Thomas Augustine McDonald

I'm not sure what records you have already - but just in case..

Birth of  sister to Thomas - Margaret McDonald 10th November 1865, Duke Street, Athy Co. Kldare
parents John McDonald & Margaret King. The Athy Catholic baptism registers for this time are very faded and difficult to read.

Thom's Directory 1904 lists 17 D'Olier Street, Dublin city as 'The Grand Central Bar, Thomas McDonald - manager'.  The address is now a bookshop.

Thanks so much.I was aware of the bar at 17D'Olier, I understand that the family lived in an apartment on the second floor. I am somewhat confused about the various counties. It seems that Athy is in Kildare, Wicklow and Laois. I also have some information that indicates family born in "Cowpark" and "Carlow" but I have not found much about these. Thomas A McDonald, his wife Mary, 7 children and a servant named Briget left Ireland in April 1906 en route to New York. It seemed he must have been more affluent than was typical at the time and I have always been curious as to why he left the country.

The town of Athy is in County Kildare but is quite close to the border with County Laois (formerly Queen's county). The borders with counties Wicklow and Carlow would both be about 10 km from the town. The details Thomas has given on the 1901 census would suggest that Thomas and his wife Mary were born in Co. Kildare, while the children are all listed as born 'Co. Dublin' (*) which could refer to the county or the city.

What are the details of the information you have for the Cowpark & Carlow reference - e.g. names and date etc

You mentioned a date of 24th August 1862 for Thomas - do you have a baptism record for this already ?

The only reference I found of a Cowpark in the area was on modern Google maps and this is located abt 7.5 km by road south of Athy in Co. Laois. 'Cowpark' is not an official placename, and based on the Google map notation is located in or close to the townland of Shanganagh More (1st ed. OSI map), which is in Tankardstown civil parish.

EDITED - it seems Thomas may have put incorrect place of birth for at least one of the children - a likely match for Herbert's birth on the 18th June 1896 at Barrowhouse townland in Athy registration district, Ballylinan subdistrict  (parents Thomas McDonald & Mary Whelan). this is located not far from the Shangannagh More townland I mentioned above...  Youngest son Anthony Kevin was born 12th May 1899 at 9 Florence Street in Dublin city and his father's occupation is given as Traveller - a type of mobile sales rep.  The address at 17 D'Olier Street is listed in 1899 Thom's directory as 'The Central restaurant' (no name for proprietor given)

Based on the details on the church marriage record for Thomas and Mary I found a probable civil birth record for Mary - 23rd December 1866 at Shanganagh townland Co. Laois, Athy registration district, Ballylinane sub district. Parents match the details on the Dublin marriage record Daniel Whelan & Catherine Connors/O'Connor.

I can see how the location might cause some problem if you are not familar with Irish Land divisions - Athy is the name of a town, a Catholic parish and also a civil registration district, the registration district was based in the town of Athy and covered parts of counties Kildare and Laois. In later records someone from Shanganagh towmland might say they came from the nearest large town - in this case Athy which happens to be in the adjacent county of Kildare.

Sorry to jump into your conversation.  I'm Herbert's grandson.  I have this photo of Thomas McDonald in front the pub he managed on 17 D'Olier Street in Dublin - attached.    Thomas had a job in the U.S. at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. - apparently one of the reasons he left Dublin for the U.S..  He was in charge of the food/drinks at Catholic.

Sean McDonald

spmcdonald07@yahoo.com