All Blog Posts (21)

This very successful event was held yesterday in aid of Mary Mullan's children in Guatemala appeal. The weather was fair, the craic mighty and the refreshments out of this world. Thanks to all who participated, donated and helped in any way. A few pictures taken on the day are attached.…

CHARITY HIKE. In June of this year, volcano Fuego erupted in Guatemala devastating large areas of that country. The village of El Rodeo, being in the direct path of the lava flow, suffered greatly. Many lost their lives, homes and animals. 

Local volunteer, Mary Mullan, will return to El Rodeo in December to meet with families currently living in shelters and temporary dwellings and will assist in whatever way she can.

So please come along on Sunday…

A limited number of copies of this book, which was published in March 2012, remain and can be had from Waterstones Coleraine, Limavady Arts & Cultural centre or by telephoning 02877742377. It is likely to be completely sold out within the next 4/6 weeks.  

My great great grandparents William Fowler (a carpenter) and Jane (Jeanie) McGonigal married at the Parish Church in parish of Dungivan in 1850. They lived at Ballyness, Parish of Dungivan. In the 1901 census they were living at house 32 in Ballyness, Gelvin. Jeanie died in 1902. I have not been able to find William's death date.

William's father was Joseph Fowler (a labourer) and Jeanie's father was Michael McGonigal (also a labourer).

Their son William Fowler (my great grand…

Hello from New Zealand

We are trying to trace my husband's Irish ancestry and the oldest record we have is for his great-grandfather, Absolom Browne, who appears on the 1901 Irish census as residing at 7 Drumaduff, Gelvin, Londonderry. On the 1911 census his address is 1 Ballyness, Galvin, Londonderry. Absolom married Annie Mullan and they had 13 children, one of these being my husband's grandfather Joseph Patrick, born 27/1/1884 in Drumaduff, who was a postman before emigrating to…

The Drumaduff Mullans in New York



The children of Mark Mullan and Mary McGuigan  all lived in New York city at one.

time or another, They started  immigrating in the 1880’s with Isabella, Catherine,

MaryAnn, Michael, John, James, Susan and Rose. They all located in the upper east side

of Manhattan ,often several of them sharing an apartment. And in the neighborhood

where they lived there were often  others from the Drumsurn area





Isabella married…

Saturday 24^th March was a momentous day for Gelvin Historical Society. This was the day  they launched their book GELVIN THE HOME PLACE.   The event which was held in the Library Main Street  Dungiven was very well supported by all age groups.  Martin McDonald from The Heritage Lottery Fund and John Hamilton from Causeway Museum Service were in attendance.   Martin McDonald officially launched the book by presenting the first issue to Paddy Mullan from…

We will launch GELVIN THE HOME PLACE, a history of the area covering the 100+ years after the great famine, on Saturday 24th March 2012 at 12 noon in The Library Main Street Dungiven. Everyone is welcome to come along.

Books can be ordered by post from Eugene McCloskey, 191 Legavallon Road, Dungiven BT47 4QW and will also be available in local outlets following the launch. They  can also be ordered by telephone (please see the accompanying press release document).…

For the past number of months members have been active in compiling the history of the area and its people covering the past 100/150 years. We will in the near future be in a position to amalgamate the information gathered with the results published in book form by early 2012. A community archive will also be set up.  What we have done and what we are proposing would not be possible without the financial input already agreed  with…

The photographs and text accompanying this article were taken and written thirteen years ago in 1997 following a school reunion arranged by Mary Mullan and Sinead McNicholl. The intervening years have seen considerable change at the old school and indeed at this time a portion of the exterior is being re-plastered. This should ensure the future of the building for many more years.

The past 13 years have also brought about change in the appearance in some if not in all of those who…

The text and photographs relate to events on 26th August 2006 when the site was officially launched following work carried out in the earlier part of that year.

Galvin was always a two teacher school (principal and assistant teacher) with the number of pupils rarely exceeding 50. The building had two classrooms separated by a wooden partition and pupils progressed from the junior room to the senior room at the appropriate level of learning. Teachers tended to stay for relatively short spells. However Michael Gillespie, who came from Moville in Co Donegal, served as Principal from 1908 until 1941. Thelma McLaughlin came to the school in 1947 as…

There was a lot of nostalgia at Alduff on 6th June 2009 when over 50 local residents gathered to witness and participate in paring, cutting, lifting, wheeling and spreading. All of the older participants had spent many days in the moss during the 1940's, 50's, 60's and 70's and were delighted to have had the opportunity to once again display their skills. Many stories were told and old times remembered. A good quantity of turf was cut and saved in the weeks that followed and were…

It was decided in the Autumn of 2009 that, due to difficulties encountered when attempting to paint the side of the building facing Legavallon Road and the gable towards Ballymacallion, we should re-plaster both walls.

Application for financial assistance was made to the Big Lottery Fund (Awards for All) and we were awarded a grant of £3358. Work is expected to commence in the next 2/3 months and should take 3/4 weeks to complete. We are grateful to the Big Lottery for their…