NIR-ARMAGH-L Archives

From: <>
Subject: [NIR-ARMAGH-L] TRIP TO ARMAGH / RECORDS AT ARMAGH ANCESTRY
Date: Sat, 10 Jul 1999 19:29:27 EDT

Hi List!
just making sure that everyone is taking advantage of the resources at Armagh
Ancestry, which is a genealogical/heraldry/tourism centre located in Armagh
city. they have many many records indexed and computerized for the county of
armagh. these include all catholic church records pre-1900. they are now
working on computerizing other churches' records and civil records pre-1922.
I don't know what the fee is for a search of the database, it used to be 15
pounds when the records were at the Armagh Records Centre, which closed a few
years ago. If you want them to just go ahead and research your family for
you, they have access to all the other records concerning armagh such as the
tithe applotment, gravestone inscriptions, griffiths, censuses, militia
yeomen and muster rolls, wills etc etc. It seems to me that armagh ancestry
is basically the source for genealogical research in armagh. the center
itself is open to the public every day except sunday, and has a good-size
shop containing maps, charts, tons of books, heraldic gifts, crafts, etc. I
was fortunate enough to find out about it before my recent visit to armagh.
first off, i stayed at a place outside the city called Ni Eoghain Lodge which
is 2km away and run by the McGeowns - great people and the B&B is situated in
their beautiful gardens. they are able to help out with genealogical queries
etc during your stay. When I visited armagh ancestry i was able to purchase
the ordnance survey map containing the townlands my ancestors lived in, and
also some amazing books - one being a reprint of the 1880 Co Armagh
Directory, which not only listed all the heads of household at the time and
their occupation, broken down by townland, but also a ton of info on the
history and goings-on of each little area. the other was the Ordnance Survey
Memoirs of all the parishes of Co Armagh 1835-38 (except the parish of Armagh
which was never surveyed). I must have made some good selections because when
I got back to the B&B with them Mrs McGeown said she already had those books
as they are "absolutely essential" to anyone doing research in Co Armagh.
Grace Greer who runs Armagh Ancestry was also immensely helpful and their
shop was really a treasure trove.
When I went to visit the townlands my family had come from, i was lucky
enough in one of them to run into a distant cousin of sorts - i am descended
from McKeowns in that particular townland which is only about 100 acres big!
and when i got there it turned out that there are many mckeowns in the
catholic cemetery there, and that the keeper was also a mckeown and was
pleased to meet me and told me a bit about the mckeowns and that they had
come from scotland via donegal in the 12th or 13th century. i hope if any of
you are lucky enough to visit armagh you have just as good an experience. as
far as the troubles are concerned i wouldnt stay home because of it. good
luck.

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• [NIR-ARMAGH-L] TRIP TO ARMAGH / RECORDS AT ARMAGH ANCESTRY by <>

  • Re: [NIR-ARMAGH-L] TRIP TO ARMAGH / RECORDS AT ARMAGH ANCESTRY by judith berger< >