I know nothing about Patrick’s life between his birth in Roscommon in March 1883 and August 1902, when he joined the Militia in Dewsbury. I cannot find him on any of the census returns for 1901. My Father relayed a vague story about Patrick being a cabin boy at some point. This is perfectly possible.…
All posts in Ireland
Sounds of a life
As I wrote about some of Patrick’s experiences in the Great War, I started to think about the sounds that would have been familiar to him in a time of peace. The railway came to Roscommon in 1860. If you had not previously seen any form of transport larger, or faster, than a horse drawn…
Multiple clans
When I started out on this voyage of exploration, in 2007, I knew almost nothing about my grandfather’s origins. I have discovered a lot in the meantime. I have files full of information. Perversely, there now seems even more that I don’t know. This is where you need to check out Donald Rumsfeld. In 2002,…
Jewel in the Crown
Following service in South Africa with the 3rd (line) Battalion of the Manchester Regiment (https://www.roscommonstanley.me.uk/military/boer-war-concentration-camps/ ), Patrick was transferred to the 1st Battalion on 28 October 1906. He was sent to join them in India. The 1st Battalion had also served in South Africa, departing in December 1904. They arrived in the port of Madras…
Searching for James Mullooly
Having failed to follow the trail of Elizabeth McDermott, what about James Mullooly? (James and Elizabeth were the baptismal sponsors for my Grandfather in 1883.) In 1901, there are two families called Mullooly living in Clooneenbaun. In House 3, there is John (37), his wife Bridget and four young children. In House 4, there is…
Missing from the records
In my quest for more information on Thomas Stanly (1807-1887) (http://www.roscommonstanley.me.uk/possible-relations/thomas-stanly-1807-1887/) I looked at the census return for Edward Naughton. He reported the death of Thomas. The document has a reference to a missing record. Edward, his daughter, son-in-law and family are listed at house number 13 on the sequence. On viewing a list of…
Thomas Stanly 1807 -1887
DNA evidence suggests that I am not related to the Ballyglass Lower branch of the Stanley family. (James Stanley and Oliver Stanley are shown as living almost next door to each other on the Griffiths valuation records.) When I published the blog “Ballyglass Stanley”, https://www.roscommonstanley.me.uk/possible-relations/ballyglass-stanley/, I was contacted by another researcher. He was able to…
Ballyglass Stanley
Sometimes I feel that my research into the Irish side of the family is like joining the dots on a puzzle. I can join a few dots here. I can join a few dots there. What I cannot do is create a bigger picture. DNA evidence has already shown (see post “DNA: the magic bullet?”…
Boston Pilot
I am conscious that many of those emigrating from Roscommon ended up in America. For 90 years (from 1831 to 1921) a newspaper called the Boston Pilot published a ‘Missing Friends’ column. Photo: Boston Harbour in the mid 1800s Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boston_harbor_and_East_Boston_from_State_St._block,_by_Soule,_John_P.,_1827-1904.jpg (cropped) The database has over 40,000 records. (https://infowanted.bc.edu/search/ ) (now behind a paywall) Advertisements…
Celina, Celenia or Selina Stanley, Connor or Brennan
On 10th January 1904 Michael Connor married Celina Stanley. The wedding took place in Cloverhill Church. Both parties resided in Emlaghroy. Celina was 21 (born 1883) and the daughter of Pat Stanley. (The townland of Emlaghyroyin lies between the River Suck and the railway line. It is about half a mile south of Island Upper…