A Kilglass Parish - Grosse Ile Connection

[Mary Lee Dunn]

When Denis Mahon of Strokestown evicted more than 3,000 people from his estate, he sent hundreds of them to Quebec, Canada in 1847 aboard the Naomi, Virginius, Erin¹s Queen and the John Munn. Hundreds of those people died at sea, in quarantine while waiting to disembark, or at the Grosse Ile hospital.<br> A 1997 book from Canadian Heritage Parks ("A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Ile in 1847," Andre Charbonneau and Doris Drolet-Dube, 108 pp, paperback, about $20) provides the names of more than 8,000 people who died at Grosse Ile or en route there. Passengers from the four ships used by Denis Mahon are among the dead who are listed. I have the book and recognize many surnames from Kilglass Parish, including many surnames from Ballykilcline.<br> I am willing to do ³look-ups² for particular surnames upon request for those who know their ancestors came from Kilglass or Mahon¹s estate in Famine time. Please e-mail your request to me, limit it to 2 surnames at a time, and understand that it will take a few days to get an answer.<br> The Bishop of Elphin wrote a letter to The Freeman¹s Journal in 1848 wherein he listed the heads of households of the tenant families evicted by Mahon. For those who have a copy of that letter, the names of adult males likely may match some of the names of adult males who died at Grosse Ile.<br> It was the deaths of people aboard some of the ships Mahon used that caused the Canadian government to lodge official protests that year with England about the condition of the Irish arriving on its shores. <br> Mary Lee Dunn
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MaryLDunn@aol.com

[Hugh Doyle]

Hi Mary Lee, There is another very good book that tells the story of Grosse Isle in great detail: "The Famine Ships: The Irish Exodus to America: by Edward Laxton. Henry Holt and Co., New York. 1997. Chapter 4 is the Grosse Isle story, and Chapter 6 is the Mahon/Strokestown story.<p>Hugh Doyle.
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hdoyle@wsii.com