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St. John's RC Cathedral baptisms from 1877 onwards

LimerickLimerick City (Limerick)

Hello there, I'm trying to find the baptism of my gt grandmother Mary Sheahan, daughter of Thomas Sheahan and Bridget OConnell. Born in Limerick around 1887. I've not been able to find a civil reg for her birth but 1901 has her as a 14yr old so around 1887 seems sensible. I have found civil regs for several of her siblings but because I've not found hers I thought I'd try to find a baptism. Now I know her parents married in 1879 at St Johns Cathedral so I thought it probable that the children would be baptised there and as I've looked in all the other available parish records and not found them, St Johns is where I need to look. The VERY unfortunate thing is that the parish records are only available online on NLI site up to 1877 - nothing after that. I would dearly love to know how I can look at these omitted parish records please. Are they available on microfilm in an archive centre maybe or is there another way I can access them when I visit Limerick in the summer. All help and suggestions greatly appreciated. Thank you SO much in advance. :-)

IrelandXO member

4 replies

Clare:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

Roots Ireland (subscription site) has the records for St. Johns thru 1899 and I located two possible records but neither had a mother named Bridget O'Connell. See below. I'm not in Ireland but I would guess that the main library or the church would have the records. I did search for all Sheahan baptisms from 1880-1890 where the father was Thomas and the mother B. O'Connell and got five records but the only girl was Christina Bridget in 1888.

Roger McDonnell

 

Name:Mary SheehanDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:16-Nov-1887Address:
Parish/District:ST. JOHN'SGender:UnknownCountyCo. Limerick
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:Thomas SheehanMother:Cath. O'HalloranOccupation:
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:Patrick Sheehan Sponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Bgt. O'Brien 

Name:Mary SheahanDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:03-Sep-1889Address:
Parish/District:ST. JOHN'SGender:UnknownCountyCo. Limerick
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:Thomas SheahanMother:Bridget QuinOccupation:
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:Bridget Foran 

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Hello Roger,

thank you SO much for helping.   What you have told me has given me so much more hope that I'll definitely find Mary's baptism one of these days.   I have subscribed to Roots Ireland in the past and had successes in some other areas of research but like you, not managed to find the right Mary Sheahan.   My thinking is that if I can get to look at the actual parish regs at some point I'm certain she'll be there but is mistranscribed on Roots or it'll be a slightly dodgy spelling or a very faded page etc.  Rest assured though you've encouraged me no end AND made me rethink her year of birth as well.  :-) :-). Thank you.

Christina Bridget Sheahan was Mary Bridgets younger sister.   I've also not been able to find a civil birth reg for her either and as the children were scattered by the 1901 census at various 'Sisters of Mercy' type establishments I've always allowed for possible inaccuracies with the ages.  In 1901 Christina is recorded as 11yrs so I've always had her birth around 1889/90 ish but your discovery of her baptism in 1888 would put Mary's at an earlier date too.   

Would you be able to tell me Christina's baptism date please.  It would be very good to have it.

Now you mention other baptisms.  I guess they were sons of Thomas Sheahan and Bridget O'Connell.

Interestingly I HAVE the civil regs for 4 boys, no doubt corresponding with the other baptisms you found.   ( I've read that this happened quite a bit.  Registering didn't always happen and in this case possibly only the sons were registered ) 

I have civil birth regs for

Patrick Joseph son of Thomas Sheahan and Bridget Connell,  born Feb 1880

Christopher son of above ,  born June 1881

Edward son of above,  born May 1886

John son of the above,  born Feb 1891

Could you tell me please,  do these match the other baptisms you found?

Looking at these dates I'm beginning to think now that it's much more likely that Mary Bridget will be between Christopher and Edward as YOU discovered that Christina Bridget was born between Edward and John.  SUCH a help in itself!!  :-)

Anyway big, BIG thanks again for your VERY encouraging assistance.

Kind regards

Clare Hanlon :-)

 

 

 

 

 

IrelandXO member

Clare:

Yes, the records I found were the civil records for the four boys you mentioned. You maybe correct that the boys were civilly registered but not the girls. Below is the transcribed baptismal record for Christina.

Roger

Name:Christina Bgt. SheahanDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:18-Dec-1888Address:
Parish/District:ST. JOHN'SGender:UnknownCountyCo. Limerick
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:Thomas SheahanMother:Bridget ConnellOccupation:
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:John Donohue Sponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Bridget Donohue 

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Roger,  

thank you so much for sending Christina's baptism transcription.  It's really kind of you and I'm VERY grateful.  Like I said, just having this has spurred me on and I DO feel convinced now that once I've gained access to the actual records ( I must find out where they are!)  I'll be able to answer my questions about Mary.

Big BIG thanks again, Roger

kind regards

Clare :-)

 

IrelandXO member

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