Dowling ancestors

Your Robert would have been born before the start of civil registration so you need to search for possible Baptism records. Do you know, even approximately, when your Robert was born and what denomination this Dowling family were - Catholic or Church of Ireland etc?

Coolatin is a townland in Carnew civil parish, and would have been in the Church of Ireland parish of Carnew and the Catholic parish of 'Carnew and Crosspatrick', which is often listed as Tomacork.

Thank you shanew147 for your very prompt reply.  Unfortunately I know nothing of Robert Dowling's Irish details. I know he died in Brisbane, Australia on 21.11.1923. I was told by his grandaughter he came to Australia as a young man on the ship "Winifred" (because she was supposed to have been named after it) and he was all of 70 when he died. "Young man" could mean he was anything from 16 - 30.   I have searched a 20 year span and can only find one record of a ship "Winifred" which arrived in Sydney in November 1856 and there is no Dowling on the passenger list.  So, I am guessing all the rest.  Thank you very much for your information though.

Age 70 in 1923 would give an estimates year of birth of 1853, so should be within the range of availabale records for RC parish of Tomacork.and CofI parish of Carnew, but I'm not seeing anything close listed in these parishes on the RootsIreland baptism Index for a Robert Dowling.

Over a wider timeframe there are three Robert Dowling baptisms listed between Counties Wicklow and Wexford(*) in 1839, 1844 and one in 1887, although none match father's name of Robert.  There can be gaps and missing pages, or he could possibly have been baptised in an area the records dont go back far enough to include him.

I wonder if it's possible that your Robert lived or worked at Coolattin at one time rather than being born there ?

A little earlier than your Robert there are a couple of Dowling baptisms for Co. Wicklow listed matching the parents first names you mentioned that might be worth following up in case they turn out to be possible sibling - Margaret 1841, Mary Anne 1843, John 1845

(* Tomacork RC parish also covers parts of Co. Wexford)

Thanks so much for your assistance.  I'll follow up your leads. Isn't the internet marvellous??!!