My great, great grandparents farmed in the townland of Dirreen in Co. Limerick. The parish church was St. Bartholomew in Athea. Their names were Timothy Ahern and Bridget Fitzgerald Ahern. (These names are consistent with family records and death certificates of their daughter, Bridget, in the US.) They were married in Abbeyfeale in 1848 and raised their family in Dirreen. I can find Timothy on the land records, going back to Griffiths. I also have a record from the 1841 and 1851 excerpts for daughter Julia, naming Timothy as her father in Dirreen. In 1901 Census, Timothy is not in the household, only his wife Bridget, son Edmond and daughter Johanna are in the household. In 1911 Census, Bridget is not in the household and neither is Johanna. Edmond is in the household along with his now wife, Ellen Fitzmaurice from Co. Kerry and her sister Maggie Fitzmaurice. The land records in the valuation office in Dublin are consistent with these transitions. More specifically, in 1887 Bridget is in place of Timothy, then in 1909 Edmond is in place of Bridget, and in 1927 Ellen is in place of Edmond.
My brick wall is finding more civil or Catholic records for Timothy. That is, birth and death records, and burial records for him. Ideally, they would include his parents names. Any suggestions? Thank you. Mary Ahearn
I
mahearn
Wednesday 8th May 2024, 02:50PMMessage Board Replies
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Mary:
Baptismal records for Athea RC parish start in April 1830 and according to the subscription site Roots Ireland there are no Timothy Ahearn records in 1830 or 1831. Two possibilities: Timothy was baptized at Athea before April 1830 or he may have been baptized across the county border in Kerry but without knowing his parents names, we can't confirm any record located.
Civil registration of births started in 1864.
Timothy died in 1884. See fifth record at the link.
Roger McDonnell
Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
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Roger, thank you very much! I did not have this record. The informant was my great grandmother before she emigrated to the US. Timothy's age at the time of his death was reported as 73, so he was born about 1811. I wonder where Catholics would have been baptized around 1811? And, I assume by your response that the only way to know about his parents would be personal family records, assuming no church records exist? The local parish church is St Bartholomews which was built about 1832.
And a related question: Timothy and his wife, Bridget, had many children before and after 1864. For those children born between their marriage date (1848) and 1864, is rootsireland the only option for a searchable record? BTW, I am also in MD and some times go to the local Family History Center.
Thank you, again.
mahearn
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Mary:
There was an old chapel prior to the 1832 church but apparently no records exist. See this writeup from the 1837 Lewis Topographical Dictionary.
I took a quick look on Roots Ireland and found Helen March 10 1851 William May 5 1853 Mary August 27 1855 Edmond May 19 1858 Timothy September 6 1861.
I have not been there in probably 12 years but I spent many a Saturday at the Essex FHC.
Roger
Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
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Roger--Thank you, again. That is a very interesting excerpt. The distance between Athea and Stonehall is 39 km on today's roads, which seems like quite a distance for those days. Mary
mahearn
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Mary:
39 km does not make sense. Possibly a different Stonehall.
Roger
Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘