Find your ancestors in Raphoe Marriage Bonds 1710-55 and 1817-30

The Raphoe Marriage Licence Bonds cover the periods from 1710-55 and 1817-30. They are extremely useful for those researching their Irish family history with ancestors from county Donegal. The diocese of Raphoe consisted of thirty four parishes and covers almost the whole of Co. Donegal bar the Inishowen peninsula (Derry Diocese) and the very south of the county (Clogher Diocese). The original bonds were destroyed in the Public Record Office fire of 1922, consequently all that survives is the index.

The details included in this Index include:

• Name of the intended bride
• Name of the intended bridegroom
• Year of the bond

Points to note:

• Up to 1754 the year began on 25th March, so when searching the records you may notice that marriages which took place between January and 24th March 1754 will be identified as 1753-54
• The bonds refer to marriages celebrated in the Established Church but do not cover either Catholic or Presbyterian weddings, unless for some reason they were celebrated in the Anglican church
• The Index is merely a list of the bonds received by the Public Record Office from the Diocese and therefore cannot be considered a complete list of marriages in the Diocese.