Introducing this website

The group was formed in 2006. A voluntary gathering of friends with an interest in Oughterard and its heritage. From the beginning,  the local community and the business folk were unstinting in their support.

Our support

We have been supported and partnered by the Galway County Heritage Office and the National Museum of Ireland-Country Life 

We have to date, digitized and archived thousands of images and documents.

Produced Heritage calendars since 2011, two award winning Golden Mile walks, a heritage walk booklet, and numerous exhibitions and audio visual displays celebrating Oughterard and its history.

National Museum of Ireland

In Partnership with the National Museum of Ireland – Country Life, we facilitated the development of community archives for the web. We are part of the iCan Network established by the museum.

Galway County Heritage Office

We have facilitated and partnered the Heritage office in establishing the Galway Community  Heritage websites

Our Website

FORUM CONNEMARA Ltd. have greatly assisted, in the creation of this open access website through help in enabling the group, to successfully obtain funding from LEADER under the National Development Plan.

Mission Statement

To maintain this open access website and to facilitate and encourage contributions from all, both individuals and interested groups with a regard for Oughterard, Its history and its culture. Oughterard Culture and Heritage Group retain editorial control over all submissions.

Contributing to the site

You can add a comment about anything on the website by clicking on the ‘Add a comment’ link at the bottom of each page. You can also submit your own photos, stories or information to the site by using our contribution form.

This page was added on 08/04/2014.

Comments about this page

  • Hi – I’m looking for information, records, about my family – the Darcys – in Oughterard. My great-grandmother was Nonie (Noni) Darcy and emigrated to Boston with several of her siblings sometime in the early 1900’s. According to her marriage certificate in the US, her parents were Michael Darcy and Bridget King. Because her name was Noni on most US Census records, it’s not clear if her birth name was Noni, Nora, or something else altogether – very hard to search records in Ireland. I know her sister married (Frank?) Egan the butcher, and eventually that bit of my family owned the Lake Hotel. I’d love to find more records about Noni and her parents. Please feel free to respond via email: helloStephanieLuke@gmail.com
    Many thanks! – Stephanie

    By Stephanie Luke (16/02/2023)
  • Hoping to find some information about ggfather Thomas Joyce (born 1875) or grandmother Mary Anne (May) Joyce (born 1898) (along with siblings Kathleen, Michael and John). ctjsawyer@gmail.com Thank you! Chris Sawyer

    By Chris Sawyer (15/02/2022)
  • Answer to ‘DETAILS WANTED FOR RONALD & NOEL STEVENS’ Ronald was born 1902 Cradley Heath, Noel 1907 Stourbridge. Father Ernest Stevens started the ‘JUDGE’ brand of hollowware which was astronomically successful! But neither son wanted to take on the company’ instead indulging in their childhood passion for birds. Ernest bought them Walcot Hall (Clive of India’s stately home!) and remodelled it with its 1.25 mile long lake. Ronald died in Ireland 1994, Noel in a homecounties care-home in 2000.
    (Haile Selassie stayed – with entourage! – for a fortnight Feb. 1936.)
    SEE “Ernest & Mary Stevens – The Continuing Legacy” ISBN 978-0-9554465-8-0

    By Andrew Nicholls (13/05/2020)
  • So thrilled to find this page! my great grandmother Mary Josephine O’Toole (Toole) born 3 may 1870 (?) and sisters Delia and Margaret migrated to Boston in the late 1800’s my grandmother Frances McChesney Fleming visited Oughterard in the 1970’s. I find that I match DNA to The Healy, Toole, Connolly, and Gibbons all from this area. I have varying information on Mary Josephine’s Parents According to Delia O’toole, Henry and Margaret (Healey) O’Toole are the parents. Mary’s church records show Patrick and Margaret (Gibbons)O’toole as the parents. We are planing a family family history trip to Oughterard next summer. I need suggestions on where to begin!!!

    By Anne Fleming Mitroka (04/12/2019)
  • Regarding Peter Savagae, Oughterard;

    Sean,

    If Peter had been ordained a Church of Ireland Minister, it is possible that he is recorded in the library of the Representative Church Body, Churchtown, Dublin. You will have to arrange a genealogist familiar with the library, as the library staff do not o this.

    There is a record of Rev. William Brownlee Savage in Borrisokane area of County Tipperary in the 1830’s(Source: Galway Patriot)

    If you have not already done so, you might consider going outside the immediate “Savage” family. On the 30th April, 1820 a “Samuel Larner” was baptised by Rev. John Wilson in COI, Kilcummin. His father is recorded as James Larner, Occupation – Nailor (Makes Nails). His mother is recorded as Mary McCarthy. Could there be a connection here with “Mary Larner Ryan”? They were in the Oughterard in the same time period as Peter Savage.
    Richard Savage is recorded at page 215 of Miriam Moffit’s book (Protestant Missions to Connemara) as having married Bridget Kenny in 1851. He is described as a Slater. Bridget’s father is recorded as William Kenny and a Nailor by occupation. Richard’s father – Peter – his occupation is described as illegible. Perhaps you may be able to view the original entry, if still in Kilcummin. There may be some clue there!
    In August 1899 Richard Savage is recorded as a guest at the home of James Clarke, publican, Cong. The name “Clarke” appears as a baptismal sponsor for one of your extended family.

    A Peter Savage, COI, married in Tuam in 1810 to a Mary Beren, alias Hughes. Richard Savage qualified as a Solicitor for the Crown and was active in politics for the town of Tuam in the 1830’s.

    Edward MacLysaght in the “Surnames of Ireland” states that the original Savage family settled in Ards, Co. Down in 1177 and that a Branch moved to County Kilkenny later.
    Credits: http://www.rootsireland.ie
    http://www.Findmypast.ie
    http://www.britishnewspapersarchive.co.uk

    Regards

    Rick

    By Rick (06/08/2019)
  • Hi, im looking for information on my great grandad Dudley folan born 1876 in lettermullen. He was a boat maker and farmer. He was married twice I think his first wife was Mary mullins but she passed away then he married una loughlin.

    By carol Emmerson (24/07/2019)
  • Info. – Michael Martin Reitz

    Hi,
    In relation to your grandfather – Martin Conley. Assyrian – Galway to Boston April 8th 1899 record a Martin Connelly travelling to his cousin – William Connelly there.
    He is recorded as 20 years of age and from Oughterard. No further detail.

    Pennsylvania Federal Records – 1921 – Martin Connelly. Birth in Galway, November 1879. Arrived in New York in March 1900. Wife Katherine. Certificate No. 64471. Sponsors: Festy Connelly and Patrick O’Toole.

    There are a number of men named “Martin Conley/Connelly” recorded in Pennsylvania who were born in Ireland and whose spouses were also born here.
    The names: Nancy King, Margaret Kearns, Mary Greelish/Gerlish (Grealish)

    Regards

    By Rick (04/04/2019)
  • A request for information: Savage Family in Oughterard.

    I am trying to build my family tree and it stops in Oughterard. The furthest I can find is Peter Savage (born circa 1799), who lived in Church Road and was married to Mary Ryan (Larner) in Oct 1829. It is believed within my side of the family, near Clifden, that he was possibly a Protestant minister from the north that converted to Catholicism to marry Mary, herself a widow. I am keen to find out more about Peter and the line than follows that is separate to mine. As far as I can find they only had one child.

    His son Richard Savage married to Bridget Kenny, lived Faugh East House 26. Richard and Bridget had 7 children.
    Peter John Savage 1858–
    Maria Savage 1860–
    Mary (Bernard?) Savage 1860–
    Jane Savage 1863–
    Thomas Savage 1865–
    Elizabeth Margaret Savage 1869–
    Richard Joseph Savage 1872–1931

    Their son Richard Joseph Savage, born in 1872 is my Great Grandfather.

    Can anyone provide any information on Peter and/or any of the other families that followed?

    By Shaun Savage (02/04/2019)
  • My grandfather Martin Conley(sic) came emigrated from Ireland probably in the late 1800’s or early 1900’s to Pittasburgh, Penssylvania in the USA. The only info I have ever received about his birthplace came from my Mother. Catherine Marie Maloney Reitz. As she was growing up, she recalled her father saying something about (excuse the spelling) eben auch Oughterard, which we assume is where my grandfather came from.
    Years later, my mother asked me to get a copy of her baptism certificate from St. James Church in Pittsburgh. The Church secretary could not locate anyone with the name Catherine Marie Conley in their records. Further investigation found that the names were written sometimes in Gaelic, Latin or English depending on who was recording them. As a result, we found out that her father’s name was “Americanized” from either Conneelly or Connolly.
    I enjoy reading your web page and other info fro that area.

    By Michael Martin Reitz (10/03/2019)
  • @Maureen Hathaway

    Another branch of the Conneelys found themselves in Scotland. They were from further west around Letterfrack.

    They euphemised the surname to the less Irish Connolly and Billy Connolly is a scion.

    There were some Conneellys who angliscised the surname to Connolly in situ. There were 2 branches on Inishbarra near Lettermore and the 2 branches are famous Box players and a well known politician hereabouts nowadays,

    By John Conneely (21/03/2018)
  • Thank you for this very informative site, my family is from Camus Oughter, they are the Flahertys, my G Great grandparents William and Ann (Stewart) Flaherty, who left for St. Paul Minnesota,USA in 1884′ I see many familiar names included on their daughter, our Great grandma Mary Flahertys baptismal records as informants, including Joyce and Mellet. Thank you for all the information, helps so much.

    By Kathleen Hartigan (04/10/2017)
  • Visiting Galway again until August 23.
    Wrote page on Railway Cottage.
    Saw Connemara Railway on 8/25 at 20:00
    Will you have one before that.
    Cousins Mai Rafferty & Paul Stewart would also be interested& some from Galway town. Please advise via email

    By Betty Keneavy Nipoti (15/08/2017)
  • This site has been a God-send in helping us unravel our family history. On all US documents the surname was listed as Connolly. From Down Survey, Griffith’s Evaluation, to the 1901 census we have finally found the key that unlocked the door. The surname is Conneely and we are finding a rich history of farming we knew existed here (in the US) and now across the pond. Everything you have on this site has enriched us. My son and I are planning a trip to the “Homeland” to find more and enjoy Oughterard and the areas around it. With the information we have found it will make our trip this time richer and viewed with fresh eyes.

    By Maureen Hathaway (14/04/2017)
  • This site is fantastic — the best I’ve ever worked on.

    Thank you

    I have copious amounts of years of research of the area. My family were among the Conroy of Rosmuc.

    By Kathleen Conroy (20/11/2016)

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