Hi, Azure,
I would like to begin a One Place Study for Carrowreagh Townland, Killedan Parish, County Mayo, Ireland. In the 1840's Carrowreagh was populated by a group of 15 or so tenant farmers and their households paying rent to one landowner, at a time when Catholics were prohibited from owning land. I have collected info on at least 20 Carroll families in Carrowreagh and two other townlands (births, marriages, deaths) that I would like to make available to other researchers. I've ruled out the other two as the birthplace of my 3rd great-grandfather, John A. Carroll, who emigrated to New York City in 1841. Probably half the folks farming in Carrowreagh in 1856 were Carrolls, but other surnames there were Ryan, Lavin, and Walsh--all common names in the area outside the small town of Kilitmagh. I'm sure there were marriages between children of these neighbors. The land itself was interesting, because one-third of it was bog, and several families not only farmed on an island in the bog, but jointly leased the bog. For what? Lots of mystery and history. Fifty years later, many grandchildren remained farming these lands, as recorded in the Irish Census records of 1901 and 1911.
Please let me know if Carrowreagh Townland seems a suitable candidate for a One Place Study. I do not have a partner interested in doing this project with me. Not everyone will sit for hours searching poor quality microfiche records online at the National Library of Ireland! But I'd really like to make this hard-earned family data and history available to other researchers.
Really liked hearing about the One Study Project today on YouTube. Thanks for doing that!
Terry Zimmerman
