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Archiver > IRL-MAYO > 2007-02 > 1171304394


From: "Susan Daily" <>
Subject: Re: [IRL-MAYO] O'DONNEL family Mayo (well-known?)
Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2007 12:19:54 -0600
References: <BAY109-F223147D6C2DA01130632B8BB910@phx.gbl>
In-Reply-To: <BAY109-F223147D6C2DA01130632B8BB910@phx.gbl>


Hi Vicki,

Most deaths started being recorded in 1864 in Ireland, and they are
called the Civil Registrations. These early years are available on
microfilm at your local Family History Center. You will want to find
out what PLU Liscanor is located in, so that you can focus on that
area. This web site might help, but it seems to be down at the moment:
http://www.seanruad.com/ (IreAtlas Townland search form).

The death record will not list her parents, however. But at least you
will get her first name and correct death date. It will list her age,
too, and the name of the informant and sometimes the informant's
relationship to the deceased.

The term well-known is subjective. In the old days, well-known meant
known well to the other people in the town! (It was commonly used in
the USA obits of my ancestors and in the marriage announcements for
many relatives, all before 1940.)

I'm having trouble with all my usual Irish web sites so can't suggest
more of them to help you.

As far as your book, it is quite possible that most of it was written
from personal knowledge. So the person writing in the late 1800s, knew
the people who had been born the century before, or who spoke of
persons born then, and wrote it down, then passed this on to the one
from the early part of the 1900s who wrote it down. You may never have
more proof then what you hold now. But you can probably believe that
most of it is true, with maybe a few mistakes and confusions here and
there.

I have inherited a 1930 history of an Irish family that arrived in the
US in 1830, and proven that 90% of it was accurate. So take heart.

Susan Daily

On 2/12/07, Vicki Perry <> wrote:
> The notes say that John COFFEY married E O'Donnell "of a well known family
> in County Mayo". She lived to the age of 103 and died at Liscanor about
> 1874. She would have been born in 1772 or 73. I realise that I might be able
> to get a death certificate, if the dates etc are accurate, but I am not
> going back to Ireland for a few months and I wondered if anyone on this list
> knew of a well-known Mayo family by the name of O'DONNELL, particularly one
> who had a daughter with the initial 'E' born around 1772.

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