Mary Tulvan

The following information contributed by Lawrence Smyth.....

Mary Tulvan was a foundling, abandoned and found at the door of a house in August 1875. She was called Tully, probably after a hill in the area - Tulnavin. Lawrence thinks this is Tullynavin near Redcastle, Moville and not far from Drung. Patrick (Smyth) thinks the name came from a ship that left from Derry City within days.

Mary Tulvan's birth certificate registers her as Mary Tully, no father, no mother and found at door as place of birth. Catherine Barr is recorded as the informant "first having charge of the child Tulnavin" 24th September 1975.

Source: Lawrence Smyth

Lawrence believes Mary was reared by a Hamilton family and one of this family lived in Canada; he came home last when he was 94 - maybe 25 years ago (approx 1987). He always came to visit us when he was in Ireland. His name was Pat and he was tall and ramrod straight! Mary Tully was very friendly with Bridgid Hamilton.

Lawrence says,
"I knew Granny very well and was with her when she died. She was, in my opinion, a very intelligent woman of light stature and she always wore one of those calico aprons. She died in Paisley in 1960, as far as I can remember, at the age of 85. She was strict but kind. She taught Daniel to write a little. Dan was some operator: he was an imposing figure and could hold people's attention just by standing there; he worked mostly as a foreman but always had one of his sons with him to take care of the office work."

Mary married Daniel Smyth on 4th September 1903 in Ireland.