11 Wellpark Avenue, Drumcondra, Dublin

[MissSLC]

Hello,

Just wondering if anyone can help. I’m trying to track down any biological links to my father in laws family. He was born at 11 Wellpark Avenue in Drumcondra, Dublin in 1940's and we are now aware that this was a ‘private’ nursing home. Nurse Rose Darling was the nurse who ran this nursing home. He was adopted a few weeks after birth. The birth certificate states M M as his mother, but this is now looking to be possibly factually incorrect due to DNA matches and other information we are gathering.

Does anyone have any information on if these ‘private’ nursing homes kept records? How can we find any more information about this Nurse - and any records or links to adoption arrangements? Or anyone know any information at all about this address - or also have relatives born here?

Would really appreciate any help!

Sarah

[Kiltaglassan]

Welcome to RootsChat 

Can't help with sources for private nursing homes records or records for adoption arrangements.

However, from the National Townland and Historical Map Viewer, here's the Historic 25" map (1897-1913) showing Wellpark Avenue off the Drumcondra Road.

https://arcg.is/1yvjOX

[ShaunJ]

It was St Coman's Nursing Home in 1942 per a newspaper birth announcement ( Duffy,  Irish Independent, 5 October 1942

[MissSLC]

Thank you this is really helpful. I’ve tried to find the Coman Nursing Home - is so strange that I can’t find it  anywhere. I wonder if this place has been relatively unknown in view of mother and baby home ( it also did have ill people/deaths there - so I have found). Does anyone know any more about these type of nursing homes or how I can find anything out about a Nurse Rose E Darling?

Really appreciate any help

Sarah

[wfgodot16]

It may not be much help but I was born in Nurse Darling's home on the 26th February 1943. I do not know why my parents chose this place other than that we lived a few hundred yards away in an adjacent road - Sherkin Gardens - a cul de sac off Griffith Avenue. I don't know whether any of my siblings were born there. My parents spoke well of her.

[gaffy]

I see another two 1940s newspaper references to it being St. Colmans rather than St. Comans, just to note that possibility.

Also, have a look at the following birth registration (at the bottom of page in the link below) for a John Joseph Gerard Darling born at 11 Wellpark Avenue on 27 September 1920, father given as John Darling of that same address, a bookmaker, mother given as Rose Darling:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1920/01201/1499514.pdf

I also see a 1918 Dublin registered birth of a Rose Darling, the image isn't available, but the mother's surname is Dolan, so perhaps a daughter to this same couple.

John Darling married Rose Dolan at Roscommon in 1913 (marriage registration below) and had a couple of children there before moving to Dublin:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1913/09899/5597146.pdf

[Kiltaglassan]

However, from the National Townland and Historical Map Viewer, here's the Historic 25" map (1897-1913) showing Wellpark Avenue off the Drumcondra Road.

https://arcg.is/1yvjOX

Updated link-
https://arcg.is/1y5HHz1

[mkeigher]

Though I do not know much about the address (yet!) I do know Rose (DOLAN) DARLING's family line very well if that's of any interest ~

All the best in your search