Person:Michael Sweeney (12)

Ireland

Michael Sweeney was born in about 1824 in County Sligo in Ireland, son of a labourer named Peter Sweeney and his wife Catherine Diamond. Michael is known to have had at least two siblings. The family's first sighting is in 1835 in Castleconor, where the Catholic registers only start in 1835 such that Michael's baptism is probably lost to history, as are those of any other siblings.

Michael was married at Castleconor on 18th February 1844 to Mary Kilcawley. At the time of their marriage they were living in the townland of Muingwore. Michael and Mary had three children baptised at Castleconor: Patrick in 1845, Michael in 1846 and Martin in 1849. Martin has not been traced apart from at his baptism; as burials were not being recorded at Castleconor at this time it seems quite likely that he died young. This was the period of the Potato Famine in Ireland, and like many families Michael and Mary decided to emigrate.

Scotland

By 1851 Michael and Mary had left Ireland and moved to south-west Scotland, where they settled in the village of Sorbie, Wigtownshire, and where Michael worked as an agricultural labourer. Their sons Patrick and Michael came with them. In Sorbie they had another six children. Altogether they had eight sons and one daughter. Michael's brother James and his family left Castleconor and moved to Sorbie in the early 1860s; James would be godfather to two of Michael and Mary's children, whilst Michael's son Stephen was godfather to one of his uncle James's children.

In September 1866 Michael and Mary's son James died aged six. Four months later in January 1867 their only daughter Catherine died aged fifteen of phthisis (tuberculosis). Her death certificate notes that although she had been ill for about a year there had been no regular medical attendant, suggesting the family could not afford a doctor.

Michael's first known grandchild, his son Michael's eldest, was born in 1873 at Mochrum.

Michael died at Sorbie on 25th June 1883. He was probably in his late 50s. Mary survived him by six years.

1. ↑ General Register Office for Scotland. 1851 Scotland Census. (Edinburgh)
   897/00 002/00 007, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   Michael Sweeny, head, married, male, 26 [1824/5], Ag Lab, b. Ireland
   Mary Sweeny, wife, married, female, 28 [1822/3], b. Ireland
   Michael Sweeny, son, male, 4 [1846/7], b. Ireland

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 General Register Office for Scotland. 1861 Scotland Census. (Edinburgh)
   897/00 005/00 012, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   2 rooms with windows
   Michael Swenie, head, married, male, 37 [1823/4], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Sligo, Ireland
   Mary Swenie, wife, married, female, 39 [1821/2], b. Sligo, Ireland
   Patrick Swenie, son, male, 14 [1846/7], b. Sligo, Ireland
   Michael Swenie, son, male, 12 [1848/9], b. Sligo, Ireland
   Cathrine Swenie, daughter, female, 8 [1852/3], b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   Stephen Swenie, son, male, 6 [1854/5], b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   Peter Swenie, son, male, 4 [1856/7], b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   James Swenie, son, male, 1 [1859/60], b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire

3. ↑ General Register Office for Scotland. 1871 Scotland Census. (Edinburgh)
   897/00 006/00 010, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Garlieston R[oa]d, Sorbie Village, Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   1 room with windows; 1 child in education
   Michael Sweeney, head, married, male, 46 [1824/5], Ag[ricultural] lab[ourer], b. Ireland
   Mary Sweeney, wife, married, female, 48 [1822/3], Labourer's Wife, b. Ireland
   Stephen Sweeney, son, unmarried, male, 17 [1853/4], Carpenter, b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   Peter Sweeney, son, male, 13 [1857/8], Ag[ricultural] lab[ourer], b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   Luke Sweeney, son, male, 7 [1863/4], Scholar, b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   Andrew Sweeney, son, male, 5 [1865/6], b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   ~ next household (part of same house) ~
   1 room with windows
   Jane McCulloch, head, widow, female, 74 [1796/7], Ag[ricultural] lab[ourer] formerly, b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire

4. ↑ General Register Office for Scotland. 1881 Scotland Census. (Edinburgh)
   897/00 006/00 007, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: Main Street or Road, Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   2 rooms with windows
   Michael Sweeney, head, married, male, 56 [1824/5], Gen[era]l Labourer, b. Ireland
   Mary Sweeney, wife, married, female, 58 [1822/3], b. Ireland
   Peter Sweeney, son, unmarried, male, 23 [1857/8], Gen[era]l Labourer, b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   James Topping, lodger, married, male, 39 [1841/2], Gen[era]l Labourer, b. Buittle, Kirkcudbrightshire
   Edward Guffie, lodger, unmarried, male, 23 [1857/8], Gen[era]l Labourer, b. Wigtown, Wigtownshire

5. ↑ Death certificate, in General Register Office for Scotland. Civil Registration.

   1883. DEATHS in the Parish of Sorbie in the County of Wigtown
   No.9
   Name: Michael Sweeney, Agricultural Labourer, Married to Mary McAlla
   When and where died: 1883 June Twenty fifth, 6h PM, Sorbie Village
   Sex: M
   Age: 57 years [1825/6]
   Father: Michael Sweeney, Agricultural Labourer (deceased)
   Mother: Catherine Sweeney, M.S. Diamond (deceased)
   Cause: Mental disease, as Certified by Wm Anderson M.B.C.U.
   Informant: Luke Sweeney, son (present)
   Registered: 1883 June 25th, at Garliestown, Jas Dunsmore, Registrar

   It is believed that the informant here, Michael's son Luke, made a mistake on Michael's father's first name. For discussion on the evidence for this and linking Michael to his parents' family, see the family page for Peter Sweeney and Catherine Diamond.