Wilson & Heffernan

[Maiden Stone]

Have you searched for Ellen's surname as Heffron, Effron or Everan? I've seen these variations of Heffernan, admittedly in English records. Ellen might have been Helena in baptism register.

[dathai]

The death of James 1881 in an industial school maybe a story within itself.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1881/06418/4843509.pdf

suggest you look at prison register's or petty sessions,i have not got access to paid sites.
When the prison registers were online some years ago on Family Search i found one of my great grand fathers was in prison in Wexford 1900 he got a month's hard labour for neglect of his children,the result of this was that 2 of his children were sent to industrial school's while he was in prison as his wife was ill in an institution,they unfortunately had to stay there till they were 16.
From the prison register i got his place of birth in Ballywilliam,Wexford circa 1855 and then a fellow RootsChatter found he was back and forth to court being pursued for upkeep of his children while they were in the industrial schools till they were 16.

So you never know what you may uncover or the circumstances.

[myluck!]

Maiden Stone and dathai's suggestions are very good

You have proven information, and to work back, I would start with these actual facts.

Looking at the 1901 census
Shown first I would presume Stephan to be the eldest
John shown second is shown as 23 but was in fact 25; DoB Mar 08 1876
Stephen is shown as 25 but was probably older
The gap was probably more than 2 years as James was born on Sep 28 1873
You originally stated Stephen was born in 1871 in Tipperary

Have you a civil birth or baptism record for Stephen who is the known eldest child?
Logically then his parents marriage would be before this

Sometimes when we are familiar with all the names in our quest we forget others aren't!

I'll look at some records and see if I can find anything more about young James

[dathai]

just to note it took them 6 months to register James death in 1881 ?

[Maiden Stone]

Have you considered BMDs and census in Britain? A possible reason for a husband or son missing from Irish census is that he had crossed the Irish Sea.

[Maiden Stone]

Some more surname variations:
 From Lancashire Online Parish Clerks:
Effran, Efferan, Hefferan, Hefferman, Heffernan, Hefernan, Heffnan, Heffernane, Hofferan, Heffer, Herferan, Herffen, Haffarnan, Hafferman, Hefferin, Heffernon, Heffern and Haphian ( couldn't pronounce r?).
 It was obviously a name which caused confusion.  There were notes in 2 registers:
"Surname corrected from Heffern"
"Surname was written as Alford, then Herford before being corrected to Herferan."

As well as many of the above, these were from Lancashire BMD:
Hevern, Hefrin, Heyfrian, Heveran, Havaren.

[Maiden Stone]

right hand side under Septem 1864 25th Boherlahan
John Williams to Ellen Heffernan
https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000632661#page/143/mode/1up

I can read  " John Williams P  ____  certified by Rev Thos  _____ PP(?) married by Rev Wm (?) _____   in presence of Mary McGrath  _  Ellen Hoffernan    1.0.0"
Was Ellen Hoffernan the bride or a witness or both?  Did "P" after Williams mean parish? All I'm certain about is that John Williams was bridegroom and the wedding cost £1.

[catrobson1987]

thank you all for your help

[myluck!]

You're welcome catrobson1987

Is this Stephen's birth registered as WALSH? LINK #281

This would imply that their surname was sometimes altered beyond normal spelling variations.
An investment in obtaining the actual marriage certificate from 1864 of Williams/Heffernan may be worthwhile.

Also note the informant was a Johanna HEFFERNAN - no relationship was given but it is another name to save for comparison purposes while searching