Hello,
I am currently researching a couple of families that were living in Parsonstown or Birr. Here is what I currently have:
William Doolan (also spelled Dowling): ma. Sara Mitchell, 22 February 1840
Children: 1. (unknown name), b. 1841; 2. Mary, chr. 8 January 1843; 3. James, b. ca. 1846; 4. Kate, unknown birth; 5. Bridget, unknown birth.
Mary went on to marry John Brennan on 9 February 1867 in Birr. They immigrated to the USA ca. 1885.
I'm first interested in seeing if someone has been able to go back any further with the Doolan-Mitchell line.
My second enquiry deals with the occupation of John Brennan. According to the civil marriage record, John's occupation was that of a baker. He retained that occupation in the USA. His father, Martin, was listed as being a tradesman.
My question is: would John have been apprenticed to become a baker, and, if so, are there documents somewhere to support this? I'm hoping that documentation might help answer questions about his line as well. All I have is his father's name. I believe he was born around 1840-45, but that would be only a guess. I'm not even sure that he was christened in Birr, although he was living there at the time of his marriage.
I do know that some occupations have guilds in England, but I don't have that much experience with occupational traditions in Ireland.
Thank you for your time and help!
