Looking for information for Dugan/Richford/Mcnamara/White Families

Deb:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

The RC records for Feakle parish start in 1860 so if they were baptized in that parish http://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0784   no baptismal records would be available. The marriages start in September 1860 so maybe the Mary McNamara/Peter Reynolds could be on the register.

There is a parish just to the northwest of Feakle known as Killanena which has records starting in 1842. It is possible that your family records are in that parish depending on where they lived.

http://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0768

The 1855 Griffiths Valuation head of household listing for Feakle civil parish shows many McNamara records including four Thomas records. Assuming your Thomas McNamara was still living, he is likely one of the four listed.

http://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/clare/feakle.htm

Do you have the townland where the family lived?

Roger McDonnell

Hi Roger,

Thank you very much for your response!!!! Very excited! Unfortunately the information I have is very limited. I found the parish name on the grave stone of Catherine (Dugan) McNamara. On Catherine's death certificate listed her parents Thomas Dugan and Catherine Richford both from Ireland. I noticed from a prevoius post to look at Clare library and found Feakle Cemetery grave names and photos. I noticed Dugan could be spelled Duggan and maybe Richford is really Rochford? I have found McNamara changed to Mack listed in the area where Irish relatives settled in United States. So all the name changes have made it hard to trace. I have Catherine (Dugan) McNamara listed in 1860 US census in Warren, Massachusetts as being 65 yrs old. Her husband Thomas McNamara is not listed on census. Not sure if he is still in Ireland or has passed away in 1860?

 History from local library references families of James White/Ann McNamara were from County Clare. Unfortuantely no townships.

My family and I would be over the moon with happiness to fill in the blanks of our families journey and find cousins alive and well! 

Thanks a million for your help!

Deb

Deb:

You may want to consider autosomal DNA testing. You will likely match a few people with McNamara connextion. Not necessarily in Ireland (the Irish have been slow to get into DNA testing) but likely in the USA/Canada/Australia etc Some may have more info on where your McNamaras come from (by townland). The fact that the name is so common in the parish will complicate your efforts.

The 1901 census shows 45 people with the surname McNamara in the Feakle DED (District Electoral Division). The Feakle DED does not cover all of the townlands in Feakle civil parish-- just Feakle town and ten townlands near the town.

http://census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Clare/Feakle/

Roger

Dear Deb:

Many thanks for your query to the Ireland Reaching Out message board.  I am the PL for Tulla which is a neighbouring parish to Feakle and I will ask several local people that I know about the particular families.  The McNamara and Rochford connection has been researched by various individuals--one of whom was involved with Ireland Reaching Out at one stage.  I will contact him and let him know about your interest. 

Are you aware that the Feakle parish registers (Feakle Lower) are available online through the Clare Library website?  If so, they are agood starting point for you to see if you can make any connections.  Here is the link for those registers:

http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/genealogy/don_tran/bmd/baptism…;

The Feakle Upper register is known as Caher (as well as Killanena) and that register is available online through the National Library of Irelad through this link:

http://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0768. 

If you have any questions or need some assistance, please email me at:  tulla@irelandxo.com. 

Kind regards, 

Jane

Dear Roger,

Thank you for your many ideas and directions to further my search! All your help grately appreciated!

Hope you and family have Happy and Healthy New Year!

Thanks a million!

Deb

Dear Jane,

Thank you so much for all your help especially reaching out to the man who has done some research with McNamara/Rochford family. Thank you for connections to National Library and Clare. I did majority of research in 2001, couldn't seem to find more information than I have posted. The last of my four children has left for college and I have more time for research. My children & I have been to Ireland 4 times since 2007, most recent this past July. We toured the Dunbrody famine ship, which really moved me with pride, sadness and great courage for all Irish families. 

Where would the families from Feakle and area towns leave for Boston during the famine? 

I will look thru all the suggested sites.

Thanks a million for all your help & I look forward to hearing from you! I hope you and your family have a Happy & Healthy New Year!

Warm Regards,

Deb

Hi Deb:

Thank you for your reply.  A lot of new material has started to come online--particularly through the Irish government and that is great for anyone with Irish roots!  I have a message sent to my local contact in Feakle, and I will follow up with him in the next week or so.  A very Happy New Year to you and your family.  You will have to visit Feakle on your next trip!

All the best,

Jane.

Hi Jane,

I look forward hearing back from you and I'll be working hard to find out more info from Boston and local area for added information. I promise my next visit to Ireland will be to Feakle! I'm hoping my youngest daughter will be studying in Ireland Jan-May 2018. We have dear friends that live in Wicklow Town, where we have spent majority of our visits. 

It would be an honor to find living cousins in Ireland and piece together our family history! Thanks a million for your help!

Warm Regards,

Deb