Catherine Larkin

Hello Lesley, I am afraid I could not locate a birth for Catherine or a possible marriage on Roots Ireland. There are two primary parishes in Drogheda, St Peters, which has gaps in the times you are seeking see here https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0211 I could not locate a marriage either, this parish is north of the river Boyne, south of the Boyne is St Marys parish in both Drogheda, Louth and Meath, county boundary meanders around south Drogheda, in this case the diocese is Meath, north of the river the diocese is Armagh which is also a county itself (civil and religious divides) The church in St Marys only opened in the 1830s and only has baptisms from then. Another parish which just takes in a little of Drogheda is Mell or Mellifont. Records there only start in 1821. I am assuming the family were RC but have looked at St Peters Church of Ireland to no avail, other religions in the town have no online records. The site I searched is a subscription one.

There is a site here on Louth http://jbhall.clahs.ie/index.html There is a Bridget Larkin, buried in Cord graveyard which may be your lady, a transcription should be available but a visit to my local library is required, both St Peters and Calvery cemetries were not opened until the early 1900s, I see a few Larkins buried in Dromin about 8 miles north of the town and I have those transcriptions, only on PD Larkin listed and not sure what graveyard it is. 

There are two private Facebook pages on Drogheda, Drogheda Down Memory Lane - Lost Family and Drogheda Old photos and family roots finder; not sure they will be of any help, no Larkins on 2nd one but some Cunninghams but you are still unlikely to find certs etc to assist you.

You could contact our national archives as I understand that families sometimes sent pleading letters to the authorities but a long shot. https://www.nationalarchives.ie/ I found nothing on a quick search of the petitions. 

There is a nice 9 minute video on Youtube of old still pictures of Drogheda. As regards your ancestors "crime" nothing surprises since I saw one man got 7 years transportation for conspiracy to steal a cushion, they did not even take it, workers and young women were required and just taken I think.

Drogheda Gaol was completed in 1820 and you can see the outside of it in Google streetview, it is in Scarlet Street in Drogehda, still there but now a hardware store.

Get back to me if you see any grave references on the Louth site and I should be able to locate them.

Regards

Pat