More About Inver Et Al - Helen Meehan

Helen Meehan [nee Montgomery] was born in Ballybrollaghan, Frosses in 1937. She was educated at Frosses N.S., Coláiste Bríde, Falcarragh [Loreto Nuns] and Carysfort Training College where she graduated as a primary teacher in 1957. She then taught for 3 years in a Loretto school in Dublin. She was appointed to Frosses N.S. in May 1960 and taught there until her retirement in 1998.

In 1963 Helen married John Meehan of Coolum, Mountcharles - they have four children Dr. Eucharia, Rosaire, Edward and Roberta.

Helen was always interested in history, genealogy, folklore etc, and is an active member of several local Societies as well as The Ulster Federation of Local Studies and she is a Past President of Donegal Historical Society. In 2005 she published her 728 page 'Inver in Parish History' and in 2013 'Ethna Carbery - Anna McManus Johnston' In 2008, she enlarged and updated 'Tracing Your Donegal Ancestors' [G Duffy]. She has contributed to 'The Dictionary of Irish Biography' [RIA] and 'The Atlas of County Donegal'. She cntributes regularly to 'The Donegal Annual', 'Due North' [FULS Belfast], 'Spark' [Enniskillen], 'Duiche Neill' [Dungannaon], 'The Gardien' [Clan Montgomery U.S.A.] as well as other history publications and books commemorating local Church anniversaries, Schools Re-unions etc. Helen has also contributed to, and featured on television, on programmes relating to genealogy and local history. She talks at commemorative events such as The Flight of the Earls, the Covenant of 1912, 'The Decade of Commemoration', The O'Cleirigh Summer School in Rosnowlagh, The Allingham Arms Festival etc, etc.

In 2012, she was awarded an M.A [Hons Causa] by NUIG.