Summary information for the McArdle's
Origins in Ireland
Family stories recall that Francis McArdle was born in County Armagh, Ireland and a search of the Ireland Births and Baptisms 1620-1881 index finds an entry for him. He was born in 1865 in Crossmaglen, County Armagh and his parents were John McArdle and Mary Murtaugh. Unsurprisingly the Irish Times - Irish Ancestors web site shows that the name McArdle has its highest concentrations in the Counties of Armagh, Monaghan and Louth. When life events of Francis’s parents are examined it is evident that they are also associated with the towns or districts of Carrickmacross and Castleblayney in County Monaghan. Generally, it is evident that the McArdles were located and lived in the cross border regions between Monaghan and Armagh and this area is depicted on the adjoining map.
The McArdle Name
On the Surname Database site the name McArdle and the alternative spellings of MacArdle, MacCardle, MacArdell, McCardle, and McCardell is said to be an anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Ardghail. This derives from "mac" meaning son of, and the personal name "Ardghal", composed of the elements "ard" meaning height plus "gal", valour, hence "high valour". The name is widespread in the Counties of Armagh, Monaghan and parts of Louth.
Coming to Australia
According to the NSW’s indexes to Immigration and Shipping Records, Francis McArdle aged 20 arrived in Sydney on-board the Port Victor from Plymouth in July 1886. He may have been accompanied by a brother, cousin or relative as there is an Arthur McArdle recorded on the same voyage. His travel to Australia was probable part of an assisted passage program as the Port Victor is recorded in the Trove-Newspapers On-line site as a migrant ship that had 644 immigrants on-board.
Francis in Inverell
When Francis arrived in Inverell is currently unknown but his marriage to Margaret Gleeson, in Inverell on the 2nd of February 1901 is recorded in the Australia Marriages 1810-1980 index. There may have been some family link between Francis and other McArdle’s in the Inverell district as there are recorded births for McArdle’s in Inverell, Bundarra, Tingha and Armidale in the years from 1885 to 1913.
Francis and Margaret lived in the Belgravia area of Inverell, just to the northeast of the main town centre. They had two daughters, Mary Frances b.1901 and Mona Imelda b.1912. Family stories explain the reason for the 10+ year gap between the daughter’s birth dates as being the result of a series of miscarriages. Francis is also remembered as a wood-cutter and agricultural worker; he is said to have spent long periods away from Inverell.
By about 1924, Margaret and her daughter Mona left Inverell to join her older daughter Mary in Sydney. Then, by 1934 the three McArdle women were resident in Drummoyne where Margaret was operating a boarding house. It was here that her daughters meet their eventual husbands Henry and Jack Farman.
Francis's died in Moree in 1931 and his death is recorded in the NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages listings.
Other Details
More details about the McArdle’s, their partners and decedents can be found through the Names Index and Pedigree pages of this site and, within the “Notes” that are attached to individuals. The listings and information about the McArdle’s is by no means complete and hopefully, as new source material becomes available, additional McArdle records can be added to this Family Tree.
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