Family ancestry with mixed religious background and a respected ‘saintly’ priest

Family ancestry with mixed religious background and a respected ‘saintly’ priest

26 February 2025

AS a 17 year-old student with a passion for religious studies, history and languages, I have always been fascinated with my family’s ancestry.  

The surname Carlin has a rich and complex history, deeply intertwined with education, emigration and religious vocations. Through my local research, I have uncovered stories of my Loughinisland ancestors who contributed much to the communities they joined.

One such figure is Patrick Carlin, who was born in 1765 in Woodgrange, Loughinisland. Research suggests that Patrick and his family emigrated to North America alongside Protestant neighbours from Hollymount Church.

One theory is that they were in employment together at Ballydugan Mill – a flourishing industry that produced flour, bran and starch. The Carlin family settled in Westfield, Chautauqua, New York, where they lived among Loughinisland families such as the Cochranes and Balls on Dutch-owned farmland.

Patrick Carlin’s family saw their new home as an opportunity to turn the page and convert to Presbyterianism, highlighting the fluidity of religious identity in the 18th century.

Historical records suggest that conversions like these were not necessarily motivated by economic and social gain. Many, including Patrick Carlin’s descendants, made genuine religious commitments to Protestantism.

Such shifts were not uncommon in Ireland either – Margery Carolan’s conversion to Methodism after John Wesley’s visit to Clones in 1775 and Daniel O’Carrolan’s conversion to the Church of Ireland in Cloncha, Donegal, serve as similar examples.

These stories remind me that faith, like identity, can evolve over time and across generations.

Another intriguing figure in my Carlin lineage is Father James Carlin, a well-respected parish priest in Newry. He was my great-great-uncle and is buried in our family plot in the old cemetery in Loughinisland. Father Carlin’s story stands in contrast to Patrick Carlin’s emigration tale, illustrating the different paths my ancestors took.

Father James was born on June 1, 1856, in Loughinisland, a village with a long history of Catholic fidelity. Research traces his family’s presence there to the 1790s, with indications that his ancestors may have migrated from Navan, Co Meath.

Trained at the Irish College in Paris, Fr Carlin became skilled in French, Latin and theology, preparing him for a life of religious service. Between 1891 and 1906, he made significant contributions to the Catholic community in Newry, particularly through his role as the parish priest of St Patrick and St Colman’s Cathedral.

During his tenure, Fr Carlin played a key role in overseeing the spiritual and pastoral needs of the town’s Catholic population. He worked closely with Bishop O’Neill to launch improvement schemes that transformed Newry Cathedral into one of the finest in Ireland.

His impact extended beyond religious affairs – he was a champion of education, ensuring that local children received quality instruction. His leadership also supported initiatives such as the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association, which promoted sobriety among his parishioners.

Father James Carlin’s untimely death from typhoid fever in October1906 was deeply mourned by the 

community. A Belfast Telegraph article from October 12, 1906, vividly captures the outpouring of grief: “Newry people’s joy on emerging from the theatre on Wednesday night was but short-lived when they learned that Father Carlin had entered that bourne from whence no traveller returns.

“The solemn tolling of the Cathedral bell and that of St Catherine’s, Queen Street, announced the sad event. Heartfelt sympathy and keenest regret were heard on all sides, mingled with heart-rending sobs of many a poor soul whom the deceased had befriended in their hour of need.”

Reading these words more than a century later, I felt an unexpected sense of loss for an ancestor I never met. His contributions were not forgotten. In 1907, the Sacred Heart Shrine at Newry Cathedral was erected in his memory. In 1925, it was further consecrated as part of preparations for the Cathedral’s full consecration.

The Frontier Sentinel honoured Fr Carlin as “a saintly and zealous priest who laid the foundations of many of the features for which the religious life of the Diocese is at present distinguished.”

Uncovering these stories has been humbling. Learning about Patrick Carlin’s emigration and religious transformation has made me reflect on the importance of adaptability and resilience.

His journey reminds me that identity is not fixed – it is shaped by circumstances, choices and opportunities.

Meanwhile, Father James Carlin’s unwavering dedication to faith and education inspires me to think about my own career aspirations and the values I want to uphold in my life.

As a young person, I feel a sense of responsibility to continue uncovering and preserving my family’s history. There is still so much to learn. I have come to see how deeply interconnected our personal stories are with the past. 

My journey into my family’s ancestry has taught me that history is not just about grand events and famous figures – it is about ordinary people making decisions that echo through generations. Whether through migration, faith or community leadership, the Carlin family has left its mark, and I am proud to be part of that story.

If there is one lesson I take from this research, it is that history is never truly gone – it lives on in the names, places and stories we pass down. And if we continue to explore and share these narratives, our ancestors’ voices will never be forgotten.