I think it all very favourable. Easington was the registration district, the church might be closer as you will know so it might be possible to check John’s marriage.
Ages are often not reliable - did it matter then? Similarly spellings of names - would people know if their name was misspelt.
Perhaps Elizabeth was just an old lady so make up an age 
Unfortunately civil records did not begin until 1864 to look for a death in Ireland and Catholic records are usually baptisms and marriages. I have looked at English records but did not find a death for Mathew.
Perhaps she wasn’t asked if her father was dead - just his name.
However, there is much there to tie the various characters to the one family.
heywood
I'm finding it all very favourable too.
I agree, we need to go for the Big Picture and not fret about one or two details which don't quite fit.
The Easington marriage (1860) is between John MURPHY and Winifred DAGAIN which could well be 'Daigan' (I've also seen Deighan, Daygan). Winifred was born in Sligo 1840 (census 1861, as Murphy). Her family was probably in Co. Durham for the coal, and met her husband (also coal) this way.
Please can you assist with the other part of the puzzle, the bridegroom Henry McATAMINEY, the mariner ?
The church register for the 1862 Sunderland marriage McATAMINEY + our Bridget MURPHY says the groom's father James (farm labourer) was from County Derry.
Henry was 28 in Feb 1862, so born in 1834-ish, most probably Derry too.
I haven't found him anywhere on English soil or on the sea. No emigration record; he's not even on a USA census and he was gone by about 1870. Is he visible in Ireland? I know it's early...
Also, how would the son of an Irish farm labourer have learned to write so beautifully?
D
