Hi

Looking to share information with others researching COYNE or CAYNE (or other variations) in and around Clifden in Co Galway; c1800-1880. I have very little information to date:
Parents: Martin COYNE and Mary WALSH
Occupation: Farmer
Children: Thomas born c1824 and John Joseph born c1834
Other: Thomas may have married a person called Biddie or Bridget prior to 1850.

Both Thomas and John Joseph were convicts; Thomas was convicted of sheep stealing in Co Clare in 1850; John Joseph was convicted of cattle stealing in Co Galway in 1849. Both men were transported to Fremantle, in Western Australia, in 1853 and became farmers in the Northam area - 100 kms east of Perth.

I travelled to Ireland in Jan 2007 and searched available records in both Galway city and the National Archives in Dublin. Very little available for the Clifden area for those years. There were a few references to COYNE farmers in the 1855 valuations, including Martin COYNE. However, difficult to know if this my Martin.

Believe now that the best way to progress with this research is to pool resources with other COYNE/CAYNE family researchers in this area. Look forward to hearing from you.

Colleen, from West Aust