William Murtagh Family

Mary:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

I located the 1876 civil marriage record for John Murtagh and Catherine Devaney in Ballina. The father of Catherine was Patrick but no name was shown for the father of John. Both fathers were tinsmiths as was John.

 https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1876/11188/8099651.pdf

From the subscription site Roots Ireland, they had at least ten children: Mary Ellen 1882 Martin 1876 Margaret 1885 (likely died young) Catherine 1887 John Joseph 1889 Mary 1891 Mary Ellen 1892 William 1894 Patrick 1896 Margaret 1898. It is possible that Patrick was born in late 1895 but the birth was registered in February 1896.

This may be Catherine's baptismal record but would have made her 16 at her marriage. There were a number of Catherine Devanny baptismal records in Mayo with father Patrick but only one in Ballina. However, the family may have moved around a lot. I see three possible John Murtagh baptismal records but without knowing the father's name, there is no way to confirm.

Let me know if you have questions.

Roger McDonnell

Name:Catherine DevanyDate of Birth:03-May-1860
Date of Baptism:06-May-1860Address:BohernasopParish/District:KILMOREMOY/BALLINAGender:FemaleCountyMAYO
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:Pat DevanyMother:Mary DalyOccupation:
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:John Langan Sponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Cate English 

Catherine Murtagh or Devaney married Patrick Reilly (not Thomas) 1905 in Castlebar. He signed his name, she made her mark. Pat Reilly was another tinsmith, as was his father, Thomas. 

John Murtagh was alive at time of 1901 census. I couldn't see any death registrations in Castlebar on Irish Genealogy.ie 1901-05 so he must have died elsewhere  or his name has been incorrectly transcribed. If you can't find his death registration in Ireland, try Britain. He may have travelled widely between Spring and Autumn. Recorded age at death may not have been accurate.

Surname was written as Murta on 1901 census. John couldn't read or write and Catherine stated she was able to read only. John's age was recorded as 50 and Catherine's as 40.  Also children,  Catherine (14), John (12), Mary (7), William (5), Patrick (4) and Margaret (2).  Address was Lucan Street, Castlebar Urban. Lucan St. was also known as Collectors Lane (written in small letters on one of the original returns). House had 4 rooms and outside was a stable and a piggery.  There was another Murtagh household in Lucan St. Only occupant on census night was William Murtagh, singe, aged 36, born Castlebar. He was also a tinsmith.  His house also had 4 rooms. 

The Reilly-Murtagh family were still in Collectors Lane at 1911 census. Patrick Reilly aged 42, born County Galway. Occupation tinsmith. He could read & write and spoke Irish & English. Catherine admitted to age 45 , was born in Co. Mayo and was recorded as being able to read & write. 4 Murtagh children present plus Thomas Reilly, aged 5, son. This census was the first to ask questions about marriage and number of children born of a marriage. The question was meant for the wife. Some respondents were confused by these questions, especially those who had been married more than once and had children or step-children from each union.  Responses were not always reliable. Answers here were 26 years married, 6 children born, 6 still alive.

I noted names of witnesses at Catherine's wedding to John Murtagh, in case they were relatives. Mary Flannery and Michael McHale? There were Flannery households in Collectors Lane but that may be coincidence. 

Devaney/Devanny/Devany birth registrations in Ballina district of possible relatives of Catherine Devaney:  

  Peter 1864;  Patrick 1866;  Rosanna 1868;  Joseph 1870. Father was Patrick, occupation tinman. Mother was Mary, maiden surname Daley. Abode Bohernasay?   

Also with a father, Patrick, occupation tinsmith were Mary 1874;  Patt 1876;  Bridget 1879.  Mother of these children was Margaret, maiden surname McNally/McNallen. Same abode as the other births. 

There may be others with same parents. 

Take note also of Mark Devanny, a dealer,  places of  abode Brook Street and Bohernasay. Children registered at Ballina include Anne 1870 and Patrick 1873, mother Catherine (Price). Another birth was Catherine 1880, mother Catherine (Kelly).  Mark's occupation is one which would fit with tinman relatives. 

Information from Irish Genealogy.ie. 

Edit. Townland may be the one transcribed as Bohernasop on 1901 and 1911 census, DED Ballina Urban. There were 44 properties in 1901 and 30 in 1911.  1901 included Anthony & Ann Devany; also Bridget Devany lodging with a Kilgallon family.

Thank you Rodger and Maggie May, for sending me all this information. Now I think I know why my Grandfather never spoke about his family back home. I know I was confused before, but now I'm not sure if it's confusing or surprising. I guess I will try the church in the town. I know the original church burnt down. And it was rebuilt. I belong to the Irish Immigration Center. They have many members that are from Ireland. One of the gentlemen is from outside of Castlebar. And they also have Irish Genealogy classes. And I joined a Mayo Genealogy Group on Facebook. I bless all of you, I have gotten so much help. I hope if God Grant's me I will get to Castlebar before I leave this earth. Till we speak again. God bless Mary Murtagh.

You may already have these deaths of John & Catherine's children. All registered at Castlebar. Information from Irish Genealogy.ie 

Martin age 10 days; Sept. 1884; address Lucan St.; informant Catherine, mother. I didn't notice a birth registration for him.

Margaret 1888; informant Mary Murtagh, grandmother. (Presumably John's mother, unless she was his stepmother.)  

Margaret aged 26 days;  1891 ; Lucan St. Castlebar; informant Catherine,  She was born in August acording to her birth registration. Roger has her birth registration from Roots Ireland as Mary. 

So Mary Ellen and Margaret were used again.  If I read the name corrrectly Margaret was used 3 times. That suggests to me that Margaret and Mary were names of grandmothers or aunts.

Another death registration in Castlebar district 1897:    Mary Murtagh, aged 68; widow of a tinsmith; informant John Murtagh, son.

As the first name of John's father was missing from his marriage certificate I wonder if the father died when John was young and there was no family member around to ask at the time of the wedding. As his mother was alive and with or near the family at times (1888, 1897),  I guess she would have told John his father's name so that he could call one of his sons after him.

Also William Murtagh, aged 68, tinsmith; death registered Castlebar 1934. He may have been the William who was a neighbour of John & Catherine on 1901 census. Either he was mistaken about his age or his birthplace on 1901 census or his birth wasn't registered. He died in a home or a hospital so informant was staff, not a relative. 

I noticed that John & Catherine were in Lucan St. from at least 1882, birth of Mary Ellen. Lucan St. was address for 1901 & 1911 census. That means Catherine had a settled home for 30 years. John may have travelled at times or may have found enough work in Castlebar and surrounds.

Martin's birth registration which I missed.  Castlebar 1884. Born 19th September. Birth registered 21st October, same date as his death was registered.  Was there 1 son Martin or 2? I couldn't find an earlier birth registration.

Another child death I missed to add to those in previous post.  Mary Ellen Murtagh aged 6; death registered July 1889 Castlebar;  informant John Murtagh, father. 

Catherine's death: Castlebar 1939 at Lucan Street, Castlebar; Catherine Reilly, married, aged 79;  occupation O.A.P. ; informant P.  (unclear)  Reilly, husband. 

So Catherine lived in Lucan Street for  around 60 years. 

O.A.P. = Old Age Pensioner. A person could apply for a pension at age 70. According to 1911 census Catherine was a few years older than her husband but imo she was telling a fib and she was really several years older than him. (That's providing his age was accurate.) Whatever her true age, she would have reached pensionable age before him. I don't know what rules were about Old Age Pensions in Ireland in 1930s. Could Catherine, a married woman, older than her husband, apply for a pension in her own right when she was 70 or was she not entitled to state assistance until her husband was old enough to apply? If she could apply for herself, she would have had to prove her age. The previous generation who became pensioners during decades after introduction of pensions in 1909  and who were born prior to civil registrations of births (1864) provided proof of age by alternate methods; e.g. copy of entry in baptism register, appearance on a census return in 1841 or 1851. (Some application forms  to search census returns  from would-be O.A.P.s survive.)  What proof did a person like Catherine, born around 1860 provide? Baptism? Her marriage certificate?  Her statement of 'full age' on that isn't reconcilable with her ages on censuses.