A man of Scottish/Irish descent is seeking help to connect with relatives in the Ardara area of Donegal.
Tom Gallacher from Hillsboro Oregon can trace his family tree to a couple, Patrick Gallagher and Catherine O’Donnell Gallagher of Ranny, Ardara.
Their son, Charles Gallagher, born in 1865, was Tom’s great-grandfather.
Tom is planning to visit Ardara this summer, and it is his dream to meet any living relatives he may have in the area. Tom has reached out to Donegal Daily’s audience for help.
He said: “I have been told that there is a farm in, near, Ardara that has been in the family since my the time of my Great Great Grandparents.
“My Grandfather was Patrick James Gallacher, the “ch” is believed to be a clerical error as he was the first born in Scotland where the phonics for the spelling uses a “ch” rather than a “gh”. Interestingly on all of his siblings birth records it is spelled correctly with the “gh”. He was born in 1896 in Greenock, Scotland to Charles Gallagher and Ellen Helen Daily Gallagher. Charles Gallagher was born to Patrick Gallagher and Catherine O’Donnell Gallagher in 1865 in Ardara, County Donegal, Ireland.
“The story goes that Catherine’s dowery was half of a farm in Ardara and that she and Patrick bought the other half. I am told that it was passed from first son to first son and is still in family hands. I have a copy of the 1901 Census of Ireland that shows my Grandfather listed as nephew to Catherine Gallagher. This coincides with family history/story that my Grandfather lived on the family farm until around 7 years of age.
“All but two of Patrick and Catherine Gallagher’s children’s birth records show the address as Ranny, Parish/District as Ardara.
“While I have had some contact with family in Scotland, I have never been able to get contact information for any relations in Ireland. So when my oldest son and his wife invited us to join them on a trip to Ireland and Scotland the answer was an excited Yes! “My plan is to spend at least a day in Ardara. I would love to be able to share a meal, etc. with some of the family there and exchange contact information.”
If you can help Tom connect with family, please get in touch with him at: adonegal@hotmail.com
