New surnames are connected to my O'Brien family.

Hi Janet,

It will be difficult to identify Patrick's parents and siblings without more information, as Patrick O'Brien is a very common name in Ireland.

You might see if you can identify Patrick's death in the civil records at irishgenealogy.ie.  There were 7 in Fermoy between 1870-1880.

You might get an idea of his parents' names by looking at the names of his children..  The eldest son was usually named after the paternal grandfather, the eldest daughter after the paternal grandmother and the second daughter after the other grandmother (though sometimes the order of daughters' names was reversed).

It was interesting to read that Patrick had four children born in the Workhouse. Did Patrick work there?  If he was an inmate, he would have been living in the men's quarters and his wife in the women's quarters.  I believe they would not have had much opportunity to mix.

I hope something here is helpful.

Janet,

Are you sure of the names JOHN Murphy and CATHERINE Roche? I found a couple with these names, but they married in 1837, which would have made Ellen 14 at the time of her marriage.  There are some other Murphy-Roche couples with a child Ellen in the rootsireland baptismal records, but they are not JOHN/CATHERINE.

Janet, Patricia,

Strange as it seems in today's world, marriage at 14, while not very common, did occur.

Best wishes, Kieran

Thank You Patricia for researching my families. Here are the names & birth dates of Ellen's & Patrick's children.  All were baptized RC.  The 1st 4 children born in the Fermoy Union Workhouse in chronological order were: Mary Brien bpt. 04 Jul 1852, sponsors- Thomas Murphy & Catherine Fleming; Catherine Brien bpt. 28 Dec, 1853,  sponsors: John McDonnel & Mary Brien; Elizabeth Brien bpt. 04 May 1856, sponsors: Michael Roache & Catherine Roache; Daniel Brien bpt 19 Dec 1858, sponsors Edmund Fitzgerald & Ellen Eagan. The last 2 children were born in Glanworth: Ellen Teresa Brien was bpt. 22 May 1861, sponsors: Michael O'Donnel & Honora Lane;  John Joseph Brien was bpt. 08 June 1863, sponsors: John Cotter & Namoe Fitzgerald

Yes, I am sure about the names of Ellen's parents; the names John Murphy & Catherine Roache were recorded as Ellen's parents when she died 1899 in Cambridge MA, U.S.  However, her age was recorded as 57 & birth 1842, which cannot be close to accurate.  I think that Patrick & Ellen were likely born 1820-1835, but there is no records.

Hello Kieran, Patricia,

I have have used a suggested Name Pattern to find the names of Patrick's parents & other family members.

Patrick's father's name - 1st son Daniel

Patrick's mother's father's name - 2nd son John

Patrick's mother's mother's name - 1st dau Mary

Patrick's father's (Daniel) mother's name - 2nd dau Catherine

Patrick's mother's name - 3rd dau Elizabeth

Patrick's mother's (Elizabeth) eldest sister - 4th dau Ellen

All the names of Patrick's & Ellen's children fit into the Pattern.  As my information of Patrick started with his marriage; I wonder if he was born in another area of Co. Cork, Co. Waterford or Co. Limerick.

Janet