Farrell Galligan

Dear Christine

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

I had a look on rootsireland.ie in relation to the above but couldn't see anything that would lead be to believe that they were your ancestors. Can I ask how you know the parish location? RC records for Crosserlough begin in Oct 1843 (1801 for CofI) so there will be no RC baptism or marriage for anyone before that time in that parish. 

There are quite a few Galligan listings on the Griffith Valuation in Crosserlough for 1857. Assuming that not all the family emigrated some may have stayed and are connected to you. You may find, that given the early period of your search that you will have to undergo an information gathering exercise. I would suggest starting a simple database that lists for example, all of the Galligans on the Griffith's Valuation for a start. In this way you can decide should further records become available in the future, what you can rule in or out.

One way to track who stayed on the land from the time of Griffith's up to the 1960s/1970s is through the Cancelled/Revision Books. They are not available online yet so you would have to ask a researcher or go to the Valuation Office in Dublin. You can find out more about it here: 

http://www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com/revision-books.html

Another piece of info for you to consider is that there is a Patrick Galligan listed in Crosserlough in the Flax Growers List 1796:

http://www.failteromhat.com/post1796.php

I have probably posed more questions than answers!

Best wishes

Clare Doyle

Genealogy Support 

Hi Christine, 

I too am looking for more information on Farrell Galligan as he is my 4th great grandfather.  I did find the following information that is apparently from the 1821 census for the Crosserlough county.  The names/ages do seem to match up.  I'm going to add this information to my files and hopefully it'll eventually lead to more:

1821 Census

Townland of Corduff

The following entries are from the 1821 Census.
LDS Film #0597155

Townland of Corduff
Parish of Crosserlough.
Barony of Clanmahon
County of Cavan

Unless otherwise stated all houses are one Storey high.

House Number 9

Farrell Galligan - Head - Age 34 - Farmer and Weaver
Mary Galligan - Wife - Age 30 - Flax Spinner
Patrick Galligan - Son - Age 4
Bridget Galligan - Daughter - Age 8
Anne Galligan - Daughter - Age 1
Thomas Dignan - Age 17 - Servant and Labourer, Occasionally Linen Weaver
Mary Galligan - Age 16 - House Servant

https://sites.google.com/site/countycavanirelandgenweb/census-1821/cord…

Also, here's what I have for Mary Reilly's lineage: 

Father: Owen Reilly 

BIRTH 1743 • County, Cavan, Ireland

DEATH 1821 • Crosserlough, Cavan, Ireland

(Owen's father I have as: Robert Reilly 1720 - Unknown)

Mother: Rose McGuigan (still haven't paid for international access to records but there seems to be some with matching info - will do so soon)

BIRTH 1749 • Cavan, Ireland

DEATH APR 1848 • Kingscourt, Cavan, Ireland

Hi Christine

Unfortunately it isn't possile to locate any documentary evidence on your ancestor, Farrell Galligan, in Ireland. Farrell, as you already know was born in Corduff-Corlislea in Crosserlough Parish. The church records for Crosserlough Parish did not commence until 1843 so there is no baptismal record for him. Civil records did not commence in Ireland until 1864 (the exception being Church of Ireland marriages which commenced in 1845) - therefore no birth certificate exists.

My GGG Grandfather, Bartholomew Galligan, was Farrell's brother. Family lore indicates that their father was Patrick Galligan and that we arrived in Corduff-Corlislea in 1714 (from where we came is anybody's guess!). Farrell and his family emigrated in 1849 to the USA and eventually settled in Riley Ridge, not far from a small railway town called Lawer in the State of Iowa. My family visited the cemeteries in Riley Ridge and Lawler in May 2015......worth a visit if you have not been. Some of their descendants still live in that area e.g in New Hampton (a larger town west of Lawler). We met a few very distant cousins while there! 

Regards

David G.

Hi David, 

Could you give me a bit more information on your GGG Bartholomew Galligan and his family?  I'd like to add him to my tree as he would be my GGGG Uncle.

Thanks!

Hello cousin Kate! Happy New Year! I have a word document (a home-made family tree).....can I email it to you? David

Sure! Please feel free to email me at katemered <at> gmail. :) 

I believe I have a Galligan connection -- the famous American priest who founded the Knights of Columbus was Michael Joseph McGivney.  His parents were Patrick McGivney* 1835-1873 (m. Mary Lynch 1834-1888), whose father was Nicholas McGivney m. Rosa GALLIGAN.  This information came from a family tree submitted to the KofC and fit my family tree.  The name submitted was GalliGHER, but we believe it must have been GalliGAN because there were no Gallighers in the records we could find in Drumbee. (*Patrick McGivney was the brother of my GG grandmother, Catherine McGivney who married Unknown Comiskey [later the name changed to Comerford].  Patrick's family and my Comiskey family lived next to each other in Waterbury Connecticut, USA.  Drumbee, Tonylion, Kilnaleck and Crosserlough are all communities related to these  descendants and their families.

​I would Love to know the name of Catherine McGivney's Comisky / Cumisky / Comerford husband!