Deady's of Ardfert, County Kerry, Ireland

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Can you let us know an approximate year of birth for Jeremiah Deady? The RC records for Ardfert start in 1859.

Roger McDonnell

Hello,

I found the baptism transcriptions as well as copies of the original baptism records for two children of Edmund/Edmond Deady and Mary Crowley. The transcriptions were uncovered at the Find My Past (FMP) which does not charge to search for Roman Catholic Church baptisms, marriages, and burials/deaths.

The names of the two children are John and Edmond. In the baptism records the first names of the children and their parents are in the Latinate. For example, the first name of John in Latin is Joannem. His brother is Edmondiem. Their father is either Edmundi or Edmondi. Their mother is Maria “Crowly.”.

Also the baptism for Joannem spells his last name as “Dady,” rather than Deady.

The following link will bring you to a FMP baptism transcription for Joannem Dady. He was baptized in the Ardfert Catholic Parish on 6 January 1836: https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=IRE%2FPRS%2FBAP%2F5531467

Attached to the baptism transcription is a link that will take you to copies of the original Ardfert Catholic Registers of baptism held by the National Library of Ireland in Kildare Street, Dublin. The National Library of Ireland holds Ardfert baptism records beginning on 4 March 1819, though there are several gaps in the baptism registers, which commence to 26 December 1880. Ardfert marriages at the National Library begin on 15 March 1825 and extend to 25 June 1881. There are also gaps in the Ardfert marriage registers. To see the availability of the Ardfert Catholic Parish registers at the National Library of Ireland, and to also view a Catholic Parish Map of Ardfert and surrounding Catholic parishes, go to: https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0648

To access a copy of the original baptism record for Joannem Dady, go to the following National Library of Ireland link: https://registers.nli.ie//registers/vtls000634233#page/21/mode/1up

There are two facing pages to the baptism register. Joannem’s baptism is on the left-hand page, 2nd entry up from the bottom of the page.

This baptism at first glance can be confusing, not only because the handwriting isn’t the best, or because the entry is in Latin, but because of how the names are arranged in the record itself. For example, the name of Joannem’s mother is below the name of his father, not to the right of his father. The names of the godparents, Dionysius Sullivan and Catherine Crowly, are to the right of the parent’s names, with Dionysius’s name located above Catherine’s name. The godmother, Catherine Crowly, may have been Maria’s sister.

“Idem bap” in the baptism register is the Latin for, “I the same person.” This means the priest who baptized all the children recorded above Joannem, was the same priest who also baptized Joannem.

Dionysius is the Greek god of wine. The English equivalent of Dionysius would be Denis or Dennis.

After Maria Crowly’s name you’ll see the Latin, “loco Talught.” In this instance the word loco would mean place, that is, the residence of Deady family at the time of the baptism. The residence is “Talught.” I could not find a townland with the spelling Talught near Ardfert, but there is a Talaught/Tawlaght which I think this notation refers to.

You can actually see Tawlaght in relation to a part of the Ardfert Civil Parish on an Ordnance Survey Map from the 1837 to 1841 time period. The map comes from the GeoHive website: https://bit.ly/2RTUr87

Once the map downloads make sure to click on “Close Menu” to view the full map.

You can also see Tawlaght in the Civil parish of Ballynahaglish on another Ordnance Survey Map from the same time period: https://bit.ly/2xJYRYl

Once this page downloads you’ll see in bold capital BALLYNAHAGLISH span the map. Just below the letters BALL… you’ll see the location of Tawlaght. Make sure to click on “Close Menu” to view the full map.

In the Irish language Ballynahaglish means, “Place of the Churches.”

The townland of Talaught/Tawlaght was partially in the Civil Parish of Ardfert, but mainly in the Civil Parish of Ballynahaglish, and Poor Law Union of Tralee. See the IreAtlas entries for confirmation at: https://is.gd/uvHt6P

According to a book by Brian Mitchell called, “A Guide To Irish Parish Registers,” the parish church for Catholics living in the Civil Parish of Ballynahaglish, was Ardfert.

A Google Map shows that Tawlaght/Taulaght, by the shortest route, is 4.9 miles southwest of Ardfert: https://is.gd/CPb5fn

For a Google Street View of Tawlaght, see: https://is.gd/Blgw1n

EDMOND DEADY BABPTISM

The link that follows will take you to the 14 November 1844 FMP baptism transcription for Edmondiem Deady:
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=IRE%2FPRS%2FBAP%2F5364088

To access a copy of the original baptism record for Edmondiem Deady, to to the following National Library of Ireland link: https://registers.nli.ie//registers/vtls000634233#page/128/mode/1up

The baptism record is on the right-hand page, 6th entry down from the top. The baptism record may be a challenge to find because many of the entries on the page do not have a lot of separation from each other, combines with handwriting that is not clear in places.

The first name of the godfather appears like it could be Jeremiah. His last name is Sullivan. The godmother is Brigida Sullivan. Once again the name of the town where the Deady family had been living is recorded, but it is difficult to decipher, though it appears the last four letters of the town are, “ught,” or “aght.” This may be another reference to Tawlaught or Talaught.

As you know Edmund Deady and Mary Crowly had other children in addition to John and Edmund. I did not find the baptism transcriptions for these other children at the FMP website. They may have been baptized in the months and or years that are missing from the Ardfert Catholic Parish registers. Or there is also the possibility I missed locating the baptism transcriptions at the FMP website.

As noted earlier the National Library of Ireland holds Ardfert Catholic Parish marriage registers back to 1825, but there are gaps in the marriage registers. I did not uncover the marriage transcription for Edmund Deady and Mary Crowly at the FMP website, unfortunately.

Moving ahead to the 1901 census I found what may be the enumeration for Edmund and Mary’s son, 54 year old Edmond Deady, his 58 year old wife Bridget, and their three adult children, living in Tawlaght, DED (District Electoral Division) of Ballynahaglish, County Kerry. The three adult children are 31 year old Mary; 28 year old Eugene; and 25 year old Edmund.

You can access a transcription of the census from the National Archives of Ireland link at: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Kerry/Ballynahaglish/T…

Once at the census, make sure to click on, “Show all information” to view the full census. You’ll see that the census shows that the older Edmund Deady is an “Agl (Agricultural) Labourer,” while his two sons are recorded as each being a “General Labour.” No occupation is listed for Bridget or Mary Deady. The census shows that everyone in the household was Roman Catholic and born in County Kerry. The three children are not married. Also, the census shows that the older Edmund Deady and his wife Bridget can speak Irish and English.

On the heading of the census you’ll see, “Residents of a house 13 in Tawlaght (Ballynahaglish, Kerry).” House 13 does not refer to a house number, but the number of the census form where the Deady family is recorded,

I am not sure why, but the transcription does not show the Deady family in order of husband, wife, and children, because in a copy of the original 1901 census, the family are listed by husband, wife, and children

You can see a copy of the original 1901 census form 13, showing that the family are enumerated as husband, wife, and children, by going to the National Archives of Ireland link at: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai000893391/

A person’s age in the 1901 and 1911 census is not always accurate, and in some cases are off by several years. Also, ages of person in the 1901 census do not always add up with that person’s age in the 1911 census, as you’ll see. The 1911 census shows the Deady family still living in Tawlaght. In this enumeration Edmond’s name is recorded as, “Ned Edmond.” Ned may actually have been his nickname.

In the 1901 census he was shown to be 54 years old, but in the 1911 census he is now 70 years old. In the 1901 census his wife Bridget was recorded as being 58 years old, but in the 1911 census she is 70, only off by a couple of years in this case. There are two children in the household in the 1911 census. One is 38 year old Eugene. He was 28 years old in the 1901 census, and so his age appears to be accurate. The other child is 40 year old Mary. In the 1901 census she was 31, and so her age is just about on the mark. The son Edmond is not in the household. He was 25 in the 1901 census.

The 1911 census further shows that Ned Edmond and Bridget Deady had been married for 43 years, and in that time had 4 children, with 3 of the 4 children still living.

See the 1911 census transcription from the National Archives of Ireland at: https://is.gd/Mkuv00

You can also access a copy of the original 1911 census for the Deady family at: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai002544834/

You’ll see in a copy of the original census that only the first name Ned is recorded, and not Edmond for the head of the Deady household. I think this means the transcriber of the 1901 census at the National Archives intentionally added Edmond to show that Ned was a nickname.

In the 1901 census Edmond Deady is shown to be 54 years old, which places his year of birth circa 1847. In the 1911 census he is 70 years old, placing his year of birth circa 1841.

Earlier you saw that Edmond and Mary Crowly’s son Edmond was baptized in 1844. Even though the ages for Edmond in the census returns do not match the 1844 year of baptism, I still suspect that the Edmond Deady in both the 1901 and 1911 census enumerations, was the son of Edmond and Mary Crowly Deady, and that your Deady ancestors had lived in Tawlaght, which is near Ardfert.

To see if I could find more conclusive evidence that the Edmond Deady in the census returns was the son of Edmond and Mary, I looked for his civil marriage record. The 1911 census shows that he and Bridget had been married for 43 years. If this is accurate they would have married circa 1868. The marriage record should give a date of the marriage, the church where the marriage took place, the occupations of Edmond and Bridget, as well as Bridget’s maiden name, and the residence of Edmond and Bridget at the time of marriage. The marriage record should also record the names of the fathers of Edmond and Bridget. If Edmond’s father was also named Edmond, and if the groom had lived in Talaught/Tawlaght at the time of marriage, I knew I was probably on the right track in identifying your particular Deady ancestors.

To look for their civil marriage record I went to the free irishgenealogy.ie website, where I found that Edmund Deady and Bridget Lynch were married in the Catholic Chapel of “Ballinahaglish,” on 2 November 1867. The record shows that Edmund had been a bachelor and Bridget a spinster before marriage. Edmund’s occupation was labourer. No occupation is recorded for Bridget. Both he and Bridget were living in Tawlaght at the time of the marriage.

Edmund’s father is recorded as Edmund Deady, who was a labourer. Bridget’s father is Richard Lynch. No occupation is listed for him. I could not make out the first name of the priest who married Edmund and Bridget, but his last name was O’Sullivan. Both Edmund and Bridget marked the marriage register with an X in place of their signatures, meaning they could not write. Their mark was witnessed by a Patrick Higgins, while the witnesses to the marriage were Patrick Sullivan and Edward Parker.

A copy of the original marriage record for Edmond and Bridget is attached to this reply.

Edmond’s 1867 marriage record, combined with the 1901 and 1911 census returns, plus the 6 June 1836 baptism for John Deady, are further indications that your Deady ancestors came from Tawlaght, located just a few miles southwest of Ardfert.

Edmond Deady’s 14 November 1844 baptism record is too inconclusive to say that he and his family were living in Tawlaght, as the handwriting is not legible enough to verify the residence of the family when the baptism took place.

As you saw earlier, Ardfert marriage records commence on 15 March 1825. I next wanted to see if I could find the marriage transcription for Edmund or Edmond Deady/Dady and Mary Crowly at the FMP website. The search was unsuccessful.

Ardfert Catholic Parish baptisms begin on 4 March 1819. I suspect that Edmond Deady and Mary Crowly were born before 1819, but just to make sure I looked for their individual Ardfert Catholic baptism transcriptions at the FMP website, but did not find them.

But I found what may be the death record for Mary Deady (wife of Edmond), at the irishgenealogy.ie website. The death record shows she died in Tawlaght on October 16, 1885 at the age of 80. At the time of death she was shown to have been a widow. Her occupation was of the “Labouring Class.” I could not make the full cause of death, but the cause that I could make out shows that she died from “General Debility,” and “Old Age.” The rest of the cause of death may be,”Uncertified,” and “Nomedatt,” meaning “No medical attendant.”

The person who was present at the death, and who recorded the death to the local registrar was Bridget Deady of Tawlaght. Her relation to Mary is not mentioned. Mary’s death was recorded in the Tralee Registration District on October 21, 1886 by the registrar. The death record is attached to this reply. Her death is recorded at Number 372 in the death register.

I did not find the death record for Mary’s husband Edmund. He may have died before civil registration of death commenced in Ireland in 1864, or his death may not have been recorded if he died after 1863.

Concerning the Crowley surname, I located families and or individuals residing in Tawlaght in both the 1901 and 1911 census enumerations.

For transcriptions of the Crowleys in the 1901 census in Tawlght go to the National Archives of Ireland links below:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Kerry/Ballynahaglish/T…
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Kerry/Ballynahaglish/T…
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Kerry/Ballynahaglish/T…
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Kerry/Ballynahaglish/T…

For Crowleys living in Tawlaght as recorded in the 1911 census, go to:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Kerry/Ballynahaglish/T…
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Kerry/Ballynahaglish/T…
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Kerry/Ballynahaglish/T…
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Kerry/Ballynahaglish/T…
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Kerry/Ballynahaglish/T…

Concerning the Edmond Deady in the 1901 and 1911 census returns, I found what I believe to be his death record at the irishgenealogy.ie website. He died in Tawlaght on July 3, 1924 at the age of 78 years. At the time of death he was a widower. His occupation had been “Labourer.” The cause of death was, “Senile decay. No med attendant.” The person who was present at the death and who reported the death to the local assistant registrar was his son, Eugene, who was also living in Tawlaght. Edmond’s death was recorded by the assistant registrar in the Tralee Registration District on July 25, 1924. The death record is attached to this reply and is Number 276 in the death register.

Eugene Deady, was in the 1901 and 1911 census with his parents.

Having died at the age of 78 in 1924, means Edmond would have been born circa 1846. His baptism record shows he was born in 1844. His age in the death record would be off by 2 years.

Best Wishes,

Dave Boylan

To Dave Boylan,

I wanted to thank you so much for all the work that you accomplished with our family history! Sorry that I didn't notice your response until now, months later! My cousin, Patrick Deady, in New Zealand noticed that you had replied and directed me to your in depth response! I don't know how to thank you for your research! Is there some cause or group that you support that I could make a donation to in your name? I will be reviewing your in depth research more in the coming few days! Thanks again for all your efforts as they are much appreciated!!

Patrick Deady, Fort Wayne, Indiana USA