"Our" Watson family appear to have come from Clonsast, about 4 miles from Portarlington. George Watson is given as a "farmer of Clonsast" renting 40 acres from Lord Ashtown. He must have been born around 1790, probably in Clonsast, so tht register needs to be searched. And would have married, again probably in Clonsast, between 1815 and 1820 I have so far not been able to find a Watson marriage in Clonsast earlier than 1835.
CLONSAST, or CLONCAST, also called CLONBOLLOGUE, a parish, in the barony of COOLESTOWN, KING'S county, and province of LEINSTER, 6¼ miles (N. E. by E.) from Portarlington; containing 3914 inhabitants, and comprising about 25,000 statute acres, of which about 14,000 are cultivable, the remainder bog. The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Kildare, united in 1796, by act of council, to the vicarage of Ballynakill, forming the union of Clonsast, in the alternate patronage of the Duke of Leinster and the Bishop: the tithes amount to £628. 12. 3½., and of the union to £694. 3. 0¾. The church is a plain building, to the repairs of which the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have recently granted £243. In the R. C. divisions the parish is the head of a union or district, called Clonbollogue, comprising this parish and parts of those of Geashill and Ballynakill, in which are chapels at Clonbollogue and Brackna, and the Island chapel. The parochial school is aided by an annual donation from the incumbent; and there is a school at Clonbollogue.
1850 Griffiths gives four "George Watson" in Offaly at
One assumes that "our" George Watson is one, or probably both, of the two in Clonsast. The other places in Clonsast mentioned in Griffiths with Watsons are
| Watson | Benjamin | Cushina | Clonsast |
| Watson | George | Aghameelick | Clonsast |
| Watson | George | Derrygarran | Clonsast |
| Watson | Henry | Naharra | Clonsast |
| Watson | John | Kilcloncorkry | Clonsast |
| Watson | Thomas | Clonsast Upper | Clonsast |
| Watson | Thomas | Clonshannon | Clonsast |
| Watson | William | Clonshannon | Clonsast |
So we can conclude that there were a number of Watson families at Clonsast around 1850. His death is not in the state registers, which only run from 1864, so he must have died before that. His death should be findable in the Clonsast registers in the NLI
Beyond that there is nothing known about the Watson family. There is not a Watson surname in Clonsast today, but two families do have Watson parents or grandparents
From Jo Walton - My Great Grandfather: Thomas Watson, of Cushina, son of Benjamin Watson
My Great Grandmother: Charlotte Watson, of Derrygarron, daughter of George Watson & Eliza (married 1850), George was the son of John Watson of Derrygarron.
From Junette My Great Grandmother was Jane Anne Watson, daughter of Benjamin Watson. I believe that she had a brother called Thomas but I have not been able to confirm this as yet.
From Desmond Edward Ward in 2015
The Watson side and the link with Henry Watson and Edward Watson Up to Approx(1870) is Were I have no continunity.However I am aware of a tie between Nahanna and Clonshannon lands,Grannies older sister Anchoetta was given Clonshannon land with a verbal understanding in the event of sale Maude had first refusal.(This did not happen). Anchoretta subsequently emigrated to New Zealand with a religious sect. Jeanetta married a Roe in Meath her daughter Aileen Married Howard and I believe is in failing health.
Bobby Ward Is my brother who along with his son occupy and farm the Watson Nahanna and Ward Clonsast Land. My priority is to tie up Henry Watson, Edward Watson I have hunch The Clonshannon family fall into the pot some how.I have a further was interest My Granny on my Mothers side was also a Watson(Queens County) and it is suggested they may have Ties with Clonsast.