Hello and welcome
Rogers is the maiden name of our mother, Joan Rogers (1936-) who married William Dwyer in 1956.
The photo in the banner is from Joan's parents' wedding. From left to right is Joan's Uncle Tommy (Thelma's youngest brother), Auntie Bern (Thelma's older sister), Ted (father), Thelma (mother), and grandfather Phillips.
Our Rogers ancestors are most likely to have been from the Mac Ruaidhrí sept which had its origins in County Derry, Ireland. Modern surnames associated with this sept include Rogers, Rodgers, MacCrory and MacRory. It is also possible that the Rogers family had its origins in England, where Rogers was a patronymic of Roger, coming first to Ireland with the Anglo-Norman invasions in the 1170’s.1
The first known Rogers ancestors came from Letterboy townland, near Ederney, Magheraculmoney parish in County Fermanagh. Samuel Lewis described County Fermanagh as it was in 1837 in his A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland:
...[it] comprises an area, according to the Ordnance survey, of 456,588 ½ acres, of which 320,599 are cultivated land, 46,755 are under water, and the remainder are unprofitable bog and mountain. The population, in 1821, amounted to 130,997; and in 1831, to 149,555…It was one of the six counties which escheated to the Crown by the flight of the Earls of Tyrone and Tyrconnel, on an imputed conspiracy, and which were included in the celebrated scheme of James I. for the improvement of the north of Ireland, under the name of the Plantation of Ulster...In the war of 1688, this county became famous by the gallant stand made by its inhabitants, under the name of the Enniskillen men, in favour of King William...2
Lewis also described Magheraculmoney parish:
…a parish, in the barony of LURG…on the road from Ballyshannon to Omagh; containing, with the post-town of Kesh, 6451 inhabitants. This parish is situated on Lough Erne, and, according to the Ordnance survey, comprises, including islands, 18,577 statute acres, of which 3843 ¾ are in Lower Lough Erne, and 9973 are applotted under the tithe act. With the exception of about 1500 acres of mountain or turbary [a place on common ground where peat may be dug or cut], the land is of good quality and chiefly in pasture; that portion of it which is under tillage produces good crops, and the system of agriculture is improving. There are some quarries of excellent limestone, which are worked for agricultural purposes, and also of freestone of good quality, which is raised for building; and coal is found in the parish, but not worked. Fairs are held at Ederney and Kesh…and petty sessions are also held at the latter place on alternate Mondays…In the R. C. divisions the parish, with the exception of three townlands, forms part of the union or district of Drumkeeran. About 450 children are taught in the parochial and four other public schools; and there are three private schools, in which are about 150 children.3
1http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/surname/index.cfm?fuseaction=Go.&UserID=
2http://www.libraryireland.com/topog/F/Fermanagh.php.
3http://www.libraryireland.com/topog/M/Magheraculmony-Lurg-Fermanagh.php.
As of April 2014 we have an updated Rogers family tree (PDF).