Checking the Townlands

After my post on Saturday about searching Irish Catholic Parish Records, I had a comment from Bob Cumberbatch giving me a link to townlands.ie. This took me to the page for Aghamore Downland, Co. Mayo. The first thing I looked for was the link to Mountaincommon. I opened the link for the 1901 Irish Census looking for Niland or Nyland. On page 3 I found Catherine Nyland. Opening this I find she is the wife of Pat Nyland. looking at the family I find Austin Nyland, son, Roman Catholic, can read and write, age 9. I know this is the Austin Nyland that I first found Naturalization papers for leading me to this area for the family. I was not sure if he was a brother for the other Nylands but this tells me that his mother is Catherine not Sarah and this family is younger than the family of Pat and Sarah, so cousins!

1901 census of Ireland, Aghamore, Mayo, Mountaincommon, Form A, Pat Nyland, The National Archives of Ireland (http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie: accessed 19 Oct 25015.

So next I wanted to search the Griffith's Valuation(1847-1864) for Mountaincommon. This gave no results. I went back to the Aghamore page. Going down the list I had to find the Townland of Mountaincommon, found it and clicked on the "Occupants" button. Going down I am looking for Nyland or Niland and I see Thomas Niland. Thomas was the father of Pat Niland married to Sarah.
So I opened up the details page:

"Griffith's Valuation Record Information in Ireland." Union of Swineherd, County of Mayo, (printing date 1856), 22A, for Thomas Niland, Tenant, Barony of Costello, Parish of Aghamore, Downland of Mountaincommon; "Griffith's Valuation," digital images, "Ask about Ireland" (askaboutireland.ie) accessed 19 Oct 2015

looking at the list I see John Walsh above and below Thomas Niland. This shows Thomas Niland has a house and land on 22a, but John Walsh has land on 21 and a house on 22b.

"Griffith's Valuation Record Information in Ireland. Union of Swineherd, County of Mayo, (printing date 1856), 21 & 22b, for John Walsh, Tenant, Barony of Costello, Parish of Aghamore, Downland of Mountaincommon: "Griffith's Valuation," digital images, "Ask about Ireland" (askaboutireland.ie) accessed 19 Oct 2015

What does this mean? My 2nd great grandfather was John Welsh/Walsh, and his father was also John Walsh and his mother was Catherine Niland. They were neighbors! While looking for the Niland family, I found the Walsh family in the same place! Don't you love it when a plan comes together!

Keep looking, you never know what you will find!