From Borris to Ballycastle

 

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Much of the content of this paper has come from research undertaken by the Ulster Historical Foundation with some input from the Tipperary Heritage Unit and myself.

 

My researches reveal that not much is known about John Fogarty, head of the Clan Fogarty in Ballycastle.  All that is certain is the fact that he died in Belfast on the 8th August 1894.  We know he died suddenly of a heart condition whilst living at 64 Boundary Street, Belfast and that his occupation at that time was given as clerk.  There was an inquest held due to his sudden death but to date no coroner's report has been unearthed.  The death certificate records John as being aged 45 – but since no date of birth has been established this could be an approximate age.  As there were no relatives living locally in Belfast the Coroner may assumed an age of around 45 – giving his year of birth as 1849.

 

John’s ancestry is uncertain but the family history strongly believes that his home town was Borrisoleigh in County Tipperary – but there is no evidence to prove this connection with Tipperary.  Borrisoleigh is a small town in the middle of Tipperary, close to Thurles, and not far from Castle Fogarty which in fact has been home of the Ryan family for many years.

 

The story goes that John moved north in the 1870’s having found himself a job as a sales rep for a company of silversmiths based in Belfast.  As a result of his travels he frequently stayed in the Antrim Arms on the Diamond in Ballycastle.  During his days there he struck up a friendship with the daughter of the publican, and in particular her friend, Jane O'Hara whose father ran a shop on the Diamond.

 

The friendship culminated in John marrying Jane O'Hara at the Roman Catholic chapel in Ballycastle on 24th August 1880.  The civil record has John as being an ironmonger from Belfast - the son of Edward Fogarty, a clark [sic].  One of the witnesses at the wedding was James Fogarty who is believed to have been John's brother.  The record shows that Edward was deceased at the time of the wedding in 1880.  Family sources believe that James worked for the same silversmiths as John, covering counties in the south of Ireland.

 

There are also suggestions that there was a third brother believed to be called Denis.  Other than that little is know about John’s origins.

 

The other witness was Jane’s younger sister, Margaret O'Hara, then aged 21.  Jane O'Hara was the daughter of a local merchant and farmer, John O'Hara.  He had married Margaret McKiernan - having two daughters, Jane and Margaret.

 

Having married in Ballycastle John and Jane returned to Belfast. The Belfast and Ulster Street directories record John as being an iron moulder living at 81 Limestone Road in 1884.  The directory for 1887 shows him as living at 105 Limestone Road and having an occupation as ironmonger.

 

Their first son, Edward Joseph Fogarty, was born on the 11th January 1885 whilst the family were living at Limestone Road.  Their daughter, Mary Margaret Fogarty, was baptised on 27 June 1889.  Both were baptised in St Patrick's Church, Belfast.  Oddly I have not been able to trace Mary Margaret’s birth certificate.

 

In between these births John and Jane had another son, John, born on the 25th January 1888.  Once again the family were living at 105 Limestone Road.  Sadly young John survived only 20 minutes.  He was buried the following day in Milltown Cemetery.

 

When Edward was only seven years old, and Mary three years old, their mother Jane died at Ballycastle on the 1st Sept 1892 presumably at the home of her parents.  She was 38 years old.  Her father, John O'Hara, was the registrar’s informant on this occasion.  Jane was buried in the graveyard at St Patrick’s and St Bridget's RC Church.  The record shows husband, John Fogarty, as being employed as a merchant at the time of Jane's death.

 

Following her death it appears that John returned to Belfast leaving the young children with their grandparents.  He died suddenly on the 8th August 1894 and was buried the following day in the same plot as his son, John, in Milltown Cemetery.  No gravestone exists for either John or his son.

 

John’s son, Edward, married Sarah Mary Baillie in St Joseph's Church, Pilot Street, Belfast on 20th April 1911.  The record shows him as being a merchant living at 65 Upper Meadow Street Belfast whilst Sarah is recorded as a schoolgirl living at 7 Meadow Street.  The marriage certificate shows John Fogarty as having the middle initial “S”, and as having an occupation described as "traveller".  Sarah's father was a John Baillie employed as a stationmaster.

 

Sarah was born 13th May 1892 in Turnarobert, in the parish of Armoy to John and Jane (Nee Thompson).  She had many brothers and sisters born between 1890 and 1898.  Her mother died in 1917.  Her father was the Stationmaster at Ballycastle during the period when the town had a railway station.

 

Edward and Sarah’s first son, John O'Hara, was born in Ballycastle on the 10th August 1911 - just four months after the marriage.  And the time Edward's occupation was described as merchant.

 

Their daughter, Jane O'Hara, was born on the 2nd August 1915 - again in Ballycastle.  By this time Edward is described as an insurance agent.

 

Their third child, Edward Joseph, was born on the 6th Sept 1918 in Ballycastle.  Once again father, Edward, is described as an insurance agent.

 

Their third son, Dermot Ryan, was born in Ballycastle on the 16th January 1921 by which time his father, Edward, was Clerk of the Urban Council.

 

More children followed:

 

 

Dermot died aged 21 on 28th August 1942.  He is buried in the family plot in the graveyard at St. Patrick’s & Bridget's in Ballycastle.

 

Sarah died on 4th May 1958, aged 65.  She was buried alongside her son in the churchyard that Ballycastle.

 

Edward Joseph died, aged 81, on 9th August 1966.

 

Edward’s sister, Mary Margaret, died in Belfast at Nazareth House, Ormeau Road on 26th February 1974.  She never married and appears to have spent much of her working life as a Housekeeper.

 

Edward and Sarah’s eldest son, John O'Hara, died aged 78 on 6th December 1989.  He was cremated at the crematorium in Woking, Surrey.

 

Owen died in Birmingham in 22nd April 2000.  Edward died the same year in Cochabamba, Bolivia where he was a Catholic priest.

 

Michael died in March 2002 at his home in Halesowen, near Birmingham.

 

Efforts to discover John Fogarty’s Tipperary roots continue………

 

Research Notes

 

IGP Database search

 

Family Marriages

 

24 August 1880 (25 August 1880 in civil record) in Ballycastle RC Church*

John Fogarty to Jane O'Hara

Bachelor, Full Age, Iron monger of Belfast, Full Age, Spinster, Farmer's daughter of Ballycastle

Husbands father, Edward Fogarty, Clark (sic), deceased

Wife's father, John O'Hara, Farmer and Shopkeeper

Witnesses James Fogarty and Margaret O'Hara

 Rev P McAlister. $10-0-0

 

20 April 1911 in St. Joseph's RC Church, Belfast*

Edward Joseph Fogarty to Sarah Mary Baillie

Bachelor, Full Age, Merchant of 65 Upper Meadow St, Spinster, 19, School Girl of 7 Meadow St

Husband's father John S Fogarty, Traveller

Wife's father John Baillie, Stationmaster

Witnesses John McAuley and Mary McAuley

Rev T McCotter

 

 

Family Births

 

11 January 1885*

Edward Joseph Fogarty, son of John Fogarty and Jane Fogarty (formerly O’Hara) of 105 Limestone Road, Belfast.  Father’s profession – Buyer

Informant Mary McLaughlin, present at birth 17 New Dock Street

Registered 31st January 1885

 

 

Family Baptisms

 

11 January 1885 in St. Patrick's RC Church, Belfast

Edward Joseph Fogarty, son of John Fogarty and Jane O'Hara, Limestone Road

Sponsors Robert Crickard and Margaret O'Hara

Rev R Crickard

 

27 June 1889 in St Patrick's RC Church, Belfast

Mary Margaret Fogarty, daughter of John Fogarty and Jane O'Hara, 105 Limestone Road

Sponsor Margaret O'Hara

Rev J McCartan

 

Other Baptisms

 

21 December 1893 in St. Patrick's RC Church, Belfast

John William Fogarty, son of John W Fogarty, Justice of the Peace and Anne McLorinan, Cushendall

Sponsors Charles McLorinan and Mary McLorinan

Rev G Crolly

 

18 July 1896 in Cushendall RC Church, Co. Antrim

Madeline Florence Fogarty, daughter of John W Fogarty and Anne McLorinan, Cushendall

Sponsors William McLorinan and Margaret McLorinan

Rev P Convery

 

21 November 1898 in Holy Family RC Church, Belfast

Cecil Fogarty, son of John Fogarty and Anne McLorinan, Cushendall

Sponsors Francis McLernan and Rose McLorinan

Rev R Storey

 

Gravestone, Deaths and Burials

 

Deaths

 

8 August 1894*

John Fogarty, Clerk, aged 45

64 Boundary Street, Belfast

Heart Disease suddenly

 

26 February 1974*

Mary Fogarty, Retired Housekeeper, aged 85

Nazareth House, Ormeau Road, Belfast

1(a) Cardiac Failure (b) Myocardial Degeneration 11 Senility

 

Friars Bush

 

No 579

14/04/1908      Clara Fogarty   3 Cavehill Road                        Plot B14           Aged 12

 

No 592

27/11/1908      John W Fogarty            103 Antrim Road          PlotB14            Aged 15

 

Milltown

 

McCREA

 

In memory of Thomas McCREA who died in Roden, New Mexico USA 185 aged 44 years.  Also his sons Thomas and James who died infancy.  Also his sister Mary Ann JOHNSON who died 26th Nov 1903 aged 39 years.  Also his aunt Mary Ann FOGARTY died 26th July 1908 aged 78 years.  James McCrea died 5th Nov 1914 aged 51 years and his dear wife Jane died 14th May 1930 aged 66 years.  RIP.

 

 

Index to Milltown Cemetery                                                              MIC 1D/91/4

John Fogarty, 72

 

72      Grant, 25 Jan. 1888, Lease No 2566

          Sold to John Fogarty, 105 Limestone Street

          9' x 4.0; 136, ZC, Section A, £2-10 (2 burials)

 

Regn Nos

 

6955       John Fogarty 1 day 105 Limestone Road Inter 26.1.1888

10352     John Fogarty 45 years 64 Boundary Street Inter. 9.8.1894

 

284    Grant 7 Sep. 1920, no 10195

            James Fogarty (no relation), 112 Henry Street

 

St Patrick’s & St Bridget’s, RC Church, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim

 

FOGARTY

 

Pray for the souls of Edward Joseph FOGARTY died 19th August 1966 aged 81 years, his wife Sarah died 4th May 1958 aged 66 years, his sister Mary died 26th Feb 1974 Aged 83 years.

 

O’HARA

 

In memory of John O’HARA, late of Ballycastle who died 8th December 1873 aged 80 years, his beloved wife Jane died 19th October 1879 aged 78 years, their grand daughter Jane FOGARTY died 1st Sept 1892 aged 38, her mother Margaret died 15th Feb 1896 aged 70, her daughter Margaret Mary died 3rd July 1905 aged 45 years and her father John O’Hara died 18th April 1910 aged 94, his great grandson Dermot Ryan FOGARTY died 28th August 1942 aged 21.  May they rest in Peace.

 

 

Will Calendar Index 1877-1900

 

Fogarty, Daniel                         (16 03 94 : Tipperary) 1894

Fogarty, Daniel                         (29 08 95 : Tipperary) 1895

Fogarty, Daniel                         (30 12 88 : Tipperary) 1893

Fogarty, Denis                          (03 04 79 : Tipperary) 1880

Fogarty, Elizabeth                     (08 04 99 : Tipperary) 1899

Fogarty, Ellen                           (24 07 00 : Tipperary) 1900

Fogarty, James             (29 05 98 : Tipperary) 1899

Fogarty, Jeremiah                     (07 03 99 : Tipperary) 1899

Fogarty, John                           (12 07 85 : Tipperary) 1885

Fogarty, Margaret                    (02 07 82 : Tipperary) 1884

Fogarty, Martin                        (11 10 95 : Tipperary) 1898

Fogarty, Mary                          (21 12 78 : Tipperary) 1879

Fogarty, Patrick                        (14 12 81 : Tipperary) 1893

Fogarty, Patrick                        (28 03 98 : Tipperary) 1898

Fogarty, Patrick                        (04 02 98 : Tipperary) 1898

Fogarty, Philip              (19 09 87 : Tipperary) 1889

Fogarty, Roger             (17 02 99 : Tipperary) 1899

Fogarty, Thomas                      (10 05 93 : Tipperary) 1895

Fogarty, Thomas                      (11 02 96 : Tipperary) 1897

Fogarty, Thomas                      (16 11 80 : Tipperary) 1881

Fogarty, Thomas                      (27 12 97 : Tipperary) 1898

Fogarty, Thomas                      (06 03 75 : Tipperary) 1890

Fogarty, Timothy                      (04 09 88 : Tipperary) 1891

Fogarty, William                       (27 01 99 : Tipperary) 1899

Fogarty, William                       (28 04 86 : Tipperary) 1886

Fogarty, William                       (28 08 97 : Tipperary) 1898

Fogarty, William                       (09 01 78 : Tipperary) 1881

 

 

Belfast and Ulster Street Directories

 

1884    81 Limestone Street      John Fogarty, ironmoulder

1887    105 Limestone Road    John Fogarty, ironmonger

1890    105 Limestone Road    Vacant

1896    27 Ardmoulin Ave        A Fogarty, RIC

1897    83 Euston Street           Ed Fogarty, timekeeper

1899    83 Euston Street           Ed Fogarty, timekeeper

            32 Farnham Street        Andrew Fogarty, RIC

            10 Eglinton Street         Jeremiah Fogarty, waiter

1900    15 Columbia Street       A Fogarty, sergeant RIC

            83 Euston Street           E Fogarty, timekeeper

            10 Eglinton Street         Jeremiah Fogarty, waiter

 

 

* Copy of Certificate obtained

 

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