pyne and others that the said Florence hath confessed so much. This Mary Langdon having closed up her evidence, Florence Newton peeped at her, as it were, between the heads of the by-standers that interposed between her and the said Mary, and lifting up both her hands together as they were manacled cast them in an angry, violent kind of motion (as were seen and observed by W. Aston) towards the said Mary, as if she intended to strike her if she could reach her, and said "Now she is down." Upon which the Maid fell suddenly to the ground like a stone, an fell into a most violent fit that all the people that could come to lay hands on her could scarce hold her, she biting her own arms and shrieking out in a most hideous manner to the amazement of all the Beholders. And continuing so for about quarter f an hour (the said Florence Newton sitting by herself all the while and pinching her own Hands and Arms as was sworn by some that observed her), the Maid was ordered to be carried out of the court and taken into an House; whence several persons afterwards brought word that the maid was in a vomiting fit, and they brought in several crooked pins and straws and wool in white foam like spittle in great abundance; Whereupon the court having taken notice that the maid had said she had been very well when the said Floence had been in bolts, demanded of the Gaoler if she were in bolts or no; to which he said she was not, but only manacled. Upon which order was given to put her in bolts, and upon putting them on she cryed out that she was killed, she was undone, she was spoiled; why do you torment me thus? And so continued complaining grievously for about half a quarter of and hour and then came a messenger from the maid and informed the court that the maid was well again.

Griffiths Primary Valuation This valuation records every landowner and householder in Ireland in a period shortly after the famine. An Act was passed in 1826 allowed for a uniform valuation of property in al Ireland for levying of county cess charges and grand Jury Rates. Thus began an assessment of the whole country, county by county by Sir Richard Griffith.. Amendments were passed to the 1826 Act, the first in 1831 excluded those houses under the annual valuation of £3, another in 1836 excluded house under £5 The information given in the Griffiths gives: the townland address and householders name; the name of the person from whom the property is leased; a description of the property; the acreage and the valuation. If a surname was common in an area then the surveyors adopted the practice of indicating the fathers name to show the difference between two people of the same Christian name and surname..(usually) So Tadgh O'Brien (Michael) is the son of Michael O'Brien and Tadgh O'Brien (James) is the son of James O'Brien. However, here in Ireland people of the same name could/can be distinguished simply by indicating the colour of their hair (as gaeilge - thru Irish ) so it would have been sufficient here to indicate that one Tadgh had red hair and one Tadgh black - calling them respectively Tadgh (Red) O'Brien and Tadgh (Black) O'Brien To confuse those who come in search of ancestors has always been the ambition of the very Ancestors J The main difference between the Tithe Applotment Books and the Griffiths Valuation is that all householders were listed in Griffiths. Remember the different types of acres used in each, the Irish and English acre..this will account for difference in size of land held by a family from one valuation to the other I they appear in both. Remember also the fact that the house of less than £3 annual value were included up to the year 1831 and excluded from that point forward, and those with an annual value of £5 were included up to 1836 and excluded from then on. Many refer to the Griffiths CD, which is handy enough to track a surname through the country.or to find some places in counties where the name occurs. However, this is a list of names for the county, there is no way of knowing if the six John O'Leary's listed for one county are one and the same or if all the land is held by John O'Leary and rented out to others. One problem I personally have noted with the griffiths CD is that while it is supposed to have been transcribed from the originals - the place names are not as they should be in many instances. There are placenames in there which while I know them from the originals - are not the same as actually written in the Griffiths valuation books. This I assume is because these were written up by people with little or no knowledge of Irish geography or Irish phonetics. So that while they transcribed what they thought they saw..because of faded ink or poor script - the actual name might be quite different.if it was someone with a knowledge of either Irish phonetics or the geography of the area they would have written a different word as the place name. This is not a huge error to anyone who does know the geography of the area they are enquiring about, but for anyone who hasn't got a clue it's a different story. There is an index to the surnames occurring in the Griffiths Valuation. The indices are made up by county..divided into baronies, parishes, townlands. There are two sections to an index and some counties have a number of volumes covering the whole county.e.g. Co. Cork has three. Each index is divided into two sections, the first being an alphabetical list of surnames occurring in the area the index covers and the names that occur in each Barony. The second section is an alphabetical list of surnames occurring in each parish within that barony. It doesn't matter if you don't know which Barony the parish you are looking for is in - you just check through the second section. It doesn't matter even if you don't know the parish you can just check the first section to see where the name occurred in a county.. The index to the surnames tells you how many times a surname occurred in a particular parish and whether or not that surname also occurred in the Tithe books. It does not give you any more information than that. The Householders Index with their LDS-FHC film numbers: Antrim Armagh, Carlow, Cavan LDS film # 0919001 Clare, Cork, Londonderry LDS film # 0919002 Donegal, Down Dublin LDS Film # 0919003 Fermanagh, Galway Kerry, Kildare, Kilkeny LDS film # 0919004 Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath LDS film # 0919005 Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary LDS film # 09119006 Tyrone, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow LDS film # 0919007 Valuation Office Records The Valuation office was set up to carry out the original Primary Valuation. It is still in existence and has in its possession the original set of notebooks used by the Griffiths Valuation surveyors These are the field books, the house books and tithe tenure books. All 3 have maps which indicate the holding they refer to. Field Books: Information on the size & quality of a holding House Books: Occupiers name and measurement of any buildings Tenure Books: Annual rent paid and legal basis - whether by lease or at will, also the year of any lease. These notebooks also document any changes in occupation between the initial survey and the final published survey. The valuation office also holds the 'Cancelled' or 'revision' Land Books and Current Land Books. The Cancelled land books are similar to those of the published valuation but observations made are handrwritten in on these. The observations can show whether the size or physical structure of the holding were altered, also the changes in the name of the landlord or occupier..this can show death or emigration for a particular year. Changes may have been noted up to a few years after the actual change. It is best to go to the original earlier years and work your way forward with these because the actual numbers of lots can have changed over the years because of lots being broken up or joined together. The Land Commission was created by the 1881 Land Act. Initially is was created to determine fair rents but its main purpose became to assist tenants to purchase their property. A Congested Districts Board was set up in 1891 and this had a similar function, but it was abolished by the Irish Govt. in 1923 and its powere transferred to the Land Commission. So, in the latter part of the 19thC and the early part of the 20thC people who occupied land were able to buy that land. You will see an entry in the cancelled books showing (In Fee) meaning that the occupier was now the owner. Also, on these you may see LAP.Land Act Purchase stamped on an entry, meaning that the occupier had been assisted in by the Lands Commission to purchase the land. The cancelled books for the 26 counties are held in Dublin in the Valuation Office while those for the 6 counties of Northern Ireland are held in the PRONI in Belfast. Those in Dublin are bound together by year in large volumes, the oldest being at the back (oldest = Griffiths) Those in Belfast are not bound and have to be asked for separately and are only available up to the 1930's. The related maps are also held in the Valuation Office. These are Ordnance Survey Sheets onto which the property boundaries were drawn. Changes in holdings are also indicated on the maps.

LAND RECORDS Tithe Applotment Books Tithes were an income tax on farming..usually about one tenth of the annual income. These were used for the upkeep of the Church of Ireland and were paid from the time of the Reformation. Before the Composition Act of 1823 it was possible to pay them in kind in stead of money. From the time of the Composition Act they were supposed to be paid in cash..and Tithe surveys were carried out in each Parish to assess what the income for that parish would be. Two people were appointed by each parish to carry out this assessment. Both Catholics and Protestants resented this tax - Tax was not payable on all land, and there was even variation on the types of land from place to place. From 1736 grazing land had an exemption - this was usually land held by landlords. Certain crops were taxable, others weren't. Potatoes could be taxable in one parish and not in the one next door. Tithe books are not comprehensive, people who did not hold land are not listed and some types of land were passed over absolutely. Towns and cities were usually not asssesed. They are arranged by townland and usually give the acreage held by each farmer. However, note here that the measurement used was the plantation or Irish acre which differs in size from the imperial or English acre used in the Griffiths Valuation. The information you get from the Tithe Books is simple, : townland name; landholders name; area of land andtithes paid. Some wil list the landlords name as well. The original tithe books for the 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland are held in the National Archives in Dublin. Those for the 6 counties of Northern Ireland were transferred to the PRONI in Belfast. Copies remain in Dublin in the National Archives and National Library. Tithe Defaulters: Both Catholics and Protestants objected to paying of Tithes. 1830 Catholic Parishoners in Graiguenamanagh in Co. Kilkenny withheld their tithes. 1832 they were followed by those in most parts of south Leinster and Munster and violence erupted - The 'Tithe War'. Church of Ireland Ministers therefore ended up without this money during 1831. It was necessary for tehm in order to claim from the Clergy Relief Fund to draw up a list of Parishoners who had defaulted on the Tithes. 499 Lists/Schedules of Defaulters were submitted in order to avail of the relief fund. 127 of these still survive. - Lists of Tithe Defaulters...not written up alphabetically, and it is necessary to go through each book for each county and for some there are a number of books. (Some of these have been produced on CD..53 of these books relate to Kilkenny; 30 to Tipperary; some coverage of Laois, Carlow, Offaly, Meath, Cork, Kerry , Limerick, Louth Waterford and Wexford). Quaker records show lists of those who defaulted on Tithes also.

Hammondgenealogy@hotmail.com Currently researching the following names: ANDERSON =Derbyshire,UK(+/- 1830s),QLD Australia (+/- 1860s) BRENNAN= Wicklow, Ire (+/- 1850s) CURRAN= Wicklow, Ire (+/- 1850s) DONAGHUE= W/meath, Ire (+/- 1840s) DONNELLY= Queens Co, Ire (+/- 1860s) HAMMOND= Kent UK (+/- 1820s),NSW Australia (+1828) KELLY= Kildare,Ire (+/-1850s), QLD Australia (+1853) LALLY= Galway/Clare, Ire (+/- 1830s) LARKIN=Galway, Ire (+/- 1850s),QLD Australia (+1860s) MANGAN=W/meath, Ire (+/- 1860s) MULROONEY=Galway, Ire (+/- 1850s) **OUTRAM=Derbyshire, UK(+/- 1830s) QUINLAN=Queens Co,Ire (+/- 1860s),NSW & QLD Aust(+/- 1860s) TULLY=Galway/Clare,Ire(+/- 1830s),NSW & QLD Aust(+/- 1840s) **There is a new rootsweb list for OUTRAM. People can subscribe by sending a message to OUTRAM-L-request@rootsweb.com (list mode) Or OUTRAM-L-request@rootsweb.com (digest mode) that can contains the word Subscribe And nothing else. Once subscribed, to post to both OUTRAM-L and OUTRAM-D, messages should be sent to OUTRAM-L@rootsweb.com .Messages sent there will appear both places. _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com.

Hi Tom, Would you tell us the URL for the website you refer to below? Thanks Sharon Haggerty On 14/10/00, you wrote: >Date: 14 Oct 00 03:24:51 EDT >From: CorkWeb <corkweb@irishabroad.com> >To: IRL-LAOIS-L@rootsweb.com > >Additionally, we have added the parishes of Fermoy, Kilcredan, Kilmahon and >Kilworth to our 18th century Tithe database. > >Tom

Much has been said, both on this list and others, of the 19th century naming patterns. How valid are they? To this end, we have put up a survey to try to gage their accuracy. If you have data from two consecutive 19th century Irish generations, we would appreciate your thoughtful input into our survey. It is located at http://www.rootsweb.com/~irlcor/survey.html . While results may not be scientifically significant; nonetheless, I am sure they will be both interesting and fun to see. It will be one submission per user (No Chicago style voting). Please contribute your experiences . Additionally, we have added the parishes of Fermoy, Kilcredan, Kilmahon and Kilworth to our 18th century Tithe database. Tom

What you are actually looking for is: Calendar of the State papers relating to Ireland preserved in the Public Record office Adventurers for land 1642-1659 Edited by Robert pentland Mahaffy, B.A. of the Inner Temple, Barrister at Law published by the Authority of the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury under the Directio nof the master of teh Rolls London: and etc (Ican't remember but this was published sometime in the mid 1800's I think ) In the above on the pages which list adventurer's I found the following Whitakers' (I've only checked the bit dealing with Co. Laois) Barony of Cullenagh: Wm. Whittaker & his wife. Baonry of Tinnehinch (Tinnahinch) North East Quarter: Henry Whitaker What I have here with these names does not say where these people came from - the original applications probably do - the calendars are really only abstracts of papers held in the PRO Jane ----- Original Message ----- From: "Nancy" <NANCYML@WORLDNET.ATT.NET> To: <IRL-LAOIS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2000 10:09 PM Subject: Adventurer's List > John Case Whittaker and his wife Susan Carter came from Abbeyleix County > > Laois, Ireland. John C. Whittakers ancestors were in County Carlow up > to > 1798 when several were killed in the "Uprising of 98". They got to > Ireland > in 1650, they were awarded lands for their support of Cromwell's Irish > invasion under the "Adventurers" Act. Do you know of a book that lists > the > Adventurers, where they came from and what lands they were awarded? > This > source says there is one at the University of California in the Irvine > Library. Thats for reading this. > > > > ==== IRL-LAOIS Mailing List ==== > > >

John Case Whittaker and his wife Susan Carter came from Abbeyleix County Laois, Ireland. John C. Whittakers ancestors were in County Carlow up to 1798 when several were killed in the "Uprising of 98". They got to Ireland in 1650, they were awarded lands for their support of Cromwell's Irish invasion under the "Adventurers" Act. Do you know of a book that lists the Adventurers, where they came from and what lands they were awarded? This source says there is one at the University of California in the Irvine Library. Thats for reading this.