My maternal grandfather, James Collins was now (about 1870) residing in Ballymore, where he had been for about twelve years, with his two sons, James and Neil, and his two daughters, Letitia, my mother, and Bella. On 20 February 1876, my father and Letitia were married, and came to live in Ballymore along with his brother John. James Collins had got married to a woman named McFadden from Horn Head, who was about thirty-five years his senior, and Neil and Bella had gone to America some years previously, about 1865, I think. My grandfather was alone, except for my mother. He lived to be a very old man and died on 19 January 1893 at the unusual age of 107. Pre 1893 James CollinsHe is buried in Doe. I may mention that in July 1916, when his son James was being buried in the same grave, I found that my grandfather’s coffin was still intact. My brother Johnnie, in curiosity, raised the lid of the old coffin to discover that the body was still intact. The grave clothes had perished into dust, but my grandfather was there, as if made from wax. I did not see this, but four or five people who were opening the old grave did. The Collins’ came from Conwall, Letterkenny. My grandfather’s wife was Peggy Thompson of Kilmacloo, a Protestant, but she became a Catholic on her marriage and remained so until her death in 1856. The Penal Laws were still in force at the time and it was a crime for a priest to celebrate a marriage between a Protestant and a Catholic. My grandfather was married in Doe Chapel, but not one of the wedding party saw the priest. A screen was between him and the contracting parties, so that, though they heard his voice, they did not see him. My grandfather was a skilled cattleman, and had done some act of charity to an old woman who lived in Massinass. When she was dying, she left him her house and farm in Massinass. He went to live there but some time afterwards the Stewarts, on the pretence of enlarging the farms, evicted him and gave the land to the Wilkinson’s, who hold it to this day (1956). My grandfather received no money but the Stewarts offered him work as a cattleman in Ards, which, as there was nothing else, he was obliged to accept. His father, Charles Collins, was working in Ards at the time. My grandfather’s mother was named Margaret McDaid, from Conwall, Letterkenny. Charlie Collins’ mother was McDermott from Duballach. Peggy Thompson was a near relative of David Thompson of Ballymore. Her father was James Thompson and her mother was Letitia Campbell and her mother was Neely. My grandfather (Andrew MacIntyre) had several sisters. One was the mother of Charlie Brogan of Swillybrin, and another Sheela, the mother of Charlie MacAward, (son of Cornelius) of Knockfaugher, another Peggy, mother of William McFadden (Downey) and Rose Algeo of Knockfaugher.

Written by Andrew MacIntyre II