1. Mary MCDONAGH was born about 1778 in prob Riverstown area, Co. Sligo. She died 2 Nov 1839 in Cootehall, Co. Roscommon and was buried in Ardcarne Cemetery, Cootehall, Co. Roscommon.

The only definite information we have on the McDonagh family is that they came from Co. Sligo. However in his book "Ancestral Quest, Tracing my Ancestors in Ireland" (2008), Patrick Lavin provides us with the following information on the Sligo origins of Mary and her husband, Laurence O'Hara:

"Laurence and Mary often went back to visit their families in Sligo. Those visits were usually for a short period, possibly only a day or two. When Laurence went alone, he went on horseback; when Mary accompanied him, they traveled by horse-drawn vehicle of some kind. The direction he took was along the Ballintogher road.....that would seem to suggest that the destination was some place between the line Lough Arrow/Riverstown and the Leitrim border.....the length of the visit, mode of transport and the poor quality of secondary roads at the time would have their destination at not more than 15-20 miles away. Therefore, it can be accepted, with some degree of certainty, that the area in County Sligo where Laurence and Mary came from was somewhere within the Kilmactranny-Riverstown-Ballintogher triangle".

It's not known when exactly Mary and Laurence, settled in the Cootehall area of Co. Roscommon, but by 1833, they were well established in Cootehall, with Laurence and his sons farming in the townlands of Clegna, Knockadaff and Glooria.

Note: The McDonagh surname (also spelled McDonough) is common throughout Ireland, especially in Connacht. It's derived from the Irish "Mac Donnchadha" from the Irish first name Donnchadh meaning "brown warrior".

Mary married Laurence O'HARA about 1796. Laurence was born prob 1770s in prob Riverstown area, Co. Sligo. He was buried in Ardcarne Cemetery, Cootehall, Co. Roscommon.

I'M INDEBTED TO PATRICK LAVIN FROM TUCSON, ARIZONA, WHO HAS BEEN SO GENEROUS IN SHARING HIS INFORMATION ON THE O'HARAS. Patrick was born in Co. Roscommon and is a great-great-great-grandson of Laurence and his wife, Mary McDonagh. The results of his research into his family history are available in his publication, "Ancestral Quest" which maybe viewed on www.leitrim-roscommon.com (see "Lavin Manuscript" on Home page). More detailed information on the descendants of Laurence's son William are available in Patrick's book "Ancestral Quest, Tracing my Ancestors in Ireland" (published in 2008). It's known that Laurence was born in Co. Sligo and Patrick's research suggests that Laurence was from "somewhere within the Kilmactranny-Riverstown-Ballintogher triangle".  

I'M ALSO VERY GRATEFUL FOR ACCESS TO THE FAMILY HISTORY NOTES OF THE LATE KEVIN KELLY FROM DUBLIN. Kevin was another great-great-great-grandson of Laurence and Mary. His research has provided us with most of the birth/baptismal dates you'll see below for Laurence's and Mary's grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  

Laurence moved to from Sligo to Cootehall, Co. Roscommon as a young man. It's thought he may originally have been a hatter who later acquired farmland in the Cootehall area.

Note: The O'Hara surname is a phonetic anglicisation of 'Ó hEaghra', a family that originated in Co. Sligo.