Those Places Thursday

Thinking further about my Connor family, where they came from and where they went, I thought I would explore where they came from in Ireland.
The Hugh Connor family, my great great grandfather, came from Ballykelly, County Derry (Londonderry) in Ireland, now Northern Ireland.

For those of us who have done Irish family history research we know that there are a few things we need to know about Ireland and places.
First, the town - Ballykelly
Second, the county - Londonderry (Derry)
Third, the province - Ulster
Fourth, the townland - Ballykelly
Fifth, the barony - Keenaght
Sixth, the civil parish - Tamlaght Finlagan
Seventh, the poor law union - Newtown Limavady

Interestingly there are 14 townlands in Ireland named Ballykelly, with only one town so named. There are two in Derry, Ballykelly and Ballykelly Level (Intake), these townlands share the same other attributes.

So, if you just knew Ballykelly it could be a challenge to find the correct townland to say the least. Help is at hand though, the Irish Place Names database is based on the Index to the Townlands, and Towns, Parishes and Baronies of Ireland published in 1861 after the Census of Ireland carried out in 1851. This database lists all of the villages, towns and townlands that were enumerated, as well as the Barony, Civil Parish and Poor Law Union that each was located in.

Ballykelly Presbyterian Church, built 1827 

This Presbyterian Church was relatively new when Hugh Connor & his family emigrated. More about Ballykelly and the Ulster Plantation later.

To be continued...