Combined Slieverue/Glenmore Death Records

Danny Dowling (1927-2021) often expressed how lucky we were that Fr. Stephen Lower (c. 1727-1799) became the Parish Priest of Slieverue and began keeping records of his flock. Prior to 1846 Glenmore was not a separate parish as it was part of the Parish of Slieverue. The early combined Slieverue/Glenmore parish began recording deaths in December 1766. Below we have reviewed three years of death records. Unfortunately, none of the early parish death records recorded the age of the deceased. Thus we do not know how many adults and children are reflected in the death records. After Glenmore became a parish in its own right there are no death records. See our post of 11 November 2020 for further information regarding Fr. Lower.

The National Library of Ireland has digitalized the old parish records. The early combined Slieverue/Glenmore parish records are available on line. The earliest death records cover December 1766 to 21 February 1778 (Microfilm 05031/01). Deaths from 8 March 1778 to 28 November 1799 are also available (Microfilm 05031/02). After November 1799 there are no further parish death records available on line for Slieverue/Glenmore.  

The First Deaths Recorded in December 1766

The very first death recorded in the parish records was on the 4^th of December 1766. Unfortunately, due to what appears to be an ink stain all that is visible is James Ha… The second entry does not have a legible date, but John Burke at Trinneree is visible. The other three deaths do not indicate where the deceased resided, but their names are James Mylott, Mary Hacked and Anastasia Costelly.

Deaths Recorded in 1767

Of the three years reviewed 1767 is the most complete. Deaths are recorded for ten months in 1767. There were no deaths recorded in October or December of that year. More localities where the decedent resided are included. For example, on 3 June 1767, [Entry 33] Honour Welsch died at “Boher Bee” (which my resident Irish speaker translated as the Yellow Road). In November 1767, two places of residence are provided. On 10 November 1767, [Entry 45] John Welsh of “Ballycroan” died. Almost a week later on the 16^th James (last name not legible) [Entry 46] of “Boherbee ” died. Entry 47 provides the townland of Weatherstown [Glenmore] but failed to list the name of the deceased.

John Welsh of Ballycroan [Entry 45] appears to be the first entry with enough details for us to determine that he was from what would become the parish of Glenmore.

Names recorded in 1767 with no townland or road include: [Entry 34] Catherine Rigby; [Entry 35] Margaret Grant; [Entry 16] Honour Culleton; [Entry 17] William Irish; and [Entry 40] John Haberlin. Within the death records the last name of Welsh is very common.

Deaths Recorded in 1768

The deaths recorded from January to June 1768 are not available on line. From the available on-line records that commence in June 1768 (with entry 76) we know that 28 deaths were recorded in the first 5 months of 1768. Entry numbers 48-75 are missing. Commencing in June 1768 most entries record the residence of the deceased. Of the 21 deaths recorded in 1768 from 15 June to the end of the year, 12 of the decedents were from what would become Glenmore (or 57% of the entries).

June 1768

Entry 76—15 June 1768, died Sylvester Welsh inhabitant of Councelor’s Road
Entry 77—20 June 1768, died at Kilbride, Catherine Welsh  [Glenmore]

July 1768

Entry 78—6 July 1768, died at Aughmore, Martin Kelly

August 1768

Entry 79—4 August died at Coolneleen, Catherine Doherty [Glenmore]
Entry 80—10 August 1768, an unnamed person died at Balleneraha [Glenmore]
Entry 81—29 August died at Ballingile, Joane O’Mara
Entry 82—31  August, died at Ballerobin, Mary Burke

September 1768

Entry 83—9 September 1768, died at Gragnekill, Catherine Kehow [Glenmore]
Entry 84—23 September died at Davidstown, James Murphy [Glenmore]
Entry 85—25 September 1768, died at Newrath, Margerit Conway

October 1768

Entry 86—15 October 1768 died Patrick Forastal at Ballinlammy [Glenmore]

November 1768

Entry 87—unknown date November 1768,  died at Roachestown, John O’Bryan  [Glenmore]
Entry 88—unknown date November 1768, died at Abby, Patrick Lawless
Entry 89—unknown date November 1768, died at Nockbrack, Edw. Fitzgerald  [Glenmore]
Entry 90—unknown date November 1768, died at Ballycrone, Elizabeth Walsh [Glenmore]
Entry 91—17 November 1768, died at Corrigneglouneey, Anistice Welsh [Glenmore]
Entry 92—25 November 1768, died at Ballerobbin, Edm. Phelan
Entry 93—26 November 1768, died at Flemingstown, Ellener Lahy [Glenmore]
Entry 94—28 November 1768, died at Attatemore, Mary Denn

December 1768

Entry 95—2 December 1768 died at Nicholastown, Edm. Murphy
Entry 96—27 December 1768 died at Corrigenurre, Nicholas Henebry [Glenmore]

Death Chart: 1766-1768

Year	No. Months Recorded	No. Entries	Start & Ending Entry Nos.	No. of Males	No. of Females	No. of Unidentified	Total Deaths Recorded
1766	1(Dec)	5	1-5	3	2	0	5
1767	10	42	6-47	18	23	1	42
1768	7	21	76 -96	10	10	1	21
TOTAL	18 mos.	68  entries	Missing entries 48-75	31 males	35 females	2 unknown	68 [+28]= [96]

Interestingly, for the same years there were 26 months of baptisms recorded with a total of 318 infants baptized. Based solely on the entries recorded and the missing entry numbers, there were 96 deaths recorded in the first three years of the combined Slieverue/Glenmore Parish records. Thus, there were over 2/3’s more baptisms recorded than deaths recorded. See our post of 10 June 2023 “Early Glenmore Baptismal Records.”

The featured drawing above of an Irish Wake is courtesy of the Digital Public Library of America. It was published in Harper’s Weekly of 15 March 1873 (vol.17, p. 204). Michael Angelo Woolf, American, 1837–1899, Harper & Bros., New York, New York, USA. Retrieved from the Digital Public Library of America <http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kq4fb38612a-76df-4755-9e4f-34722cd7b165>.

Please send any corrections or additional information to glenmore.history@gmail.com

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh