Bridget Gleeson (Rahilly)
- Born
- 1 Jan 1808
- Died
- 1 Mar 1888
- Gender
- Female
- Place of migration
- Migrated to/Born in Australia
Bridget Rahilly married Matthew Gleeson on 22nd February 1835 in Bridgetown in the ecclesiatical parish of Killaloe/O'Briensbridge. Matthew is cited as being from the parish of Doonass. Her father Patrick Rahilly was a landholder in the townland of Ardataggle and Bridgetown is a village in the townland of Ardataggle. Bridget's mother was Mary Ringrose. The other firm information available comes from her death certificate witnessed by one of her sons, Patrick Gleeson. According to this there were two children who predeceased her (Michael and Bridget). Surviving children at that point were all resident in the area around Warrnambool and Koroit were Thomas, Patrick, Matthew, John and Mary (Ryan). There is no information available about the fate of her husband Matthew, somewhat of a family puzzle. There is no grave to be found in the area he lived or any record of his death.
It is very likely that the family resided in Clonlara as Matthew Gleeson was listed in Griffiths valuation circa 1855 as occupying a house and yard in Clonlara (in the parish of Doonass). Clonlara was used as a property name by Patrick and the brothers successfully raced a horse named Clonlara in the Koroit area. According to her death certificate she had lived in Australia for 21 years at the time of her death which put the immigration date somewhere in 1867 or thereabouts.
The only baptismal records that can be found for the offspring are the Baptism of Matthew on 9th October 1841 and John on 3rd September 1844. The family address was given as Ardataggle and Bridgetown respectively. If Matthew and Bridget lived in Doonass then the parish records available here do not commence till 1851 and so there would be no record of the baptism of Thomas, Patrick or Michael. Baptism of Mary Rahilly has not been located.
There is not a lot of information about Bridget after her immigration to Australia. She was living with her daughter Mary Ryan when she died in 1888, and her age was given then as 80 years of age. It was in my view rather amazing that after having 7 children, enduring the famine, sailing to Australia that she lived so long. Her youngest son John lived to be about 95, but husband Matthew does not seem to have made it to 60 years old.
