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Farrell Family in Rathdrum

WicklowRathdrum (Wicklow)

My great great great grandmother Brigid Farrell came from Rathdrum, Co Wicklow, where she was a dairymaid before she met her husband, Thomas Maxwell, a blacksmith, (who moved from Co. Roscommon to Rathdrum for whatever reason), on 26 Nov 1874. Brigid was the daughter of Peter Farrell (died 1879), a labourer and his wife, Ellen Byrne(died 1878). I have never been able to locate Brigid in the parish baptismal records but going by her death cert she was born circa 1850. Im sure she had siblings but I've never been able to find any record of them. None of the godparents for any of her five children are Byrnes or Farrells so maybe some of them died or emigrated. Also I suppose some of her sisers married and would have appeared as godparents on baptism records with their husband's surname.I would be really grateful if someone was able to help find some of her family.

I also think Brigid was admitted to an asylum in Dublin a while after the birth of her fifth child in Nov 1881. She died in 1888 in the asylum.Is there any asylum records anywhere to find out whenshe was admitted and what for? On the death cert, it says she died in what i think says either the NOG or NOL Asylum.

Some of thegodparents/witnesses, in case they are married sisters or brother in laws

Emily Cody

Catherine Whelan

Anne Whelan

Catherine Kenny

Andrew Belton

Patrick O'Finn

John McKeon

Fergal O'Brien

James Maher

Mary Mathews

mccormackalici…

10 replies

Alicia:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

I searched on the subscription site Roots Ireland for all of Ireland for a Bridget Farrell baptismal record with parents Peter Farrell with a mother with the surname Byrne. One record came up ironically in Wicklow. The only flaw is that the mother is Ann Byrne and there is an Ellen Byrne as one of the informants. This Bridget Farrell had at least four siblings: Mary Catherine Peter Margaret.

I will alert our Dublin expert to your message. He may have insights on the asylum.

Roger McDonnell

Name:Bridget FarrellDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:15-May-1846Address:CloneParish/District:KILLAVENEYGender:
CountyCo. Wicklow
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:Peter FarrellMother:Ann ByrneOccupation:
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:Michael Doyle Sponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Ellen Byrne 

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

The place of death is N.D.L. Asylum which is the North Dublin League (or Union) Asylum, this was located beside the North Dublin City Workhouse - see c1900 OSI map. It was also known as Grangegorman or Richmond Asylum (there was also a Richmond Hospital nearby) The official address was North Brunswick Street and it's described as being for "..the county and city of Dublin, counties of Wicklow and Louth the county of the town of Drogheda" (parts of Drogheda were in Co. Meath).  A grgt-grandmother of mine died there in 1879 - and some records of patients do survive. I researched them a good few years ago and I know they have moved since then .... I'll see if I can find out where these are held now. I've a suspicion that you have to apply through the HSE...

You can see on the same page of the register deaths recorded for N.D.L. Workhouse and also Whitworth Hospital which was also adjacent.

EDIT : I've attached an extract of a 1885 map of Dublin showing the North Dublin Asylum & Workhouse complex.

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

Thanks Roger. I just rechecked the entry for Brigids marraige in the parish registers and it definitely lists Ellen Byrne as her mother. But that record you found seems nearly too similar to be a coincidence. Would it be possible Ann died and Peter may have remarried her relative Ellen who the parish priest just put down as her mother for the marraige record? I heard it was common then for men to marry thier brothers widows so maybe it was the other way around too?

And thankyou Shane for the information on the asylum- i've been running around in circles for ages searching for info on the 'nol' asylum. Im going to be in Dublin soon i might see if theres naything extra i can find out.

mccormackalici…

Alicia:

I checked for marriage records on Roots Ireland for Peter Farrell to a Byrne and one record came up in Hacketstown RC church just to the northwest from Kilavney. See below. Adds to the mystery. Is it possible that the priest erred on the register and switched Ellen and Ann? 

Roger

Date of Marriage:02-Feb-1837
Parish / District:HACKETSTOWN
County:Co. Wicklow
Husband  PeterFarrell  Address Kilcarney
 Wife EllenByrneAddress:Kilcarney
Denomination:Roman Catholic
 

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Roger

On the birth records for Mary, Catherine, Peter and Margaret Farrell, is the mother given as Anne or Ellen Byrne? For Brigid, maybe it was just a mistake on the birth record if two records are pointing at Ellen. She actually gave the name Ellen to one of her daughters and it was continued throughout the next few generations so it seems likely.

mccormackalici…

Alicia:

All four records show Ellen. I also looked at the parish register for Bridget's baptism and it clearly shows Ann Byrne as the mother and Ellen as the sponsor (ruling out a Roots Ireland transcription error).

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Roger

I'd say if Ellen shows up on everything except for Bridget's record, maybe the priest just made a mistake and mixed up Ellen and Anne's names. Would you mind sending on the dates of birth for Peter, Mary, Catherine and Margaret? Many thanks

mccormackalici…

Mary November 2, 1839

Catherine September 16 1841

Peter June 6 1848

Margaret July 27 1851

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

regarding the Asylum Records - see the last post on this page on Boards.ie for contact details, the contact person may have changed since then see also the first reply on the next page. Since these are medical records you will probably be asked for proof that you are a descendant using birth & marriage certs etc.

one other detail I located - RootsIreland have a transcription of a Catholic marriage in Rathdrum parish for a Rosanna Farrel and  with the same parents names as those given on Brigid's parish marriage entry - i.e. Peter Farrell & Ellen Byrne, the record shows the mother as Helena, so a variant of Ellen. The transcript mentions that the entry has no date - but is indexed as January 1883, unfortunately this date is after the NLI films, and there seems to be no corresponding civil marriage.

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

 

I jus happeded to stumble onto this post.  I too am related to a James Farrell from Rathrum, County of Wicklow.   I am wondering if we maybe related.  I'm not sure of the date, I will have to look, but I think James was born in 1874.   My Aunt gave me a book that goes back each generation to James in Ireland.  I also put all the info on ansestory.com   If your interested I can share my info? 
Thanks 

Colleen Farrell

 

 

CM Farrell

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