Irvines

Charmain,

Birth registration didn't start in Ireland till 1864. Prior to that you need to rely on church records for possible baptisms. Ideally you need parents’ names to be sure of finding the correct event. You might get them from a marriage or death certificate.

Rockfield in the parish of Trory is associated with the Irvine family (the local gentry, after whom the nearby town of Irvinestown is named). They were Church of Ireland (ie Anglican). There was a John Gerard Irvine living there in the 1901 census:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Fermanagh/Rockfield_or…

Trory Church of Ireland records start in 1779 (with some gaps). There is a copy in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast. I don’t think they are on-line anywhere.  If you are unable to go yourself, you could employ a researcher. Researchers in the PRONI area: http://sgni.net

Trory is in the RC parish of Irvinestown. Unfortunately their baptism and marriage records don’t start till 1846. 

There are two townlands named Rockfield in Co. Fermanagh. The other is in Galloon parish near Lisnaskea.  I note that there were also Irwin (Irvine) families in Galloon in 1834, though none in Rockfield:

http://www.irishgenealogyhub.com/fermanagh/tithe-applotment-books/parish-of-galloon.php

Galloon RC’s records don’t start till 1853.

Possibly DNA testing may be a way of matching with others who have additional information about where the family originate. Family Tree DNA reportedly has more people with Ulster roots than any other company. That obviously increases the chances of finding a match. You might want to try them or, if you have already tested, you can transfer your results to them for no fee.

The North of Ireland Family History Society is running an Ulster DNA project in conjunction with FTDNA and can offer testing kits at a reduced price.  http://www.nifhs.org (Go to DNA project on the website).

Elwyn

thank you so much for this info. I am going to be busy 

Charmain 

Hi Charmain,

My name is Sheryl and I am also researching Gerard Irvine who left Ireland in 1855 aged 17 years, aboard the ship Kate bound for Australia.  I have also hit a brick wall and wondering if you have had any success?

I found Gerard's marriage certificate and on this his father is listed as Richard Irvine and Mother Ann Mack.  On his immigration papers his father is listed as James and his mother as Ann.  Is his father Richard or James ?