Knott Family Boyle

We do periodic cleanups of old messages and for some reason your message is now showing up. We apologize for taking almost three years to respond. I looked on Roots Ireland but could not find a Jane Knott baptismal record around1801. The only Jane Knott marriage record was in 1842 in the Boyle C of I church to a Roger Irwin. Below are all the Knott records from the 1833 Tithe listings for Boyle parish.

Have you considered autosomal DNA testing.

Roger McDonnell

http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/results.jsp?…

Thank you for the reply. To be honest I wasn't really expecting a reply because records are so sparse back then. I haven't found any records that would indicate that she is my great great great grandmother. The name comes from dates kept by the family and a gravestone in Baslick cemetery in Roscommon with her name and her husband's name. I did find a death record for her on 13 January 1881. From family stories she was supposed to be from Boyle and a Protestant. I was hoping that it would be easier to find a birth record since she was a Protestant but it hasn't turned out that way. 

Thank you for sending the Tithe listings. It could prove to be useful. I have considered getting DNA testing but there are so many providing the service and I'm trying to figure out which would be the best option. I will probably do it eventually at some stage in the future.

Once again thank you for the reply.

I have tested with Ancestry and Family Tree. I would recommend the the Family Finder (autosomal) DNA test from Family Tree. Family Tree has better analytical tools. 

Roger

Knott's of Boyle town own a man's suit shop. They are a well established family who are native to the town. Check them out on telephone directory, or write to them cannot remember but I think Main St will get them. Everybody knows them .Good Luck.

Thank you for the reply. I will look into contacting them. The only issue is that they may not have much information on their ancestry but it could be worth a shot. My dad actually bought his wedding suit there.

I also have done a DNA test since I posted this. My mum matches a man estimated to be a 2nd to 4th cousin descended from a Jane Knott born in 1854 in Ireland and her father John was born in England. Unfortunately the match doesn't know much about their Knott ancestors like myself or how they're connected to Ireland.

I think they are still church of Ireland participants. I worked in Boles's as a student , so I am going back some time. I hope you are lucky in finding them out. You might be surprised how much they will be able to assist you. However if you have issues on locating them let me know as my family still live in My birth place.
Best of Luck. Una

Welcome to the IrelandXO Co. Roscommon Community!

FEENAGHTY

First up, I recommend you join the Civil Parish of KILCORKERY *corrected*.

Here, in 1829, your William Feenaghty, registered a £10 freehold for a house and land at Tully, Bar. Ballintobber. A John Feenaghty, and three members of the Giblin family also registered £10 freeholds for houses and land in Tully at the same time. [Roscommon & Leitrim Gazette - Saturday 26 September 1829].

Keep a watchful eye on James Feenaghty, of Strokestown (civil parish of BUMLIN) who registered a £20 freehold as a resident of that town at that time.  [Roscommon & Leitrim Gazette - Saturday 2 May 1829].  Jane would have married money, so any Feenaghty Cess Payer or Freeholder should be of interest as a possible ancestor /extended family relations.  

KNOTT

The Irish Landed Estates Database is a good starting point for historical information on the Knott family of Boyle. There you will find an extensive list of archival resources for you to peruse. 

Their primary estate was in the Barony of Corran in Co. Sligo ... just north-west Boyle. The family seat was at Atteville in the civil parish of Kilshalvy. I also recommend you join the civil parish of Toormour (where you will be in good company with the ancestors of Riverdance's Michael Flately!)

The Knotts will also most certainly turn up in newspaper archive records. A subscription to the BritishNewspaperArchive could help you work out Knott family relationships (and eliminate others) from marriages and obits. e.g.

Richard Knott of Knockadoo BOYLE (1749 census) 

Richard Knott of Knockadoo (d.1784) was a substantial stock grower (cattle, sheep etc). He had a fine dwelling house with offices and a garden on his 200 acres at Knockadoo, Boyle. He also held lands at  Killaraght (420 acres)  Grallagh (219 acres),  Knockrush (180 acres) Lisserdrea (with Thomas Coyne and William Knott) Emlagh, part of Carrowkeel, and part of The Warrne, Boyle - all advertised TO LET upon his death, applications to: William Knott Esq of Tivannagh, Harloe Knott Esq. of Battlefield Co. Sligo (near Boyle), William Phibbs Esq of Hollybrook, Rev. William Phibbs of Ardlaherty, Co. Sligo, and William Cristine Sligo town.  [Dublin Evening Post - Saturday 27 March 1784]

​​

Sometimes (from my own experience) where a family story tells of an ancestor being "of Boyle", it may relate to where the connected family line was at the time of the story being passed on. Jane may have been born in another place/county.  These landed folks and their kin had the references and resources to move house quite a bit (renting big houses around Boyle, Roscommon and even up in Dublin from their peers).  

BATTLEFIELD HOUSE, SLIGO

James Knott Esq. (d. 1832) aka Captain Knott of Battlefield aka Clooncaugh, aka Taunagh Co Sligo, died of Cholera in August 1832. James & Mary Knott of Battlefield were the parents of: 

• Edward Knott (1804)
• Johanna Knott (1807)  
• Ellen, youngest daughter, died 16 Nov 1831. 
• Owen Phibbs Knott Esq. R.N. married Anna Maria Annesley (cousin to the Earl of Annesley). 
•  James Knott Esq. of Battlefield m. Maria Knott bap Elizabeth G. Knott (1843)
• William Phibbs Knott married Ruth Handy in 1828. William Phibbs Knott Esq. and wife Ruth were defendants in the application of his widowed mother Mary (Battlefield In Chancery in 1840). 

MARRIED, On the 24th instant, at Horseleap church, by the Rev. George Leslie Gresson, Vicar of Ardnurcher, William Phibbs Knott, Esq. son to James Knott, of Battlefield, county Sligo, Esq. to Ruth, daughter of Samuel Wesley Handy, of Bracca Castle, county Westmeath, Esq.  [Saunders's News-Letter - Tuesday 29 April 1828].

> SLIGO TOWN Carraignahorice: Edward & Elizabeth Knott bap James (1829), Edward & George (twins 1832), Middleton Omelly (b. 1838; Surgeon residing in Castlebar in 1901)

HOLLYBROOK , BALLINAFAD (4 miles from Boyle in Co. Sligo) parish of Aghanagh

Residing at Hollybrook Demesne from 1814:  John Knot & Jane Lougheed . Children: 

• Hugh Knott* married Jane Brett on 28 Jan 1846, resided at Hollybrook until 1861, when the family emigrated to Canada. 
• James Knott (b. 1814) married Rachel Taylor
• Jane Knott (b.1821)
• Eliza Knott (b.1830)
• William Knott (ca. 1831-1873) married Susanna
• Margaret Knott (b.1835)

Residing at Hollybrook Demesne  Edward & Elizabeth Knott bap Catherine 1835; John (1840).

Residing at Hollybrook Demesne:  James & Rachel Knott bap Eliza Jane (1843)

Residing at Hollybrook Demesne:  Hugh & Jane Knott bap Anne (1847) Christopher (1848) ... Sarah (1856)

TEEVANAGH HOUSE, BOYLE

Captain Knott of Tivannagh (d. circa 1842) was the father of:

• Miss Knott who married John Trumble Esq. of Oldrock Co Sligo on 11 Jan 1826.
• His third daughter married Harlow Irwin Esq. of Granny on 12 June 1828. "A Knott, unknotted, by being tied, ... Miss Knott has  become a blooming bride." [Roscommon & Leitrim Gazette - 14 June 1828].
• His eldest son was David Knott Esq. of Assylin Boyle and Melbourne Australia (d. 1864). 
• His third son, William Knott Esq. (1815-1840) died age 25 at Assylin, Boyle. 
• His youngest daughter, Jane Knott married Roger Irwin Esq. of Lakefield [Dublin Evening Packet and Correspondent - Tuesday 27 September 1842] .

ROSC Tivannagh (1829) > Assylin Boyle:  David Knott & Mary Daneer of Assylin  (1839) bap William 1836, Margaret 1838, Richard (1840). David Knott Esq. was the eldest son of Captain Knott of Teevanagh House near Boyle. David was a Rate Collector for the Killaraght Division of Boyle. David's wife Mary (dau. of Dr. Daneer) died in Co Roscommon 1842. The family later emigrated to Melbourne where David Knott Esq. died on Nov 28. 1864 (of 'Apoplexy' i.e. a stroke). 

ROSC "Furanagh" aka Assylin  July 27, 1859 Melbourne, Australia, Margaret Mary Knott, only daughter of David Knott, Esq. late of Furanagh, county Roscommon, to Robert Roe, Esq, fourth son of Robert Roe, Esq, Ballykelly, Queen's County.  [Roscommon & Leitrim Gazette - Saturday 22 October 1859]

ROSC Assylin Boyle: Roger & Jane Knott bap. Sarah (1843)

ROSC Tivannagh:  Robert & Mary Knott bap. William (1841) Mary (1843) 

ROSC Kilnamanagh: William & Anne Knott bap. Eleanor (1852)

LEITRIM Ballinamore:  David & Elizabeth Knott bap Rebecca (1834 & 1838) David Jr. 1836 [David Sr. was shopkeeper in Ballinamore until he was declared Insolvent in March 1835]. 

LEITRIM Ardrum:   John & Martha Knott bap. George James Knott (1839) James Alexander (1840) Maria (1843) Martha (1845)

LEITRIM Foxwood: Alexander & Margaret Knott bap. William Johnston (1841), George (1843) Matilda (1844) John Alex (1846) Sam (1847)

LEITRIM Sligo: Edward & Eliza Knott bap. George (1841)

It looks like you can exclude the Knotts of Tivannagh Boyle as their daughter Jane is born far too late. 

Potential KNOTT relatives:

SLIGO: Matthew & Lilly Knot bap Susanah (1792); 

ROSC: William & Sarah Knott bap. Harlow (1793)

ROSC (Catholic): Michael Knott & Brigid Corcoran (1828);

ROSC (Catholic): Edward Knott* & Anne Ward TIBOHINE bap William 1837 (*gp William Knott), Roseanne (1839) Cornelius (1841)

ROSC Derrybeg (Catholic): William & Sarah Knott bap. Jane (1845). See James Knott of Derrybeg in 1901.

Thank you for all of this great information. This is actually the Tully where my Feenaghtys were from: https://www.townlands.ie/roscommon/castlereagh/kilcorkery/baslick/tully/

They seem to have had different boundaries back then. Tully is in the parish of Kilcorkey. There's a description of Kilcorkey here which describes it as being in the barony of Ballintobber in 1837: https://www.libraryireland.com/topog/K/Kilcorkey-Ballintobber-Roscommon…

What does it mean exactly to have registered a freehold? I had come across the article before and I didn't really understand why it was in a newspaper. Does this mean that 1829 may have been the year that William Feenaghty came to Tully? My grandfather used to say to my mum that their house was a herd's house in Tully. I'm not sure what that means really. She thinks that it was just a bit bigger than other houses but I don't know. I was just looking at that Roscommon and Leitrim Gazette. It also lists three Giblins in Tully. William Feenaghty's mother was supposed to have been Giblin. If this was when William first moved to Tully, he would have already been married to Jane Knott since their first child was born in 1824 (my 2x great grandfather). My aunt has it that the Feenaghtys were from around Lough Gara before Tully but I haven't seen it written anywhere or any other relative saying it. She had it that they went from Donamon to Lough Gara but I'm not sure where she got this information from whether it was passed down or an idea that she's formed herself.

A third cousin had it that William Feenaghty was a printer and friendly with the Ffrench family but I had never heard this within my own family. Maybe the printer part was confused with a document that was in my grandfather's possession. The document was called the "A '98 Memorial - The Finerty Shield'. It read: "The men of his native town of Loughrea have done honor to Peter Finnerty the publisher of the press in 1798 and to themselves erecting a memorial to the patriot publisher and by giving his name to one of the streets of his town. He was placed on trial on 22nd of December 1798 for the publication signed 'Marcus' and addressed to the Lord Leftenant calling attention to the infamous means by which William Orr had been done to death. He was defended by John Philpot Curran whose eloquence and arguments were useless against a packed jury. Finerty was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment from the day of his arrest and to stand in the pillory for an hour, to pay a fine of 20 pounds and at the expiation of his imprisonment to give security himself and 500 pounds and two securities of 250 pounds each for his good behaviour. Mr. Finerty did actually stand in the pillory and the rest of his miscellaneous sentence was also carried out. Signed, Thomas Finerty" No date.

My great grandfather's name was Thomas Finerty so I don't know if that was just him signing it or someone else. I don't know if it's any way relevant to my actual family either or if my grandfather had it because they had the same surname. It's also noted on the document that Peter Finerty was the editor of the United Irishmen. John Philpot Curran's daughter was the sweetheart of Robert Emmet and she was tortured (hung by her thumbs) to make her divulge his whereabouts.

My 2x great grandfather did have a fair amount of money left in his will when he died. However, he left it all to his two married daughters. His three sons were bachelors. One of his sons had emigrated to England. The other two sons weren't married yet with one never marrying. Suffice to say, my mum never had any more than any other family growing up. My great grandfather was left the house though.

I'll have a look at all of those Knotts and see if I can make any connections. You've given me a wealth of information there and thank you for taking the time to do it. I also don't think that she was necessarily from Boyle but she may have been from the surrounding area which could be at the border areas of Roscommon, Leitrim or Sligo.

Thanks for the clarification on Tully (there are many of them!). I have corrected the parish link above. In early 19th century records it is also recorded as Tullymulrennin / Tullymadden (and spelling variants).

The 1829 Freeholders Registry was a special one due to changes in laws. Everyone who wanted the right to vote had to do it, so it was nothing to do having recently moved into a place. They would have to prove in court that they had title to the freehold (named on the lease). Wealthier Catholics (with freeholds valued at £10 or more) could register to vote. This would tell you that William was a tenant farmer, with enough acreage to be a profitable stock-grower/grazier (fattening cattle). The little guy on 20 acres of poor quality land, raising calves wouldn't have qualified to register. 

So, if you take a look at the 1830 Tithe Applotment Record for Tully (aka Tullymulrinnan) you can see that its voting freeholders: William Giblin, John Giblin, John Finnarty and William Finnarty [sic] each had an even split of about 18 Irish acres (larger than the statute acre quoted in Griffith's) of mostly 1st class land each. You can be certain that these 4 holdings were originaly a combined holding of a shared father/ father-in-law (probably a Giblin who subdivided it fairly among the 4 men). They were on that land a generation beforehand too.  (Michael Giblin, Martin Giblin and James Finnarty of Tully with their 13 acres of poorer quality of land, didn't qualify to vote). 

The HERD's HOUSE is an interesting one.  Around these parts of Roscommon "herds" is often used in reference to these cattle graziers. I have seen different instances as to what a "Herd's House" refers to in Griffith's Valuation here. Generally it is a small 1-2 room thatch cabin (bigger than a  cottier's "cottage" aka cabin) for a herdsman who may have only taken up residence there when the cattle were brought in for summer grazing. Having said that, in other cases, herd's were resident in a townland, caring for the landlord's cattle, with grazing rights for their own cattle in return. A substantial grazier/ middleman would not have been resident in a "herd's house". However, he may have subdivided a townland among his children, with each taking up a pre-existing herd's house as a residence. 

(Do you have the GV tenement number for your ancestral home at Tully? If so, I can check it out and give you my 2 cents worth). 

Thank you again for all of this great information. During Griffith's Valuation William Feenaghty owned 11 A and 11 B. House 'a' was occupied while house 'b' and 'c' were vacant. Based on the Griffith's Valuation map, William's son (my 2x great grandfather) lived in house 'b' while his other son lived in house 'a'. Based on this it looks like your theory that his son took up residence in a pre-existing herd's house could be correct. It's interesting that the eldest son got the herd's house instead of the original house. Although house 'a' was supposed to have been haunted so maybe that was the reason! They had the holy host kept in it and everything with a priest coming to say mass.

This is the cenus for house 'b' (supposed to have been a herd's house) where my more recent family lived: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Roscommon/Baslick/Tull…

This is the census for house 'a': http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Roscommon/Baslick/Tull…

The description of the houses can be seen in the House and Building Return.

I found a mention of Martin Giblin of Tully in the school's collection.

Pakenham Mahon was the name of the land lord that owned the land in Tully. Pakenham Mahon was considered by the old people to be a fair land lord. He lived at Strokestown Co. Roscommon. At one time when tenants wanted to have their houses fixed and windows put in, instead of the very small windows that were in the houses, he allowed the tenents to get windows at half price. He paid the other half, so they got the windows in Strokestown. He never wanted "two livings" on one holding. He left each place in one receipt in the man's name. Mr. Martin Giblin of Tully gave half an acre of his land to the land lord to have Tully School built on it, so the land lord said, he would never again ask any land from Mr. Giblin for the site of a building.
He got rivers cleaned every year. He paid tenants to make their own fences and gave them quicken plants to plant on the ditches for fence and shelter.

My grandfather grew lots of different things on his land. During World War II the family got extra sugar because the family kept bees. The family grew oats, apple trees, gooseberries, plums, red currants, black currants, potatoes, lettuce, onions, carrots, parsnips, cabbage and rhubarb. They kept pigs, cows, calves, bullocks, turkeys, chickens and hens. They had a nice variety.

Curiously it was usually the youngest child who got the old family homestead.

When the eldest son was ready to marry, the father and younger siblings would have still been residing in the old house. So the eldest son would have built a new cabin nearby (with the help of neighbours) or moved into the land of his new bride (in lieu of a dowry) or emigrated.

The youngest daughter's husband, was sometimes the one who got the family home (in return for her care of her elderly parents), especially if the other brothers had settled elsewhere by then. 

That's a fascinating Giblin find in the school's collection!

That's interesting but understandable when you put it like that how the youngest could end up with the old house. I can especially see why that would be the case in a large family where the eldest was more likely to get married first and there may have not been much space in the house for any new children if lots of his own siblings were still living there. My ancestor did marry before his brother so that explains it. I think that I was going by my dad having kept the place being the eldest but he actually married later than his younger brother so it still fits that explanation.

Thanks again for all your help and for being able to put some of the information that I had into context.

You've helped me so much already but I thought that I'd mention some other things just in case you might be able to help. I have 9 children for William Feenaghty and Jane Knott.

1. The eldest was my 2x great grandfather James Feenaghty born in  1823 and died in 1911. James married Bedelia McDonagh who was a daughter of James McDonagh (c1830-1903) who was a carpenter in Ballinagare. Her mother was Mary (I don't know her maiden name) who died aged 45 on 1 March 1865. Bedelia's uncle was Rev. Patrick McDonagh who was the parish priest of Ballinagare. James and Bedelia had 5 children.

2. The first daughter married Glover. I think that he was meant to have been Church of Ireland.

3. The second daughter Mary (c1825-1905) never married and stayed in Tully.

4. The second son Dominick (c1829-1893) married Anne Forde (c1850-1892) daughter of Timothy Forde of Leitrim. She was supposed to have been a first cousin of Doctor Forde. 

5. The third daughter married Satchell. I'm not sure what his religion was meant to have been.

6. The fourth daughter married Copely. I think that he was also Church of Ireland.

7. The fifth daughter Winifred (c1831-1863) married William Coyne of Castlecole (c1827-1887). Winifred and William had two daughters. Both daughters went by Coen.

8. The sixth daughter Ellenor (c1835-1905) married Thomas Raftery of Brackloon (c1833-1915). They had 8 children.

9. The seventh daughter Sarah (c1842-1920) married Michael Connor (c1838-1921) son of Thomas of Ballinagare. They had 8 children.

I'm wondering about the daughters that married Glover, Satchell and Copely. In Griffith's Valuation, there's a Richard Copely in Tully. It does actually record his house as a herd's house. However, the only records surrounding a Richard Copely whether it's marriages of children or baptisms of children are a Richard Copely of Ardass or Tarmon. I can't find any records for a Copely in Tully. I found children for a Richard Copely and Bridget (of course her maiden name isn't recorded). There's Thomas Copely born in 1847, Margaret born in 1851, Richard born in Ardass in 1853 and Maria born in Ardass in 1856. They were all baptised in Kilkeevin Church of Ireland. In Griffith's there is Richard Corpley in Termonbeg. I'm trying to work out if this could be the same Richard in Tully. For marriages, there's a Jane Copley of Tarmon daughter of Richard that married Thomas Purdue in 1870. The other is Margaret Copley of Tarmon daughter of Richard who married John Siggins. I'm not sure if it's safe to assume that Bridget's maiden name was Feenaghty?

There are 3 Glovers in the parish of Baslick in Griffith's Valuation. There was a Hubert Satchell in Bellanagare. Thanks again for taking the time to help me out.

 I just found this on Findagrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/163067927/richard-copley

It records Richard Copely's wife as Bridget Timms so that rules out that theory. I still don't know if the Richard in Tully is the same as that in Tarmonthough. The distance between the two locations makes me think that they're not so the Richard in Tully could still possibly be connected to my Feenaghtys.

I don't see any Copley recorded in Tully in Griffith's Valuation. Are you sure?

The two townlands are close enough to each other. It was not uncommon to have an "outside farm" with the herds house unoccupied. 

Yes, there was a Richard Copely living at 15 A B C in Tully: http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml?action=doNam…

The link you provided doesn't have all the residents of Tully. If you click into the image, you can see all the residents.

Richard Copely could be the same as that in Tarmon. Either way it doesn't make much of a difference since I can't find any information pertaining to a Copely of Tully.

Re Finnerty

The Peter Finnerty mentioned here was a radical journalist active in the late Eighteenth- early Nineteent century. 

. A friend of Shelley, Hazlitt, Sheridan etc.
He was born in Loughrea , County Galway. c. 1770-76 and was Involved with the United Irishmen in the 1790s. He later went on to be a key figure in English Radical politics in the early nineteenth century. Was also involved in a famous trial where he was accused of having libelled Lord Castlereagh. He died in 1822.
It has been claimed that his grandson, John Frederick Finnerty, was a US congressman.
Would like to hear from anyone with iany further nformation about him and his life - especially in relation to his family background.

Thanks for that information regarding Peter Finerty. I had read up on him and learned about his involvement with the United Irishmen, being from Loughrea and the case with Lord Castlereagh. Unfortunately, I don't know if my family is connected to him or if he even married. He was supposed to have been 56 when he died so born about 1766. The earliest date of birth that I have is for William Feenaghty in 1788 but I also have his parents' names. I found a Diocesan Will in 1805 for a James Finaghty in Tully which is the same name as William's father. Unfortunately, there are no details other than name, townland, diocese and year. It would seem that my family were in Tully back to that generation anyway. My aunt claims that they came from Loughrea but I don't know if she's saying that just to suit the narrative.

I don't get the impression that Peter married so, if related to me, I expect that he was possibly a brother or cousin of an ancestor. I don't know if I'm related to him or if my family took an interest in him purely because of his surname. My family recorded dates and names of ancestors. One source of these sources was a list of names and dates that was written on the back of the printed Finerty Memorial Shield that gives the details about Peter Finerty. The Finerty Memorial Shield was signed by Thomas Finerty. This was my great grandfather's name but I don't know if this was him or someone else since no date was recorded. The second source of dates was taken from a small old book with the names and dates scattered throughout. The dates recorded ranged from when marriages took place to when a child started school. I would also be very interested to learn about his family background. 

My guess is there is a family connection. Is there any other text on the Finerty Shield that might bear this out?

The American family of John Frederick Finerty claim a direct connection to Peter Finerty - although I have not come across any reference to him having a wife or family either.

There is also an alleged connection to a M J Finerty (c.1816-48), who was editor of the Galway Vindicator newspaper..His widow moved to Tipperary apparently after his death.

From my own research, it looks as if Peter Finerty's father was a tailor in Loughrea. He also appears to have had at least two brothers -  Anthony, who lived in London and Garrett, who was also involved in radical politics.

I don't think that there's anything else on the memorial. I haven't actually seen it. I received a transcription of it. I received it from a relative who had been to my grandfather's house in 1979 and it was among his papers. My grandfather died a year after I was born. My mum remembers her father talking about William Orr but not much else. Unfortunately, she wasn't very interested in his family stories when he was alive. Like that, she remembers her father talking about Jane Knott but nothing about her. I don't know where my grandfather's notes are now or if they even still exist. It's a shame since I'm sure that he would have been able to give me context for all this. It's frustrating for me to think about it.

I could only find Peter's father being described as a tradesman. I cam across the following on this website before: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/103368

Changing the subject slightly, some years ago, I spent an afternoon in Loughrea (East County Galway) trying to find out why United Irishman Peter Finnerty has been "air-brushed" from local history. It was very rewarding -- in some ways -- in that, as a result, and after speaking with a number of local people, I eventually ended up getting to talk to a very polite and well-mannered, middle-aged man who is a direct descendant of Peter Finnerty (also with the family name of "Finnerty"). In a very restrained (but very sad it seemed to me) way, the overall "compiled" story seems to be something like this:

1) The "local powers-that-be" (i.e. the "ruling elites" of the local community in and around Loughrea that is) eventually decided "he (United Irishman Peter Finnerty) disgraced us all" (possibly under instructions from above I suspect), and decided that the Street in Loughrea once named "Finnerty Street" (in remembrance of United Irishman Peter Finnerty) should be renamed "Barrack Street, which is what it is now called.

2) As Peter Finnerty's family grew larger and wealthier from the business his parents once ran on what is now Barrack Street, they moved their family home away from Barrack Street to nearby Dunkellen Street (which runs parallel to Barrack Street, map available via http://tinyurl.com/c739ot3), and purchased two adjoining properties there. About 10 years ago, both properties were destroyed -- without trace -- to make way for some new properties of the "Mad-Bankster Property Development" era of the early 2000s.

3) It seems that a fairly recent local history of Loughrea, produced in connection with Year 2,000 Millennium Celebrations, possibly by the "Loughrea Literary & Historical Society" (and probably Government supported financially), contains no mention at all of United Irishman Peter Finnerty: even though a since-deceased DIRECT descendent of United Irishman Peter Finnerty, and also named Peter Finnerty, was a member of the group who helped to produce the publication in question.

That poster claims that a direct descendant still lived in Loughrea. There's no way to know how true that is just from this one post. It appears that Peter emigrated to England around 1809 and died in Westminster in 1822. I would be surprised if he had any direct descendants living in Loughrea still since he emigrated. If he had descendants, I would have thought that they would have lived in England. Finnertys in Loughrea are likely related to him but I'd be less certain of them being direct descendants. There were wills left by Finertys in Loughrea in the early 1800s. These were Nichs Finerty in 1813, John Feinaughty in 1840 and Charles Finaghty in 1812. They were all likely some sort of relatives of his.

This has been an informative and interesting thread although I've no connection with anyone mentioned.

Elmer,are you going to start a new thread asking  about Peter Finnarty & family in the hope of attracting a wider audience? You could collate the main points from here in a new thread and refer readers back to this one for background detail. You may also get input from people familiar with Loughrea if you include it in the title.

Dia duit ! Back to the Knotts: My great-great-grandmother was Aibigail Knott (c1810-1855). She married Henry Fry Esq. (1790-1894) in 1830 (thank you, Rua). She was born in Abbeyville, Co. Sligo, 20 km from Boyle, and died at Andresna House, Co. Sligo, 10 km north of Boyle. I have no information on her parents. Also in the tree, there is a John Knott (c1750-after1775) who married Ann Fry (1741-1773) in 1770 in Boyle (presumably). Edmund Fry who lives in Wicklow and is the 5g-grandson of Maj. Oliver Fry, suggested there might be a link between these two Knotts. I've checked WikiTree, Ancestry, ThePeerage.Com and Irish Roots and did not find much. There is a possiblitly that Abigail's parents could be John Knott (1790-1838) and Jane Lougheed (1793-1862) of Co. Sligo, but it is a long shot. Thanks. Wes Darou, Quebec, Canada,

I have a question out of pure ignorance, and Wikipedia has not been much help. What is "landed gentry" and what is a peer and what is the difference? Is everyone listed in ThePeerage.Com necessarily a peer? I trust that is the case for Burke's Peerage. How were these people addressed? For example, would Abigail Knott who I mentioned in the previous post be addressed as Lady Fry? My mother claimed that Julia Fry (1842-1915), her daughter, would have been addressed as Lady Julia. This seems unlikely considering she married her Catholic music teacher. And does any of this count today? I trust everyone except people who were knighted would be addressed as Mr. Fry or Mrs. Knott. We've saved enough money to visit the region if ever COVID settles down so I would be best to get this straight! I see the charming Andresna House is a very reasonably priced inn. Is the stark but impressive Frybrook house still a high-end inn? Tea at Frybrook looks like a lot of fun. Again, thanks. Wes Darou, Quebec, Canada.