McQuaid’s of Tummery, Dromore Parish, County Tyrone survive the Great Famine, but not the Land Wars of 1879-1882.

The Great Famine 1844-1852, that hit it’s climax in 1846-47, was but one of the many famines of the time, like the potato failures in 1790-1800, 1816, 1822 and 1836. Besides the many mini-famines, fever epidemics were other hazards of life, like the typhus of 1817 and the cholera of 1832.



The following is a list of my known ancestors, that lived in Dromore Parish, County Tyrone, through this turbulent time.

Name	Date of Birth	Age in 1847	Relationship to me	Townland
Thomas McQuaid	abt 1790	57	4th Great Grandfather	Tummery
Thomas McQuaid	abt 1812	35	3rd Great Grandfather	Tummery
His wife Mary McQuaid, Nee McCourt	abt 1812	35	3nd Great Grandmother	Tummery
Ann McQuaid	abt 1836	11	2nd Great Grand Aunt	Tummery
Her future husband John O’Donnell	abt 1835	12	2nd Great Grand Uncle	Tummery
Thomas McQuaid	1837	10	2nd Great Grandfather	Tummery
His future wife, Mary Barrett	1835	12	2nd Great Grandmother	Tummery
Denis Barrett	abt 1810	37	3rd Great Grandfather	Tummery
His wife Margaret Barrett, Nee Gallagher	abt 1810	37	3rd Great Grandmother	Tummery
Rose Barrett	1843	5	2nd Great Grand Aunt	Tummery
John Barrett	1840	7	2nd Great Grand Uncle	Tummery
His future wife, Rose Barrett, Nee Gallagher	1851		2nd Great Grand Aunt	Doughrock
Bernard Gallagher	abt 1813	34	3rd Great Grand Uncle	Doughrock
Catherine Gallagher Nee McCourt	abt 1810	37	3rd Great Grand Aunt	Doughrock
James Gallagher	1839	8	1st Cousin 4X removed	Doughrock
Peter Gallagher	1846	1	1st Cousin 4X removed	Doughrock

There were, most likely, many more children, brothers, sisters. aunts and uncles, in the family groups listed above, that have not been found at the time of this writing. Civil Registration did not began in Ireland until 1864. Before 1864, one must rely on church records or land records. As land passed to one heir, from one generation to the next, record of sibling not inheriting, have been lost. They most likely lived in the same households, as laborers, leased other lots in the same or other Townlands, immigrated, or died.
The following will give you an idea of the number of McQuaid family groups in Tyrone and Dromore Parish in particular, over time. Note that the spelling of names was left to the English clerk, as most of the locals could not read or write.


1666 Hearth Tax, Dromore Parish had a total of 56 tax payers. The parish population was only a few hundred, at the most. Of the 56, there were 4 McQuaid's. That being,  James m'Quead, Adam m'Quad, Torlogh m'Quad, and Henery m'Quade. 1666 Hearth Tax
1796 Flax growers List aka Spinning Wheels List, 17 McQuaid's (McQuade) listed in Tyrone, 3 of which are from Dromore, 1 of these 3 is Thomas. 1796 Flax Growers List
1834 Tithe Applotment, 55 McQuaid's/McQuade leasing land in Dromore Parish, Tyrone, including one Thomas McQuaid in Tummery 1834 Tithe Applotment Dromore, Tyrone
1860 Griffith's Valuation, 90 McQuaid’s in Tyrone, 6 of which are in Dromore, 4 of these in Tummery, including Thomas and Thomas Joun., the other 2 are Patrick and Owen.
110 McQuade’s in Tyrone, 47 of which are in in Dromore, none in Tummery.  1860 Griffith's Valuation


There was a vast change in the population of Dromore Parish, Tyrone over time. Peaking in the years just before the Great Famine. The fall was due to Starvation, Disease, and Emigration.

Year	Population	time span	% Change	tot % from peak
1666	200
1841	10,601	175 yr’s	+5200%
1851	8,091	10 Yr’s	-23.7%	-23.7%
1861	7,090	10 yr’s	-12.4%	-33.1
1871	6,508	10 yr’s	-8.2%	-38.6
1980	2,927	109 yr’s	-55.0%	-72.4%

While the Parish of Dromore, like the rest of Tyrone, was by no means the worst hit by the Famine, still there was great distress and misery. For fever, spreading from Belfast, again followed the Famine into the country side.

As Cecil Woodham-Smith reminds us in her absorbing study of ‘The Great Hunger’ (1963)

“The Famine emigration, the exodus from Ireland, in which hundreds of thousands of Irish fled from their country, because to remain was death, is historically the most important event of the Famine.
It was Famine emigrants who built up communities across the ocean, above all in the United States, where the name of Britain was accursed and whose descendants continued to be Britain's powerful and bitter enemies, exacting vengeance for the suffering their forebears endured”

Link for a History Of Dromore Parish, County Tyrone


Timeline of my McQuaid Family in Dromore Parish, County Tyrone


1768-abt Birth of Thomas McQuaid (listed on 1796 Spinning Wheel Premium Entitlement List) Dromore, Tyrone


1790-abt Birth of Thomas McQuaid, (father of Thomas B1812) Tummery, Dromore Parish, Tyrone


1791-October Woolf Tone, Rowan Hamilton, Napper Tandy and Henry Joy McCracken founded the society of United Irishmen


1796 -The Insurrection Act was passed.
-12 July The Orange Order's first ever marches celebrating the "Battle of the Boyne" and they took place on in Portadown, Lurgan and Waringstown.
-15th Dec Woolf Tone arrives in Bantry bay with 43 French ships and 15,000 troops. Bad weather forced them back to France


1796 Spinning Wheel Premium Entitlement List (Flax Growers of Ireland), - County Tyrone, Thomas McQuaid (Thomas Born abt 1768), Dromore Parish


1798 The Rebellion of 1798


1800 The population of Ireland is almost twice as large as that of the United States.


1801 -2nd Feb The first parliament of Great Britain in which Ireland was represented.
-1st January The Act of Union passed uniting England and Ireland.


1812-abt Birth Thomas McQuaid, (future wife is Mary McCourt, son of Thomas B1790) Tummery, Dromore Parish, Tyrone


1834- Poor Law Amendment Act


1834 Tithe Applotment, Thomas McQuaid, Lot 19 Tummery, Dromore Parish, Tyrone (This is Thomas B1768, age 66)


1835-abt Marraige Thomas McQuaid B1812 & Mary McCourt B1812


1836-abt Death of Thomas McQuaid B1768, McQuaid's give up lot 19 and Thomas McQuaid B1812 leases Lot 2A&B, Birth of Ann McQuaid Daughter of Thomas B1812.


1837, Dec 3, Birth Thomas McQuaid, Tummery, Dromore Parish, Tyrone (future wife is Mary Barrett)


1840 Lowtherstown (now known as Irvinestown) Poor Law Union was formally declared on the 14th September 1840


1844 ordnance survey maps, Tummery, Dromore Parish, Tyrone


1844, Oct 28 Opening of the Work House in the PLU (Poor Law Union) site of Lowtherstown (now known as Irvinestown), Fermanaugh. It covered Co. Fermanagh and parts of south-west Co. Tyrone


1845-1852 Great Famine


1848-By 1848 through emigration and deaths by famine, Ireland's population decreased by more than 2 million people (8.5 to 6.5).


1850's Pre Griffith's, Thomas McQuaid jun, (this is Thomas B1812) Lot 2 A & B, leases 2B to Girls National School, Thomas McQuaid Lot 21 A&B, (this is Thomas B1790) Tummery, Dromore Parish, Tyrone.


1855-abt Marraige Ann McQuaid B1836 to John O'Donnell


1856, Feb 4, Marraige Thomas McQuaid B1837 & Mary Barrett Tummery, Dromore Parish, Tyrone (lives on lot 21a&B with Grandfather Thomas B1790)


1858-Formation of the Irish Republican brotherhood. (The Fenians)


1860 Griffith's Valuation, Thomas McQuaid jun, Lot 2A (this is Thomas B1812), Thomas McQuaid, lot 21A&B (Thomas B1790) , Tummery, Dromore Parish, Tyrone


1864-abt Death Thomas McQuaid B1790 age-abt 74


1864  Civil registration was introduced to Ireland. All Births, Marriages and Deaths had to be recorded at the site of the PLU (Poor Law Union). Lowtherstown (now known as Irvinestown), in County Fermanaugh, was the site for County Fermanagh and parts of south-west County Tyrone.


1865 Annual Revision Book Thomas McQuaid jun, Lot 2A (this is Thomas B1812), Thomas McQuaid Died ( This is Thomas B1790), Patrick Teague Leasing Lot 21A &B. Thomas McQuaid (This is Thomas B1837) Lot 24B taken over from Cornelius O'Donnell. John O'Donnell Lot 24A (Wife is Ann McQuaid sister of Thomas B1837.


1868, May 26, Hanging of Michael Barrett (Fenian)


1871, Feb 10, Birth Thomas John McQuaid, Son of Thomas B1837 and Mary Nee Barrett B1836


1877, Thomas John McQuaid B1871 enrolled in 1^st and 2^nd grade at the Tummery, Dromore Parish, National Boys School.


1879-1882-"Land Wars" In which the Irish national land League protect tenant farmers from eviction and urged non payment of rents and 'boycott' of landLords. 1879-1881-2 Land Wars of Ireland


1880-Parnell elected chairman of the Irish home rule party.


1880 May Thomas McQuaid B1837, wife Mary McQuaid nee Barrett & family on U.S. Census in Monson Massachusetts.


1881-Gladstone's 2nd Land Act. Parnell imprisoned.


1881 Thomas McQuaid off lot 24B, lease taken over by Hugh McDermmit (This is Thomas B1837)


1884-abt Death Thomas McQuaid B1812, age-abt 72


1885 Thomas McQuaid jun off of Lot 2A (this is Thomas B1812), Daniel O'Donnell Jr takes over lease (Family of Daughter Ann McQuaid).