Changing Parishes in the 20th century: Civil parishes and Catholic Parishes

upncmnhistori

Hi, I would like any genealogist to help me out on this query I am only an amateur one I do have experience in it but I think I need to grasp some 'How land boundaries work'.

My grandmother's great grandmother was called Owens in Mountpelier, Athenry
Co. Galway back in the early 1900's but the problem is that according to the 1901/11 census Mountpelier isn't in Athenry it is in the parish of Aughrim.
Is there any reason why parishes changed in 20th century Ireland? Today
Mountpelier is in the parish of Athenry. I have just been told that there are
old civil parishes and Catholic parishes didn't know there was a difference
in parishes. Any genealogist want to help my query, please?

shanew

The Aughrim mentioned on the 1911 census is the DED - or Electoral District. If you look at the reverse of the household form you can see the parish as Athenry. This is the Civil parish.

Civil parishes usually correspond to Church of Ireland parishes. RC parishes can contain a number of civil parishes, and sometimes different names. RC Parishes changed over time, often due to population changes.

In this case the RC parish corresponded to the Civil parish and had the same name.



Shane

Coolnabacky1873

Claire Santry has a good overview of the main divisions and Shanew has just described the main points.

Seanruad.com and the book A Genealogical Atlas of Ireland by Brian Mitchell (2nd ed) are most helpful too.

upncmnhistori

Thank you