1813 baptism Dublin-Swords

[Maiden Stone]

I read it as Michael son of "ditto" Cullen i.e. the same name as the child.

I browsed Swords register and noticed "Do" (ditto) for father's name at 2 baptisms in 1810: John Martin 19th April and James Brady 28th April. It's written more clearly than on Cullen baptism. Some baptisms of son named after father that year have father's name written as well.

[nancyg67]

Thank you Maiden Stone.

[nancyg67]

Back again... before I continue this search further, I would like to be mostly sure that this info is all the same family.  The maiden name spelling for Elizabeth/Betty changes through some of these entries and I know that is not unusual. 

The one that does look different is on the marriage of Michael and Elizabeth Cullen.  It is transcribed as McNay or McVay.  Where the others seem to have the E as McEvoy, these don't look like there was an E at all.

The one thing that made me rethink this family is the marriage for Michael and Elizabeth on Aug 6, 1810.  The baptism for their firstborn son Michael was May 9, 1810 - three months before the wedding.  I know these days that is nothing unusual but I would have thought in the early 1800's they would have married before the birth.   

Any suggestions for where else and what else should I be looking for to confirm this is the same family?

[Maiden Stone]

Notice surname of a witness to marriage, (Judith Casson (?)) and a sponsor at baptisms of Ellen and Edward, (Mary Cassins).
Have you searched for baptisms of children older than Michael 1810, in case there were 2 couples called Michael & Elizabeth Cullen in the parish at same time? What about an earlier marriage of a Michael Cullen to a bride called  Elizabeth?
Do you have all the children of Michael and Elizabeth? Would the same woman have been the right age to have been mother to all of them? NB. Age at marriage tended to be younger then in Ireland than it was post-Famine.

[nancyg67]

Thank you Maiden Stone again for the help.  I will see what I can find with your suggestions. 

I had received U.S. baptismal records with the name Ann McElroy as a sponsor at the baptism of my Edward/Isabella Callen's daughter Mary Ann in 1847 Philadelphia; and William McElroy for another daughter Margaret in 1845 Phila. 

I came across the names Michael Cullen and Elizabeth McEvoy which started my journey into Ireland.  I don't know if Michael and Elizabeth are the correct parents but I was hoping they were as I am totally lost on how to search in Ireland.

Their names popped up as parents of Edward Cullen baptized in 1813 Ireland which coincided with my Edward yr/birthplace on the 1850 US census. That was all I had on him at the time.  I thought maybe the McEvoy and McElroy were possibly the same branch and that the spelling may be as varied as Cullen, Callen, Cullan etc.

So, I now am off to work with your ideas

[Maiden Stone]

Irish Genealogy Toolkit is a useful guide.  https://www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com
Few Irish registers exist outside cities for the time the Cullen children were born. One of my Irish GGFs was born then. If his baptism was recorded, the register was lost long since.
Grandparents of one of my uncles married in Swords parish. A well-organised register, neatly filled-in. Information included names & residences of father & mother of bride & groom and abode of witnesses. Hence I know the names of my uncle's great-grandparents and where they lived but I don't have that information about my dad's great-grandparents.

[nancyg67]

The hardest part for me in searching is not knowing the different locations and parishes in Ireland and how close in distance they are to someone I am looking for. 
Because my aunt on my dad's side of the family did a lot of genealogy back when you actually had to travel to another state and sit in the courthouse all day long taking notes, I was able to use what she sent me and have her side back into the 1500's in Nassau Germany.  All that seems like a breeze compared to searching in Ireland!!  Sometimes I feel like giving up on my mom's side but it's like I feel her spirit telling me to keep going.  I say little prayers to her telling her to give me some hints - maybe those hints are the ones from y'all here on RootsChat.  Thanks for all you do.  I will check out the Genealogy toolkit.