Look-up Parish/Diocese Records - McCann Family Westmeath

[lvninthepast]

Surname: McCann
First Name: Maria
Born: between 1837-1840 in Westmeath, Ireland

Father: Patrick McCann b. ~1817 Ireland
Mother: Elizabeth b. ~ 1819 Ireland (this is from a census so it is possible that she is a step-mother and not the birth mother)

Maria McCann (married surname Barnett) has been found in censuses in Canada in the years 1851 (McCann), 1871 (Barnett), 1881 (Barnett), 1891 (Barnett), and I believe 1901 she was listed under her maiden name as an inmate (her husband died 1892).  She died 18 Mar 1908 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Her father Patrick McCann was a member of the military and joined the Royal Canadian Rifles.  I have his military records with the RCR.  He was in census records in Canada from 1851; however, I believe the RCR were stationed in Newfoundland, in 1861 and there is no specific census for that time-frame.  I am not sure if he remained in Canada after he was discharged from the RCR, if he remarried and settled (there is a pensioner in Ontario that matches his data but the spouse is different) in Ontario with his daughter and her husband, or returned to Ireland (the "family story").

I have only just come across a newly available death record for Maria's son that stated her county of birth was Westmeath.  I have never searched for Irish records before and am not sure where to start.

I have run a couple basic searches and came across a record indicating the baptism of Mary McCann in the Meath Diocese in 1838.  It lists her parents at Pat McCann and Ellen Duff.  Could "Ellen" be used a shortened form of "Elizabeth"?  I'm not sure and thought to post a request for possible look-ups...or general advice as to how to proceed.

I looked online and sources indicate that "Meath" diocese was in Westmeath in 1837...but I am not sure if more than one county can have a "Meath" diocese...as the above record indicated that the county was in "Cavan" and the Parish was Kingscourt and Enniskeen...

Any help with muddling through this would be very much appreciated!  Thank you to anyone who has taken the time to read this!

Truly, Rhondda

[shanew147]

Unfortunately you need to know a fairly detailed location before you start your search - ideally the parish, and if possible the townland. You also need to know what denomination your McCann ancestors were. Few rural parishes have records back as far as 1819.

As well as being a county, Meath is the name of a Diocese which covered quite a large area over a number of parishes and counties.

see : Introduction to Irish Records
        Ordering Certs from GRO Roscommon




Shane

[lvninthepast]

Thanks Shane. I know they were roman catholic. 100%.  But I have no idea of the parish or townland. Hopefully someone who reads this will be researching the family too.  I will pull up the records I have for Patrick in the RCR and see if his birthplace is listed. Fingers crossed. Rhondda