Share This:

My mother was born in Callan in 1905 as Bridget Mary O'Shea (or Shea). Her father, Thomas, died when she was a week old. A few years later her mother Elizabeth remarried Edmund Neary. In 1924 my mother emigrated to Boston, where she spent the rest of her life, dying in 1999. Any information on her family would be most welcome.

Sunday 28th Dec 2014, 03:55PM

Message Board Replies

  • There's a good match for Bridget's birth on the BMD Index, registered in the last quarter of 1905 in Callan registration district. The full index references are as follows :

    Name : Bridget Mary Shea
    Event Type : Birth
    Quarter and Year : Oct-Dec 1905
    Registration District : Callan
    Volume 4 / Page 429

    You can use these references to order a research cert which would provide further details to help your search - e.g. date and more detailed place of birth for Bridget,mother's maiden name, father's occupation etc. Download the order form for certs from this link. Let me know if you need more details on how to order certs..

    In 1911 Bridget seems to be living with a Neary family at Green St., Callan, where she is shown as age 6 and a step-daughter to the head of household Edward Neary, a Publican and Farmer. Edward's wife is Elizabeth, and the couple have recorded a barely legible 'under one' in the years married column on the form... I'll have a search for possible references..

     

    Shane Wilson, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Sunday 28th Dec 2014, 04:37PM
  • Based on marriage index references the following looks to be the Index references for Elizabeth's marriage to Edward/Edmond in 1904 :

    Name:     Elizabeth O'Shea
    Quarter and Year :     Oct-Nov-Dec 1910
    Registration district:     Callan
    Volume:     4 Page :     212

    One of the cross-matches, i.e. same index references, is an Edmond Neary. Also appearing with the same references is an Elizabeth Dooley, and so likely Elizabeth's true maiden name. (widows were often indexed under both their maiden name and their surname from the previous marriage)

    Following back the search there's this likely index match for Thomas and Elizabeth in 1904.

    Name:     Elizabeth Dooley
    Quarter ad Year :  Oct-Dec 1904
    Registration district:     Callan
    Volume:     4 / Page :     199

    One of the possible grooms is a Thomas Shea, so a possible cross-match for Elizabeth. If this marriage is correct, then the cert should show father's names etc to help trace Thomas back further..

    Dont know if you already have details for the death of Thomas, here are the likely index references for his death based on the clues you mentioned :

    Name : Thomas Shea
    Event Type : Death
    Quarter and Year : Oct-Dec 1905
    Registration District: Callan
    Reported Age 30 (est. year of birth 1875)
    Volume 4 / Page 295

    Shane Wilson, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Sunday 28th Dec 2014, 05:06PM
  • from the Probate Calendar on the National Archives website - Thomas was a farmer, and he died on the 3rd Oct 1905. It's an administration, so there was no will, and probate was granted to his widow Elizabeth as executrix on the 29th November the same year.

    see Thomas Shea, died 1905

    Assuming Edward and Elizabeth remained in or near Callan, then the best matches on the BMD Index for their deaths of seem to be the following :

    Name     Edmond Neary
    Event Type     Death
    Quarter and Year     Jan - Mar 1953
    Registration District     Callan
    Reported Age   70  (est. year of birth 1883)
    Volume  4 / Page   292

    Name  Elizabeth Neary
    Event Type   Death
    Quarter and Year : Jul-Sep 1955
    Registration District : Callan
    Reported Age : 74 (est. year of birth 1881)
    Volume  4 / Page 251

    A possible match for that Edmond appears on the 1955 probate calendar, his residence given as Kilmoganny, and date of death 17 Jan 1953. There's no occupation or mention of Elizabeth, and probate was grated to a Mary Harrington M.W. (Kilmaganny is the name of a town located about 14km south-east of Callan town)

     

     

     

     

     

    Shane Wilson, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Sunday 28th Dec 2014, 06:38PM
  • Couple of headstone records in Callan cemetery;

    ------

    Cistie O Shea; Kilbride; 11/11/1996 (84)

    -------

    John Croke; West St; 1944

    wife-Ellen (nee O Shea); 27/10/1947

    ------

    John Dunne; Collins Park; 1958

    wife-Mary (nee Fennelly) 1950

    son-Jackie Dunne; 1981

    wife-Mary (nee O Shea) 11/3/1975

    ------

    Timothy O Shea; Kilbride; 5/4/1949  (34)

    ------

    James Kennedy; Tinnamona; 1986

    wife-Ellen (nee O Shea); 29/9/1994 (83)

    =========================

    Jack Mc Donald

    www.genealogylaois.com

    ============

    Tuesday 30th Dec 2014, 05:17PM

Post Reply