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Mary O'Neill

Mary O'Neill

Born
1830-04-12 12:00:00
Died
1904-02-10 12:00:00
Gender
Female
Place of migration
Migrated to/Born in Australia

Mary was born in Clonmellon, Co Westmeath and baptised in Clonmellon on 12th April 1830, the daughter of Denis O'Neill and Bridget (Quinn).

Her father's occupation was 'gardner' - possibly at the nearby Killua estate.

Following the death of her father in 1843, Mary emigrated to Australia with her mother Bridget and brothers Thomas and Patrick, arriving in Port Philip in 1848.

Shortly after her arrival she met and married 'an English gentleman' (so described by my grandmother) George Watkins at St Mary's church in Geelong in April 1849. The couple had 11 children.

Mary died in Geelong on 10 Feb 1904.

More information can be found in the family history I wrote and posted online, see https://bpbond.ucoz.com/CH17.html

Associated communities

Westmeath

Co. Westmeath, or An Iarmhí in Irish, is located in the midlands region of Ireland.  It is home to Athlone Castle which, after a multi-million euro renovation, reopened in 2012 as a state-of-the-art, multi-sensory visitor experience.  Our county town is Mullingar and we have a population of approximately 88,396.  We look forward to helping you connect with your ancestors’ place of origin.

Other ancestors in this community

Buildings in this community

  • Quaker Island

    Location: Westmeath

    Inchcleraun, Longford

  • Fore Abbey

    Location: Westmeath

    Fore, Westmeath

  • St Marys Parish Church, Streete, Co Westmeath.

    Location: Westmeath

    St Marys, Streete, Co Westmeath

  • Bellaugh Parochial House

    Location: Westmeath

Timeline events in this community

  • 1880s

    Foundation of Ballymore GAA Club

    1884-01-01 12:00:00

  • 1830s

    County Westmeath in the 1830s

    <p>A snapshot of pre-famine local history, as described in the "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland" by Samuel Lewis, 1837. (Much of the information collected here was submitted by members of the local gentry and clergy of the time).</p>

    1837-01-01 12:00:00

  • 1830s

    May Day traditions across Ireland

    <p>Lá Bealtaine (May Day) officially heralds the beginning of the summer in Ireland. The name is said to derive from Old Irish, meaning "bright fire" (Belenus was the Celtic sun and 'healer god'). Old traditions involved lighting bonfires at sunset on Oíche Bealtaine (or May Eve - April 30) on prominent local landmarks. The Hill of Uisneach in Co. Westmeath is the most famous example. These and other rituals (such as creating a May altar) still survive, particularly in the west of Ireland. Our 19th-century ancestral piseóga (superstitions) were recorded diligently by Irish schoolchildren in the 1930s ...</p>

    1830-05-01 12:00:00