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My g.g.grandmother, Bridget Fitzgerald was married in Abbeyfeale to Timothy Ahearn.  They moved to Athea and had their first child, Helen, in 1851.  So, I assume Bridget was born around 1830.

mahearn

Wednesday 18th Sep 2013, 12:03AM

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  • Hi

    Thanks for your query.

    A Bridget Fitzgerald married a Timothy Ahern in 1848 and it appears they had nine children, Helen 1851, William 1853, Mary 1855, Edmond 1858, Timothy 1861, Thomas 1864, John 1872, Bridget 1866, Johanna 1869.

    A Bridget Fitzgerald was born in 1829 in Abbeyfeale parish. This record is available online at fee paying website www.rootsireland.ie The record may give Bridget's parents names and then you could search for any other siblings, Bridget's brothers and sisters.

    I didn't find any Helen Ahern or Timothy or Bridget Ahern in the 1901 census.

    If I can be of any more assistance let me know.

    Bye for now.

    West Limerick

    Monday 23rd Sep 2013, 10:00AM
  • Hi, A., Thank you very much for your advice!  I went to the site you recommended and bought the record.  So, now I know Bridget's parents.  The naming of Bridget Fitzgerald and Timothy Ahern's childrens makes sense for these to be Bridget's parents, i.e., Edward/Edmond and Helen.  Of course I have many questions.

    1. Is it true that Edward and Edmond are substitute variations of the same name?

    2. How did you know to look for 1929?  Is it because I guessed a birth date of 1830 in my initial inquiry?, or did you have another reference I should be looking at?

    3. And how did you find the names of their children?  I had information on all but Mary, b. 1855. I got all of the other names from St. Bartholomew's in Athea, but they did not list Mary.

    4. Is there an age at which a woman would be married at the time?  For example, is 19 too young or about the usual age?

    5. Also, the part of my genealogy that I am positive about is that my gg-grandparets are Bridget Fitzgerald and Timothy Ahern from Athea, i.e, they lived and had their kids in Athea.  When I did not find their marriage certificate in Athea, i.e., St. Bartholomews Church, a librarian in Limerick suggested that maybe Bridget was from nearby Abbeyfeale and they got married there.  When I contacted the Catholic Church in Abbeyfeale they confirmed a marriage of Bridget Fitzgerald to Timothy Ahearn in 1848.  But, how can I be sure that is "mine?"  In other words, is their another way I can confirm this? Perhaps by ruling out marriages at other nearby Catholic churches because it would be unlikely that they would be getting married too far from where they settled, i.e., in Athea area. It seems that the birth certificate you led me to, which gives the parents names and is consistent with Bridget and Timothy following the usual naming convention for their kids, fits.  But is that enough to give me confidence?

    Thank you, again!

    mahearn

    Tuesday 8th Oct 2013, 12:24AM

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