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Jane Dunne

Laois

I am looking for information on a Jane Dunne born in Queens County. Jane Dunne was born about 1861 + or - maybe Portarlington, Laois, when her father, Daniel, was 21, and her mother, Mary, was about 21. They had children named Jane, Catherine, Denis, Edward and Annie and maybe an Alice, possibly more. In a 1901 census I have a family with an address at No. 5, Rathmiles Ballybrittas, Queens County with 2 of these names...

Jane married a John Cummins on June 2, 1889, in St. Paul's, Church Dublin, Ireland. They had seven children, of which five survived over a 13 year period, Children: Mary Jane Cummins 1890-1958. William Cummins 1891-1971. Bridget 1894-1897. Elizabeth Jane 1896-1898. James 1897-1966 Kathleen Cummins1900-1976 & Annie Cummins 1903 -? She died in 1936 in Dublin's Benburb street she was buried with her grandchildren, Liam and Francis, sons of William (above) in St. Paul's Glasnevin. Also buried in the grave is her husband John Cummins, a Guinness Brewery worker, who died in 1947.

The Real Point of this Exercise is

I am trying to get to John Cummins's Father ... James (died 1861), through Johns wife Jane (see previous post) I have something that says "Rathmiles" After looking for the Dunne's I have realised that there are so many Dunne's in Laois it is almost impossible to define the right family. I am wondering could anybody assist in finding the Cummins or Dunne family connection. I would be so grateful.. If you would like any further clarification, please make contact

Des Cummins

des@drivereduc…

10 replies

Des,

Record fom paid subscription RootsIreland

Name:Jane DunneDate of Birth:04-Sep-1859
Date of Baptism:Not Recorded
Address:No_recordParish/District:PORTARLINGTON
Gender:CountyCo. Laois
Denomination:
Father:Daniel DunneMother:Mary Dunne
Occupation:No_record
Sponsor 1 /Informant 1:John MolloySponsor 2 /Informant 2:Mary Kavanagh
Notes:

@@@@@@@@@

Jane's mother was from Rathmine

Date of Marriage:18-Jul-1858
Parish / District:PortarlingtonCounty:Co. Laois
HusbandWife
Name:DanDunneMaryDunne
Address:No_recordRathmines
Denomination:
Occupation:
Age:
Status:
Husband's FatherWife's Father
Name:(No_record)Dunne(No_record)Dunne
Address:
Denomination:
Occupation:
Husband's MotherWife's Mother
Name:
Address:
Denomination:
Occupation:
Witness 1Witness 2
Name:DunneJamesKavanaghMary
Address:

Mary

mtvrdk@gmail.com

Daniel was a farmer

Children 

Jane 1859

Michael 1861

John 1864 Rathmile, Emo

Mary 1865 Rathmile, Emo

Eliza 1867 Rathmile, Emo

 Denis 1870 Rathmile, Emo

 Catherine 1870 Rathmile, Emo

 Edward 1875 Rathmile, Emo

 Ann 1878 Rathmile, Emo

 Rosanna 1881 New Lea, Emo        Church record for Ann and Rosanna identifies Huntington

mtvrdk@gmail.com

Hi Mary. 

Thank you for your swift reply. That information seems to fit with the fragments that I have, and I thank you so much for the additional information and children. The area has so many Dunne's, and is surrounded by so many parishes and areas , so much so that it has been difficult to substantiate.  I hope I am not taking a liberty with your time however,  I did mention that the real purpose of drilling down on Jane's Family was to find my Great Great Great Granddad James Cummins. Would you be able to find any connection, please see previous post of some years ago below....

Hi, I am looking to find a x3 granddad named James Cummins (Commons?) from Queens County. I am assuming he was born about 1829? and died in1861 (fact) He married a Bridget or Biddy McDonald, born about 1826 and married about 1847. Between them they had Maria,1850-1924 died in NY. Elizabeth, 1858-1914 died in NY.NY.. Francis, 1853-1925, died in NY.NY. Joseph 1855-? John William 1860 -1947 (Dublin). After James death in 1861 she left for New York leaving John with his Grandmother and raised as a McDonald

I have a James Commins death, 23rd Feb 1861 in Ballon and Rathoe, could this be the right one, I just cannot confirm his parents and where he actually lived and died. How can I confirm my x3 Grandad and from what records i.e. his parents or from burial records, the cemetery etc., . I looked at the 1850 Griffiths Valuation head of household listing for Clonyhurk civil parish and there were two Cummins records and five McDonnell records https://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/offaly/clonyhurk.htm  

Information, help or direction to get through or over this brick wall, to confirm James Cummins and Bridget Mc Donald (Mc Donnell) parents and would be greatly appreciated.

Des Cummins 

I really appreciate your time and effort to solve this brick wall I have with James 1861 and where he is interred.

des@drivereduc…

Des,

Date of Marriage:04-Feb-1847  
Parish / District:PortarlingtonCounty:Co. Laois
HusbandWife
Name:JamesCumminsBiddyMcdonald
Address:No_recordTown
Denomination:
Occupation:
Age:
Status:
Husband's FatherWife's Father
Name:(No_record)Cummins(No_record)Mcdonald
Address:
Denomination:
Occupation:
Husband's MotherWife's Mother
Name:
Address:
Denomination:
Occupation:
Witness 1Witness 2
Name:McdonaldJoeDalyJohanna
Address:

@@@@@@@

Portarlington, Kildare and Leighlin - Catholic Parish Registers at the NLI

I did not find Birth or death records for James on RootsIreland nor a birth record for Biddy.

Regards- Mary

mtvrdk@gmail.com

Des,

The birth records for the RC parish of Portarlington began in 1820. James and Bridget could have been born prior to that year. As they got married in 1847, your estimate of James' birth in 1829 seems a bit late...he would have been only 18 years old. 

Regards,

Carolyn

Hi Caroline 

Many thanks for your time and the information I found this information some time ago wondering is it this worth perusing further 

Most Possible Pointer @ June 19th 2019 is 

Name:James Cummins

Date of Birth:

Date of Baptism: 01-Sep-1829 

Address:

Parish/District:ABBEYLEIX

Gender:Male

County Co. Laois

Denomination: Roman Catholic

Father:James Cummins

Mother:Biddy Gorman

Copy and Paste this  link The Portarlington baptismal records which start in 1820. 

https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0724

On the 28th Feb 1861 a death of a James Cummins is recorded  in Rathrush, Ballon and Rathoe, Carlow, Ireland

I would just love to find James Cummins 1920 + or - and where is is buried and visit and pay my respects at grave in Laois. Could it be that he joined the army and died overseas??? and that's why we cannot see him in Laois  

Thank you for your time

Regards 

Des 

des@drivereduc…

Des,

I think that the records you have found are for different people with the same name. Firstly, the death record in 1861 is for a James Cummins in the county of Carlow, not Laois...highly unlikely that is your man. In that era, people were born, married, and died in the same general area...they did not travel as today, and were tied to the land as farmers which your relations probably were. Also, only the wealthy could afford a grave marker, so searching for that is probably a dead end...no pun intended! It was tradition to marry in the bride's parish, so the 1847 marriage record from the RC parish of Portarlington is her place, and probably his. Therefore, I don't think the 1829 birth record in Abbeyleix is your James Cummins...just the same name. The maps of the RC parishes on the site johngrenham.com shows you where Portarlington and Abbeyleix were in relation to one another - unlikely he went that distance to marry.  If you look at the NLI register of their 1847 marriage, it shows one or both of them were from "Town"...that could be the town land of Portarlington Town or another place as I am not certain what that name means. There are other town lands that end in the word town as well. I hope this information is helpful.

Regards,

Carolyn

Carolyn. Thank you for your advice and efforts, it appears that my James Cummins is elusive and really does not want to be found as I have been searching for him or indeed through his in-laws the "McDonald's" for many years. That blank space in my Ancestry is just asking to be filled!!!! however, made more difficult with the names of Cummins, McDonald's and Dunne's seems a popular name in Laois. I have thought that maybe he joined the army and sided elsewhere??? For the moment I may have to "give up the ghost" 👻 until something comes up in hints.I placed  below what I have to date which is possibly what you have. 

In any event I thank you most sincerely for your time, and if you stumble upon any little nugget please email me 

Regards 

Des 

des@drivereduc…

Des,

Yes, oftentimes one must be content with the information they have because records in Ireland only go back so far! I have this experience with my family's Irish roots. Just an FYI, the nickname Bess is for Elizabeth, not Bridget. Also, one tactic I sometimes take is to look at the baptism sponsors and try to glean any information from their line...takes some work, but can pay off. So, assuming that William Cummins (John's sponsor) is James Cummins' brother, you might research him to find more details about the family. IF William is his brother, got married, had children, and named the eldest son Francis - like James did - then Francis is probably their father's name...using the Irish naming tradition. 

Good luck!

Carolyn

Good point Carolyn and worth exploring, might place that name in and see if anything happens.

Again Many thanks 

Des 

des@drivereduc…

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