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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Wicklow => Topic started by: beannie on Monday 30 October 17 21:19 GMT (UK)
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Hi All
I am trying to find a death in Bray late 1950's early 60's for Patrick Finnegan.
He fell in the sea, I wanted to know if I can search deaths for that time frame anywhere and also check any free online newspapers, so if anyone can point me in the right direction, I'll be very grateful.
I did try a few newspapers but they were all pay to view.
I'm doing this for an elderly lady, it's her brother and she wants to know what happened to him, she seems to think that he drowned in the sea.
Kind regards
Beannie
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Hi
"in Bray" ? Bray in Berkshire UK ?
Me dumb? ::) !
Leinster . . . . .
How old was he / when was he born ?
There are deaths in ( and others )
Southend/1952(68yo)
Bristol/1964(68yo)
Birkinhead/1967(94yo)
Are there any other clues? eg Middle name(s)
Cheers
Ray
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I guess as this thread is in Wicklow that beannie is talking about Bray, a coastal town in north County Wicklow, Ireland?
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[ as amended ]
Me dumb, Leinster Wicklow ?
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Bray comes under Rathdown district, you can search for deaths up to 1965 on Irish Genealogy
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/civil-search.jsp
If there was a PM it's possible he was registered from the coroner's office in Dublin City.
Any idea of his age when he died.
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There is a 27 year old Patrick Finnigan drowned in neighbouring district of Rathdrum 1960
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1960/04335/4120695.pdf
North Bray Beach
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Hi Sinnan
You've come up trumps yet again!! You are an absolute star!
Yes that's him, so sad! At least now she will know what happened to him.
She knew he was married, and had children, but doesn't know their names,, the family split after her mother died. Now to try and find them.
Do you know if she will be able to get hold of the Coroners report?
I will now have to try and find anything in the local papers at the time.
Thank you again and all that have replied so quickly to this post, I thank you all.
It's a bit difficult as I live in Manchester.
Kind regards
Beannie
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Sorry I haven't a clue about the Coroners report.
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According to the National Archives site, they hold inquest files:
http://www.nationalarchives.ie/research/archives-held-in-the-national-archives/introduction/
Can’t speak for the Republic of Ireland but in Northern Ireland, Coroners Reports tend to be closed for privacy reasons for 100 years. Newspaper reports therefore tend to be a more informative source for recent (i.e. within 100 years) inquests than Govt records.
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Hi Elwyn
Thank you for this, I will look into it, but I suspect you are correct about the time frame.
I am now trying to find where he is buried, so his sister can go and pay her respects after all these years.
Kind regards
Beannie
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Newspaper text from the Anglo-Celt 22/10/1960
Patrick Finnegan (27), who was drowned at Bray on Tuesday, was a native of Corbrack, Ballybay. He was seen struggling'in the sea and a rope was thrown in his direction, but he failed to grasp it. His body was recovered about an hour later.
Deceased was son of Mr. Bernard Finnegan and the late Mrs. Finnegan, and he was reared at Corbrack. He served in the Irish State Army for a period, and also worked for a time in England. He is survived by his wife and two young children.
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Hi Purpeller
Thank you so much for this, it's fabulous! It confirms that he was married as says on his death certificate. Also that he had two children. Where can I get a copy of this?
It raises so many more questions! We are trying to find where he got married which is like trying to find a needle in a haystack, but we will plough on.
Thank you again, it's so good of you.
Kind regards
Beannie
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Death certificate indicates there was an inquest on 19.10.1960 and that it was a suicide. Very sad.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1960/04335/4120695.pdf
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The article mentions that he was in the army too. Army records are only available to direct descendants though.
You should check the marriage indexes on Familysearch/Ancestry/Findmypast for possible marriages. They go up to 1958 so if he married in Ireland, he should be in there. You will then need to order any possibles. When you find one with a father called Bernard, that'll be the right one. However, I did a quick check and there aren't any in the Rathdrum registration district. There's a few in Dublin South and another in Carlow that you should investigate.
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Hi Elwyn and Purpeller,
Thank you again for this, I certainly will check them out, I've been concentrating on England marriages as he lived here for a while, I've just found out the last time his sister saw him was in Liverpool not long before he died and he told her he was going to London.
Hopefully a miracle will happen and we will get the right one!
Kind regards
Beannie
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Hi, I am trying to find the resting place or any information about my grandmas brother Patrick Finnegan. He was born 5.7.36 in Monaghan and died in October 1960 in Bray. We have found out he was married and had two children and would love to trace his family and resting place.
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Earlier thread on Patrick Finnigan
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=781678.0
Burial place not looked for in that thread.
Posting this link Dcrmont 1 to save people repeating searches.
Threads merged.
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Hi, the earlier post was made by my Mum who is helping me. We are hoping someone will have more information or be able to give us some advice on how to find his grave.
Many thanks
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Why not just email the Coroner Mr. Cathal Louth in East Wicklow and ask about inquest??
http://www.coroners.ie/en/cor/pages/coronercontactdetails#Wicklow
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Assuming Monaghan was his family's starting point.
His wife was a young woman with two young children to support I wonder did his family step in and bring him home to Monaghan to be buried.
Would your Grand mother know where in Monaghan earlier family were buried?
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Hi Sinann,
I have spoken to my grandmother and she has not recollection of burial sites for her family however seems to think he grandparents were most probably buried in Monaghan.
Do you think it is worth contacting the centuries direct?
Many thanks
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Might be worth finding where in Monaghan they were from first.
Patrick was born 1936 so his parents marriage should be on Irish Genealogy, it would most likely have taken place in the brides church, fingers crossed this was also the grooms home place. Cemetaries in that area might yield something.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/civil-search.jsp
Not sure how suicides were treated in the 60s, not very well I would think, but he must of had a funeral, a church in the Bray area or in Monaghan could have him in their burial register.
Keep in mind his name might never have been put on a headstone, people often didn't have the money at the time and the younger generation simply never get around to doing it.
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Hi sinann,
Thank you for this info I really appreciate all your help. I am so new to this.
I had considered him having an unmarked grave and this might be why it is so hard to locate..
I know they were from Clones. I found the marriage certificate for his parents but can not find his fathers death certificate. I have his mothers.
I will check out the church records and hope they have something.
Just what some closure for my Gran x
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Wish we could do more.
I just realised when I was looking before I didn't know he was born in Monaghan, so hadn't looked there.
There are two results on this site for Finnegan, maybe one of the names will be fimilar
An Edwin from Clones Road in COI St.Patrick's Coolshanagh, quite recent 2008.
and in Drumsnat Henry and wife Martha Anne from Smithsborough and their son Maurice.
http://www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/#gsc.tab=0
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If you look at the death notice the inquest returned a verdict of "self-drowning" or suicide.
Suicide was only decriminalised in Ireland in 1993 and was seen by the Catholic Church as a mortal sin. If he was a Catholic there is a possibility that he was not buried in "consecrated ground" or a Catholic cemetery.
As previously mentioned I would contact the coroner's office for more information.
Also as you know where he was from originally (Monaghan), if he was a catholic contact the church where he was baptised. He may have required a letter of freedom to marry especially if he was in England and his marriage could be recorded with his baptism.