Tuesday, July 2, 2013

The Laceys


NOTE: This post was written in 2013, and since then I have learned more accurate information about our Lacey family. I'm leaving this post up for posterity and for the comments, but for more current and in-depth details about the Lacey family of Rossadillisk, Ireland, click here. If you are connected to the Lacey, Feeney, Coyne, King, or other related families of Rossadillisk and surrounding communities, I'd love to hear from you.
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Our Lacey family comes from Rossadillisk, Ireland. This is a very small community located adjacent to the harbor town of Cleggan, and west of Clifden in County Galway, Ireland. Historically, Rossadillisk and its neighbor towns were populated with fishermen and their families. As far back as we know, the Laceys were fishermen, making their living at sea. Upon their deaths, they were buried on Omey Island, which at high tide is cut off from the mainland by water.

The old Lacey home in Rossadillisk, Ireland

Bartley Lacey and His Descendants (this information is out of date and has been corrected at this link)

Our first known Lacey ancestor was Bartholomew "Bartley" Lacey. We do not know the name of his wife, but together they had five children in Rossadillisk.

i. MICHAEL LACEY, born about 1845 in Ireland. He married Ellen in 1888.

ii. MARK LACEY, born about 1848 in Ireland; died 1908 in Rossadillisk, Ireland. He married (1) Bridget Feeney in 1873 and (2) Mary Coyne in 1880.

iii. VALENTINE LACEY, born 1850 in Rossadillisk, Ireland. He married Anne Toole in 1872.

iv. PATSY LACEY

v. MARY LACEY. She married Patrick Feeney.


Mark Lacey and His Descendants

Our line of the family descends from Bartley Lacey’s son Mark Lacey. He was born in Rossadillisk and married Bridget Feeney on January 15, 1873. The Feeney family name was common in Rossadillisk, and Bridget Feeney grew up in a seaside cottage just up the hill from the Lacey home.

Bridget Feeney’s parents are still unknown to us. The 1901 Irish Census lists two elderly Feeney men living in Rossadillisk who are of the right age to have been Bridget’s father. It seems possible that Bridget’s father was either Festy Feeney or Michael Feeney, but we cannot be certain.

Mark and Bridget Lacey had the following children:

i. JOHN LACEY, born in Rossadillisk.

ii. THOMAS MARK LACEY, born May 18, 1877 in Rossadillisk. He married Sarah Kilcullen.

Their eldest son, John Lacey, was born in either 1874 or 1876. It is believed that he went to America, but we do not have any record of him there. Their second son, Thomas Mark Lacey, was born in 1877 and left Ireland for America in the early 1900s. He is our line’s immigrant ancestor. I will discuss him further in my next post.

Bridget Feeney died young and Mark Lacey married for a second time, to Mary Coyne, sometime after 1880. Together, Mark and Mary had seven children:

i. MARK LACEY, born about 1887 in Rossadillisk; died October 28, 1927 at sea.

ii. PATRICK LACEY, born 1888 in Rossadillisk

iii. MARY LACEY, born about 1890 in Rossadillisk. She married Patrick O’Toole in 1911.

iv. MARTIN LACEY, born about 1891 in Rossadillisk; died October 28, 1927 at sea.

v. MARGARET ELLEN LACEY, born about 1899 in Rossadillisk. She married a man with the surname Hernon.

vi. GEORGE LACEY, born about 1901 in Rossadillisk; died October 28, 1927 at sea.

vii. WILLIAM LACEY, born about 1906 in Rossadillisk.

Mary Lacey married Patrick O'Toole of nearby Emlagh in February 1911. They continued to live in the area. Together they had six children: Michael, Thomas, Margaret, Anthony, Mary and Patrick. Their son Anthony O’Toole became a priest in the Tuam Diocese and died in an accident in the 1990s. Their son Patrick O’Toole married, had three children, and later died in Dublin.

Margaret Ellen Lacey married Michael Hernon, who may have been from Lettermullen in Connemara. They moved to Boston, where they had four children: Martin, Mary, Peter and Francis. We know that Margaret and Michael Hernon became naturalized American citizens and that Michael Hernon registered for service in World War I. On his draft registration card, he is listed as being tall, of medium build, with brown hair and blue eyes. He is classified as a railroad laborer living in South Boston. The descendants of this family continue to live in the Boston area. (Update: This has all proven to be incorrect. Please see updated information here.)

Three of the five sons born to Mark Lacey and Mary Coyne were killed in The Cleggan Disaster. In October 1927, a sudden storm blew up, taking the fishermen off guard and resulting in the deaths of 25 men from  Rossadillisk and nearby communities. Mark Jr., Martin and George Lacey were among those lost.

My great-great grandfather Mark Lacey died on August 10, 1908. He and his wife Mary Coyne Lacey are buried on Omey Island. Buried in the same plot is their daughter Mary Lacey O’Toole, son-in-law Patrick O’Toole and grandson Michael O’Toole.

Mark Lacey's grave on Omey Island, Ireland

22 comments:

  1. Hello I am a decendant on John Lacey. I his great granddaughter. John married Nina Ruth Bailey and they had one son named James Norman. Nina passed in 1910 when my grandfather was 2. He was taken in by Nina's parents Marietta and Edison Bailey. He was later adopted by them and went by the last name of Bailey. It is said that they had the marriage anulled because John was catholic and they were protestants. James married Wanda Mae Smith and had 11 children. John married Nina in Wisconsin and that is where my grandfather was born. My dad James N Bailey Jr was also born in Wisconsin.
    I'm so glad I found your blog. There's really not a lot of history about my great grandfather. He arrives in the states in 1890. I'm still searching but I've only just begun. If you have pictures I would love to see them. The picture of Mark Lacey looks a lot like my Uncle Chuck.
    Jamie Bailey Pourier

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    1. Hi Jamie, It's wonderful to hear from you! I would love to talk with you further about the Laceys. Will you email me at elaceyfield@gmail.com? I'm very excited to discuss Lacey history with you. -Erin

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  2. Hello.
    My name is James Stack. I am the grand son of Patrick (known as Captian) and Maggy Coyne who lived right across the road from the Lacy's in Rosadillisk. Captain was one of the few who survived the cleggan disaster. Met and spent many a summer with the Lacys in my youth. Have a picture of Festie Lacy, Sheddy, Micheal Anthony doing the hay back at home hanging in my living room. Would Love to know where you have found the historical data. Have been trying to dig up infor on the Coynes, Murrays and Cosgroves from back there. Please email me at jpstack2@verizon.net . More than happy to share what I know.
    Thanks,
    James

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  3. Hi,
    My great grandfather was Valentine Lacey. His son (my grandfather) Martin Lacey emigrated to the US in 1921 and settled in Pittsburgh PA.

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    1. Hi there! Thanks for your comment on my blog. I communicated a number of times over the years with Beth Kelly about your line of the family. I understand that she has passed on, but I am so grateful to her for sharing information about the Laceys- both in Ireland and the USA. I'm planning to write more about the Laceys soon!

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    2. Hi Erin .
      My Grandad had a sister called Maggie also . He used to tell me about Ghost ships and told me about the Cleggan bay disaster. He came to England just before the tragedy happened .
      Michael

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    3. Hi, kin! My family is from Charleston, SC. My Great great Grandfather was Robert Lacey was born in 1810 and unfortunately, have found little info on him. My DNA comes from Counties: Kerry, Clair. Mayo, Dublin, Cork. I'm SURE we are ALL related. Here in Ireland, making connections. Any info on how Robert is related to U? My brother's name is Mark Bales, my mother was a Lacey! Odd, how life unravels!!!

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    4. Hi Erin Im the second cousin of the MIchael above my grandfather was Patrick Lacey who had sister Maggie

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    5. Hi! I think you might have commented on my other Lacey post as well. You're the granddaughter of Patrick Lacey who was the son of Mark Lacey and Mary Coyne? I would love to talk with you about this part of the family. Please email me at elaceyfield@ gmail.com. :)

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  4. Hi Erin
    My Grandad was from Rossadillisk .
    His name was Stephen Lacey .
    He had some brothers called Mark , Matthias (Matty),Paddy and I think a sister called Anne? They came to England in the 1920s . I'm Michael Astin we will be visiting Rossadillisk at the end of May . Are these Lacey's related .I know there were a few Lacey families here .
    Thanks in anticipation
    Michael .

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    1. Hi Michael, Huge apologies for not seeing this sooner! If you're related to Laceys from Rossadillisk, then I'm sure we're cousins. These names don't ring a bell to me, but my great-grandfather came to America in the early 1900s, so a little earlier than your Laceys went to England. Let me know if you learn anything new about the family!

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    2. Hello Im grandaughter of Paddy Lacey he married Norah Higgins moved to United Kingdom in 1920s

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    3. Hello Michael Astin Im your 2nd cousin Catherine Kinsella did you find out anymore

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  5. I have little doubt these Laceys are related to mine. John Lacey was born 1815 and had a daughter named Mary born 1845. She married Thomas Murphy. They lived in the exact same area. I will try to make the connection, but maybe these Laceys are familiar to you already.

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    1. Hi Tim, It's very possible that John Lacey could have been an elder brother or a cousin of my 3x great-grandfather, Bartley Lacey. Unfortunately, I haven't found records far enough back to learn the names of Bartley's parents and siblings. That was a small community in Rossadillisk and the nearby towns, so there's surely a connection. If you learn anything more, please let me know!

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  6. I am just starting to investigate my family tree and have found out the following; my great grandmother was a Bridget MacDonnell from Rossadillisk. She married in Dumbarton Scotland in 1893 to John Hendry. Bridget's grandparents were a George and Bridget Lacey. I am just beginning my search but any information would be most appreciated.

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  7. Hi, I am in the process of doing my family tree and have discovered my great grandmother was born in Rossadilisk, her name was Bridget McDonald and moved to Scotland where she married in 1893. Her mother's name (my great great grandmother) was Elizabeth Lacey 1842-1899, her parents (my great great great grandparents) were, George Lacey born 1820 and Elizabeth Grodden born 1820. Elizabeth Lacey 1842-1899 was married to Michael McDonald in Galway 1861 and his mother was also a Lacey, Bridget Lacey 1805-1900. Do any of these names mean anything to you ?
    I look forward to receiving any information. Kind regards Anna Currie

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    1. Hi Anna, Unfortunately, those names don't ring a bell. Rossadillisk is a very small community, though, so hopefully the connection will become apparent at some point. Please let me know if you find any leads!

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  8. Hi - my great grandfather was John Lacey born in 1854-1857 to Thomas Lacey and Ellen Morris. He was a stonemason and emigrated to the states in 1880, settling in Helena Montana. I have seen some records indicating these Lacey’s were in Morneen and/or Aughris Beg which seems near to Rossdillisk.

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    1. Hi! Thanks so much for your comment. I wonder if John was connected to Michael Lacey who emigrated to Anaconda, Montana? Michael didn't go to Montana until 1907, so quite a while after John, but perhaps there's a connection. The info about the Montana Laceys is in this post: https://knowtheirstories.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-children-of-bartley-and-judy-lacey.html Yes, Aughris Beg is right next to Rossadillisk, and Morneen is just down the road, closer to Clifden. I think all these Laceys would be related.

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  9. hello im trying to send you a message Erin

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    1. Hi! Please feel free to email me at elaceyfield @ gmail.com

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