Wow

I have done loads of research into RIC officers in my family.

The thing is that the RIC rules said that an officer could not marry until he had been in the service for 7 years and then he had to be a posted to a county in which neither he nor his wife had any connection.

My 2 x great grandfather, Thomas Cosgrove, had 2 sons and a raft of daughters. These daughters mostly married his sub-constables - some of them because they had to. Consequently, marriage dates are obscured as the 7 year rule was not always obeyed, plus I think my 2 x great grandmother wanted her grand children around her!

My 2 x great grandmother's name was Isabella Geelan and they were from Mohill - quite well documented on the internet.

The daughters that married sub-constables had their first 2 or 3 children in Granard and were then posted away so their families went with them. The sub-constables were also from other counties as they could not be posted to Longford if they came from there.

The only family that I know of staying in the Granard area was the eldest daughter Martha. She married sub-constable Luke Hickey in 1869 but he died in 1871. She had a son William Hickey with Luke. William joined the army and is in Belfast in the 1911 census.

She re-married a local farmer, George Dobson from Rosharry, Mohill. She had a son with him, John James Dobson and lived at Rosharry until about 1905 when her son JJ bought her a house in Belfast. It was at this house that my great grandfather died in 1921 and she died in 1922. Both were taken back to Granard for burial by JJ.

I'll send you pics if I can get them sorted out - if you guys have big ears - you are our family!!

Can we email directly - it will be easier for photos. Perhaps we can meet up if there is a likeness!

Thanks

Isabel