Irish puzzle

Post by **Barbara B** » 05 Jan 2011 10:34

I had a card from my paternal aunts over Christmas with a note about my grandfather's famliy. The trouble is I can't find any trace of the place they mention.
The note says that my great grandmother was a Duffy and was found on the Irish 1911 census in the parish of Carrawoughtra. I've searched high and low but even Google came up with nothing. Has anyone any ideas. The family are from County Tyrone - Cranagh, which is near Plumbridge.
I'd be grateful for any suggestions
Barbara

Post by **Hilary** » 05 Jan 2011 11:05

The ireland 1911 census is free google 1911 ireland census. I'd have a look for the lady in question and see any entries that give a similar name.

Hilary
Ed Officer

Post by **northmeols** » 05 Jan 2011 18:25

parish of Carrawoughtra..... looks like the gaelic spelling for the county

Post by **dickiesam** » 06 Jan 2011 09:45

Hi Barbara,
That name Carrawoughtra is probably an anglicised phonetic version of the Irish and it is probably a townland, not a parish.

Townlands are uniquely Irish and are an ancient description of an area of land. They can be from a couple of acres to 100s of aces in size and the name is usually derived from a geographical description of a particular feature in the area. For instance, Ballintober and Ballintubber were originally Baille an tobhair and it means townland of the well. Around 1850 most Irish names were anglicised phonetically during a major geographical survey.

Can you post g.mother Duffy's YoB and her forenames so we can see the word ourselves in the Irish 1911.

Dickiesam

Post by **Barbara B** » 06 Jan 2011 13:28

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I finally managed to track the place down by working backwards from my father's family name - Brown and putting in Tyrone. The name of the place was actually Carrowoaghtragh - a big name for a place with nine houses! The problem with the Duffy connection was that I had no other info and when I finally got to the right place of course my great grandmother was married to a Brown. Luckily her sister lived with the family and was still a Duffy.
It's the first time I've used the 1911 Irish census - isn't it great! I wish the English one was free.
Cheers
Barbara

Post by **dickiesam** » 06 Jan 2011 14:03

Hi Barbara,
Glad you solved that puzzle...
Some great photos here:
Carrowoaghtragh Townland http://www.geograph.ie/search.php?i=18128563

DS

Post by **Barbara B** » 06 Jan 2011 14:10

Thank you DS
I expect the ruin is where my lot used to live!
Joking apart they are great photos and much appreciated. I've just e-mailed my aunts with an update so I'll send them that link as well. Maybe they remember the area.
Best wishes
Barbara

Post by **MaryA** » 06 Jan 2011 14:28

Barbara B wrote:I expect the ruin is where my lot used to live!

I had a quick look to see what Wexford had to offer and then checked out googlemaps, and I think my lot lived in the middle of a field

at least yours had a roof