Guestbook 2018 – 2020

Date: 5 April 2019
Name:  Peter Tuite
Email: petertuite@gmail.com
Comment:  I got this amazing  piece of information from your web site. It is the earliest Tuite in my direct family line (back to Patrick Tuite around 1704). Any suggestions on going back even further?
Killeagh Gravestone:  1785 This stone was erected by Edward and Michael Tuite also Patrick and Mathew Tuite in memory of their father John Tuite who departed this life March the 6th 1784 age 54 years.  Also his father Patrick Tuite who departed this life September the 22nd 1745 aged 41 yrs.
I’m from Wicklow but I’m sure you know Tuite is a common name in Meath. I put together a tuites.com web site with the broader family history. In a perfect world I would be able to link Patrick Tuite to Richard Tuite in 1172 but that is very hard to do!  Thanks 
Date:  26 February 2019
Name:  Brenda Cook
Email: Please send any responses directly to: ballinacree.history@gmail.com
Comment: Trying to find information on my grandmother who I think was born in Ballinacree. Her name was Mary Hynes, born 1873, married William Smyth who farmed near White Lake or Annagh. She was a school mistress, they had a farm near Carpenterstown, or Castlepollard or Fore. Possibly buried in Fore graveyard with one of her sons Edward. She died in 1954. My mother was born in Carpenterstown also.
My mother was born there, Anne Smyth in 1915.
Date:  25 January 2019
Name:  Michael Egenton, Moylagh, USA  Email: moegenton@gmail.com
Comment:  Local Mountnugent poet, Philip O’Connell, wrote extensively about Lough Sheelin. A book of his poems, National Poems, was published in 1829. I wonder if any of his work is extant and, if yes, how one might be able to acquire same.

Date:   18 January 2019
Name:  Athol O’Keeffe, Kurri Kurri NSW Australia  Email: collok@bigpond.com

Comment: Good Morning. My name is Athol O’Keeffe I am from a small town in NSW Australia. I am looking to see if anybody could help me find my grandmothers youngest brother Joseph Brown. My grandmother Elizabeth O’Keeffe (née brown from Ballinrink) Born 1876. I have had the pleasure of meeting Kit Lee who helped me out tremendously in 2013. Kit showed me where my grandmother lived and also the graves of some of her siblings. I forgot to ask Kit about Joseph. What I can tell you about Joseph is he married Martha Gibney who was living with relatives in Loughcrew by the name of Flood James and Rose they were brother and sister and were Blacksmiths. Joseph and Martha married in moylough? not sure about spelling in 1910 witnessed by Harry Devin and Mary Gibney. My great Grandmother Bessie was a Devin. I have also met Karen Crawley in floods Butcher shop in Oldcastle who was kind enough to make enquires for me but to no avail. Martha was born in Drogheda and her father worked as a guard on the railway I believe. Joseph had brothers Peter, Henry, Bartholomew (went to Liverpool) and also Patrick the father of Patrick Browne (Paddy) from Halfcarton. A story appeared on your site from Sr Nancy Clarke concerning Paddy and his brother Joe not the Joe I am looking for.
I would appreciate any information on Joseph and Martha as the last information I have is their marriage in 1910.
This is the only sibling of my grandmothers that I cannot find any further info on, it is very frustrating. I will send another email on the weekend on the subject of Paddy Brownes family to see if there are any relatives still alive on that side.  Finally if you are reading this Kit Lee or if somebody could mention this to Kit to send an email address so I could get a message to him.  I will be back in Ireland in May of this year so hopefully I can clear this family history up as it will be my last trip to Europe.

 

Date:  Friday, 31 August 2018
Name:  John Egerton, Erin, Ontario, Canada  Email:  jmke_20@hotmail.com

James Gibbons / Gibbens, taken in Acton, 1900

James Gibbons / Gibbens, taken in Acton, 1900

Comment:  I am attaching a photo of my 2nd great grandfather JAMES GIBBONS, sometimes referred to as GIBBENS.  He was born in the parish of BALLINACREE, in the townlands of TUBRID on May 21st 1819.  On April 19th 1832 along with his parents, siblings, and good family friends the MCCANN’s they sailed to Canada.  The GIBBONS and MCCANN families settled in the vicinity of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  The town  was called ACTON, now part of HALTON HILLS.

I  don’t know a whole lot about Tubrid.  On James’ gravestone is was recorded as TUBRIC which threw me off for a while.  His parents and other families from your parish all settled in a location now called DUBLIN LINE after the Irish settlers.  The McCanns and other families that came to Ontario likely still have ancestors in the area.  These families donated land, material, and hard labour to erect the first catholic church and cemetery in the area.

The photo was taken in the fall of 1900 in ACTON.

Date:  Wednesday, 29 August 2018
Name:  Pauline Spelman (nee Browne), United Kingdom  Email:  paulinespelman@yahoo.co.uk

Comment:  Hello there, I’m always interested in the history. My Dad grew up in halfcarton and I used to spend the summer holidays there as a child; I have such fond memories. I still visit from time to time. My Uncle still lives in halfcarton. I live in Coventry. My Dad moved to Coventry in late 1950’s, he’s 80 now but still travels home every year.  Thank you.