Kerry Catholic Baptism & Marriage Registers
This image was taken directly from an actual Kerry Parish Register
It is all good news to-day on the Church records. Next Wednesday afternoon 8th July, the Catholic Church Parish records will be released on their website by the National Library.
As the NLI currently state on their website ‘For most family history researchers, parish registers provide the earliest direct source of family information. Unlike many other records, parish registers provide evidence of direct links between one generation and the next (via baptismal registers) and one family and another (via marriage registers).’
Prior to the 8th July, the relevant records held by the NLI were on microfiche and as such only available to visitors to the Library in Dublin. I have been working since April, a couple of days a month in the Genealogy section of the Library, as part of the Genealogy Advisory Service and I never fail to be surprised at the numbers of people who attend, all trying to trace their ancestors. Yesterday, I had descendants from five different countries, some with a lot of information, some with none, all anxious to discover more about ancestors going back to the 1800s and beyond. From next Wednesday, a lot of ground work will be available to research from home. And all this for FREE.
I have had training on the upcoming Catholic Parish Registers and I can say that the site itself is brilliant. The technology is first class, It is easy to navigate – you can zoom, download, increase or decrease the brightness or contrast, save and print. This means that the more illegible records can be really examined. The map of each parish is clearly set out, showing you the adjacent parishes which will be a definite help for those who are uncertain where exactly to look for a record. The cut-off date is 1880. (An Index to all Births/Marriages from 1864 are recorded on the Civil Records page of www.IrishGenealogy.ie}.
The records themselves are not indexed and of course as originals they were entered in Latin so a bit of work will have to be put into it when searching or researching family.
Dingle Registers on www.Irishgenealogy.ie
The other bit of good news is on the Dingle Registers. A couple of years ago when I was researching the baptismal records of The Kerry Girls, I kept coming up against the proverbial brick wall in the case of the majority of the Dingle girls. According to the ages that they gave to the Australian Immigration authorities, their baptismal dates should been on the site between 1828 and 1832 but no records at all were appearing for that period. The website didn’t make me any wiser as it never tells you what is missing. I mentioned this to Canon Looney, P.P., of Dingle and he gave me the opportunity of looking at the actual original register. It turned out they weren’t ‘missing’ but very faded and illegible for the most part. However Canon Looney doesn’t let the grass grow under his feet, but he persuaded a brilliant and most importantly a patient man – Jim Lenehan, who came in on a voluntary basis over the past couple of years and has succeeded in deciphering the names and address on these records, from January 1828 to April 1837. Until the Dingle, St Mary’s RC, baptismal records 1828 – 1837 are released, Jim is happy to do a search for anyone who has specific data to this area and time period. He has these on a spreadsheet on his lap top. There are more than 3500 entries.
WOW…. Great news, Thank You Kay, also Thank You Jim Lenehan
I’m looking for Dorgan family members but if I need to be specific Honora Dorgan that married Thomas Deen, her parents and possible siblings parents of Elizabeth Deen, (haven’t found her birth either
Thank you so very much, as a person who has done transcribing, I know it is a lot of hard graft, please know it is appreciated
Cheers
Maureen O’Connor
I am looking for my Grandmothers birth. She was the daughter of John &Johanna Sullivan (nee O’Connor ) from Tralee, John was a Blacksmith. Ellen was born approx 1867-68
I am trying to find my ancestor Honora (Hannah) Sale, married to John Sale, Mother Mary and she was convicted for stealing a turkey and transported to Tasmania. She was born about 1819. Any information would be wonderful.
Thank you.
Pam Evans.
Pam, you would need to have some idea of Hanora Sale’s maiden name – before she married John Sale. There is a list of those convicted on the National Archives Ireland-Australia Transportation database but you would need some other indications – maiden name, where was she convicted, what year etc., before you could start looking for her in Ireland. I can only speak for Kerry but could direct you if you had more information.
It has been a while since I have checked this The information I have on my ancestor is her name was Honora, Hannah or Nora, I have no idea of her maiden name but she supposedly married a John Sale and had two children before she was convicted of stealing a turkey and sent to Grangegorman Female prison in Dublin in 1851 before being transported to Tasmania. Her mother’s name was Mary, she had brothers, Edward, Jeremiah and Michael, sisters, Ellen and Catherine. Any help would be appreciated.
.
Pam, Yes there is a mention in our National Archives of a Hanna Sale, who was tried in Kerry in 1851 and sentenced to seven years transportation. We would have to have a look at the actual file to get more information on the trial but you seem to have a lot here already. I have just checked http://www.IrishGenealogy.ie and found a baptismal record for Ellen Sale 3 March 1839. In this Ellen’s parents are listed as Honora Flanigan and Thomas Sale. The address is Hart-Hill and the church she was baptised in is Causeway. That gives us quite a bit of information. I will do a further search and contact you re your email then. Could you let me know any details you have of her time in Tasmania. I would be very interested for my blog.
I have no idea or Honora’s maiden name as she was married three times. Her mother was Mary and she had 3 brothers, Jeremiah, Edward and Michael and two sisters, Catherine and Ellen. Any help would be wonderful. Thank you.l
It has been a while since I have checked this The information I have on my ancestor is her name was Honora, Hannah or Nora, I have no idea of her maiden name but she supposedly married a John Sale and had two children before she was convicted of stealing a turkey and sent to Grangegorman Female prison in Dublin in 1851 before being transported to Tasmania. Her mother’s name was Mary, she had brothers, Edward, Jeremiah and Michael, sisters, Ellen and Catherine. Any help would be appreciated.
.
Kay,
I want to let you know that your blog post is listed in today’s Fab Finds post at http://janasgenealogyandfamilyhistory.blogspot.com/2015/07/follow-friday-fab-finds-for-july-3-2015.html
Have a wonderful weekend!
I am hoping to find Matthew and Honora (O’Leary) Moynahan who arrived in North America in the early 1820s – staying in Pennsylvania and then ending up in Ontario, Canada.
Other than County Kerry, the only other record I have found reads “Kilcrohane” or “Himegueney”.
My fingers are crossed that I will find them in Ireland.
The story of their trip (The Kerry Moynahans) is here: http://moynahangenealogy.blogspot.ca/2014/02/52-ancestors-5-timothy-moynahan.html
Cindy I have emailed you separately as I am not sure that your ancestors – Moynihans – are from Kerry. You mention ‘Kilcrohane’ which is in County Cork but of course Kerry Diocese encompasses part of West Cork in the Beara peninsula. If you could send me separately the newspaper article I will come back to you with some suggestions then. Kay
Looking for information on Deady family.
An 1853 marriage Certificate in USA states Michael DEADY was born in Dingle in1828. His brother Patrick Deady married one week later also states born in Dingle in 1828 (twins?) Cannot find information on any site. Parents were Patrick and Sarah Deady.. Would appreciate any help in tracing them.
Teresa, as you probably know by now, no Irish person knew their exact date of birth in the 19th century. They had no reason to know it & it only came up when they emigrated and were asked for these dates. My advice would be that you look through the free website http://www.Irishgenealogy.ie in the Church section and see if you can come across it there either in ‘Dingle’ or ‘Kerry’. For instance it might be Ballyferriter but they would have said ‘Dingle’ on official notices in the U.S. The bad news is that the original baptismal register in Dingle is illegible from 1824 to 1828. Another option (if you have the patience) is to go methodically through Registers.Nli.ie for Dingle in the years you specify. It is the original register, it is not indexed and written in Latin so it is a bit of a chore. You could also try Kilmealkader (Ballyferriter) in the same way. Good luck with the hunt.
Thank you Kay. Have hit blank wall with NLI. Sorry for delay in responding
Hi Teresa, I may have some info for you…my family is from That area with a Deady surname. Please feel free to contact me at any time