MAHER Brick Wall

Hi Erin

Thank you for your query. The key to furthering your research is to find a place name of origin for your family in Ireland ( Parish,Townland). : Do you know much about their emigration? The dates, the reason why they left, who they may have travelled with?..etc..Generally more information was given at the port of arrival rather than the port of departure. If you knew which city they arrived at (e.g. Liverpool, New York, etc.), this could be a good place to find more information. -And perhaps even find out an exact place of origin.

Ellis Island: http://www.ellisisland.org/search/passSearch.asp

Castlegarden: http://www.castlegarden.org/

You could try checking the land records called the Tithe Applotment Books (1823-38) http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/home.jsp  or the later Griffith's Valuation (1848-64) http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/     or the Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS) https://familysearch.org/        

The Tithe Applotment List might be of use to you, or at least interesting for you. These lists constitute the only nationwide survey for the period, and are valuable because the heaviest burden of the tithes to the Established Church, the Church of Ireland, fell on the poorest, for whom few other records survive. The information in the Tithes is quite basic, typically consisting of townland name, landholder's name, area of land and tithes payable. 

Here are some additional websites that may be of help to you Erin:

http://tipperarynorth.rootsireland.ie/

http://bruboru.ie/

http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/introductio…

http://www.nli.ie/en/family-history-introduction.aspx

http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/browse/

http://ifhf.rootsireland.ie/?gclid=CNHhjdCMwrUCFQqV4QodKh8A4A

Civil registration records are available from the General Register Office (GRO). These start from 1864. You can access the website here: http://www.groireland.ie/research.htm

All the best in your continuing research.

Kind regards,                    

Genealogy Support 

Thank you so much for commenting. I would have thanked you sooner, but I've been busy searching through the wonderful links you've provided!

It seems the problem I have with continuing my research is trying to narrow it down to just the right person! For instance, I find many immigration records for Richard Maher, with dates that could correlate with my ancestor's  arrival, but no information that makes any one record definitive. The same is true with, say, Griffith's Valuations...without birth dates or family member's names, how is one to know whether they have found the "right" person?

Would, then, the next step be to find all the parishes of that time with a Richard Maher listed in the records, and one day either travel to Ireland in the hopes of searching through the individual parish records (and/or the NLI), or hire a genealogist in Ireland to do research for me? The thinking being that there MIGHT be baptism/marriage/etc records on that level that might further my research?

In the meantime, I agree about the available records being highly interesting, whether or not they are directly helpful. Thinking of the history from that time, and then reading the names of potential ancestors, and imaging what their lives might have been like is simply fascinating!

Thank you again for all of your help...Erin

I know what you mean.  I too am facing a brick wall search for the townland of my family.  I know the County but, that's the end of my information.  Your message got my attention because my family is the RICHARD MAHON  family from County Galway.

I think it comes down to searching every possible lead HERE in the USA before jumping over the pond into the hay stack looking for the needle.  It is better to know what hay stack to search before you land in it.  So, I have decided to search here and find that important link-clue.   All the websites in the world will not give you THE answer. They will give you AN answer but, you won't know if it is the right answer. The trick is to go backward from something or someone you know here. Forgive me if I seem to be lecturing. I am only imparting my frustration and what I have learned to save you time, money and disappointment.

Too bad MAHON is not MAHER or might have hit the right hay stack.

Good Luck.

Scott

Scott, I WISH we had hit on some connection! Such is the way this stuff goes!  I certainly do not consider your comments to be lecture. I am more than grateful for the thoughts and encouragement. And you know, just 2 days ago I may have found a new lead, a daughter of Richard's, so one never knows...this has been a long process for me, but a highly rewarding one, nonetheless. The lessons in history and the heightened awareness as to the lives my ancestors may have lived have been reward enough. I consider myself fortunate to have traced this man back to his birth in 1797! Amazing!

To  both our continued searches!

Warmly, Erin