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Record of stillbirths 1940's

LimerickOola (Limerick)

I am currently researching my fathers family tree. My Dad, Patrick Joseph McCarthy (1932-1997) was one of fifteen children born to Michael McCarthy and Bridget May McCarthy (nee Clifford) in Oola, Limerick. I am having trouble finding the birth and death records for four of his siblings I  believe they may have been stillborn. Does anyone know if stillborns were registered in 1940's or recorded in the parish church records? The dates I have for the other children range from 1929 to 1942. The missing siblings are Winifred, Kathleen, Danny and Christina. Any help would be greatly appreciated.   Claire Collins

 

 

 

clairepcollins…

4 replies

Claire,

I think it’s only been possible to register stillbirths in Ireland since 1995, and even that is not mandatory:

https://www.gov.ie/en/service/e6c3d6-registering-a-stillbirth/#:~:text=All%20stillbirths%20occurring%20in%20Ireland%20since%201%20January,who%20shows%20no%20sign%20of%20life%20at%20birth.

Sadly, I don’t think you’ll find any record of a stillbirth in the 1940s, certainly in state records and I’d be surprised if they were recorded in parish records either. (I’ve never seen one).

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Dear Elwyn, 

Thank you so much for your reply. My sister seems to think she got these names from the Catholic Church records, but ran out of time before she took details of dates.

The births have been confirmed by other family members.

As i'm not certain they were stillborn, do you think theres a possiabilty that they were recorded in the parish records but not given a birth certificiate?

Kind Regards

Claire 

clairepcollins…

Claire,

Births did occasionally go unregistered particularly in the early years of birth registration (1864 onwards) but by the 1930s and 1940s I would say it was fairly unusual, but not impossible.  Baptisms for the years you are interested in are not on-line so you would need to contact the parochial office and ask them to search for you.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you Elwyn, I appreciate this information

clairepcollins…

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