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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Wexford => Topic started by: Ruskie on Monday 14 August 06 06:59 BST (UK)

Title: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Ruskie on Monday 14 August 06 06:59 BST (UK)
I wonder if anyone would be kind enough to offer some advice please? I am searching for:
- Birth date of my gggrandfather Thomas Joseph Healy
- Marriage details of his father, Darby Healy (farmer) and mother, Anastasia Ryan, so I can order a marriage certificate if one exists
- Any other children born to this couple

I believe Thomas Joseph was born in about 1863 in New Ross, Wexford. He was later married in a RC church in Australia, so I'm assuming his family was RC too.

I have been told that if the family lived in New Ross the details are as follows: New Ross = Townland/Town, Wexford = County, Bantry = Barony, St Mary = Parish and New Ross = Poor Law Union. But I don't really know what to do with this information  :'(.

I have searched many sites such as leitrim-roscommon.com, failteromhat.com plus others. I can find no mention of this family in any of the obvious places. Even checked out Irish Origins but found nothing >:(.

I decided to order the appropriate film from the LDS library, but they have no records at all from Wexford - just my luck  :(.

To find my ancestors baptismal records/marriages, for a Catholic family living in New Ross, which would be the likely churches/ parishes I should search?

I cannot afford to pay someone to research on my behalf. I have also read reports (on another site) by dissatisfied clients who have paid for research in Wexford, so I am reluctant to go down that path at the moment.

Can anyone assist please? Is requesting a Parish Lookup by a kind rootschatter my only hope?
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: tuttycotton on Saturday 25 November 23 20:12 GMT (UK)
Hi there just wondering if you got any information on Anastasia Ryan. Somewhere in our ancestors that sounds familiar but very unsure. My grand mother was Elizabeth Ryan her father was James Ryan of Church Lane New Ross.

Regards Brendan
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Wexflyer on Sunday 26 November 23 02:33 GMT (UK)
OP posted all the way back in 2006, so not clear if original question is still relevant - so much information now online that maybe already resolved?

But just in case:
The most likely church for an ancestor living in New Ross would be - wait for it! - New Ross!

Thomas Healy born 13/8/1858,  baptized 15/8/58, father Darby Healy, mother Anastasia Ryan

Brother Michael born 28/3/1862, baptized 30/3/62, New Ross.

(Original register is in Latin)
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Ruskie on Sunday 26 November 23 04:07 GMT (UK)
Hi Brendan. As Wexflyer said, this is a very old thread, but I’m afraid that apart from the baptisms provided by Wexflyer which I found in the intervening years, I don’t have any more information about the family.

It could well be that your Ryans and my Ryans from New Ross may be related, though I assume it is a common name.

Have you taken a DNA test? I have quite a few DNA matches to this family in both Australia and Ireland, though I don’t know how many of us connect.
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Wexflyer on Sunday 26 November 23 04:18 GMT (UK)
Darby is of course a nickname for Jeremiah.
There is a Jeremiah Healy listed in Griffith's Valuation (1853), living in the townland of Rathphaudin, otherwise Rathfardon, in the civil parish of Templeludigan, Catholic parish of Cloughbawn.
https://www.townlands.ie/wexford/bantry/templeludigan/templeludigan/rathfardon/ (https://www.townlands.ie/wexford/bantry/templeludigan/templeludigan/rathfardon/)
Living in a 5s hovel - obviously a laborer.
This is some way outside of town. No real way to know if this is the same chap - could have moved to New Ross.
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Wexflyer on Sunday 26 November 23 04:37 GMT (UK)
I should point out - if Darby/Jeremiah was a farmer, then the farm had to appear in Griffith's Valuation. Only Jeremiah to be seen though though is a laborer. Unless the putative farm was in someone else's name in 1852/53.
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Kiltaglassan on Sunday 26 November 23 07:27 GMT (UK)

Quote
My grand mother was Elizabeth Ryan her father was James Ryan of Church Lane New Ross.

Just adding the 1901 and 1911 census records for Ryan in Church Lane, New Ross.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Wexford/New_Ross_Urban/Church_Lane/1798678/

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Wexford/New_Ross__Urban/Church_Lane/689955/


Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Ruskie on Sunday 26 November 23 07:29 GMT (UK)
Thanks for your contributions Wexflyer. Yes, I’m aware that Darby os a nickname for Jeremiah.  :)

The family aren’t easy to trace. I don’t know how you could determine if the Griffith’s Valuation Jeremiah and my Darby are one and the same.

His occupation was noted as “farmer” on his son’s Australian marriage and death certificates. I always assumed that wherever he farmed or worked as a labourer was owned by someone else.

I am hopeful that one day one of my Irish DNA matches will have some information about Darby and his origins.
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Wexflyer on Sunday 26 November 23 09:01 GMT (UK)
Thanks for your contributions Wexflyer. Yes, I’m aware that Darby os a nickname for Jeremiah.  :)

The family aren’t easy to trace. I don’t know how you could determine if the Griffith’s Valuation Jeremiah and my Darby are one and the same.

His occupation was noted as “farmer” on his son’s Australian marriage and death certificates. I always assumed that wherever he farmed or worked as a labourer was owned by someone else.

I am hopeful that one day one of my Irish DNA matches will have some information about Darby and his origins.

There may be some misunderstanding here.

If Darby Healy had a farm, or if any relative of his named Healy had a farm as of 1853, it would be included in Griffith's Valuation, rented or not. Well over 90% of farms were rented back then.
But the fact is that there is no Healy (or variant) farm listed  in Co. Wexford anywhere near New Ross.  There are three Healy families living in houses in the town of New Ross, and the Jeremiah Healy in the laborer's cottage in Cloghbawn. And that is it. Note that Grifith's Valuation listed the occupiers of all property of whatever type, other than short term lodgers. So if Darby or parents were anywhere in the vicinity of New Ross in 1853, they should be listed.
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Wexflyer on Sunday 26 November 23 10:17 GMT (UK)
Jeremiah Healy was not long in Rathphaudin when the 1853 Grifiths's Valuation was published.
On the 23 May 1851 the same house belonged to a Mary Larkin.
http://census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/vob/IRE_CENSUS_1821-51_007246832_00018.pdf (http://census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/vob/IRE_CENSUS_1821-51_007246832_00018.pdf)
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Ruskie on Monday 27 November 23 07:24 GMT (UK)
Thanks for the clarification Wexflyer … therefore it seems possible that the Griffith’s Valuation Jeremiah may be mine. Labourer/farm labourer/farmer, could be the same occupation for the same person.
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Wexflyer on Monday 27 November 23 08:12 GMT (UK)
Thanks for the clarification Wexflyer … therefore it seems possible that the Griffith’s Valuation Jeremiah may be mine. Labourer/farm labourer/farmer, could be the same occupation for the same person.

I would say so.

If the standard is that if a criminal trial, then I could not say that he is your man beyond a reasonable doubt. However, if the standard is that of a civil trial, then I would say that the preponderance of the evidence is that he is your chap.

And it would be far from the first time that a son/daughter provided an "undocumented" social promotion for their father. I have a known example in one of my lines of a farm laborer being described as a farmer on his daughter's marriage registration.
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: frostyknight on Monday 27 November 23 12:25 GMT (UK)

And it would be far from the first time that a son/daughter provided an "undocumented" social promotion for their father. I have a known example in one of my lines of a farm laborer being described as a farmer on his daughter's marriage registration.
[/quote]

I think it's fairly common. I have found a few people who have promoted a farm labourer to a farmer on a marriage registration too.
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Ruskie on Monday 27 November 23 22:45 GMT (UK)
Thanks Wexflyer.  :)

Yes, I’ve seen the “facts” embellished on certificates numerous times on certifcates.

Wexflyer, is there any way to discover more about this Jeremiah Healy?
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Wexflyer on Monday 27 November 23 23:22 GMT (UK)
Thanks Wexflyer.  :)

Yes, I’ve seen the “facts” embellished on certificates numerous times on certifcates.

Wexflyer, is there any way to discover more about this Jeremiah Healy?


Yes, there are three options. And one suggests an alternate scenario. The three options are the parish records, the tythe valuations, for possible father and llocation, and cancelled valuation/rates books.

Now the parish records are extant for both New Ross (from 1789) and Cloughbawn (from 1816, called Killegney on NLI site), but there seems to be no sign of his baptism? So the information we can glean from these seem to suggest that he wasn't originally from either of these parishes - see next point.

Now the tythe valuation would be more interesting if you knew Darby/Jeremiah's father's name [as probably too early for Darby himself]. That said, there is a very interesting entry in the 1825 tythe valuation for Old Ross. Namely, Thomas Healy holding a farm of 10-3-28 Irish acres in the townland of Ballylane.
http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/reels/tab//004625707/004625707_00044.pdf (http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/reels/tab//004625707/004625707_00044.pdf)

Darby's eldest known son was also Thomas, suggesting his father was Thomas. If there is any truth in the family holding a farm, then this is the only one to come up so far in the vicinity of New Ross. Ballylane is in the parish of Cushinstown (Old Ross on NLI), and the parish records go back to the 1700s. Crucially, and unfortunately, however, there is a gap from 1830 to 1851 - precisely when we might expect Darby was born.  So, this is a credible (but again not certain) possible origin for him. Note that there is no Healy in the townland in Griffith's Valuation in 1853, so gone by then.

The third source of possible information on Darby are the cancelled Valuation Office books (rate books). He should be in them, which would show where he lived in New Ross, and when he dissappeared from the books would show when he died or emigrated.

Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Wexflyer on Monday 27 November 23 23:26 GMT (UK)
Ballylane East and West. Located just outside New Ross.
https://www.townlands.ie/wexford/bantry/oldross/oldcourt/ballylane-east/ (https://www.townlands.ie/wexford/bantry/oldross/oldcourt/ballylane-east/)
https://www.townlands.ie/wexford/bantry/oldross/oldcourt/ballylane-west/ (https://www.townlands.ie/wexford/bantry/oldross/oldcourt/ballylane-west/)
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Ruskie on Tuesday 28 November 23 01:27 GMT (UK)
Wexflyer, thank you so mich for this information and giving me some renewed hope. It has been quite a few years since I looked at this family and to be honest, I had given up on them. At least now I have something new to consider.

When I looked throughthe NLI registers some time ago, and found the baptisms of my Thomas Joseph and his brother Michael (both came to Australia), I searched numerous years for more siblings and their parent’s marriage but found nothing. If the family moved around that may account for those two baptisms being the only ones in New Ross. At the time I also noted the absence of any other Healy families in that register for the years I searched.

I think your suggestions make very good sense and I will chase them up.

If I can crack this there are many descendants here in Australia who I’m sure will be very happy.

Thanks again.  :)
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Wexflyer on Tuesday 28 November 23 15:29 GMT (UK)
Oh, there is also one other resource - newspapers. IIRC you can search the BNA index for free and get a feel for results, and also see three (?) results free.
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: tuttycotton on Tuesday 28 November 23 17:15 GMT (UK)
Thanks for your help I’ll certainly get cracking to find more hidden ancestry.
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: tuttycotton on Tuesday 28 November 23 17:24 GMT (UK)
Quite a lot of information on the Irish genealogy website… a lot of name’s Anastasia Ryan
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Wexflyer on Tuesday 28 November 23 18:16 GMT (UK)
Quite a lot of information on the Irish genealogy website… a lot of name’s Anastasia Ryan

That is why I haven't been able to assist you - too many Ryans  :D
and best not to mix Ryans and Healy in same thread anyway.
Also, you didn't provide any details on timescales, or whether you have people further back than the ones you mentioned earlier.
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Wexflyer on Tuesday 28 November 23 18:56 GMT (UK)
Actually, I thought of another set of records - court records.
Those New Ross Healys were a divil of a bunch - up before the law all the time in the 1850s and 60s!
Including Darby Healy in 1862, which gives his address - Irishtown, New Ross.
https://www.townlands.ie/wexford/bantry/saint-marys/irishtown/ (https://www.townlands.ie/wexford/bantry/saint-marys/irishtown/)

No wonder they all ended up in the Antipodes - probably a free vacation as a guest of Her Majesty!
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Wexflyer on Tuesday 28 November 23 21:06 GMT (UK)
May not be a joke - I next turned to prison registers:
Jerh. Healy, Co. Wexford, aged 23, sentenced to 7 years transportation.... For larceny, but also says sheep stealing.
Has physical description, a tailor.
That was in 1852. I think they were usually released early - returned to Wexford?


Could he be your chap? -  Would depend on whether prisoners ever returned from Australia (they could), and if he could get back in time for the birth of son Thomas in New Ross in August 1858?
But there is also the basic question of whether he actually would have been transported - he may have been sentenced to transportation, but I believe it had virtually ceased in practice by 1853? Instead sentences commuted to imprisonment in Ireland.
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Wexflyer on Tuesday 28 November 23 21:21 GMT (UK)
I believe there are extensive Australian records on the "Guests of Her Majesty". Perhaps could follow this chap from the bottom end, if he made it "down under"?
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Wexflyer on Wednesday 29 November 23 06:23 GMT (UK)
A search at the NAI returned the following:
https://findingaids.nationalarchives.ie/index.php?simpleSearchSbm=true&category=18&subcategory=147&searchDescTxt=jeremiah+healy&simpleSearchSbm=Search#searchfocus (https://findingaids.nationalarchives.ie/index.php?simpleSearchSbm=true&category=18&subcategory=147&searchDescTxt=jeremiah+healy&simpleSearchSbm=Search#searchfocus)

Match 1 from 'Ireland-Australia transportation database'
Last name:   
HEALY

First name:   
JEREMIAH

Full name:   
JEREMIAH HEALY

Sex:   
M

Age:   
20

Trial place:   
Co. Wexford

Trial date:   
22/06/1852

Crime desc:   
Larceny and former conviction of felony

Sentence:   
Transportation 7 yrs

Document ref1:   
TR 12, p 164

Comment1:   
Convict ordered to be discharged, 14/07/1856
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Ruskie on Wednesday 29 November 23 09:05 GMT (UK)
Wexflyer, wow, thanks so much for that very interesting information, and more suggestions.

My Thomas Joseph Healy and his brother Michael came to Australia as immigrants rather than convicts. However. It is quite possible that their father Jeremiah/Darby might have been on the wrong side of the law.

My reasons for thinking this?  My second cousin once removed (who I met through being a DNA match) told me some stories which were passed down her family about Thomas Joseph and his brother Michael - stories related to bushrangers and some gun-toting. I have lost many of our early emails but have been in contact with her recently so will ask if she can re-tell the stories. It seems that at some stage the brothers might have teetered on the edge of lawlessness, so there might have been something in the water.  ;D

I’m going to go over all the information you’ve found ahout this Jeremiah. Thanks so much.
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Ruskie on Saturday 09 December 23 00:16 GMT (UK)
Wexflyer, following on from your previous help, I contacted my second cousin once removed who related a couple of family stories about my direct ancestor Thomas Joseph Healy and his brother Michael.

Apparently they hated the English, and were on the run from English soldiers for poaching and/or anti British activity when their mother told them to go to Australia. Another story was that they put someone down a well!  :o

I have looked at the BNA newspaper link and the NAI site but couldn’t see any mention of them which coukd mean I was doing something wrong, or they didn’t do enough wrong to get a mention (or weren’t caught). I wonder if it would have been covered in any local newspapers or you have any other sources or ideas on where I could search to find out more about these boys?

The Healy brothers arrived in Australia in 1884 so all this must have taken place prior to that.

This all leads me to think that the Jeremiah Healy who was tried and convicted in 1852 could well be the correct Jeremiah Healy, despite that one’s occupation of “Tailor”.

Thanks for any more help you can offer.  :)
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Wexflyer on Saturday 09 December 23 07:55 GMT (UK)
Wexflyer, following on from your previous help, I contacted my second cousin once removed who related a couple of family stories about my direct ancestor Thomas Joseph Healy and his brother Michael.

Apparently they hated the English, and were on the run from English soldiers for poaching and/or anti British activity when their mother told them to go to Australia. Another story was that they put someone down a well!  :o

I have looked at the BNA newspaper link and the NAI site but couldn’t see any mention of them which coukd mean I was doing something wrong, or they didn’t do enough wrong to get a mention (or weren’t caught). I wonder if it would have been covered in any local newspapers or you have any other sources or ideas on where I could search to find out more about these boys?

The Healy brothers arrived in Australia in 1884 so all this must have taken place prior to that.

This all leads me to think that the Jeremiah Healy who was tried and convicted in 1852 could well be the correct Jeremiah Healy, despite that one’s occupation of “Tailor”.

Thanks for any more help you can offer.  :)

Well, first off, the free 7 year vacations in the Antipodes ended (mostly) around 1853, so your two relatives, Darby's sons, would not have been able to avail of the offer - it had expired by their time. [And of course, they would have had to be caught to avail of the offer also]. So there is no chance of finding them in the NAI transportation database - over by their time. Even for Jeremiah himself, the one tried and imprisoned in 1852/53, it's effective end around that time that explains why he didn't actually get to cruise to Australia, but stayed in Ireland as a guest of Her Majesty instead.

The two sets of prison/court records I found for Jeremiah/Darby were:
Irish prison records - three records in 1852/53. Two in Wexford Gaol in 1852, one in Newgate Gaol in Dublin, in 1853, recording his transfer to Philipstown Gaol (modern Daingean) for the remainder of his sentence.
One Irish Petty Sessions record, in 1862 in New Ross. The one where the address was given as Irishtown, New Ross. Several other Healys in New Ross appear about the same time.
Living in Irishtown, if that was your Darby, was incompatible with being a farmer  - a farmer would not live in town with that address.

As for finding a newspaper record of the trial, that can be hit and miss. Sometimes the newspapers just said so many sentenced to transportation, so many to hang, etc. Sometimes more detailed reports. Also depends what is actually in the BNA archive for the period in question. For 1852 they seem to only have one Wexford paper - they have more than one at earlier and later periods.
Best thing might be to actually pull up the edition next after the trial date (which is in the prison records), and see if there is court report. i.e. don't rely on a search, but actually pull up the issue nearest in time. You can do that by selecting region and year.


Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Ruskie on Saturday 09 December 23 22:17 GMT (UK)
Thanks very much for the guidance and useful suggestions Wexflyer. I agree that city dwelling Darby/Jeremiah (a tailor) doesn’t tally well with my Darby/Jeremiah said to have been a farmer.

A change of occupation is possible, but would he be likely to go from a skilled occupation like a tailor to a farmer?

I need to find more evidence before claiming any of these Jeremiahs. I was hoping that Irishtown Jeremiah was mine, but I have my doubts.

Thanks again.
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Wexflyer on Sunday 10 December 23 00:18 GMT (UK)
It wasn't unusual in those days for tradesmen and small farmers to be double hatted. That is a small farmer could also be a tailor, carpenter, fisherman, or blacksmith. I know of multiple examples.
That said, the examples I know of were all in the country. I can't see how a townsman could double as a farmer.

So, you are left with unanswerables:
- Social promotion? (They lied on the Australian records)
- Jeremiah was from a farming background, but did not get the farm?
 - Different Jeremiah.
Hard to to tell.

One other comment - did you notice that on the Wexford Gaol record (have you located?), it says that that Jeremiah was originally from Mallow, Co. Cork. Must have moved to Co. Wexford at some point.
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: tuttycotton on Sunday 10 December 23 14:16 GMT (UK)
Hi there my Ryan family were from Church Lane New Ross unfortunately I’m not able to go back too far.

Kind regards
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Ruskie on Monday 11 December 23 21:57 GMT (UK)
Hi there my Ryan family were from Church Lane New Ross unfortunately I’m not able to go back too far.

Kind regards

I suggest that you take a DNA test. I checked a couple of my matches yesterday and came across one with the surname Ryan from Wexford in their tree. I haven’t contacted him as yet.

Your known connection to the surname and place is a lot more recent than mine, so you might be able to find connections to people still living there who may have knowledge about the family.

If you do decide to go down this path, most recommend testing with Ancestry, but you do need an ongoing subscription to be able to see matches’ trees, though in my experience many don’t have trees, nor do they reply to messages, so don’t necessarily get too excited and expect a reply even if you have a close connection.

Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Ruskie on Monday 11 December 23 22:45 GMT (UK)
Wexflyer, I’m afraid I did not locate the Wexford Gaol record but thank you for letting me know that that Jeremiah came from Cork.

I have a couple of people in my tree who’ve changed occupations through their life, and notice a lot of people with public house or brewing type occupations also do other work such as farming.

I’m not sure if farming was a step up from being a Tailor, however it probably was if it implied he was a land owner.

On arrival a number of immigrants told the authorities what they thought they wanted to hear when it came to occupations, as some were more useful to the colony than others, and at various times different occupations were in demand. Fibs are always very possible.

As we are having difficulty researching this family my second cousin once removed believes that the only way to progress is to go to Ireland.

I’m not so sure because I thought that where records exist, a lot would be digitised and accessible online. Would you say that is the case, or would there be useful records only available if you visited in person?

Presumably it is like all digitisation and is a work in progress, with some areas and time frames covered better than others, but what else would there be in terms of records? I’m thinking that apart from census (none for the time frame for this family), Griffiths Valuation, bmd/parish records/ baptismal records, newspapers and the criminal and court records you mentioned, that would be about the extent of it?

Thanks again.  :)
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Wexflyer on Tuesday 12 December 23 18:31 GMT (UK)
Wexflyer, I’m afraid I did not locate the Wexford Gaol record but thank you for letting me know that that Jeremiah came from Cork.

I have a couple of people in my tree who’ve changed occupations through their life, and notice a lot of people with public house or brewing type occupations also do other work such as farming.

I’m not sure if farming was a step up from being a Tailor, however it probably was if it implied he was a land owner.

On arrival a number of immigrants told the authorities what they thought they wanted to hear when it came to occupations, as some were more useful to the colony than others, and at various times different occupations were in demand. Fibs are always very possible.

As we are having difficulty researching this family my second cousin once removed believes that the only way to progress is to go to Ireland.

I’m not so sure because I thought that where records exist, a lot would be digitised and accessible online. Would you say that is the case, or would there be useful records only available if you visited in person?

Presumably it is like all digitisation and is a work in progress, with some areas and time frames covered better than others, but what else would there be in terms of records? I’m thinking that apart from census (none for the time frame for this family), Griffiths Valuation, bmd/parish records/ baptismal records, newspapers and the criminal and court records you mentioned, that would be about the extent of it?

Thanks again.  :)

Quite a few points there!

First, as to occupation. This is just a guess, but I presume most emigrants to Australia went there to better themselves. To move up the social ladder. If your Dad was a tailor, did you want to go all the way to the Antipodes to be a tailor also? Probably not. You most probably wanted some - lots! - of all that vast expanse of land that they were giving away. And who were they more likely to give land to - someone with a farming background, or a townie? So, just a guess, but if you wanted to get a farm in Australia, was there an advantage to claiming a farming background?

As for records: Ireland is relatively good on digitizing what records have survived. That said, there are some that aren't available online. For example, the Darby Healy in Irishtown New Ross. The records of the Valuation Office in Dublin will show in which house he lived, and when, roughly he disappeared from the records - which is probably when he died. Should also show to whom the house then passed. Did it pass to one of his sons? When did they drop out of the records?

Then there are graveyards. Darby is must be buried locally in or near New Ross - is there a memorial? Lots still to be done on that.

But records are only one aspect. Is the objective to just add names and dates, or do you aim to have an understanding of where they lived, what conditions were like for them?
I am from Wexford and I know these places. That is invaluable to me in understanding the physical geography, distances, and circumstances in general.  For example, if you were to visit New Ross, where Darby Healy lived (one of the few known facts), then you would find:
the same streetscape he knew, many unchanged since medieval times, many of the same buildings, the same church that he and his family must have attended. There is a replica emigrant sailing ship docked on the quays in New Ross, as a museum ship to visit. You could visit the local graveyards - he and his wife must be buried in one. Visit the possible townlands in the vicinity of New Ross that we identified.
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Wexflyer on Tuesday 12 December 23 19:09 GMT (UK)
More to see than just New Ross, of course.
For example, can visit what was the Wexford County Gaol, in Wexford Town. Latterly the offices of Wexford County Council, now ?
http://irishantiquities.bravehost.com/wexford/wexford/wexfordgaol.html (http://irishantiquities.bravehost.com/wexford/wexford/wexfordgaol.html)
This is where Jeremiah Healy was imprisoned in April 1852.

Note that sources can differ: while 1852 prison record says Jeremiah  was originally from Mallow, Co. Cork, 1853 says Wexford.

Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Wexflyer on Tuesday 12 December 23 22:47 GMT (UK)
It occurs to me that the Valuation Office records - which are not online - would be of more assistance to you than is usual.

First, they might help to determine if Darby Healy of New Ross is one and the same person as the Jeremiah Healy of the prison records. If Darby appeared in New Ross before Jeremiah was released from prison, then obviously they could not be the same person. On the other hand, if Darby appeared shortly after Jeremiah was released, then that would seem to support the idea that they were the same person. 

Second, you could trace what happened to the Jeremiah Healy of the townland of Rathpaudin, who appears in Griffiths Valuation. When did he appear, dissappear?
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Ruskie on Wednesday 13 December 23 04:36 GMT (UK)
Wow, thanks so much for your thoughts and very useful suggestions. I will reply in general, rather than address each of your points….

I am interested in all aspects of their lives - names, dates, occupations, places they lived and the world they lived in …. I agree that knowledge of the places is vital. Generally the first thing I do upon finding an ancestor’s town or address is to head to google maps (and street view depending on how the area has changed over the centuries).

The prison record saying that Jeremiah is from Mallow Co Cork is under the heading “residence” …. That sounds like where he was living but could it mean he was born or lived elsewhere prior to that, hence the discrepancy? I’m sure mistakes can and did happen though - the same as it did with other records.

I’m not sure how land here was distributed to early settlers. I think it changed over time, and varied by state. I’m not sure that having a farming background was a prerequisite, but it might be worth my following up. I know that promise of land was dangled in front of some immigrants, and not all of them ended up with what was promised. My Healys (Thomas Joseph and his brother Michael) ended up in a rather lovely rural area. I have to ask my second cousin once removed exactly what they did there - I think it was a cattle/dairy farming area. Apparently one of the brother’s wives used to leave food out for a local bushranger, so the family story goes.

I only know of these two brothers. None of we descendants have heard of any siblings.

Thanks for explaining what records aren’t available online and which might be useful to me. I will go over your posts and pass the information on to my second cousin once removed to see what she thinks.

Thanks again.
Title: Re: HEALY bmd lookups and advice please
Post by: Wexflyer on Wednesday 13 December 23 04:54 GMT (UK)

The prison record saying that Jeremiah is from Mallow Co Cork is under the heading “residence” …. That sounds like where he was living but could it mean he was born or lived elsewhere prior to that, hence the discrepancy? I’m sure mistakes can and did happen though - the same as it did with other records.


I can't imagine that the Jeremiah in Wexford Gaol in 1852, and tried in Gorey, could have been resident in Mallow, Co. Cork at the time. Way, way too far apart. He had to have been living in Co. Wexford at the time. He was arrested, jailed and tried there - they did not try people from Cork in Wexford!

So, two possibilities:
- A simple mistake. The same chap is listed as from Wexford on the next record from Newgate Gaol in Dublin.
- Or something like this. You are asked "Where are you from?" You can interpret that in two quite different ways. As "where were you born?" or "where are you living?"  i.e. he could have been born in Mallow, but living Co. Wexford by 1852.