I have found a record of a John Coffey and a Bridget Duffy marrying at the Roman Catholic chapel in Curry, Sligo in March of 1877. The priest was Peter Lohan.
At the time of the wedding, John was a farmer in Powellsborough, and Bridget was a spinster. This appears to be a match given the census of 1911 shows John and Bridget farming in Powellsborough. The town of Curry is adorable; every building appears to be white.
This chapel, the Church Of The Immaculate Conception, was built in curry in about 1870. It is likely where John and Bridget were married.The witnesses were Bridget Duffy and John Brennan. I am imagining the witness, Bridget Duffy, was our Bridget's mother. so that may mean I am looking for a Bridget for another generation at least. Next quest, find a Bridget something marrying something Duffy in 1847ish in Sligo…
| John Coffey was born in Ireland in 1848ish. He was a farmer in Powellsborough Sligo Ireland. He did not read but he spoke both Gaelic and English. I don't know who John's parents were, but there is a John Coffey (and a Patrick Coffey)listed in Griffiths Valuation in Sligo in the town of Carraun. If these are the right Coffey's, they seriously married up when they married into the Duffy clan. Does that make sense given that John cold not read and Bridget could? Maybe. | Bridget Duffy was born in 1855 in Ireland. She could read and write. She spoke both Gaelic and English. The Duffy's in Powellsborough were doing pretty well for themselves according to the Griffiths Valuation. They each leased about 40 acres and a stone house. I don't know who Bridget's father was, but, if it is one of the two Duffy's in Powellsborough during Griffith's Valuation in 1858 (James Duffy and Patrick Duffy) their land is now the Tubbercurry golf course outside of the town of Tobercurry. The Powell's appear to have been significantly better landlords than the Knox's (the Coffey's landlords) |
Children were:
Census of Ireland 1911 - the 1901 census is remarkably similar, except John is a General Laborer which is odd if in 1877, when he was married, he was a farmer.
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