I am working on the Lyons family who were farmers in North Co Dublin, Ireland (Balheary, Oberstown, Lusk) in the nineteenth century. Family names included Nicholas, Peter, Julia and Margaret. If anyone is interested, or has information relating to this family, please get in touch.

Don't recognise the Lyons surname BUT my Hartley [and Smyth] ancestors were resident in the same area in the first half of the 19th century ie Balheary demesne near Swords. I took my family to Ireland last year and had hoped to see the home in which they once lived but it had been demolished a couple of years earlier. The place is now a retreat for Roman Catholic priests and called the Emmaus centre. The Hartleys emigrated for Australia in 1853. The Emmaus website used to include a photo of the residence.

Thanks for the additional information. The Lyons family rented land in the townlands of Balheary and Magillstown, adjacent to Balheary demesne, so they almost certainly knew your ancestors. The landlord was Arthur Baker, a prominent Dublin solicitor and major landowner, who listed Balheary House as one of his addresses. It seems a shame that the house was demolished, and it is interesting to note that the rezoning of parts of Balheary Demesne was scrutinised as part of a major public inquiry (the Flood Tribunal) into planning irregularities in North County Dublin. I found a small photo of the original house on another site: http://www.donabateparish.ie/photo.html.
Thanks again for your response.

I gather the Hartleys also leased land from Arthur Baker as per Griffiths Valuation. I was told my great grandfather, who was 14yo when the family emigrated to Australia, supposedly learnt to walk in that house. The current Emmaus manager told me she visited the house prior to its demolition and was very impressed with a feature staircase. I still have a school textbook that belonged to my GGrandfather who went on to be a successful grazier and named his property 'Balheary'. One of his sisters named hers 'Baltrasna' but I'm uncertain as to the story behind that name. There are a few Baltrasnas in Ireland. That photo you found appears on a couple of websites and is the one I referred to. Good luck with your Lyons research. Cheers, Doug Hartley, Australia

Thanks Doug. Best of luck with your own research too.
Mike Casey

I am seeking information on a William Lyons born in Ireland in 1772 coming to America before 1805. He married Catherine Koiner in Augusta Virginia. We know that he had a brother named Thomas. His children were Thomas JR, William, John and David. This is the start of information that we have on our lineage. Can you help with this side?

I'm afraid I don't recognise the names of the Lyons family you describe. As you probably know, there are very few records of genealogical value for Ireland prior to the nineteenth century, and we know almost nothing about our own earliest Lyons ancestors. I will keep my eyes peeled for William and Thomas, but I am not optimistic about finding much more about either Lyons family. Good luck with your search; if you do get any specific leads, I will help with local research if I can.

According to written history material in my aunt's possession, our "direct" European ancestor with the name Williams was:  "David Williams, born in Wales, 1755, married Margaret Lyons, born in Ireland.  He came to America prior to the American Revolution.  He was soldier during the Revolutionary War, serving under Geo. Washington.  Margaret did Geo. Washington's laundry the winter the American Army lay at Valley Forge.  They had six children grown to man and womanhood.  etc., etc., etc. 
There is no more explicit information to pin down the location in Wales.

I don't know how far back your Margaret Lyons goes--do these dates match in any way? If so, you have a bunch of relatives in America

Hi, Our Margaret Lyons was born in 1815, too late to be your ancestor I guess. Sorry they don't match, but good luck with your research.

I have no connection to the Lyons Family that I am aware of yet but I do have a connection to Balheary.

My Gtx3 Grandfather Isaac Duigenan is listed on Griffiths as having sub-let land from Arthur Baker. I have found a small amount of information on Balheary on the net and would welcome any direction you could give me.

I am trying to build up an understanding of life in Balheary in the 19th Century. The link posted earlier in this thread to a picture of Balheary House does not appear to be working now.

I would appreciate any help you could give me on this.

Peter.