Co. Tipperary - Wm. Morrissey and Cath. Lonergan family

Bridget:

I found a civil birth record which may be for your Mary Morrisey/Morrisy. See third record at this link. The one issue is that this Mary is born in 1874.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1874/03134/2149269.pdf

The family lived in Greenan townland in Inishlounaght civil parish in Co.Waterford.  Inishlounaght civil parish is partially in Co Waterford and partially in Co. Tipperary but very close to Clonmel town.   William the father was listed as a forester.

Do you believe this is the correct birth record for Mary?

Roger McDonnell

Roger, thank you for your kind and prompt reply. 8 years is such an age dfference that it's hard for me to imagine that this is our Mary Katherine, but it certainly could have been an older sibling that did not survive. I found a baby Mary Morrissy who died at 1 year of age on 23 November 1875, with Margaret Morrisey present. I'm unsure if that is a mother, or an aunt or if this is the same baby you found.

Mary Katherine told her family that her baptismal records burnt in a church fire. If that were the case, there still should be a civil registration for her birth, so it's very mysterious. 

Bridget:

The 1875 death record was recorded near Tramore which is on the eastern end of Waterford a good distance from Clonmel.

I also checked for Catherine Morrissy/Morrisy births in 1882-1883 but did not find a good lead. I guess it is possible that the family did not register the birth.

Roger

Thanks for trying, Roger! I have wondered if Mary Katherine were adopted, perhaps the child of a relative that somehow couldn't care for her. Mary Katherine's youngest child was two years old when Mary Katherine died in the U.S., that youngest made a note years later that MK's parents names were John and Mary Morrissey, but no one in the family could ever validate that. We know that Ellen "Nellie" Morrissey Fraher's parents were Wm Morrissey and Catherine Lonergan, according to Nellie's marriage license, and that she and Mary Katherine are definitely sisters.

An old note of mine shows a Mary Morrissey born to Wm and Margaret (perhaps Margaret Mary??) in Dec 1882 in Clonmel (in the civil registry). Any thoughts on that?

Warm thanks, 

Bridget

Hello, Roger/Team IrelandXO. I have come to the Bansha, Co Tipperary area on vacation with family. We are trying to look further for the 1877 Mary Katherine. What are your thoughts on where we might go to look at records that might help us, that are not yet available online?

Warm thanks,

Bridget

Hi Bridget!

I'm sure you are enjoying Ireland. 

For someone born in 1877, there should be records online. The civil records will be available. Church records should be available thru 1880 on FindMyPast.ie or depending on the parish, Roots Ireland. Many of the Tipperary RC parishes in South Tipperary where you are staying do not have records on Roots Ireland. including Bansha.

If Mary was born with a different surname, you will struggle to find the record.

Roger

Hello, Roger! Every minute in Ireland has been a joy. Bansha is a "home base" for exploring this beautiful country. I love how so many faces resemble my siblings or cousins. The lovely staff at the most likely parish - we were there for mass Sunday - are looking into the 1882,  1877 ideas. I am very grateful for your help. Thank you!

Be well!

Bridget 

Hello IrelandXO. For any other members searching, the 1877 Mary was baptised at St Mary's Clonmel.

I found a civil registration in the Clonmel registrar's district for a Mary Morrissey b 4 Dec 1882 to John Morrissey and Margaret Sonergan/Lonergan Morrissey, who lived in the Toor area of Kilcash. If this baby was an RC baby, I suspect she was baptised at St John the Baptist (built 1820 and updated 1885). I have searched the website to find an email for the rectory staff, but have come up empty. I'd like to ask the staff to kindly look for the baptismal record (or direct me to whom I could contact in order to get the details, like where they lived). Nli.ie does not have records as recent as 1882 for this church/area. 

Thank you!