The Bowles of Tyrone

The Bowles had a very large and early impact on Tyrone in 1600 when Sir John Bolles was given command of the newly constructed Dunnalong Fortress on the Foyle River. The intent was to occupy the land of several rebellious Irish Chieftains and to prepare the way for new settlers to be brought over from Scotland. Sir John was certainly up to the task and once the garrison was established and the land was pacified he was moved on to co. Cork where he was the Governor of Kinsale for a few years before returning to his home in Haugh, Lincolnshire, England. See Sir John Bowles at Dunnalong Fort and The Bolles of Haugh.

The next earliest reference I have found is in the 1826 Initial Tithe Applotment of Leckpatrick parish which lists a Jno. (usually the abbreviation for John) Bole in the Loughnease townland although he is not mentioned in the 1835 or 1860 valuations.

There are many Bowles births, marriages and deaths references in Tyrone from the late 1800's. These records would indicate they were mostly in the Cookstown (as Bole and Bolle), Strabane (as Boal and Boale) and Clogher (as Bowles, Boile, Boal and Boles) parishes (or Poor Law Unions).

Please see Bole/Bolle/Boal/Boale/Boile/Boles/Bowles References in Tyrone

The most interesting point, for me, is the possibility of a link between The Bowles of Tyrone and The Bowles of Fethard, co. Tipperary and possibly also The Bowles of Fermanagh.

While serving in the Tipperary Militia, Robert Boles of Fethard was assigned to duty in Galway in 1811 when his wife Rebecca was expecting their third child, Grace. While their other children had been born in Tipperary, this child was born in Enniskillen, co. Fermanagh. The most likely explanation as to why Rebecca would have traveled so far to give birth was to receive care and support from their family. Just after the baby's birth in May, Robert, obtained leave to travel but not to Enniskillen. His leave was to Strabane in co. Tyrone about 30 km north of Enniskillen. There were Boals in Strabane and area and there were also Woods, which was Robert's mother's family. It would seem there may have been a connection between the Bowles and/or The Woods of Strabane and The Bowles of Fermanagh.