Hi Rae
The 1901 census (
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie ) shows just one family of Laffertys living in Cronagort East - that of Edward Lafferty. There’s a mix-up in the ages of the householders: Edward should be aged 50 - not aged 70; his mother, Bridget, should be aged 70 - not aged 50. Edward’s wife is Jane, aged 38. He and Jane (Flanagan) had married in 1891 (
http://www.irishgenealogy.ie - look under Ennistymon). The record of the marriage names Edward’s father as Morgan Lafferty (dead).
Edward died in 1904 aged 53, so was born about 1850. At that time, the townland of Cronagort lay in the parish of Lisdoonvarna. Unfortunately, the Lisdoonvarna register of baptisms starts at 1854, so Edward’s baptism is not recorded. But the baptisms of two other children of Morgan Lafferty and Bridget Burns are recorded: Michael baptised 26.09.1854 and Catherine baptised 03.11.1856. According to those baptism records, Morgan and his wife, Bridget, are the only Laffertys in Cronagort, but there is another family of Laffertys living in Roadford, which is in the same parish, i.e. Edmund/Edward and his wife, Mary Grady. Four baptisms are recorded for that couple, but they probably had more children born to them before 1854.
Griffith’s Valuation (1856) shows Morgan Lafferty leasing land (Lot 4) in Cronagort, East. He is the only Laferty who is listed as leasing land in that townland. Griffith’s Valuation shows Edward Laferty leasing land in Teergonean, village of Roadford. The Patrick Laferty, who was the father of Hannah (according to the record of her marriage in 1874), is not listed in Griffith’s Valuation, but it’s possible, nevertheless, that he was living in Cronagort – if he was a brother of Morgan, he might have been helping with the work on Morgan’s farm, rather than leasing land for himself. Patrick does not appear in the baptisms either, but it’s possible that his family was already completed by 1854.
The 1901 census shows two Lafferty families living in Teergoneen: (1) Michael aged 50 and his wife Anne (O’Connell/Connell) and several children, and (2) Mary Lafferty, aged 72, a widow, and four of her children. This Mary must be Mary Grady (wife of Edward). I failed to find a marriage record for Michael (which would have given his father’s name), but I strongly suspect that he is a son of Edward and Mary and that he had moved to another house nearby when he’d married Anne Connell.
In short, I don’t see any descendants of Pat Lafferty in the parish of Killilagh. Now, I am not forgetting that Hannah Lafferty who married Pat O’Donnell in 1874, is from Cronagort, and so her father, Pat Lafferty, a farmer, was most likely living in Cronagort, but it may be that a son of his moved to another parish nearby, for instance, to Inagh parish. Griffith’s Valuation shows a number of Laffertys in Inagh, but not a Pat Lafferty*, yet the marriage records for Ennistymon Union show the marriage of a John Lafferty, of Letterkelly, Inagh, whose father is Pat Lafferty: 17.02.1872: John Lafferty, Farmer, Letterkelly, son of Pat Lafferty, Farmer, married Mary Crawford, Clahanmore, daughter of James Crawford, Farmer, in Miltown Malbay church; witnesses; Patt Lafferty, Bridget Egan.
*again, we must allow that there may have been a Pat Lafferty living in Inagh who was not actually leasing land at the time of Griffith’s Valuation.
The Parish of Inagh – Kilnamora baptism register shows the baptisms of three children to John and Mary: Patrick on 18.03.1873; Martin on 04.12.1876; Mary on 17.08.1879. The civil records show that another child, John, was born 06.03.1883. John (Senior) died in Letterkelly in 1896, aged 65; his son Patrick reported the death. The 1901 census shows a Mary Lafferty, who is a widow, aged 50. I think this must be Mary Crawford. She has two sons living with her: Patrick and John. The 1911 census states that Mary had four children born to her of whom 3 are alive. Civil records show the marriages of Patrick (1913) and John Lafferty (1922), but I found no records for Martin, or for Mary.
I think the Laffertys in the parishes of Killilagh, Kilmoon, and Inagh may be related to each other (for instance, a Morgan Lafferty was born to Michael Lafferty and Elizabeth Moylan in Kilmoon in 1886). Instead of confining yourself to the Laffertys who are now living in Cronagort, I think you should consider other Lafferty families in that general area.
Sheila