MCCABES OF THE DUNLEER AREA OF CO. LOUTH

The oldest mention in Ireland, of the name McCabe, based on information I have read, is in the Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland, which mentions a Hugh MacCabe, who was slain in the year 1358. There were MacCabes (MacCaba) that came to Ireland as captains of gallowglasses (heavily armed soldiers) to the O'Rourkes and the O'Reillys. It is said the MacCabes (MacCaba) that setteled in Ireland, setteled in Breffny, which is primarily located in parts of the modern day counties of Cavan and Leitrim.

The name McCabe apparently derives from the word caba, which, from what I have read, means either hat, or cap, or helmet. The name McCabe appears to be related to the Scottish Clan MacLeod (MacLeoid).

The Catholic parish of Dunleer is composed of six Co. Louth civil parishes. The six civil parishes that make up the Catholic parish of Dunleer are Cappoge, Dromin, Dunleer, Marlestown, Mosstown and Richardstown. For reference purposes, I have put together a list of some helpful maps. Select the area you want to look at from the list, then click on the Submit button. For the parish maps, after the map has been loaded, click on the various areas, outlined in red, to see the name of any particular townland within that parish. I am not sure what the deal is with Richardstown these days. I have not been able to find a map of a Richardstown parish. There is a Richardstown townland included in Dromin parish.

I have traced my direct McCabe ancestors to various townlands within the Co. Louth civil parish of Mosstown.

There is a Catholic church in the town of Dunleer. The Catholic church in Dunleer is St. Brigid's. All of the church records obtained for my direct McCabe ancestors appear to come from St. Brigid's. The conclusion I have drawn, my ancestors lived in various townlands within the parish of Mosstown, but attended church in Dunleer.

I have compiled a list of 125 McCabe baptism records from Dunleer parish. The list includes baptisms from the year 1798 through the year 1894. I don't guarantee that my list includes every McCabe baptism that took place in Dunleer during that time period, but I doubt I have missed many. To view the McCabe St. Brigid's Catholic church baptism list I have created, click here.

I have also compiled a list of some McCabe baptism records for baptisms that took place in Collon Parish, a parish bordering Dunleer Parish. The Collon baptism list is for children I believe are grandchildren of the Dunleer area McCabe couples John McCabe and Margaret (nee Murphy) McCabe, and Henry McCabe and Rose (nee Byrne) McCabe. To view the McCabe Dunleer area descendants Collon Parish baptism list I have created, click here.

The oldest reference I have found to the name McCabe, within Mosstown parish, is from 1775. That McCabe reference is available on the web. Scroll down to the entry for "McCabe or Murphy", after clicking on this 1775 Collon Cess Payers link. I don't know why the list is not sure of the exact person responsible for the tithe payment. I am satisfied though, that the list does establish a McCabe presence, in Mosstown parish, in the latter years of the 1700s.

I have found a James McCabe reference, living in Mosstown parish, back in the year 1796. That James McCabe reference is available on the web. Scroll down to the entry for James McCabe, after clicking on this 1796 Flax Growers link. Though the 1796 Flax Growers List does not show the specific townland that James McCabe lived in, it does clearly show at least one McCabe in Mosstown parish in the late 1700s. I know there were others. One of those others was a person named Alexander McCabe.

Thanks to Mr. J. B. Hall for being kind enough to share such a huge amount of Co. Louth genealogy information. The jbhall freeservers are home to both the 1775 Collon Cess Payers list and the 1796 Flax Growers list.

My oldest known direct McCabe ancestor, my great, great, great grandfather, John McCabe, was in the townland of Cookspark, at least as far back as 1798. The townland of Cookspark is located in Mosstown parish. Mosstown parish is that area labeled 46 on the map of Co. Louth Parishes. Dunleer parish is that area labeled 27. The townland of Cookspark is that area numbered 11 on the map of Mosstown townlands.

There were several couples in Mosstown parish, including at least two couples living in the townland of Cookspark, in Co. Louth, in the late 1700s and early 1800s. There may have been other McCabes in the town of Cookspark, at that time, but I have not found any record of them. Though the actual transcribed records obtained say Cookpark, the townland was/is Cookspark.

McCabes of Dunleer Area
of Co. Louth, Ire.
Late 1700s / Early 1800s
Couple Baptism
Parish		 Townland(s) Townland(s)
Parish
John McCabe and various Elizabeths Dunleer Cookspark Mosstown
Luke and Bridget Gahan/McGahan Dunleer Puckstown, Cookspark Mosstown
James and Mary Landy Dunleer Whiteriver, Duryhole Mosstown
Andrew McCabe and wives Dunleer Mullacurry Dromin
James McCabe and Margaret Flinn/Flynn Dunleer Cookspark Mosstown

McCabe Dunleer Marriages
Co. Louth, Ire.
Mid 1800s

My great great grandfather, Peter McCabe, assumed to be the son of the early 1800s Mosstown parish couple John and Betty Myles, was married in St. Brigid's Catholic church in Dunleer. The marriage of my great great grandparents was not the only McCabe wedding to take place, in that church, around that time. In fact, four McCabe marriages took place in St. Brigid's Catholic church, in Dunleer, in less than two years of each other. I am not sure of the relationship, if any, between my great great grandfather Peter McCabe and the other three McCabes of the same time frame. I do believe Henry and John McCabe were also sons of the early 1800s Cookspark John McCabe and Elizabeth/Betty/Eliza Mullen/Millen/Miles/Myles/Murry Couple(s).

McCabe Marriages
St. Brigid's Catholic Church
Dunleer, Co. Louth, Ireland
1851 - 1853
Groom Bride Date Marriage
Parish		 Townland Townland
Parish		 Comment
Peter McCabe Bridget Murphy Aug. 21, 1851 Dunleer Knockaleva Mosstown Son of John and Betty Miles
Henry McCabe Margaret Toris Nov. 29, 1851 Dunleer Mooremount Dromin Son of John and Elizabeth Murry
John McCabe Margaret Murphy May 27, 1852 Dunleer Dunleer Dunleer Son of John and Elizabeth Mullen
William Crolly Bridget McCabe May 10, 1853 Dunleer Paughanstown Dromin/Kildemock Probable daughter of Andrew and Jane Mathews

I have copies of church marriage records for four other McCabe marriages that took place in the church in Dunleer. I have also obtained one additional Dunleer marriage record from the Irish Civil Registration records, and three additional Dunleer marriage records from the Rootsireland database. I am not certain who those McCabes were. I am not certain what relationship, if any, I may be to any of the eight. I have included those eight Dunleer marriage records in the table below.

Eight Other McCabe Marriages
St. Brigid's Catholic Church
Dunleer, Co. Louth, Ireland
1859 - 1895
Groom Bride Date Marriage
Parish		 Townland Townland
Parish		 Comment
Thomas McDaniel Mary McCabe November 24, 1859 Dunleer Cookspark Mosstown
Francis McCabe Margaret Morgan November 15, 1866 Dunleer Trean Dunleer Probably son of James McCabe and Margaret Flynn
Pat McCabe Mary Kelly September 29, 1872 Dunleer Cookspark Mosstown Probably son of Henry McCabe and Rose Byrne
Probably the Patrick McCabe that died Apr. 29, 1909 in Cookspark
Christopher Maguire Elizabeth McCabe February 3, 1876 Dunleer Knockaleva Mosstown Daughter of John McCabe and Margaret Murphy
Robert Hearty Mary McCabe June 19, 1884 Dunleer Richardstown Dromin Daughter of Henry McCabe & Margaret Torris
John Halligan Anne McCabe August 13, 1889 Dunleer Knockaleva Mosstown Probably daughter of John McCabe and Margaret Murphy
James Byrne Elizabeth McCabe February 7, 1893 Dunleer Cookspark Mosstown Daughter of Peter McCabe and Bridget Murphy
Patrick Mathews Bridget McCabe May 13, 1895 Dunleer Knockaleva Mosstown Probably daughter of John McCabe and Margaret Murphy

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