Genealogy in Leitrim
Leitrim, a maritime county of Ireland, province of Connaught, bounded S by Roscommon and Sligo, W by the bay of Donegal, N by Donegal and Fermanagh, and E and SE by Cavan and Longford. The surface is extremely uneven, being composed of bogs and high mountains, which afford sufficient herbage for the breeding of cattle. The valleys are fertile, and watered with rivulets, and the mountains contain inexhaustible stores of lead, iron, and copper ores, and coal mines. Potatoes, barley, rye, and wheat, are cultivated in small quantities, and oats in greater abundance. Its chief river is Shannon.
In the Gaelic divisions, which preceded the seventeenth century, most of Leitrim (Accommodation, Leitrim, Ireland), along with Cavan, was part of the kingdom of Br�fne. Leitrim (Holiday Homes, Leitrim, Ireland) became known as Br�fne O’Rourke, while Cavan was Br�fne O’Reilly. The O’Rourkes ruled the territory for more than 700 years until the final dispossessions of the seventeenth century.
The chief surnames found in County Leitrim include Reynolds, McGowan, Rooney, Flynn, Kelly, Gallagher, Moran, Dolan, McLoughlin, McMorrow, McWeeny, Shanley, and Kiernan.
The chief towns of the county include Carrick-on-Shannon, Ballinamore, Mohill, Drumshanbo and Manorhamilton.
Emigration from County Leitrim (Bed and Breakfasts, Leitrim, Ireland) has been principally to America, chiefly to the east coast of the US, but some Leitrim emigrants ventured as far west as Oregon. The Great Famine of 1845 - 1850, had a devastating effect on Leitrim and the county’s population has been on the decline ever since.
Leitrim (Holiday Cottages, Leitrim, Ireland) Genealogy Centre, County Library, Ballinamore, County Leitrim, Ireland
The Leitrim Genealogy Centre has been set up to deal with enquiries from people who want to trace their Leitrim ancestors. All available sources have now been gathered in one place and the Leitrim Genealogy Centre and the Leitrim (Hotels, Leitrim, Ireland) County Library have combined to provide a full time professional genealogy service for County Leitrim. Experienced researchers carry out research at the centre. Enquiries can be dealt with by calling the centre or by writing giving all available details.
The sources available are as follows:
Church records of baptisms and marriages
Civil (State) records of births, marriages and deaths
Land records
1901 Census
Gravestone Inscriptions
Newspaper references