[4qd-bannvalley] From Bann Valley to Dunluce Parish.

[4qd-bannvalley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Derek Torrens)]

Hi Listers, I was looking through Coleraine Library last Saturday when I
glanced through a book about Dunluce Parish by Hugh Alexander Boyd.
In it was a List of all the Church Wardens of Dunluce Parish (Church of
Ireland) from 1778 - 1937, I got it photocoppied as my Mothers side of the
family belonged to that church.
Anyhow, I was reading through it on Sunday Morning when I found that the
Church Warden in 1841 was a Joseph Brown, Ballyness and GARLAND  KENNEDY.

This has to be the same Garland Kennedy who made the statement  in the
Torrens / Kennedy Affray in 1810 .  And the same Garland Kennedy who lived
at Culneman , beside my Torrens Ancestors who were also involved in the
Afray.

Funny thing is that the other Church Warden was a Joseph Brown from
Ballyness, my Maternal G, G, Grandmother was a Nancy Brown, from just up the
road from Ballyness at the Leeke more than likely they were related.
Isnt it a small world that if this is the same Garland Kennedy , he has
rubbed shoulders with all my Ancestors who lived all those miles apart !!

But I wonder what he was doing at Dunluce ??

I know he was living at Cooleyman in the 1796 1st Garvagh Presbyterian
Visitation list .
But he seems to have dissapeared after he gave his statement in 1810 against
the Torrens family after the affray.
I wonder if the Torrenses hounded him out of the area or was he not popular
in the neighbourhood ??
Dunluce Parish is about 13 - 18 Miles North of Cooleyman in the Co Antrim
side of the River Bann in Bushmills.
I searched through Dunluce Parish Church records but did not find him. But I
have to search through the Minutes of the church which may tell me more.
But if its the same man , then he has switched from being a Presbyterian of
1st Garvagh to the Church of Ireland at Dunluce, which may give us a clue
about the Afray, Perhaps he had supported the Establishment run by the C of
I, in the 1798 United Irish Rebellion, which was mainly a Presbyterian
Rebbellion, and perhaps the Torrenses being Presbyterians disliked  Garland
Kennedy for this, Maybe Garland had been an informer, There were lots of
them at that time.
It is a theory worth taking into account !!

But I have found Garland Kennedy in the Tithe Applotment Index of 1828 for
Dunluce Parish, He was living at Bushfoot which is Between the village of
Portballintrae and the Giants Causeway.

Anyone any Ideas what would make him move from the Bann valley  to Bushfoot
??

There was also many Torrenses who lived in the Bushmills area and attended
Dunluce Parish Church as well, But they didnt seem to appear until about the
late 1850s, But we still have no idea where they orriginated.
Perhaps they too have arrived from the Bann Valley , possibly they were of
the Moyletra/ Heathfield Torrens Family they were all Church of Ireland
attenders.

While searching through the Records of Dunluce Parish Church I found other
Bann valley people;-

BAPTISMS;-
3 Mar 1819, Joseph Kennedy,  Son of James Kennedy, Mac or Glengary?? Parish
of Macosquin.
(Could be same connection as Garland K !! ).

1 June 1824, John Higginson, son of james Higginson, near Garvagh.

7 July 1850, Jane, daughter of Samuel McFarland ?? of Rosnashane, Finvoy
Parish, Privately Baptised.

There was also children baptised of a William Montgomery of the Park, whos
wife was a Rachel Kennedy in the late 1850s.
Also the Children of a James Dougherty , Labourer, and a Mary Jane Kennedy
all of Ballyhome ??

There was Doughertys and Kennedys living about Ballygawley Townland near
Garvagh and Aghadowey, Just incase these people may be the same family !!

There was also a Marriage;-
Nov 1843 , James Nichols  of Ballymoney and Anne Kennedy , Ballytibbert ??
(near Bushmills).

Perhaps Im just clutching at straws here with these Kennedy connections, But
Im pretty certain the Garland Kennedy has to be the same man from Cooleyman.

Best Wishes,

Derek.