Hi,
Thank you very much for your message.
I hope that someone researching the same lines makes a connection with you and helps you to fill in some gaps.
In the meantimes, have you tried looking for Thomas and Daniel?s marriage certificates? Sometimes, fathers? names were recorded on these so it may give you a start in terms of finding out who Margaret and Mary?s parents were.
As civil registration did not become mandatory in Ireland until 1864, you will have to look in church records.
Most Catholic records are held locally so you may need to write to the local parish priest for possible assistance. One website that you may find useful is the Irish Times where they give an overview of what records are available in specific parishes. For Hospital/Herbertstown parish, follow this link:
http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/fuses/rcparishmaps/index.cfm?fuseaction=showidrecords&CityCounty=East%20Limerick&parish=Hospital&churchid=268
If the family followed the Church of Ireland check http://ireland.anglican.org/about/42 and http://www.nationalarchives.ie/ for inforamtion on what records are available.
There are also some websites where you may be able to find church records:
www.familysearch.org has a huge collection of genealogical records including some Irish birth and marriage records.
www.rootsireland.ie has a huge collection of Irish church records, however you have to pay to use this website.
Some other websites that you may find useful during your research are:
The National Archives of Ireland http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/introduction/
The National Library of Ireland http://www.nli.ie/en/family-history-introduction.aspx
The Public Records Office of Northern Ireland http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/family_history.htm
Genealogy Links: http://www.genealogylinks.net/uk/ireland/limerick/index.html
I hope that this is helpful.
Kind regards,
Genealogy Support
