Hello Peter,
The 1911 census for Newtown, Rahan, Kings County (now County Offaly), shows that John Dunne, son of Patrick and Bridget Dunne, was 11 years old, placing his year of birth circa 1899-1900, rather than 1896, though ages in the 1901 and 1911 census returns may not always be accurate.
The census was found at the National Archives of Ireland website and can be viewed at the following link: https://is.gd/7GokrM
Once the census appears, make sure to click on “Show all information,” to view the full census page. On the census line for John’s mother Bridget, you’ll see that Bridget and Patrick had been married for 12 years, and in the time period had 5 children, with 4 children still living.
The reason why I believe this census refers to your Dunne family is because the names of John’s siblings in the 1911 census, are the names of his siblings you mentioned in your query to Ireland Reaching Out. As you can see in the census, his siblings are Mary Josephine, Thomas, Patrick, James, Bridget, and Teresa.
You wrote, “His parents were Peter/Patrick 1859 and his mother Bridget 1867, his siblings Mary Josephine, Thomas, Patrick, himself, James. Bridget, and Teresa.”
Interestingly, the census shows that John’s father was born in America.
After locating the Dunne family in the 1911 census I went to the free irishgenealogy.ie website to see if I could locate John’s birth record for 1899-1900. I found his birth record. He was born in Newtown, Kings County, on November 8, 1899. His father is Pat Dunne, a farmer residing in Newtown. His mother is Bridget Dunne, formerly Gonoude. John’s father Patrick reported the birth to the registrar, Louis Corbet, who recorded the birth in Tullamore, Kings County Registration District on November 27 1899. John’s baptism is Number 108 in the register, which you can access at: https://is.gd/7GKmaj
This birth record is not a certified copy, and will not be accepted as proof that John was your grandfather. You will need to order a certified copy of the birth record from the General Register Office in Ireland. For information on how to order certified copies of birth, marriage, and death records, go to:
https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/civil-records/help/i-want-to-get-a-cop…
Once at the above website, make sure you download the “Certificate” order form rather than the order form for a copy of the birth. A certificate costs 20 Euros.
I next found the marriage record for Patrick Dunne and Bridget Gonoude. They were married in the Roman Catholic Chapel of Mountbolus, Kings County, on 6 February 1899. Their son John was born 9 months and 2 days after they married.
At the time of marriage Patrick was a widower. His occupation was “Farmer.” His residence at the time of marriage was Newtown, Rahan, which is the same residence as found in the 1911 census. The marriage record further shows that his father is Patt Dunne, a “Farmer.”
At the time of marriage Budget was a “Spinster,” meaning she had not been married previously. No occupation is listed for her. Her residence at the time of marriage was “Holmshill,” which I believe is a reference to the townland of Hollimshill. Bridget’s father is Timothy Gonoude, a “Farmer.”
The parish priest who married Patrick and Bridget was Joseph Wheeler. The witnesses to the marriage were Eugene McLaughlin and Angela Gonoude. The marriage is the first one recorded in the register, Number 179, which you can access at: https://is.gd/cMqNIr
You may have to order a certified copy of the marriage certificate for Patrick and Bridget if you are applying for Irish citizenship.
If you notice, I didn’t bring up the Dunne family in the 1901 census for Newtown, as I didn’t want to confuse the issue, because the 1901 census shows that John’s father is Peter, rather than Patrick. But, you had already written that Peter would be one of the names of John’s father, along with Patrick.
In the 1901 census for Newtown, Rahan, John is 1 year old. You can view the 1901 census from the National Archives of Ireland link at: https://is.gd/96YOuD
Good Luck on obtaining your Irish citizenship Peter.
Best Wishes,
Dave Boylan
