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BTW there are two other entries in the Civil Service Evidence of Age index on FindMyPast that look like possible brothers of John:-

Thomas b.12 Apr 1833 Philipstown
Patrick b. 10 Aug 1838 Reynagh and Gallen, King's County.

I need to find time to see if my Society of Genealogists sub will give me access to the records, as FindMyPast want £14 each (!)

For what it's worth I know very little of John McDermott - the family story was that he was Protestant and Alice Looby Catholic, and while we were surprised when the marriage turned up in Aus rather than over here, it did rather seem that the distance might have been a necessary one 

<< it seems as though Karen has access to the original document, containing far more interesting information.>>

Not that good - as my FindMyPast sub has expired I only have the image print I took from there a few years back. It's a printed form for a declaration under the Act of 5 & 6 William IV, c.62 and the handwritten section runs as follows:-

I, Mary Dalton, Sister and Godmother of the applicant, do solemnly and sincerely declare that John McDermott was born at Philipstown, Kings County, Ireland on the 1st of March and was baptized on the 8 of the same month 1834.
And can state to the fact, by his birth and baptizm (sic) been entered in a family Bible, in my possession until the year 1859.

The declaration is given and signed before a JP at Plymouth on the 15th January 1863.

Needlessly to say, as a serving Civil Servant myself I found it fascinating - John is probably the only member of the family whose profession was and is more unpopular than my own 

Keith,

Only his Civil Service "evidence of age" dated 15th January 1863, which not only gives the date and place of his birth and baptism, but also identifies the witness Mary Dalton as his "sister and Godmother". I have only a paper copy and can't currently access Find my Past, but if you have a subscription it is there for you to find. (I think there was also another possible brother but haven't had time to go into it.)

And wouldn't we both simply *kill* for the "family Bible" she cites as the additional source of her information? (!!)

Karen