The Mernaghs

Frank Roffey - Eileen Mernagh wedding, originally uploaded by CharlesFred.

Well, I was writing about the Mernagh side of the family, in connection with the Grand National.

I have been in correspondence recently with Sue D. from a place called Garibaldi in Oregon. She has been researching the family tree for many years and has sent me some correspondence she has had with the Mernagh family still in Wexford, Ireland.

Funnily enough, the one person she, and her contacts in Ireland did not know much about was my great grandfather Patrick Mernagh wwho had come over to England to work as a plumber. So now I can help her fill in this side of the family, with the help of my father.

She invited me to join the Mernagh family site on myfamily.com. Here we can find photos, birthdays, profile and recipes! I thought I would send in my Granny's recipe for Ginger Log as follows:

Ingredients:
A packet of ginger nuts
A jar of stemmed ginger in syrup
Single cream
Double cream

Directions:
Soak the ginger nuts in a mixture of single cream and ginger syrup for a few hours, or overnight.

Whip the double cream with remainder of ginger syrup and then add the stem ginger pieces, once stiff.

Make a log of the ginger biscuits, spreading a bit of the hardened cream in between each or every other one. Then cover the log in the remainder of the cream. Put in fridge until serving!


Number Of Servings:6-8

Preparation Time:a few hours of soaking first, then very quick

Further, I can read that

"James Mernagh is listed in the tithe applotement records in the townsland of Mohurry, in the Kiltealy area for 1825-1825. (Cf. "Kiltealy Memorials to the Dead"). The area of this farm was usually referred to as Duffry Hall. My uncle Pat Mernagh told me that James was evicted from this farm, and that he subsequently lived for a period, how long Pat does not know in a house built of clay at Dononore. (Bree area): a Ned Doyle became the tenant on this farm at Mohurry, following James' eviction). When James left Mohurry I do not know. A grandson of this James Mernagh, also James used to visit my grandfather at Coolamurry and also visit Mrs. Conran at Rathnure. This latter James was a sergeant in the Dublin Metropolitan Police (D.M.P.) He took early retirement from the police force in 1923. The policeman's parents were James Mernagh and Julia Gill, who lived at Abbey Street, Wexford town.

The grandfather (who was evicted) and the James who married Gill were my ancestors. The James who was a policeman was the brother of my great grandfather Patrick.

Looks like a visit to Wexford later in the year might be on the cards!