Hi Colin, There are plenty of parish records before 1864. That's the data civil registration (not parish records) started. I'm thinking you are in Scotland or England. Ireland's different. For starters, there's various types of parish records. When Protestantism was introduced into Ireland in I think it was the 1530s, the reformed state church took over the old parish system that had existed since, Lordy, who knows!! Before Records! We do have some records of some back into the 900s, I believe, at least. So just as in England and Scotland, the government attempted to use these parishes as part of the goverment for the purposes of poor relief, etc. It didn't work. The problem was that almost no one was Church of Ireland. You had Catholics (off worshipping at the Mass rocks) and the Presbyterians (off listening to very long sermons in fields) as well as the Quakers (doing Quakery things), etc. Then the church became separated from the gov, which set up functional things like poor law unions and civil registration. Those parishes became known as "Civil Parishes". The Church of Ireland records correspond to them. Most all would be older than 1865 but for a fire in 1922 which destroyed up to a third. Not such a big loss as fewer people were in them than you'd think. Then when the Catholic Church reorganized, it formed new parishes. These new parishes are more representative of population density. So sometimes you have one archaic Civil Parish and three Catholic parishes. Presbyterians were not in parishes. They are in parishes only in Scotland. Otherwise they are congregational, meaning they can to go any church they please. If they hate the one close, they go to another. So are you looking for Catholic parish records or Church of Ireland or congregational Presbyterian ones? The Scottish civil registration will tell you that. Check the marriage certificate. Govan was a very very very popular destination for Irish. A huge population of Catholics there in the 1800s. I donno, maybe you'rs were Protestant. If not, you're in the wrong place. You've found your way to the one Irish list on the planet that focuses on Protestants and ignores Catholics. You can probably find soemone on a Monaghan list who has memorized all the Catholic parish records <grin>! Scotch-Irish doesn't mean "sometimes Scots and sometimes Irish". Its the name of an American ethnic group. You know, the Prods to the north! However you check a book by Ryan called "Irish Records". It has the dates for every baptism and marriage record in Monaghan by (alas) parish. It lists the Church of Ireland. Many of them are locally held. Clones survive from 1829. Ardagh is lost. Some are indexed by Monaghan Ancestry, like Ballybay (births in 1831). It has Roman Catholic parishes. Most of the Catholic records are indexed by Monaghan Ancestry. As usual they start in the early 1800s. Here's Drumsnat, from 1836. A few start late, like Kelleevan (1871). Consider contacting Monaghan Ancestry (I'd google them) . When this book was published, they'd indexed over half the Catholic records, a few of the CHurch of Ireland ones, and all griffith's Valuation and the Tithe Applotments. They also got school attendence records and estate records collected since 1952 by the Clogher Historical Society. They'll charge you something to run your names through their database or whatever. It's your best bang for the buck. INSIST on knowing what records exactly are in their database. Then using a copy of Ryan "Irish records", cross those off! they checked them. Then if you need to check the rest, you will have already gotten an idea from the Tithe Applotment and Griffiths -- so you will either need to order some film from LDS or hire someone to go check them. Or try writing a letter. Put in some money....it really helps. Or hire someone. Also pick up a copy of Grenham's "tracing your Irish ancestors" Irish genealogy is not for the faint hearted. You gotta learn a lot of strange things to succeed. Otherwise you just run around asking "What's a townland"? And people say "like a balleboe only different"....sadists!! Linda Merle -------------- Original message -------------- From: "Colin Quigley" <colin@quigs.co.uk> > Hi All > I am researching the Quigley family from County Monaghan, Ireland. James Quigley > born 1851 moved here to Govan, Lanarkshire, Scotland. He married Ellen Furrey on > 23 Nov 1876 in Govan, Lanarkshire and he had at least 4 siblings: Catherine Ann > 1852 , Edward 1855, Bridget 1858 and John 1861. Their parents where John Quigley > & Ellen Ward. > > I am trying to find which parish in Co. Monaghan they where all born, I went to > Dublin to the Registers Office but as they where all born before 1864 I had no > success in finding them. > > Any help of any kind would be much appreciated. > > Colin >