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Hello from Northern Ireland.!

OffalyCastletownely (Offaly)

Hello I have just joined this site. I took up researching my paternal family tree nearly 20 years ago,but often leave it for years at a time then decide to come back to it.! I have to say,searching on the internet makes life certainly a lot easier for us amateur genealogists[and I guess for the professionals too]. I am from Manchester originally,as were both my parents.But my paternal grandfatherMichael O`Brien was born in County Offaly in 1864.Now I was born in 1967,which means my grandfather was 103 years older than me.!!! Needless to say,I never met him,and my father died when I was 10 years old in 1977,and I never thought to ask him about his side of the family. Now it`s too late as there is no-one left to ask. This makes research a challenge,to say the least,especially with such a common surname as O`Brien to search. However,I find it all very fascinating and want to try and uncover as much as I can. Regards,Lisa O`BrienNewry,County Down.

markova21

4 replies

Lisa:

I looked at civil birth index records for Michael O'Briens born in Co. Offaly. Civil registration started in 1864. There were no index records for 1864 and the earliest record was in 1868. Was your grandfather in Ireland or England in 1901? Do you have a death record for your father and does it show his mothers name?

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Hello Roger and thank you for contacting me.Yes, my grandfather WAS in England in 1901 as i have a copy of his marriage certificate to Phoebe Kirkham when they were married in Salford in 1896.All his children were born there. Don`t have a copy of my father`s death cert yet,but I do have a copy of Michael`s death cert.He died in Trafford Park,Manchester in July 1946.On my grandfather`s grave [Stretford Cemetary,Manchester] it says 1864-1946. Just so frustrating,because it`s such a common name.But I`m really enjoying the challenge of it all though.!!  Regards,Lisa O`Brien.

markova21

Hello Roger and thank you for contacting me.Yes, my grandfather WAS in England in 1901 as i have a copy of his marriage certificate to Phoebe Kirkham when they were married in Salford in 1896.All his children were born there. Don`t have a copy of my father`s death cert yet,but I do have a copy of Michael`s death cert.He died in Trafford Park,Manchester in July 1946.On my grandfather`s grave [Stretford Cemetary,Manchester] it says 1864-1946. Just so frustrating,because it`s such a common name.But I`m really enjoying the challenge of it all though.!!  Regards,Lisa O`Brien.

markova21

Lisa:

I was hoping that Michael married in Ireland and was still there in 1901. Good luck with your genealogy research. I have a feeling that Michael was born later than 1864. I assume you have the 1901 English census. Does that record show an age that ties to 1864?

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

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