I am searching for my Irish Grandmother born 9/29/1886, May Lydon, in County Galway, Galway City

I believe this is probably May/Mary’s birth (2nd last entry on the page) - a few years earlier than the US and Irish records suggest, but matching day and month of birth. Mary Lydon born 28th September 1881 in Kinvarra Co. Galway, parents James Lydon and Honor Fahy, father’s occupation grocer, he reported the birth.

Hi Margot & Shanew 147

i am now believing that the May Lydon in the 1901 census is probably my May because she is/was a dressmaker in the ship manifest in 1905 and also in the 1911 census. This, even though she is 5 years older. The census records are off by at least 2 to 3 years - I have already learned when you compare the two for the same listed people. And, yes shanew - I have definitely decided that May shortened her name (she was a teen!) from Mary to May, which further identifiers her because VERY FEW Irish were named May - only ONE in ALL of Ireland that I have found - a May Costello.  

THANK YOU for finding that record with James Lydon and Honor Fahy. The puzzle piece seems to fit. I could not find that record and, believe me - I have really searched. Ancestry isn't very helpful. I had decided to use that birth record to apply for an Irish passport and citizenship by grandparent descent.

But!! Now I just realized after studying what I needed to register May/Mary on www.dfa.ie that I have an additional bunch of problems - with MYSELF!! I was adopted at age 12, so my last name changed. I was born a Smith (EVERYONE on my paternal side is Irish). so, i have no record of birth as a Smith (I am a Frissell now). My mother's marriage license has May's age and name wrong! Her age is 10 years off (45 instead of 55), May is Mae, and a middle name is given as Olga (?), and also, my Grandfather's age is also off by 8 years (50 instead of 58 - born 1884). See the records that are attached. The question that has to do with me though is: how do i prove my descent as a Smith? It hadn't even occurred to me! What a mess!

But wait... There's more. May had a sister named Bridget Lydon who got pregnant about 1919 by the man, Michael O'Kelly, that she soon after married, and she stayed married all her life to him, and she lived and was buried in Sligo, Ireland. In 1920 Bridget shipped the baby named Phyllis O'Kelly  to America and her sister adopted her, and Phyllis took on the name Smith by 1930. (See her 2012 obituary.) Also, the 1905 Ship manifest list gives hints of her sisters and a brother. Also, I asked Google and it said that another name for Bridget in Ireland is Delia, and there is a Delia that lived with May in the 1901 census. Could this be Bridget? But, she wasn't a Lydon. Well,Thanks if you can help. God bless you.

 

-Syd Frissell

Civil birth record for Mary’s sister Bridget born  2nd July 1883 in Kinvarra, to parents James Lyden and Honoria Fahy, father’s occupation appears to be ‘Hotel Keeper’ and he was the informant, see entry 88.

There's a marriage in Dublin in 1911 for a Bridget Lydon and Michael Joseph O'Kelly - not certain if it's 'your' Bridget, the groom is shown as a 'student' and the bride's father is noted as James Lydon occupation Farmer, and also the birth of a child to this couple in April 1912, an Ethel Mary O'Kelly born in the Coombe hospital Dubin city, her parents lived at Millmount Avenue Drumcondra, Michael is noted as a Barrister on the record.

**** apologies Margot, did not mean to post over you, we must have been typing at the same time ****

another child to that couple Muriel Elizabeth Norah born 10th July 1916 (mentioned in that obit.) to parents Michael O'Kelly and Bridie Lydon, father's occupation this time is Journalist, the birth took place in Newry, County Down.  The births available online currently cut-off in 1919, so there may have been other children to the couple.

 

 

Hello to Gerard, Margot & Shanew 147:

Greetings again to my dear Irish friends!!! I accept everything all of you have found in records in reference to my grandmother, Mary Lydon, born Sep 29 1881 in Kinvarra, Galway, and her sister, Bridget Lydon, also born in Kinvarra on 2 Jul 1883. You are awesome and spot on. I found a record since Thursday (Sunday now) that has two sisters on a ship manifest to the US in 1908 that might shed some light on who Mary/May's siblings are. There are listed in a group 4 Lydons in a column, and 2 are sisters with the mother's name of Honor "Laydon"! The sisters are Bridget, age 23 & Mary, age 2. Also listed are apparent cousins, Katie & Sarah. Katie has a brother, Patrick Lydon, and Sarah has a father, Michael "Laydon". Katie, Bridget & Mary are from Galway, but I can't decipher the townlands, etc listed. What I desperately want is a breakthrough on May/Mary Lydon's siblings. I am certain there were many as seen in the age difference of the two sisters, if they are my ancestors. I have NEVER been able to place Mary/May in a real family and that is my wish. This is my brick wall and i need your help. You are all bringing the pieces together for me. 

I also have a question on when Bridget O'Kelly died. I have a record that gives July/August/Sept 1948, age 65 as her date of death, but a family tree that I copied gives it as 1973. The FHL Film # is: 101744, Page 102, Vol 2 for this record. Her name on this record was Bridget Kelly. Bridget Lydon was born 2 Jul 1883. It seems like my Bridget. What do you think? It says she died in Sligo (probably in Ballycote).Can you help me once again? Thank you so very much!

I am unable to upload files right now because I just installed a McAfee Total Protection Security Suite. It won't let me. Something about debugging info terminated the upload.I Can I do an upload on Facebook? I was going to upload several records. I can't read the township names on the ship manifest. 

- Syd Frissell, Johnson City, Tennessee message me on Facebook and I will give you my Smith Fanily Tree ancestry tree access with an email: Sydney Frissell 

re. Bridget [O'}Kelly nee Lydon, unfortunately that 1948 death doesn't appear to be 'your' Bridget,. as she's shown as a spinster, so unmarried and therefore Kelly would be her birth surname.

The death record is included on the IrishGenealogy website the the register image confirms that page reference mentioned on that index record, i.e. 102.

This Bridget died in June 1948 at the Mental Hospital Sligo, a spinster reported age 65.

The difficulty with a search for Brdget's death is her very common name, combined with the limited information included on death certs. A search for any Bridget [O']Kelly deaths on IrishGenealogy  between 1918 and 1969 (*) shows over 1,300 deaths, some of course would be much too young to be considered. The 'recent' timeframe also causes a problem due to privacy concerns, e.g. searching for clues on additional children and marriages after 1944 etc. It's also possible that your Bridget died after the cut-off for death records on IrishGenealogy in 1969...

*) after 1921 IrishGenealogy only covers records for the Republic of Ireland (i.e. southern Ireland or the 26 counties). 1969 is the current cut-off.

Hello again beloved "home-faces"!

I have a second computer to use to upload records. (It doesn't have the security software that blocks me uploading to you. I will do that later today.

I wanted to tell you the exciting news! I called a 23 year old city directory record of Bridget O'Kelly's (Lydon) grandson (he's my age- late 60s). I was amazed when the phnw answered and it was my 3rd cousin or whatever. He told me the complete family on Bridget - and you guys are all spot on. We are 100% correct. Phyllis O'Kelly/Smith was legitamately born but strangely, the couple chose to "give" Phyllis to Mat/Mary Smith/Lydon to adopt. No scandal. It seems Michael was a world traveler with two young children so he agreed to it. Michael had been using Kelly as his last name, but during the Irish Civil War he changed it back to O'kelly to be more Irish.

I hope you can help me find May & Bridget's siblings, but I know everything now about my Great Aunt, Bridget. Thank you!!!

- Syd Frissell

 

Hello:

I am unable to upload files. The problem wasn't the McAfee security program. I deleted all my security software and still unable to upload files. I can't upload your Bridget Lydon civil birth certificate. I don't have it in my computer documents/jpgs.Can you send the link again?  But I can upload all your other URL links. I am confused. If you don't respond then I understand. You all have helped me greatly. I have totally given up on Ancestry Irish Genealogy research. I get NO RESULTS on the sisters, Mary and Bridget, being born in Kinvara.

:

I AM STILL TRYING TO FIND THE SIBLINGS OF MY GRANDMOTHER, MARY LYDON, BORN   29 SEP 1881   FROM KINVARA, COUNTY GALWAY. HER SISTER IS BRIDGET LYDON, BORN   2 JUL 1883.  BOTH SISTERS RESIDED IN KINVARA. THE MOTHER WAS HONORIA FAHY (MAIDEN NAME) AND JAMES LYDON. THE BIRTHS WERE REGISTERED IN GORT. MAYBE THE ABOVE  RECORD OF A SHIP MANIFEST IN 1908 WILL HELP. I AM UNABLE TO READ THE TOWNLANDS.

COULD SOMEONE PLEASE RESEND THE CIVIL BIRTH RECORD URL LINK OF BRIDGET LYDON THAT WAS ALREADY SENT ABOVE (MARGOT, MAY 28 )? THE LINK DOESN'T SEEM TO  WORK FOR ME FOR SOME REASON AND I WASN'T ABLE TO DOWNLOAD BRIDGET'S CIVIL BIRTH RECORD. I CAN'T FIND ANYTHING ON MY GRANDMOTHER'S SIBLINGS, AND ALL I DO IS TRY. I DON'T KNOW WHY. MY COMPUTER SECURITY SETTINGS ARE WORKING FINE NOW.

THANK YOU. - SYD FRISSELL

 

 

Hi Syd.

I have attached a photograph of a spreadsheet that I made of the Lydon family from the ship's manifest. The townlands look like Mauntrasna and Clonbur. I can't make out one that looks like Toney.

They are on the Mayo Galway border. Clonbur in Galway, Tourmakeady in Mayo.

Do you know if the Lydon's had a shop in Galway.

Hope this is useful,

Anne

Here is a map of the area.I could not post the two files together.

Anne

 

 

Hi Syd.

I have attached a photograph of a spreadsheet that I made of the Lydon family from the ship's manifest. The townlands look like Mauntrasna and Clonbur. I can't make out one that looks like Toney.

They are on the Mayo Galway border. Clonbur in Galway, Tourmakeady in Mayo.

Do you know if the Lydon's had a shop/grocery in Galway?

Hope this is useful,

Anne