My great, great grandmother was Mary Ann Byrnes who died in Victoria, Australia in 1878 aged 45. Her place of birth is recorded on various certificates as Drogheda, Co Louth and Dunlear(?) Co Louth. I think I have tracked down her arrival in Australia at age 16 in May 1848. But I have 3 questions that I would be grateful for any help with:
1. The ship's passenger lists names Mary Ann Byrnes and Joanna Daly, both aged 16 with their "Native Place" being "Cork (Foundling)". I know what "foundling" usually means, but I was wondering if the word might also be used for famine orphans, noting the date of her arrival.
2. On her marriage certificate and one of her children's marriage certificates (admittedly after her death) Mary's maiden names is given as "Daly". This might be drawing a very long bow, but I wondered if this might be a generic maiden name, like "Jane Doe", given to foundlings. Its a bit odd for the same mistake to be made twice and her shipmate's surname was Daly. I am confident that I have the right marriage certificate because her husband had a very distinctive surname and I know he only married once.
3. If she was born in Co Louth, why is her native place given as Cork? If she was orphaned, would she have been moved there for some reason? Or was that just where the ship left from?
If anyone has run into similar issues, or can point me in the direction of information about Irish "foundlings" at around the time of the famine, I'd be very grateful to hear from you.
Thanking you in anticipation.