Tierney: Ardara/Dunkineely/Killybegs

[ATGoldsmith]

Hello,

I'm looking for information on my ancestors who emigrated from Ireland to Paisley, Scotland between 1869 and 1874.  I have lots of names but with varying spellings therefore making it difficult to trace!

Problem No. 1: The furthest back I have gone so far is to Patrick Tierney and Sarah (aka Sally) ne้ Cairns/Kearns/Kieron. Patrick died in 1875 in Dunkineely aged 60 and Sarah/Sally died in 1898 in Dunkineely aged 82.  They had 8 known children and possibly one more HOWEVER! From Sarah's death I can work out an approximate d.o.b. for her.  This is a problem because, at the moment, her oldest child was born when she was 31 but her youngest child was born when she was 59!

Problem No. 2: Here are the children I have found so far:

William b. 1846 (my direct ancestor - emigrated to Scotland) m. Bridget McMahon in 1868 d. 1927
John b. Unknown
Michael b. 1856/7 d. 1866
Patrick b Unknown
Thomas b. 1865 (emigrated to Scotland as well) m. Mary Catterson d. 1943
Sarah b. 1867
Mary Anne b. 1869
Bella b. 1871
Lizzie b. 1875 (emigrated to Scotland - informant on Sarah's death) m. Patrick McBrearty in 1896

Another problem is that when William applied for a pension (a few times) in the late 1910s and early 1920s he listed all of those as his siblings except Bella.  I found Bella in the civil birth index with the correct parents. Maybe William never knew Bella because he moved to Scotland before she was born?

Any information would be greatly received!

Thanks for reading!

ATG

[joemc]

Hi

Problem No 1: Ages were often guessed by informants registering deaths especially if the deceased was born prior to civil registration of births (pre 1864)  and it is not unusual for them to be 10 or more years out, remember most people were illiterate in this time period so birth dates were often guessed at.  It could be that Patrick's age at death was accurate and people just assumed that his wife was a similar age when she was probably 10 or more years younger. 31 would have been considered old to be having a first child in the time period, she more likely to have been 21 or younger.

Problem No.2
Bella looks like a correct birth given the parents names and registration district, William may not have known of her birth or forgot, perhaps she died in infancy.

On another note, do you know that Thomas Tierney's military records are available online on the findmypast website, they give his birth date as 1867 and location Killochdee, Dunkineely, Donegal, Ireland, there is also a record for a Patrick Tierney, Donegal birth date 1873, linked through the family search site
http://tinyurl.com/lbmq4ke

Regards

[ATGoldsmith]

Hi Joemc!

Thanks so much for your input!  I've had a look at both the military records and they are definitely both my relations.

I will have to find Sarah's birth/baptism to confirm her dob.

Thanks again,

ATG

[joemc]

Sarah's birth record, Thomas military birth date is probably less accurate

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F5YH-W9K

[pwaldron]

I am researching the McBrearty family.

Do you know of any descendants of Patrick McBrearty and Lizzie Tierney?

It is just coincidence that there is a couple named Patrick and Lizzie McBrearty at
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Londonderry/No__4_Urban__West_Ward/Tahan_Street/1537016/
That Patrick is 35 (should be only 30) and they have children aged 10 and 5 (should be married only 5 years).

[ATGoldsmith]

Hi pwaldron,

Thanks for your message!

I think that 1901 census is just a coincidence because I have found Patrick and Lizzie in Renfrewshire in 1901.  Unless they were clever travelers?!

I know they had two children, Thomas (b. 1897 in Dunkineely) and Patrick (b. c.1899 in Paisley, Renfrewshire according to 1901 census).

I know that the father of Patrick McBrearty (Lizzie's husband) was also called Patrick.  Also, Patrick and Lizzie married in Dunkineely on 23rd January 1896.

Next time I'm looking at 1911 Scottish censuses I will see whether they had anymore children after 1901.

Do you think you may have a connection to this family then?

Thanks again!

ATG

[kingskerswell]

Hi pwaldron,
                 I think that your couple may be Patrick McBrearty and Elizabeth McLaughlim who married in 1884 in Londonderry R.C. Church. (Long Tower)

Regards

[pwaldron]

Thank you, kingskerswell, for identifying the parallel Patrick/Lizzie McBrearty family, and ATGoldsmith for all your information.

I found the birth of Patrick McBrearty (III) on 22 Oct 1898 in Paisley.

There were four more children born before 1911, when four of the six children born alive were still living: Patrick (12), John (3), James (1) and Mary (9).  Patrick (II) was 40 but gave his age as only 31, as did his wife.  They admitted that they had been married 15 years.

Now to figure out what became of those four children still alive in 1911 ...

I am indirectly helping the grandchildren of Bridget McBrearty (sister of Patrick II) and her husband Alexander Connolly with their family tree.

The ultimate objective is to help an adoptee who is a DNA match both to myself and to the Connollys.

Paddy

[ATGoldsmith]

Hi Paddy,

Brilliant - well done for finding the birth and the census!  That census shows that Thomas must have died between 1901-1911 then...  Strange how Patrick got his age very wrong though!

Have you managed to find a death for Lizzie?  If you have it would be great to see what her parents' names are given as, because she is meant to be a child of Patrick Tierney and Sarah (ne้ Cairns), however if these are not the names given then I'm not related to the McBreartys!  The marriage certificate should also show this...  A good thing about the death certificates, though, is that it is common for a child to inform on them, which may help you with tracing them post-1911.

That's really cool how you are using DNA results to relate people to each other!  Does this mean you are descended from one of the siblings of Patrick McBrearty (II) or even Lizzie & Patrick?

Thanks for the information!

ATG