.... but I've drawn a blank about John Ryan's first wife Catherine (nee Hennessey) who I'm descended from. Do I need to look at the Irish records now as she doesn't seem to have died in NZ unless her first name wasn't Catherine?
Here is the obituary published for Esther SANDFORD .... it says that she came to New Zealand with her parents ...
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19280626.2.105As Captain John RYAN supposedly re-married to Rose Ann LENNON in 1848 then it seems very likely that his first wife Catherine, died in New Zealand. 1848 and before, are very early dates in NZ's history, and recordings of BDM events existed only in church records. That will probably account for not being able to find the death registration of Catherine RYAN (HENNESSEY) on the NZ death index.
There is no point in looking at Irish records until such time as you have established just where in Ireland, these people came from.
* What information to you already have for John RYAN ?
* Do you have a printout copy of his 1892 death record ??
~ Lu