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Mary Gibney and James Connor / O'Connor

MeathKells (Meath)

Hi there,

I've spent many years trying to locate my grandmother and have come accross this website in hope that someone can help me.

My mother, Mary Gibneywas born out of wedlock on the 22nd Jan 1932. Consequently, she was fostered in Dublin. Her real mother, also named Mary Gibney (born 11th April 1911), went on to have another baby on the 18th May 1933, also out of wedlock, who we believe to be called Rita Mary Gibney(?).After having the baby in Dublin,Marygot married to James Connor/O'connor on the 30th July 1933.

Mary Connor's motherwas called Rose Gibney (nee Martin), and owned (and her family continue'sto own) the post office in Carnaross, Co. Meath. My mother went over to try and find any information about where she came fromand was met by Rose who before my mother even introduced herself, Rose knew exactly who she was and was able to tell her the milestones in my mothers life, and so clearly had kept tabs on her.However, Rose informed my mother that her motherhad a new family that knew nothing about her and it would be unfair to uncover the truth.

My mother died 10 years ago, and was never able tofindout any informationregarding her mother, her father, or even her potential sister. I know it would mean so much to my mother if we discovered her past and if we could find anyone who was able to fill in the blanks.

We have also tried Ancestry DNA with little luck,

If anyone is able to help that would mean the absolute world to our family.

Thanks in advance,

Linda Breen

maireadanyabre…

5 replies

Linda,

Looking at the 1933 marriage certificate I see that James Connor was a farmer in Clondalkin. If he married Mary Gibney you might expect them to have gone to live on his farm. They probably had a family. Clondalkin is in the Dublin South civil registration district. I looked for children named Connor/O’Connor born in that district in the period 1933 – 1958, where the mother’s maiden name was Gibney. I found 7. I am not going to give the details here because we have a policy of not giving out personal details of living people (or people likely to be living).  But you can find them easily enough on Familysearch.

You could order copies of some or all of those birth certificates from GRO Roscommon to see if they are the family you are interested in. You can get a research copy by e-mail for €4. That may take you a generation further forward.

Once you have some more specific names and addresses, you might want to hire a researcher in the Dublin area to assist with graveyard searches, wills, and marriages for the children. Be aware that not all researchers are willing to accept work researching living people due to the sensitivities involved.

Given what Rose said about not wanting Mary’s new family contacted, you should give some thought to that and whether an approach to living relatives today would lead to distress.  There are ways of making an approach through an intermediary, if needs be. Some families can be very relaxed about illegitimacy and others really don’t want to discuss it. Or you might be content to find out what became of Mary and her family via a researcher, and leave it at that.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Elwyn, 

Wow thanks so much for all your help, it is greatly appreciated! 

Would it be possible for you to email me the information you have found? My email address is lindamarybreen@gmail.com 

Although we are aware of the possibly sensitivity of this matter, we are however also aware that someone has been looking for my mother as upon our recent visit to her birth place, we were told a lady had not long been in hope to track down my mother, however, she left no details. With this information, and the fact that nearly 90 years has passed, we feel it is only fair to my mother and her family that we are hoping to be able to put this matter to rest. 

Thanks again for all your time and hard work!

You have really helped us when were just about to give up hope! 

 

Regards,

 

Linda  

maireadanyabre…

Linda,

I have sent you an e-mail.

 

 

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

 Hi there,

We can't thank you enough for all your help and information. We have followed your advice and have requested the birth certificates. 

We were wondering if you could help with one more thing. We have been able to locate James Connor's will and probate dated 13th May 1949. However, we are unable to trace Mary Connor from then and as she would have only been 38 at the time, we feel it is highly probable that she may have remarried. If this is so, do you know whether the marriage certificate would be in her maiden name or in her late husbands surname? We are wondering whether this is why we are unable to trace her after his death.

Thanks so much in advance for your help,

Linda x

maireadanyabre…

If Mary remarried, the marriage certificate would normally contain both surnames. So she'd be "Mary Connor formerly Gibney", and indexed under both surnames.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

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