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kg0279 |
Another ancestry question! Flood/O'Keefe
Oct 15 2009, 5:14 AM EDT
Sorry to post yet another genealogy question to your community. I am looking into my father's family, James Gay of Mullingar, b.1923. My grandmother was Mary Flood of Gibbonstown married to my grandfather William Gay in the church at Rochfortbridge 13 April 1921 by Fr Charles Muntagh (Witnessed by Christy Glennow and Maggie Gaynor). Mary and William lived just outside Mullingar at Baltrasna, just off the Dublin road. Mary Flood was daughter of Catherine Keefe (Catherine was possibly born in Tallyho, Wicklow) and J Flood, who I think possibly worked or was tenant on the Gaulston Estate. My great-grandmother, Catherine Flood/Keefe, lived in Gibbonstown certainly for the 1911 census and herself had a brother Matthew Keefe (emigrated) and sister Mary Keefe. There is a family assumption that her husband John/James Flood was a blacksmith. My grandmother Mary Flood had five brothers: Michael Flood, Joseph E Flood, Laurence Flood, Thomas Flood and John Flood. At least three of the brothers emigrated to the States – I have Ellis Island records for them. Michael and Joseph left at the same time along with their cousin Richard Ennis in 1914 – the records show all of them using Matthew Keefe their uncle as sponsor so I can only assume that Matthew Keefe’s sister Mary Keefe married into the Ennis family, unless there is another sister I have not found. They also show that their mother Catherine was still in Gibbonstown after 1911. (There is another family story that the boys emigrated to avoid the authorities but not sure how true this is). I have a Westmeath Examiner archive listing J Gay, several Floods and some Ennis family as attending the funeral of Col. Smyth (1916 I think) and this might suggest that they were tenants showing their respects. Any hints or information would be of help; perhaps some of the names are familiar, even as far as the Gay’s in Mullingar, I would be grateful. Kind regards Kevin Gay 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Posted Anonymously |
1. RE: Another ancestry question! Flood/O'Keefe
Oct 17 2009, 8:50 PM EDT
Hi Kevin,have a good bit on all you ask but will have to rush for now, William, born circa 1896 was from Springfield Mullingar as was his best man Christy Glennon, married Mary Flood from Gibbonstaon by Fr. C. Murtagh. they had seven children as follows Patrick, Thomas, John, Peter and Elizabeth (twins) Fredrick and the baby William. The Flood family died out here in Gibbonstown but my father remembers them...will give you more when I get time....Denis 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Posted Anonymously |
2. RE: Another ancestry question! Flood/O'Keefe
Oct 17 2009, 9:05 PM EDT
Sorry Kevinin my rush i made an error JOHN GAY from SPRINGFIELD, MULLINGAR born circe 1850 was married to Anne of the same age and had the seven children mentioned above Patrick 1881 Thomas 1883 John 1890 Peter and Elizabeth (twins) 1892 Fredrick 1894 and William 1896 - so the seven children as above are the siblings and not offspring of William 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Posted Anonymously |
3. RE: Another ancestry question! Flood/O'Keefe
Oct 17 2009, 9:23 PM EDT
just a quick PS Kevin.Joe Flood as mentioned above in your post either never went or returned from USA and worked as a farm hand for a local farmer where he lived out his days and died as an old man in lodgings with his employer. his brother was the last to live in the family home and my father thinks his name was Tom. He thinks he and Joe were both batchelors - The farmer employer of Joe was named Keogh and the family home and whatever land attached where Tom lived was bought by a family named Curran 2 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you? |
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kg0279 |
4. RE: Another ancestry question! Flood/O'Keefe
Oct 19 2009, 4:28 AM EDT
Hi Denis,it is very kind of you to get back to me on this. It is all new stuff for me about Joe and Tom and I am seeing my Dad at the end of the month so hope some of it will jog his memory. I am fairly sure he has mentioned the Keogh's before and also perhaps the Curran family although I might be getting it wrong because I think he mentioned "Cullie" (I think there is a marriage in there somewhere on the Gay side). You've been very helpful but could I ask another question that you may or may not be able to answer? Dad was born in a house on the road between the Dublin Road and Marlinstown (where William and Mary bought him up). I believe it was associated to the barracks somehow but Dad always refers to it as Baltrasna. I vaguely remember going as a boy and it was a small house, I think on its own, and the only reference I can find is to "Baltrasna House" which it clearly isn't. I don't recall seeing a big house nearby. Was Baltrasna a townland of Mullingar which isn't used anymore? Regards Kevin 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
Belvedere |
5. RE: Another ancestry question! Flood/O'Keefe
Oct 19 2009, 8:25 PM EDT
"Hi Denis,Hello again Kevin and sorry I was not logged in on my last few posts but to answer your question: Baltrasna is a town land near Mullingar, as for a house in Baltrasna connected with the barracks.....thats very interesting to me and I have a hunch but cant confirm yet...I'll work on it before I make a fool of myself.................as for a house therein...well there is possibly a housing estate or factory there now but it is possible that it is still standing......modern road devolpments and such may have taken its place....you also mentioned a family named CULLIE........try CULLY as this is the common Irish spelling............My father remembers the Floods and I will chat him again and get all I can........ps Ask you Dad for more details as to where the house was or is...get as much info on townlands, the canal, the rail road, was it near a bridge called "SAUNDERS" bridge..Denis 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Posted Anonymously |
6. RE: Another ancestry question! Flood/O'Keefe
Oct 20 2009, 4:04 PM EDT
Thanks Denis.I've had a quick chat with my father this evening and sorry but his memory is failing him a lot nowadays - I have said that I'll take some information down with me at the end of the month and he will help me go through it. He remembers the name Saunders Bridge but is not sure why, and the manhole he had to be rescued from and a lot of other things but the location isn't coming through yet - I will try and jog his memory y asking him which way he walked to church! He also definitely said that the house was something todo with the army: I know that William and his brothers were all in the army during WW1. His uncle Thomas died in France and Freddie was injured in the arm I think. He did seem to remember details about his grandmother's house in Gibbonstown though and the Ennis's - we are the poor relations apparently (apologies to any Ennis cousins that may read this! :-)) That sort of helps make me think that the Ennis/Keefe/Keeffe relationship was correct so I might try and find out more about that. He says they were farmers and that they too were based around Gibbonstown - "Kilbride"?? I will hopefully be able to give you more details after I see him. Best regards Kevin 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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kg0279 |
7. RE: Another ancestry question! Flood/O'Keefe
Oct 20 2009, 4:19 PM EDT
Sorry - just looked at my passenger manifest for Richard Ennis (Matthew Keeffe's nephew) emigrating to the US and that says he was from Killucan so my father may be wrong.
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Belvedere |
8. Floods House
Oct 20 2009, 6:11 PM EDT
Kevin, as i have only slow dial up internet my next promise might fail but if it works I will send you a link to Floods house (Aerial photo) taken by Westmeath County Council about 2005 for planning and mapping, Gibbonstown, Kilbride is correct.....ask your Dad if he remembers the name of an area called "The Park".....if so thats where I live...well wish me luck...I will try to get you that map......The army house in Baltrasna has me thinking....i will ask a guy tomorrow who if anyone knows he will........standby for maps...i hope.
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Belvedere |
9. RE: Another ancestry question! Flood/O'Keefe
Oct 20 2009, 6:19 PM EDT
Kevin,....strangly enough I have deeds of my property dating back years and on one document it mentions the area of Gaulstown as Gaulstown, Killucan, co Westmeath....this could have been a postal address used for some time as Killucan is not far away, perhaps as Mullingar post office got busy and no PO in Rochfortbridge, the post for the Milltownpass/Gaulstown/Gibbonstown or north east corner of Rochfortbridge was administered by Killucan PO hence the Killucan in the address..
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Posted Anonymously |
10. Floods House Map
Oct 20 2009, 7:30 PM EDT
http://www.westmeathcoco.ie/ePlan41/FileRefDetails.aspx?file_number=0163&LASiteID=0Kevin follow this link and these basic instructions when the page opens you will see a planning application, click on the VIEW MAP button and allow pop-ups....once the map opens you will see on MAP TOOLS that the map is by default set at 4 bars out of 5...click to 5 bars (zoom in)......you will see blue square everywhere but if you look below map tools UNCHECK the SITE BOUNDARYS mark to get rid of the blue squares........now to see the Flood household.....click NORTH one click and you will see an almost 90degree bend in the road....on the left just before the bend is Floods house......Play with this map for a while...if you see Gleeson in Gibbonstown...that was Keoghs House..of course if you see O'Neill its me...try Baltrasna in the townland search and see if you can locate the house of army fame...have fun with this map and let me know how you get on.....Denis 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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kg0279 |
11. RE: Floods House Map
Nov 3 2009, 3:24 PM EST
Hi Denis, I hope you are well.I 'think' I may have a better location for my father's house. His description is: Turn right off the Dublin Road, through Marlinstown. This road takes you over the canal, I believe that this may be the bridge where he used to fish!... http://wikimapia.org/10355558/Baltrasna-Bridge-Royal-Canal-near-Mullingar-Co-Westmeath The road (my father calls it a Boreen?? Not sure of the spelling) then goes on quite a way towards the railway where there is a crossing (but only farm track on the other side). Dad's house is the last house on the right about 200 yds or more before the railway crossing. There is a small brook under the road they called the "Blue Tunnel River" and across the road an "ancient fort" of some description. The next house further down was on the left (Bridey and Sissy Moore perhaps). Across the railway was the house or farm of Mrs or Miss Brown, she owned a brown Ford Prefect which Dad thinks was one of the first cars in the area. He tried to remember what he could about his uncle's the Floods. Tom Flood he remembers used to smoke a pipe and his brother lived with him but he thought that his name was Jim Flood; he kept bees and had very bad eyesight, as did my fathers own brother Paddy Gay. Unfortunately his memory is failing. I am guessing that the Flood line is now dried up as you suggested, at least in Westmeath, and all of Dad's brothers and sisters came over to England in dribs and drabs. He remebers an aunt in Barrack Street Mullingar so I may pursue this angle - this is where the name Cully comes in Mary-Kate Cully. At the end of the day I think I am going to have to get as much information lined up as I can and visit Mullingar, I've found out that the Cathedral may have some parish records ... maybe sometime next year! Regards Kevin 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Belvedere |
12. RE: Floods House Map
Nov 3 2009, 5:23 PM EST
Hi Kevin,I have been asking about Baltrasna House and believe it is still standing...the link with the army barracks was that an officer commanding the barracks lived there for some time but I cant determine who and when...I will visit the house (weather permitting) soon and take a few photos....I will map the area (hand drawing) of all houses either derilict or in use in the area and forward it to you.....give me a few weeks to get that sorted as time and weather will play a role...till then......keep searching.....Denis 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Posted Anonymously |
13. RE: Floods House Map
Nov 4 2009, 7:16 PM EST
Aha! I found Saunders bridge....http://ims0.osiemaps.ie/website/publicviewer/main.aspx?id=&utype=&ecom=S1&user=ebed1ad3-db42-44c8-9e0c-5a352962f15a0#V1,644532,752287,61 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Belvedere |
14. RE: Floods House Map
Nov 13 2009, 1:13 PM EST
Thanks for the map...I will spend all night looking through it
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