Tyrone Roots

I was the guide on a tour of the two oldest graveyards connected with the parishes around Omagh. As part of European Heritage Open Day we visited Drumragh Old Graveyard and Old Cappgh at Dunmullan. A visit was also made to Cappagh Parish Church of Ireland which this year is celebrating its 250th anniversary. Declan Forde gave a presentation on the life and work of Alice Milligan and W F Marshall who have connections with the two graveyards. Thanks are due to Fermanagh and Omagh District Council for the organisation. Also to Ann Stacher for additional photographs.

For those who are able to receive RTE,the first episode of the new RTÉ series of Who Do You Think You Are? will be broadcast this Sunday (9 September) at 9.30 pm. The series follows six well-known Irish people exploring their family history. The series had a large input from Accredited Genealogists Ireland, of which I am a member. Nicola Morris, MAGI, directed and co-ordinated all the genealogical research. Nicola also has been involved in several Irish-related episodes of th...e UK and US versions of WDYTYA?
Nicola Morris was responsible for conducting the research on this new RTE series, along with the team from her company, Timeline Research. There were additional research contributions from three AGI Members, Paul Gorry, Paul MacCotter and Anne-Marie Smith. As well as Nicola Morris, Paul Gorry and Anne-Marie Smith, four AGI Members will appear on screen – Susan Chadwick, John Grenham, Brian Mitchell and Georgina Scally.
The six subjects for this series are Bertie Ahern, Damien Dempsey, Adrian Dunbar, Pat Shortt, Samantha Power and Laura Witmore. The first episode features Damien Dempsey.
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In conjunction with the Local Council, we have arranged this to highlight the importance of our ancient graveyards and historic churches. Great to see some of you on this trip. Sunday 9th September from 11 am to 3 pm. See details for booking.

As usual I seem to spend a lot of time in Graveyards! Part of the job. According to findagrave.com there are a number of Gaileys from Creevy buried in this old graveyard. This is the description in Findagrave. "The cemetery sits on a hill overlooking the River Derg, east of Spamount, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. The site was once Scarvagherin Friary, a Franciscan 3rd Order monastery, founded in c. 1456 as Scairb-an-ciothrainn, and dissolved in 1603. A section of the north wall of the church survives in the cemetery. The enclosing walls of the graveyard appear to match those of the church." These are the ones I was able to photograph but didn't find Gailey.

Had a few days down in County Kilkenny at a family celebration. Didn't pass up on the opportunity to visit some of their exceptional sites, mostly due to early Norman influence. The Normans didn't get in to Tyrone so we don't have their big Monasteries and Churches found in the South East of Ireland. We also cycled the 40 km of the Waterford to Dungarvan Greenway along an old railway track. Only opened last year it has been a great success. Weather was nearly too hot and sunny, not a usual complaint in Ireland.

I've been busy with people coming to visit during June. This is a visit looking for their Knilans connections in the Castlederg area. The spelling of the name is variable, particularly prior to 1850, when Daniel Knilans left with his family for Wisconsin. His brother, Abraham, stayed behind and we uncovered the grave of their ancestor in Castlederg Parish Church, also called Abraham Knilance, who died 1759, aged 84, so he was born in 1675! There is also a Hugh Knyland in 1631... in the Strabane Muster Roll, and the family are probably descended from him. Thanks are due to the folks who have mapped and recorded the headstones at the Church; even then it took a bit of detective work but we managed. The Sexton then came and offered to show us the records and the interior of the Church. We then went to the townland of Creeduff when the Knilans had lived and were guided by the present owner to the old farmhouse where Daniel and his family lived prior to emigration. Again thanks are due to Castlederg & District Family History Society , one of whose members gave the introduction. After a fine lunch in the Redpepper we went via St Bestius Church, as this would have been the Parish Church of Termonamongan where Daniel was born. His father had the Glebe farm in Magherakeel in the Tithe in 1828 and we visited the old graveyard there.
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We have had some exceptional sunny and warm weather and I took the opportunity to visit the lake at Loughmacrory, about 8 miles from Omagh. Largely through community initiative, this lake which is a public water supply now has a range of recreational activities, including fishing and canoeing. Access has also provided to the lake shore and there is a very popular circular walking route. The local sporting club has also developed facilities nearby including these " handball" courts. The club has produced World Champions!

We have had some exceptional sunny and warm weather recently and I took the opportunity to have a walk around the lake at Loughmacrory, about 8 miles from Omagh. Largely a community initiative, the lake is a public water supply but is now also a recreational resource for water activities. Access for walkers is also provided around the circumference and it presents good photographic opportunities. The local community have also developed sporting activities, including these "handball" courts. Some local players have become World champions!

I had a two night break in the Sligo area. Stopped off at Glencar Lake and Waterfall and overheard someone say that she couldn't have enough sheep! We also visited Lissadell House and surroundings and we stayed at Rosses Point, beside the sea.

Interview in this week's edition of Omagh Today (Issue 188 3rd May 2018) about Omagh Gaol. Some of it dates back to 1820s and it is showing its age. A part of Omagh's history which would need some tender loving care. http://www.omaghtoday.com/

Felt like Summer when I visited Belfast on Thursday 19th April after all our cloudy and wet weather. These are of the Titanic memorial at City Hall and I also went by bike on the Lagan towpath to the Lock Keeper's Restaurant at Shaw's Bridge and visited Botanic Gardens on the way back. Belfast had certainly its best side on view.

Now that Spring has finally arrived, in times past, thoughts would turn to the “hungry months” from now to July. This is the time of year when the old crop is running out and there is a gap until there is a new harvest. One solution for a large family with little land, apart from emigration, was the “hiring fair” which took place in most major towns in April and May. These were special fairs at which mostly young people presented themselves for hire for six months. Straban...e had a large fair as many came from west Donegal to be hired. A random search of the 1911 County Tyrone Census for a 20 year old female O’Donnell found a 19 year old Annie as a farm servant living with a Presbyterian family near Sixmilecross. She was born in Donegal and spoke Irish and English. A second farm servant, Hugh “Cool”, was also from Donegal also aged 19, and who spoke Irish was on the premises. Both most likely found their position through the hiring fair. When older, some would emigrate, perhaps to Scotland, but some made their lives in Tyrone. I interviewed a local woman in her 80s who was one of 3 sisters from Donegal who were all hired. The money they earned went to pay the bills for their elderly parents back in Donegal to whom she returned in the autumn. Her farm was some distance from Omagh which meant she had a problem getting there on Saturday evening which was her time off. She wrote to her parents and got permission to buy a bicycle and was then able to visit Omagh. She then met a (female) friend and they went window shopping but would never have gone into a public house. At one time in Omagh, it is said there was 32 pubs, one for each county in Ireland! She did go to the Cinema with her boyfriend. She met and married a local man and raised a family in Omagh. She passed away a few months ago.
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My clients from California had a great time; we were able to meet some of their distant relatives and visit their ancestoral home place. With a bit of detective work we also found their great grandmother's ( who emigrated) grandfather's grave in Castlederg. These photos are from a trip this week on which I acted as guide for people who work for the National Trust in Fermanagh and others who wished to learn more of the Omagh District which I carried out on behalf of the local Council. After a walking tour of Omagh town and coffee in the Strule Arts Centre, we visited the Ulster American Folk Park, the Abingdon Collection, drove via Gortin to An Creggan for lunch, and finished at Dun Uladh for a music and story telling session. Thanks to all who facilitated the visits.

I was up on a exploratory visit to the Castlederg area as I have some clients coming who have a connection with the Killeter area. The sun was shining giving a special character to the places and I met some helpful folk who gave of their time and knowledge. Called at Aghyaran and then Dregish on the way back.

Ancestry are giving Get Free Access to all Irish Records this St Patrick's Weekend. Note you must use ancestry.com With 80 million Irish records to explore, there’s no better time to build your family tree and uncover the names, places, and stories in your unique family history. PS Tyrone Roots can help you make sense of it!
All Irish Records FREE Through Monday**

The recent snow presented some interesting photo opportunities around my home village of Killyclogher, some with historical and family significance.

I was up yesterday manning the Accredited Genealogists of Ireland Stand at Belfast's Back To Our Past event. See www.backtoourpast.ie . It was held in the iconic Titanic Centre and had a wide range of workshops speakers, with a discrete sessions dedicated to DNA. This aspect will be increasingly important and requires a lot of new skills to make maximum advantage of the technology combined with our normal family research. It continues today, Saturday 17th February.

truly fantastic well done. it seems you do get around and record all these places for us thanks vincent

Thank you so much, Vincent, for helping me learn more about my Mathewson ancestors and their lives in Tyrone and for taking me to the places where they had lived and the churches where they had worshipped.

truly fantastic well done. it seems you do get around and record all these places for us thanks vincent

Thank you so much, Vincent, for helping me learn more about my Mathewson ancestors and their lives in Tyrone and for taking me to the places where they had lived and the churches where they had worshipped.