Kellys of Carrigeenagappul (Corrigeen, Strokestwn) + Probate Question

There is probably a probate file in the National Archives in Dublin. See:

http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/wills-testamentary-records/

The file won’t be on-line and you would either need to get a researcher to look it up, or pay NAS to copy it.

The use of the term “Administrators Account” makes me suspect this was an intestacy case, ie Thomas did not leave a will. Such cases are usually referred to by the word “administration”, and the probate court usually appoints an administrator to wind up the estate and distribute it according to intestacy law.

My experience of working with Irish Probate Files is limited to what is now Northern Ireland but there files don’t routinely contain the beneficiaries addresses. If there is a will it sometimes contains beneficiaries addresses, particularly so from the 1920s onwards. If there is no will, the only addresses tend to be those of the executor(s) who have to complete a special affidavit, explaining their relationship to the deceased and swearing they will carry out their duties honestly.  There is usually a document stating how many living children, siblings, parents & grandparents the deceased had at the time of death. There is also a summary of the estate eg  1 house valued at X pounds, plus Y pounds in the National Bank of Ireland, 1 life insurance policy etc etc, but not the minor details of where people lived and so on. That information, if it exists at all today, would be in the papers held by the administrator (the solicitor in Elphin, in this case) rather than by the National Archives. However the next step would be to search in the Dublin National Archives for a probate file.

Probate was granted to a Charles Dockery (executor) on the 1st January 1956, the entry on the probate calendar is flagged 'I', so Intestate. The place of residence is given as Carrigeen, Clooneyquinn, Castlerea and date of death 9th October 1954. Effects/assets £10. Registry is shown as P.R., Principle Probate Registry Office i.e. Dublin.

Just wanted to thank you both for your replies. I realize it has been quite a while but wanted to let you know that your help was much appreciated.  Family circumstances kept me from replying at that time.

Again, thank you both for your input.

With the recent kind help of a gentleman from Dublin, who did further research on the documents found in Probate files along with additional sleuthing, I have found out that the "Elizabeth M. Hughes" listed in the attorney's letter (info found above) to inheritors of the estate of Thomas Kelly of Corrigeen was not as assumed the youngest sibling in the family but instead was the daughter of his older sister, Delia (Brigid) Kelly and her husband Peter (also a) Kelly of Carrownamaddy, Elphin.  Elizabeth immigrated to UK around 1954 and married a Peter Joseph Hughes.

Thought I would post this update and to let you know that part of our puzzle has been found!