Mary Dooley and Edward McMahon-possibly Dundalk

[dathai]

have to ask what document ? or where did you get the names Edward McMahon and Mary Dooley from ?

James says in both census born Armagh and as Aghadowey said born 1870 getting married 1885 seems a bit dodgy

there is a death in Caledon, not sure if that's Tyrone or Armagh but registered in Armagh
death 1890 Edward McMahon,widower age 76 labouring class, informant daughter Ellen
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1890/06091/4738041.pdf

[aghadowey]

Te street census looks good but  with Edward and Mary being in their 60s they have two very young daughters
And Terence? I'll think on that one.
Thanks so much for all the info

The daughters aren't that young and it's perfectly possible for Mary to have children than age and even a bit younger. You can look up their births on Irish Genealogy site to verify parent's names.

[MacMahuna]

You could be right.  I was the tenth child born to  mother of 46!

[dathai]

have you read reply 18 ?

[MacMahuna]

James was staying with them during the 1901 census whilst his wife Lavinia was with her father in Belfast

[dathai]

That's just a lodging  house
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Monaghan/Clones_Urban/Fermanagh_Street/1631345/

[MacMahuna]

I'll have to check everything again

[MacMahuna]

I've come across another two possibilities, apart from Mary Dooley as mother
They are :
 Teresa Hayhey of Tyrone. With James being born 26/11/1864

  Mary Farmer of Monaghan. With James' birth 11/1864

I'm really not sure how to proceed as I don't know of any siblings for James only that his father was definitely Edward

I'd appreciate any advice or maybe I have to accept that's as far as I can go?

[aghadowey]

It's possible that James McMahon was born before 1864 (start of civil registration) which means you won't find a birth registration. He probably was born in Co. Armagh, perhaps towards Dundalk direction). You might have to go back and check all Edward McMahons died 1885-1898 under different registrations districts- Armagh, Clones, etc.
See here for registration district maps-
https://www.swilson.info/regdistmap.php