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I'm an American born of Irish descent on my father's side, who was born in Scotland.  My grandfather always claimed he was born in Ireland as stated on two census from the US, a ship manifest from Scotland to Detroit, but no birth certificate from the 1890's in Ireland.  There was however a government record that a John McDaid was baptized, being born to a Patrick McDade and Catherine Deeny in 1892 in the parish of Termon.  The Termon Parish Priest, a Father McHugh, answered my emailed inquiry that no record of a baptism could be found.  And then he didn't answer any further inquiries.   I was looking for someone from the area with a deep knowledge of the history and people. 

So now I am going to be there in October on a tour through Donegal and I'm not sure if it will get prickly but I want to look at the baptismal records myself, and with someone who knows how to read the records in hopes of finding some clues as to the family history.  All I know is that Patrick McDade leased a piece of farmland and left it for Scotland to work a coal mine in Blantyre.   

Any advice or suggestions on how I can proceed prior to and during my trip?  I just need some closure on that wee man who lived in our home in a suburb or Detroit sharing a bedroom with me and my three brothers until I was 12?  

 

Danny McDade

RogueDanny

Sunday 4th Sep 2022, 12:56AM

Message Board Replies

  • Danny,

    Subscription site  www.rootsireland.ie has a record of the baptism of a John McDaid in the parish of Termon in April 1887.

    Father: Patrick McDaid and mother Catherine DEENEY. The address is Tirargus.

    I have checked for the marriage of Patrick McDade and Catherine Feeney with negative results.

    Regards,

    McCoy

    Sunday 4th Sep 2022, 11:06AM
  • Further to previous Post:

    Roots entries: Hugh McDaid - April 14th 1885; Columba McDaid - March 17th 1889.

    An entry under Civil - James McDevitt - June 1892 - Address: Tirargus. This entry should possibly be "McDaid".

    I have checked the Civil records for this entry, but not found online.

    Perhaps you could make contact with the Parish and request a check on the entries 1885, 1887, 1889 and James McDevitt June 1892.

    You will appreciate that a charge is normally made for any copy of the entry.

    Regards,

     

    McCoy

    Sunday 4th Sep 2022, 11:54AM
  • Danny:

    In addition to the record for John that McCoy located there are also either civil or church records for six other siblings: Patrick 1880 Columb 1882 Rose 1884 Hugh 1885 Columba 1889 James 1892

    Roger McDonnell

    Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Sunday 4th Sep 2022, 11:58AM
  • Hi Danny, 
    Have you any sibling names to John?

    You say....
    ship manifest from Scotland to Detroit,
    Was this in 1923, married to Margaret, he went on his own, address at that time Watson Street, Larkfield?
    If you log into this site, you should get some information, not sure how much it will cost, records do have a lot of detail.
    ScotlandsPeople | Connecting Generations

    The five eldest children were born in Scotland, eldest one 1915c, you should be able to see her birth.

    Margot

     

    Margot

    Monday 5th Sep 2022, 10:24AM
  • Hi Danny, 

    My apologies as I only noticed this visitors message now as it was attached in error to the Parish of Raphoe?. 

    I have improved the name of the query from - How do I search Catholic Parish records for a baptism of my grandfather? to:  

    Visitor to Termon, Donegal – Researching John McDevitt (McDaid), born June 1892, Townland of Tirargus, Parish of Kilmacreenan. 

    This will help the process. Can I ask you, what date do you intend to travel to Termon and Kilmacrennan in October 2022. We can see about helping you with your visit, but we really need you to reply to us on this message so that work and plans at local level can be organised. 

    Regards Seamus Callaghan 

    Seamus Callaghan, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Wednesday 28th Sep 2022, 04:57PM
  • Hi Danny,  

    Back in 1847 we have a Columb McDevitt living in Tiragus. He has a house and is leasing land (Plot 25) in Townland of Tiragus. It will be a matter of us connecting this Columb McDevitt and Patrick McDaid form Tiragus (who is John McDaids father).  

    I will try and locate where the McDaid homestead would have been back then using the old Griffith Valuation Maps as this is a place of interest that I would recommend visiting during your travels in October  

    Seamus 

    Seamus Callaghan, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Wednesday 28th Sep 2022, 05:26PM
  • Hi Danny,  

    Google Map Location - Columb McDevitt Homestead back in 1847 (Griffith Valuation Map - Plot 25) 

    There is only one obvious building shown on Plot 25 in the old 1847 Griffith Valuation Maps of Tirargus.  

    This is the same location displayed here in Terargus 

    on the Google Maps Street-viewer. It is promising to see that there is a Building there and two older buildings to the rear. As soon as you reply, I will be able to put together some slides that will help prove these findings to you that this is the actual McDevitt homestead and co-ordinates that will take you directly there by means of google maps on your smart phone.  

    Seamus 

    Seamus Callaghan, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Wednesday 28th Sep 2022, 06:02PM
  • Update:   I was contacted by Marion Whelan who was able to research and find the answer to the question of where our Grandfather was from in Ireland. Since arriving on the shores of America from Scotland, the first generation of McDades knew he was from Ireland but had no  tangible proof only theories of where we came from.   Now the next generation finally has proof and that is like finding the ‘holy grail’ settling once and for all where exactly he (we) came from.  I am eternally grateful for the unselfish volunteers of Ireland XO and especially Marion for making this seemingly impossible quest come true.  

    Bless you all

    Danny McDade

    RogueDanny

    Saturday 5th Nov 2022, 03:42PM
  • Hi Danny,

    My 2x great-grandfather Francis Friel lived in Tirargus and is on the same Griffiths valuation as your McDaid ancestor. His daughter Bridget (b. 1860ish) was my great-grandmother. His other daughter Catherine married Neil McCafferty. Catherine's daughter Catherine married James McDaid in 1917. They immigrated to Philly in 1927 and their name changed from McDaid to McDevitt. I don't know why. 

    I also have a Rose McDaid that married into our Friel family by marrying Daniel Friel of Gortnalaragh. 

    Additionally, Father McHugh has retired from St Columba's. I have relatives still there and have corresponded with him also about family ancestry questions. He was a wealth of information about Donegal. The new priest is Father Michael McKeever. 

    How was your trip to Termon? 

    Teresa Maughan Emory

    Santa Rosa CA

    Teresa Maughan Emory

    Saturday 12th Nov 2022, 05:12AM
  • Hello, all. The surnames McDaid, McDade, and McDevitt are interchangable, even within the same family; some sons used McDaid and others, McDevitt. 

    kayann

    Thursday 10th Aug 2023, 12:35AM

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