McGrath Newbridge,Ireland!

[smithy]

Hi hoping some one can help have not as yet ventured to do Irish research, but am trying to help a friend.He has just emailed me his parents marriage certificate which he has only just obtained as he did not know from where in Ireland his father came from, he gives his birthplace on his marriage certificate as Newbridge, Ireland can any one help as to where this might be?
My friends father is Francis McGrath aged 35 yrs. in 1933 when he married Eileen Kelly aged 22yrs. at Warragul, Victoria,Australia.Francis parents are Patrick McGrath (coach driver) and Kathleen Gerraty (I think) they did not come to Australia. Have not been able to find a time when Francis came to Australia,although on his death cert. said he had been in Victoria for 45 yrs.
thanks for taking the time to read this

regards
Smithy

[RonnieG]

Smithy,

Newbridge is a good sized town in County Kildare.

Have a look at this link to give you more general info.

http://www.rootsweb.com/~fianna/county/kildare.html

RonnieG

[smithy]

Ronnie G, thanks for the site re. Newbridge I will now be able to let my friend know where Newbridge is.

Regards
smithy

[alidaly]

Francis McGrath was my grandfather’s brother. He sailed to Australia in Jan 1922 alone. He had a very difficult childhood. His mother was widowed with 4 boys under the age of 5 and pregnant with another, my grandfather in 1899. William was the eldest boy. He was a WW1 prisoner of war, champion boxer and member of the old IRA. He died in 1944 in Newbridge. Michael was the next. He also fought in WW1, married in England and settled there. Edward died in Newbridge at 32. Patrick fought in WW1 settled in Lancashire, married and had three boys. He was my grandfather. Kate remarried in 1906 to James Hurley and had three more children, Mary, James and Kathleen. I have been looking for the brothers for 35 years! One thing they all seem to have in common is that they never spoke about the past. Any more info about Francis would be gratefully received.

[aghadowey]

I've sent Smithy a link to this topic and hopefully they will get in touch but they were helping a friend trace the McGraths so might have limited contact with your relative after almost 15 years from starting this thread.

[alidaly]

Thank you. Yes , 15 years! I have spent a long time trying to find information so I am happy to share what I have learned.

[Kiltaglassan]

Welcome to RootsChat 

Francis McGrath was my grandfather’s brother. He sailed to Australia in Jan 1922 alone. He had a very difficult childhood. His mother was widowed with 4 boys under the age of 5 and pregnant with another, my grandfather in 1899. William was the eldest boy. He was a WW1 prisoner of war, champion boxer and member of the old IRA. He died in 1944 in Newbridge. Michael was the next. He also fought in WW1, married in England and settled there. Edward died in Newbridge at 32. Patrick fought in WW1 settled in Lancashire, married and had three boys. He was my grandfather. Kate remarried in 1906 to James Hurley and had three more children, Mary, James and Kathleen. I have been looking for the brothers for 35 years! One thing they all seem to have in common is that they never spoke about the past. Any more info about Francis would be gratefully received.

Some links for others-

Francis born 12th November 1896 at Athgarvan.   MMN GERAGHTY
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1897/02141/1812942.pdf

1901 census
House 17 in Ballymany (Morristownbiller, Kildare)
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Kildare/Morristownbiller/Ballymany/1442719/

1911 census
house 15 in Moorefield Road (Newbridge Urban, Kildare)
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Kildare/Newbridge_Urban/Moorefield_Road/568898/

KG

[alidaly]

Thank you for taking the time to reply.  I already have the same information from his time in Ireland. I t is good to know that we agree. I also have a lot of information about the other brothers if that is of use to you. I am particularly interested in Francis’ life in Australia. I know he worked on the railways, married and had five children. Looks like he had a happier life finally. I hope so.

[alidaly]

Any grandchildren of Francis would be second cousins to me. I would really like to get in contact with them to share what I have learned.