location of Cloonan, birth place of Daniel McAllen

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Maurice Hanrahan
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location of Cloonan, birth place of Daniel McAllen

Post by Maurice Hanrahan » Sun Aug 17, 2014 1:00 pm

Hello

I have a death certificate for Dan McAllen (died in Australia in 1898) which lists his birth place as Cloonan, Co Clare. Is anyone aware of this place? I have previously thought it might have been poorly recorded as the family most likely came from Derrycalliff, Clooney (or Derryhumma? or nearby). Any assistance most appreciated.
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Dan McAllen death certificate.pdf
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murf
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Location: Qld Australia

Re: location of Cloonan, birth place of Daniel McAllen

Post by murf » Tue Aug 19, 2014 6:22 am

Hello Maurice
One thing to keep in mind is that info on death certificates should be treated with caution. Surviving relatives often make mistakes in the details.
It would be helpful to know what sources you have already searched. Have you exhausted all the wealth of resources on this website?
I see from a quick look at Griffiths Valuation that John and Michael McAllen appear in the townland of Derrycalliff, Clooney Parish.
Also there are two McCallan households(be prepared for different spellings) in the 1901 census in this same townland, including an 84 yo widow, the right vintage for a possible sister-in-law of Dan McAllen.
The death certificate suggests that Dan migrated around 1854 at the age of 36(ie born in 1818). Given these early dates probably the most productive source of info may be the church baptism and marriage registers. As I understand it the civil parish of Clooney comes under the jurisdiction of the Catholic Parish of Quin. The Baptism records commence in 1816, so you may be just lucky enough to pick up Dan's entry.
Good luck.

Maurice Hanrahan
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Joined: Tue Sep 14, 2010 8:08 am

Re: location of Cloonan, birth place of Daniel McAllen

Post by Maurice Hanrahan » Mon Aug 25, 2014 3:37 pm

Hi

What we know. Dan McAllen who died in 1898 in Australia had parents Daniel and Susannah (nee Callinan). He also had brothers and sisters living in Ireland close to the date he died (made reference in his will to this). He was well known to his nephew (Thomas Hanrahan) who notified his death and also place of birth. They lived in adjoining properties for 35 years and Thomas' mother (Dan's sister) was still alive and well in 1898.

He had 1st cousins (Keatings), who also came to Australia and I have traced shipping and land/valuation records to acertain that they originally came from Scalpnagown, Co Clare. Charles McAllen from Scalpnagown was a beneficiary when one of the Keating brothers died in Australia around 1896.

I have considered the Griffiths, 1901 and 1911 censuses and freeholders registry. We have also previously commissioned the Corofin heritage centre to consider RC records. We have also looked at records with variations of the spelling of McAllen.

Simple question is whether Cloonan may have been misinterpreted as Clooney, or does it possibly refer to another place?

Sincerely

Maurice

miriam scahill
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Re: location of Cloonan, birth place of Daniel McAllen

Post by miriam scahill » Mon Aug 25, 2014 10:31 pm

Hi Maurice - a bit of research on http://www.clarelibrary.ie - shows Charles McALLIN aged 54 and his family - as well as his mother, Mary, aged 82 - also Patrick Hanrahan aged 85 and his family together with John Hanrahan and his family are all living in area of SCALPNAGOWN in D E D of CAHER - in Registration District of Tulla - all in Parish of INCHICRONAN. Census of 1901 = Notice spelling of name. Info on Genealogy page of Clare Library. Miriam.
P.S - I see that there is an area called CLOONEEN in the Parish. - but no McAllin or Hanrahan names.

murf
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Location: Qld Australia

Re: location of Cloonan, birth place of Daniel McAllen

Post by murf » Tue Aug 26, 2014 12:40 am

There is a Lawrence McAllen in Griffiths Valuation in the townland of Clooneen that Miriam mentions. There is also a Lawrence McAllen in Scalpnagown, located beside Mary Keating. Note also that Charles McAllin in the 1901 census has a son named Lawrence.
Actually, it is interesting to compare the family names mentioned in Griffiths to those in the 1901 census to see how little things changed in that half century. Of the 11 different family names appearing in Griffiths, nine are still there in 1901.
This still requires further investigation, but it would seem that the townland of Clooneen may be a likely candidate for the birthplace of Daniel.

Maurice Hanrahan
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Joined: Tue Sep 14, 2010 8:08 am

Re: location of Cloonan, birth place of Daniel McAllen

Post by Maurice Hanrahan » Tue Aug 26, 2014 12:47 pm

Murf - I cannot see on the Clare library website the Lawrence or Charles McAllen residing at Clooneen - am I missing something? Yes I agree not much changed over the 50 years (and also further if you look at the freeholder registry of the 1820's.

Miriam - I have previously looked at the McAllin's (sic)lresiding at Scalpnagown. I have copies of the Land valuation records from 1859 through to the 1940's and yes Charles and Lawrence are prominent.

The Patrick Hanrahan residing at Scalpnagown that you refer to married Bridget McAllen from Derryhumma. They married on 21 February 1851. She was born around 1826 and died in February 1915. I am unsure of her parents, but the witnesses to the wedding were Daniel McAllen and Mary Hinchy. I suspect that she may have been a sister of Dan McAllen (as well as his sister, Mary McAllen who married Michael Hanrahan (my GG grandfather)). I am of the view that Michael (my GG grandfather) was brother to the Patrick and John Hanrahan residing in Scalpnagown - I have numerous pieces of data that support this proposition.

Note that a Dan McAllen is listed on the freeholders in 1819 for Derryhumma (Derrycalliff), but not in the Griffiths.

Regards

murf
Posts: 365
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 12:58 am
Location: Qld Australia

Re: location of Cloonan, birth place of Daniel McAllen

Post by murf » Wed Aug 27, 2014 7:41 am

Yeah Maurice, sorry for the confusion. Whilst flipping pages I got wires crossed. Mea culpa.
From what you have presented it does appear likely that Dan's origins were near Derrycalliff. Cloonan may have been a local name not necessarily an official townland name, and spellings vary over time. Present day locals may have some knowledge of it.
Do you know how comprehensive was the Corrifin Heritage examination of the church records? You may be able to squeeze more out of them if you were to access them personally. Starting to sound like an excuse to visit. :wink:

chriscusack
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Re: location of Cloonan, birth place of Daniel McAllen

Post by chriscusack » Thu Dec 11, 2014 5:52 pm

I have a pdf file canceled books (valuation books) for landowners in Derrycalliff and Derryhumma. McAllens are there, even to this day. They own the land that my family owned, given to them by cousin when he passed on. Join the County Clare Facebook Group and private message me. I will share the files and info that I have. Hopefully it will help you.

Chris Cusack

Sduddy
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Re: location of Cloonan, birth place of Daniel McAllen

Post by Sduddy » Mon Feb 06, 2023 11:23 am

Hi Maurice,

Looking at the Quin-Clooney baptisms (1816-1855), I see the baptism of Daniel McAllen, son of Michael McAllen and Jony Callinan, Derryhumma, on 24 Jul 1820; sponsors: John McAllen, Cate McAllen:https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls ... 0/mode/1up. I think the priest made a mistake when he gave the father's name as Michael. I see, also, the baptism of a Mary McAllan, daughter of Daniel McAllan and Joane Callinan, Derryhumma, on 24 Apr 1831; sponsor: https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls ... 9/mode/1up. Believe it or not, Susan was another version of the name Joan.

I was looking at the Clooney baptisms in an effort to find out where exactly “Derryhumma” is. There’s a McAllen headstone in Kilraghtis graveyard, which is inscribed: “In loving memory of Patrick McAllen, Derryhumma, Crusheen, died 25 Jun 1967, aged 63 years. His granddaughter Marie McAllen died 31 Oct 1968 aged 5 months. Rest in Peace”: https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/cocla ... urname.htm. Many people from Crusheen and Clooney parishes have their burial place in Kilraghtis.
I think Derryhumma may be in the townland of Derryvet (also spelled “Derryvett”), and, if so, then it is in the parish of Crusheen (Inchicronan). But the line between Crusheen and Clooney parishes seems to have been blurred in the minds of people; many people gave their address as Clooney on one occasion, and as Crusheen on another.
When looking for civil records for McAllen, keep in mind that that the name was also spelled "McCallan".

Sheila

Edit: 9 Aug 2023:
I have since found that Derryhumma is a subdivision of the townland of Derrycaliff in the parish of Clooney. On the maps it is labelled “Derryheena”, but I think this is a mistake. Looking at Griffith’s Valuation (1855), I found that the tenants of Lot 5 in Derrycalliff correspond to civil records and Catholic parish records both of which give the address as Derryhumma – see my post made on this forum on 4 Aug 2023, page 47 of the topic “Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree”: http://www.ourlibrary.ca/phpbb2/viewtop ... &start=690. The following is the part of my post that refers to the McAllens:
Hi Jimbo, I’ve been looking again at your last post, and see that you suggest that, in Griffith’s Valuation of Derrycalliff, plot 5 corresponds to the group of houses labelled “Derryheena”. I am beginning to wonder if “Derryheena” is the place usually called Derryhumma. I can find no reference to a Derryheena in the Clooney parish records and have not come across it in the civil records.
As yet, I haven’t found much evidence to support such a theory, but I’ve found a marriage record that shows that John McCallan who is living in Derrycaliff in 1901 (http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/p ... f/1087166/) is most likely John McAllen from Derryhumma who married Anne Tobin in 1899: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 784032.pdf. John’s father was Michael, but maybe his grandfather was John McAllen, one of the tenants of plot 5 in Griffith’s. John’s daughter, Mary, was born in Derryhumma, according to this civil record: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 750232.pdf. I think she is Mary Mc Allin, aged 11, living in Derrycaliff in 1911 (http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/p ... ff/370283/). I think John’s mother, Anne, aged 80 in 1911, may be Hannah Halloran in the Clooney-Quin baptisms 1855-1880.
I'm proceeding with caution.
Sheila

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