The February 3, 1845 baptism of my great-great-grandfather Patrick Harrington (1845-1915) is recorded in the parish registry of Rathmore RC parish. According to the register, Patrick’s parents were John Harrington and Catherine Crimmen, and the family’s residence was Knocknaloman. Rev. Eugene Murphy performed the baptism.
I am trying to determine the chapel in Rathmore RC parish in which Patrick’s baptism probably occurred. Lewis’s “Topographical Dictionary of Ireland” (1837) identifies several chapels in the eastern district of the parish as of 1837–one at Knocknacoppel, one at “Griorguillea” (I assume Gneevgullia?), “recently rebuilt”, one at Knocknagree, and one described somewhat mysteriously as being “attached to the establishment at Rathmore open to the public”. [ref]
The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage website states that the current Roman Catholic church at Rathmore, St. Joseph’s, was not built until about 1865, but that there was an “earlier building” on the site, built in about 1800–presumably also a chapel. [ref]
My assumption is that if there was any kind of chapel at Rathmore in 1845, Patrick’s parents would have had him baptized there, since Rathmore was closer to Knocknaloman than the other Rathmore parish chapels.
If anyone is aware of other good sources of information about which chapels existed in Rathmore parish in 1845, or any other information that might provide a clue as to where Patrick may have been baptized, I would be very interested in hearing of it.
Thanks in advance for any possible help!
Bob Kenney, Potomac, Maryland <email>
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admins notes:
Some helpful links:
Irish Genealogy: Baptism of PATRICK HARRINGTON of KNOCKNALOMON on 3 February 1845 (note: civil registrations don’t start until 1865)
Rathmore Parish Registers (very poor quality for 1845)
1840 OSI Map: Knocknaloman
1840 OSI Map: Knocknagree Chapel
1840 OSI Map: Knockacappul Capel
1840 OSI Map: Gneevguilla Chapel
1840 OSI Map: Site of the current church in Rathmore (nothing there)
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage: St.Joseph’s Rathmore
Lewis’s “Topographical Dictionary of Ireland” (1837): Kilcummin (Rathmore)
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Isn’t Knocknaloman in the Millstreet (Drishane) Parish? Their local church at the time should probably have been Cullen(?), as Ballydaly Church wasn’t built until about 1860.
There was no chapel at the site of the current site of the current church in Rathmore. indeed, Rathmore village(s) didn’t exist at the time. see the link above.
an idea of distances:
8km to knockacappul
8km to knocknagree
11km to gneevguilla
11km to Cullen Church
10km to Millstreet Church
Thanks, Michael, for posting these additional references and comments.
I haven’t been able to find definitive information as to which Roman Catholic parish Knocknaloman was in. Based on maps, it appears that the Blackwater was the border between Rathmore and Millstreet parish, and since Knocknaloman was south of the river it may have technically been in Millstreet RC parish. But there’s no doubt that the Harringtons, who lived in Knocknaloman in 1845, had their son Patrick baptized in a chapel of Rathmore parish. They did something similar a few years later, when they baptized children in Aghinagh RC parish even though they were not living physically in that parish at the time.
My g.g. Casey grandfather is believed to have been in Knocknalomon for a time