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Hi Everyone,

I would really love some help with Maurice Ahern to find where he was born/lived, his parents and siblings if any . I don't have a great deal to go on but will state what I know.

In 1853, Maurice  - age 19 yrs - was transported to Western Australia on the Phoebe Dunbar after being convicted in Cork in 1850 for stealing an ass. For this he was given 10 yrs. From there he goes to NZ and gets married in 1887 when he is 53yrs old.

According to the marriage certificate, his parents were Maurice Ahern a labourer and Julia mn Horrigan - birth place Co.Kerry, Ireland There is no information recorded about his parents on his DC but on the death register record it says that his birth place is Killarney, Ireland.

I foung a tentative baptism record that has a Maurice Ahern birth date of 20 Oct 1831 - parents Maurice Ahern and Julia Morgan of Longfield, Co. Kerry - Irish Genealogy. This was the only record I could find - but no Julia Horrigan anywhere.

If Maurice was 19 yrs when convicted in Ireland then the 1831 date would tie in but other records in NZ have his birth 1834 which is true for his marriage.

I am completely stumped with this one at the moment. I have attached records for all the above so they can be reviewed.

Do you think there may be a record of the conviction in Ireland? I tried researching it but didn't get any results.

I apologise for some of the records which are readable but that's all. They were given to me.

I'm hoping someone else might be researching his family as well in Ireland.

Warmest regards,

Marj

 

marjw

Wednesday 22nd Jan 2020, 03:05AM

Message Board Replies

  • Marj:

    Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

    I looked at the parish register and I can make a case that the mother's maiden name was Horgan comparing the script to the M for Maurice but also the H in some of the entries above the October 20the baptismal record for Maurice. Horgan and Horrigan would be the same. Did not see a marriage record for the parents or baptismal records for siblings.

    The only court record I could locate on FindMyPast (subscription site) was an April 24th 1852 Petty Sessions record for a Maurice Ahern who was arrested for assault and insubordination at the Killarney workhouse. He was sentenced to two weeks in jail. Not sure if this is your Maurice. You may not be able to open the link below.

    Roger McDonnell

    https://search.findmypast.ie/record?id=IRE%2FPETTYS%2F4619604%2F00070&parentid=IRE%2FPETTYS%2F4619604%2F4931947

    Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Wednesday 22nd Jan 2020, 04:21PM

  • Hello Roger,

    Sorry for the delay in answering - our internet was down due to fire damage is Sydney, Oz.

    Thank you so much for clarifying Morgan/Horgan/ Horrigan. I tried to look for a burial record for the parents hoping it would give me some more clues to dates, areas etc but no luck so far. I'll keep researching.

    The assult charge sounds like the charges documented in New Zealand newspapers - see attached. If the same, sounds like he had a bit of an issue going on there.

    I'll get a sub for FindmyPast and have a look.

    Thank you so very much for all your help.

    Marj

    marjw

    Thursday 23rd Jan 2020, 04:33AM

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