finding mary murphy

Hello Mary,

I have read and reread your post and can fully understand why you need to find out all about yourself and your family.  These records are so recent that you probably wont find anything online on any of the websites.

However go to www.familysearch.org and you should be able to find registration details for you and your brother and possibly your mother.  You would then be able to order birth certificates for you all. (I don't know if you have done this already or if you have your own birth cert)  Once you have dates you can go to the churches involved in Cashel and ask for a copy of your baptismal certificate.  This should contain some more information including what people stood  for you and your brother (godparents).  Hopefully there will be an address there also.

Your mam may have lived in Oliver plunkett terrace but Clark Villas was definitely not there in the 1940's.  That estate wasn't built until many many years later.

You should be able to apply to the Health Service Executive for both your records of fostering and your brothers.  It should be stipulated in your letter that you are applying under the " freedom of information act ".  There must be a lot of informtion around regarding your childhood.  The records for the Industrial schools lie with the HSE as far as i am aware.  I think the industrial school for girls in cashel was st. Francis (but I stand to be corrected).  I think that the Citizens INformation Centre would be able to tell you exactly how to go about getting your records .

I think you would be also entitled ( in a separate letter) to enquire from the HSE about your mother's employment details (under the freedom of information act).

It's such a pity you dont have your mother's parents names.  Perhaps she called your brother after her father??  I have looked at www.findmypast.ie and found anumber of Mary Murphys born in around that time in clonmel, carrick and cashel.

I wonder why she moved to Cashel when she gave birth to you both?  Had she family there?

So many questions.  But you need to start with what you actually know from your own birth cert.  Get hold of your baptismal cert.  There should be records about fostering there and you have a right to see them.

I wish you all the best of luck in your search and will say a prayer that you will find a little thread that you can start to pull to unravel your past.

God Bless,

Anne

Mary,

I just had another idea.  You should write to both parish priests in the town and explain your story to them.  You could ask them to look up their registers for years 1920 to 1925 and see if they can find your mam.  

Fr. Brendan Crowley, Presbytery, St. Peter and Pauls church, Clonmel

Fr. Billy Meehan, Presbytery, St. Mary's Church, Clonmel.

You have nothing to lose in doing this.

regards,

Anne

Dear Ann It is with much appreciation  I thank  you for sending me such a quick informative reply. I will take on board all the suggestions  regarding which way to avenue to  go down and  possibly get some  answers. over  so many years I have had doors closed on me and the secrecy prevailing  but now in what "Appears " to be a more "open" society I may glean a little bit more information.  I know nothing of my mam's family relatives or otherwise . Having been back and forth to Cashel over the years searching I met a local councellor who suggested that as I was born in Our Lady's Hospital someone must have been paying for  my mother to be able to avail herself of their  facilities. She was in "Rosecrea" on a couple of occassions   1942   and  1946  I have some documentations giving dates while she was there. I visiyed the place but got little information but was show her  "Cell"  next to the laundry. My gut feeling was and still is that her place of birth is in or around clonmel. When I have stayed in Clonmel at the hotel on my first time when  I  was signing in the receptionist asked if I was a member of the Murphys who live up and around I think   Blessed Oliver Plunkett Terrace or 24. Clarke Villas as I was the spitting image of the family.   Mary  Murphy,  my mother had stayed on working for a short while I believe  after I was born as domestic in  Our Lady's Hospial. I have letters ectera over long years from St Eucharia who worked in the hospial and was based at St Josephs I.S. She, saying she heard as far as she knew my mother's  "PEOPLE"  came from clonmel. I will close for now with a God Bless You  and a big thank you.     PPS.   Is there anyone out there who knows anything about "Greenmount"  Industrial  School  in Cork so I can help my brother in his quest or St Josephs in Cashel  Were you there in athe late 1940s  early  1950s? Thankyou   Sincerely  Mary.

Mary,

I have gone online to find out about the industrial schools and there are many people searching for information just like yourself.  The government is now funding a programme which is coordinated by Barnardos to help people access their records and files.

Go to www.alliancesupport.org  and you'll find a form to download.  Print this off, fill it in, and I would suggest that you send it by registered post.

They do all the searching for you and will send on your records.  This service is paid for by the government.  I think your brother may have to apply for his own records.

Hope this helps you,

Regards,

Anne Dennehy