Michael Kelly born 1842 Ballymitty, Wexford

[rvale]

I have been tracing my family tree for over 20 years and every time I try to find out more about my great grandfather Michael Kelly I fail. He joined the army in Liverpool in 1860 into the 98th Regiment of Foot I have his service records. He stated his age at the time of joining as 18, no actual date of birth given. I can find nothing about him in Ballymitty and of course there are many Michael Kellys. When he left the army in 1881 he settled in Durham, I have all that information only his previous life in Ireland. Anyone who can help or point me in the right direction I would be very grateful.

Rosemary

[athacliath62]

If he was Catholic then then his parish was possibly Bannow, baptism records are on the National library website : https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0579

do you have his father's name and occupation from his marriage cert ?
there are many Kelly families so you need all the clues you can get, also worth checking the witnesses on the marriage so see if possible sibling or other relation

btw - ages are not always accurate, so try a few years either side of the date you have

[rvale]

Thank you for your reply.  His father's name was James and a General labourer on the marriage certificate, also the year of birth seems right as he was 35 when they married in 1877.

[athacliath62]

the names might appear in Latin, so Jacob or similar for James

catholic baptisms do not usually include occupations

you can see adjacent parishes on the NLI website

[Wexflyer]

I have been tracing my family tree for over 20 years and every time I try to find out more about my great grandfather Michael Kelly I fail. He joined the army in Liverpool in 1860 into the 98th Regiment of Foot I have his service records. He stated his age at the time of joining as 18, no actual date of birth given. I can find nothing about him in Ballymitty and of course there are many Michael Kellys. When he left the army in 1881 he settled in Durham, I have all that information only his previous life in Ireland. Anyone who can help or point me in the right direction I would be very grateful.

Rosemary

The parish of interest is indeed Bannow, or Carrick-on-Bannow as the NLI call it.

The original register seems to be in poor condition. Are we to understand that you have searched it  around 1842, but can't find a birth for a Michael Kelly, or is it that you can't tell, due to unreadability?

[Wexflyer]

The marriage register seems to be in better condition than the baptismal register.

Seems to me that there is a marriage of what looks like James Kelly and Mary Roche on September 18th, 1835.

https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000634018#page/106/mode/1up

[rvale]

Thanks for the replies.  Found another marriage 1840 also I think James Kelly (Jacob....) but failed to read to whom he married. It was 8th March 1840 if anyone is able to read it! We always had James's wife as Mary but no surname, this was from when my uncle started the family tree many many years ago. There must have been several children so its surprising nothing is coming up in Ancestry.

[Wexflyer]

Thanks for the replies.  Found another marriage 1840 also I think James Kelly (Jacob....) but failed to read to whom he married. It was 8th March 1840 if anyone is able to read it! We always had James's wife as Mary but no surname, this was from when my uncle started the family tree many many years ago. There must have been several children so its surprising nothing is coming up in Ancestry.

8 March 1840 (or 1841?)
James Kelly to Ann Walsh, Bannow.

While it says 1840 at the top of the page, if I follow along from previous pages I would make it 1841??