GEORGE DYER WAS BORN IN BALLINROBE IN 1777. HE ENLISTED IN BRITISH ARMY WAS IN ARMY TILL 1816. PENSIONED OFF IN BALLINROBE. MARRIED ELLEN. DYER HE DIED 1845. HAD ONE KNOWN SON, JOHN DYER FAMILY. LIVED ON NEW STREET. MY KEELYS LIVED ON GLEBE STREET. I HAVE THE 1901 CENSUS. JOHN KELLY WAS BORN 1871 SON OF JAMES KELLY AND MARY BERMINGHAM HE SERVED IN THE CONNAUGHT RANGERS IN BOER WAR AND WW1 DIED 1956. JOE (August 2007)

1901 Census: Glebe Street Ballinrobe, Mary Kelly age 60 widow, born Co. Galway, Michael, son, age 35 labourer, not married. (MLB).

"Being from the Church of Ireland community, their numbers were quite small. The C of I church was closed although the graveyard contains the remains of my grandparents and my great grandmother (Mary Weekes)

My grandfather was Sergeant Henry Richard Goulden of the RIC barracks. I note from the 1911 census that 3 constables and Sgt Goulden occupied the barracks. I'm not sure whether my grandfather was involved in the ambush at Tourmakeady in 1921 but either way those were dangerous times.

My grandfather was 41 years old in 1911- again I wonder did he stay on in the new police force following the establishment of The Free State. He died in 1948 living in Cornmarket, Ballinrobe with my grandmother Alice.

Mark Douglas September 2009

Goulden is quite an unusual name in Ireland but I was surprised to uncover many of that name in Britain and America. Most of my family on the Goulden side originated in Tobercurry, Co Sligo. Looking at the 1911 census I counted at least 16 Gouldens in the Tobercurry area. Most of them were farmers. While these were Church of Ireland members there were a good many Gouldens in the Co Cork area who were Roman Catholic at that time.

My great grandfather was Richard Goulden who was brought up in Rathscanlon, Tobercurry (he died in 1900). He and his wife Jane raised 11 children including Henry Richard who was born in 1870. Some of the eleven went to America as I'm sure a lot of people did from the west of Ireland in the late 19th century. The Gouldens that emigrated to America changed their names to Golden dropping the "u". So I'd be pretty certain I have cousins in America somewhere.

Henry Richard Goulden became sergeant in Ballinrobe although I don't know when this happened. He married Alice Weekes in 1906 and they had 4 children- James Richard in 1907, Henry John in 1909, Alice Mary in 1911 and my mother Florence Beatrice in 1914. James became a teacher and taught in Kilkenny College, The High School, Dublin and Drogheda Grammar School. Henry John went into the Bank of Ireland spending 45 years there. He retired to live in Dublin from about 1972. Alice was a sister in the Richmond Hospital. She never married and was dedicated to her profession. My mother Florence met my father Gordon Douglas when he came to work in the Bank of Ireland Ballinrobe. He soon returned to Dublin working in the Executor & Trustee department in College Green for the rest of his career. Florence and he married in 1941. I have a brother, Bryan and a sister Maeve. All Henry Richard's children are now dead, my mother the last to pass away in 1997.

Mark Douglas September 2009

"The papers were given to Trinity with a proviso that they be held unpublished for 30 years in order to protect some of the contributors because retribution by the IRA was a real possibility. Of course, the 30 year stipulation has long since expired. It shows the fears and distrust that abounded back in the 1960's and has only recently abated since peace has finally settled in Northern Ireland.

Actually, Jim Goulden was a colourful character. He was a secondary* school teacher (* High School) but he spent many summers travelling to the Aran Islands off Galway. He was an amateur archaeologist and established "digs" on the largest of the Aran Islands - Inish Mor. As most of the islanders could not speak English back in the 1940/1950's that wasn't a problem for Jim as he was a fluent Irish speaker. He established that one of the earliest human settlements in these islands was to be found on the Aran Islands. He also wrote about "The Lost Church of Aran".

Up to WW1 (1914) there was a sizable number of Protestants in the "26" counties but following independence in 1922 their exodus flowed out of the country until the end of the 20th century when they represented only about 3% of the total population. Happily since then their numbers have increased a little and have stabilised."

Mark Douglas, November 27, 2009

Henry Richard Goulden

Birth: Henry Goulden was born on 14 January, 1870 in Tobercurry, Co Sligo, the son of Richard Goulden and his wife Jane.

Death: 31st August, 1948.

Career: According to the Royal Irish Constabulary index Henry Richard Goulden, age 19 born Silgo joined the RIC in 1889.

Marriage: Alice Weekes daughter of ---- Weekes and Mary nee ----

Children:

1. James Richard 1907
2. Henry John 1909
3. Alice Mary 1911
4. Florence Beatrice 1914

JOHN WALSH

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