Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

I was recently surprised to find a CWGC record for the burial of a soldier in the Drumcong Churchyard, County Leitrim. He was a neighbour of my ancestors, the McElroys. Tonight, looking through photos of the graveyard, I found this stone:

http://www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/ ... get21.html

This might be the family:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/r ... 002690833/

Someone has purchased a memorial and put him at the centre of their family - that must be rare for the Irish Republic - but I can't find any record of him on fmp, or on the CWGC site.

It would be interesting to know his story if anyone has a source?

Medal Card for a Sgt Patrick McGuckian 2391, 6/Conn Rangers but was discharged 5.7.16 No longer phys fit etc.

and another below but I don't feel either of them are right. Is it possible you might have access to local newspapers at your local library? There is probably mention of him on the date or very shortly afterwards
Royal Navy Register of Seaman's Services

MaryA wrote:Medal Card for a Sgt Patrick McGuckian 2391, 6/Conn Rangers but was discharged 5.7.16 No longer phys fit etc.

and another below but I don't feel either of them are right.

No; I suspect that isn't him. He is 'Guckian' on the stone and there is a family of 'Guckians' on the census.

I don't live close, but there is an index for County Leitrim newspapers. (It may be worth adding this to the links page?):

http://comres.leitrimcoco.ie/ipac20/ipa ... tover=true

That is sourced from the Leitrim County Council site:

http://www.carrick-on-shannon.ie/eng/Se ... hives.html

I trawled through a lot of hits but there was no reference to a soldier. [The Leitrim Observer was sympathetic to the rebels. After a couple of IRA attacks in 1921, 'men in military uniforms' (probably the Black and Tans) wrecked its offices and it wasn't published for a while (so no obituary of my gggm). It may not have published the story of a death in France anyway.] Some of the British papers seemed to publish general lists; I tried the BNA via fmp, but nothing there either. It's rather odd!

He may have died serving the United States Army, etc. I have found a Patrick Guckian, Bn 1893, Ireland, 1915 New York census. Will look at him further.

Bertieone wrote:He may have died serving the United States Army, etc. I have found a Patrick Guckian, Bn 1893, Ireland, 1915 New York census. Will look at him further.

That would fit - I was just searching where the action was at that time:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Soissons_(1918)

There's a few by that name in the states from Ireland, the one from the 1915 census was living with a cousin,

Michael McKeon, Head, 31, Ireland
Norah McKeon, wife, 29 Ireland

Bertieone wrote:There's a few by that name in the states from Ireland, the one from the 1915 census was living with a cousin,

Michael McKeon, Head, 31, Ireland
Norah McKeon, wife, 29 Ireland

A seventeen year-old Michael McKeon was a 'P.O. Letter Carrier', living close to the Guckians in 1901:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/r ... 000976033/

I'd guess you have it, Bert - thanks a lot.

He wasn't a relative, but it adds to the story. My gggf had been a Roman Catholic R.I.C. man. His two daughters were married to British soldiers who died in France. A young neighbour had joined the British Army and died from disease. Another neighbour was part of the I.R.A. group responsible for the Sheemore ambush. And this young man - from a few miles away, but a member of the same church - likely died with the U.S. Army. All this while Leitrim was like the Wild West during the Troubles. Quite a revelation for an Ulsterman looking for his Liverpool ancestors!

luxor wrote: there is an index for County Leitrim newspapers. (It may be worth adding this to the links page?):

http://comres.leitrimcoco.ie/ipac20/ipa ... tover=true

That is sourced from the Leitrim County Council site:

http://www.carrick-on-shannon.ie/eng/Se ... hives.html

Don't hesitate to add any good links to our websites board, if you post it yourself then your name is there as credit.