Searching for great grandparents

Hi Sue,

Thanks for your message.

Is that April 1886 in your message? Is that the date they were married?

It may be difficult to find information without a more specific place of origin. Most Irish record sources- church records, land records, census records- are based on specific locations. Until you know a specific location within Ireland, preferably a parish or placename, it may be difficult to do anything more with these records.

Do you have any documentation pertaining to the family that mentions any place names in Cork at all? This can include wills, marriage/death records,census records, letters, diary entries etc.

There are some places where you can search online, however these websites do not have complete collections:

www.familysearch.org has a huge database of genealogical records including some church records for Ireland.

www.rootsireland.ie have a large collection of Irish Church records, however you have to pay to use this site.

http://churchrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/ have begun a project to upload Irish church records to their site free of charge. However so far only some parts of Co. COrk have been covreed.

Also, civil registration began in Ireland in 1864 so any births, deaths or marriages in the family after this date would be recorded in these records. Civil records are available from the General Register?s Office. Here are their contact details:

General Register Office

Government Offices

Convent Road

Roscommon

Ireland

Tel:+353 90 663 2900

Locall:1890 25 20 76

Fax:+353 90 663 2999

Homepage: http://www.groireland.ie/

You can search the indexes to these records up to 1958 online at:

https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1408347

Have you tried searching for the family in the 1901/1911 census records? If not here is the link:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/

Some other websites that may be useful are:

The National Archives of Ireland http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/introduction/

The National Library of Ireland http://www.nli.ie/en/family-history-introduction.aspx

Irish Times: http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/index.htm

Irish Genealogy Tool kit: http://www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com/

Genealogy Links: http://www.genealogylinks.net/uk/ireland/cork/index.html

Failte Romhat: www.failteromhat.com

Cork Past and Present: www.corkpastandpresent.com

From Ireland: www.from-ireland.net

Remember to post any new information that you find here. The more information you post, the more likely it is that one of our volunteers will be able to advise or assist you. Also include information concerning which sources you may have already used so others may further your search.

Kind regards,

Genealogy Support

I now have a certified Baptismal record for my grandfather, Timothy Joseph McCarthy. He was baptised at the Parish of Durrus&Kilcrohane on October 2, 1875. I am still trying to find his birth certificate. I know he was born on September 27, 1875. He was from Bantry Bay, County Cork. His father was either John or Patrick McCarthy and mother Catherine Allen. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Sue Kenney