A few wedding & honeymoon pics

**Rex_Tremende** · 17th October 06, 04:38 PM

Picture postcard perfect.

Thanks for posting them - I downloaded one to use as a wallpaper, I hope you don't mind.

Regards and congratulations,
Rex in dull, gray, Cincinnati

**MacSimoin** · 17th October 06, 05:09 PM

Our stay in Cootehill turned out very well as it appeared to be providence in action: From several lengthy and detailed conversations (over coffee and tea) with the owners (Joe and Una Smith) of the farmhouse we stayed at, and from doing many hours of research at the Cavan library while we were there, it turns out that the town (Magheranure) my great-great-grandfather was from wasn't really a town at all but rather a "town land" of Cootehill itself. From there I was able to find that most of Andrew’s relatives perished at the fever hospital in Cootehill and they're all buried behind it. Andrew and his family (both parents and five siblings) were fortunate and got out of Cootehill before they were next.

How unbelievably fortuitous was it for me to end-up in the right place? Staying at the farmhouse was actually a last minute decision; the hotel we wanted to stay in couldn’t guarantee our rooms so we opted to stay in Cootehill at the farmhouse. As Wendi said, it must've been the "luck o'the Irish". Whatever it was, I couldn’t be more pleased.

I even discovered two of Andrew's uncles (John and Patrick): Both were arrested on misdemeanor charges (for stealing bread) twice during the famine. From looking at the "Assizes" records, I even found that a woman by the name of Bridget Kelly was arrested in 1846 for stealing money from the farmhouse we stayed at (the owner at the time was Joe Smith’s great-grandfather). We had a good laugh about that one.

I am so happy that I've finally been able to find the precise location of my ancestral roots....all I've ever had to go on was County Cavan and Magheranure, and that a river was nearby...which turned out to be the Dromore River (right next to Magheranure on the west side of Cootehill). How awesome is that?

I can't thank Joe and Una enough...Una's even offered to assist me (with further research) via email if I need further help. What a great couple of genuinely friendly and caring people...and all this kindness and generosity coming from a woman who just had a hysterectomy two weeks ago (at the tender age of 62), and whose daughter miscarried last week. That's a very sad situation all 'round but nevertheless Joe and Una's unselfishness makes me proud to be Irish. I only hope to be that good and kind when I get older...unlike the cranky old man I'm expecting I'll be. And now, some more photos:

Entrance to the Riverside Farmhouse...

Even the water main covers are decorated...

Trashbin along the street in Cootehill (that's the County Cavan arms on the bin, and not the commonly seen Cavan Town arms)...

St. Michael's in Cootehill (can you tell by now I'm Catholic?)...