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I am working with a young woman who lives in Workington, England, who was born on the Isle of Mann but her roots go back to Dublin South the North Strand, I am looking first for a birth Registration of a Norah Behan on the 24 of August 1908 in Dublin South (Not verified, checked for her birth on irishgenealogy.ie). Her father was a James Behan (gleened form Norah's marriage certificate)  Her mother is alleged to be an Elizabeth Fitzgeald or maybe Fitzpatrick who gave birth to Norah and cared for her for 5 years and then had the family of  a John Behan and Kate Dempsey Behans of the Cottages , Dublin South care for her.  I suspect that the Behans from the Cottages, Dublin South were somehow related to her  dead father James. Now Norah did not live with the Behans in 1911 and I do not see a Norah Behan in the 1911 census that would fit her parentage. I checked the 1911 Census for her mother  and came up with 6 possible connections.. It may be that Norah was born at the St. Patrick's Mother and Baby home in Dublin.
When Norah was 16 her mother Elizabeth came back to Dublin, that would be about 1924 telling her that she would like to take Norah to live in America. Norah refused to leave Ireland. I tried checking the Passenger Lists and Declarations of intent to become a US Citizen for an Elizabeth Fitzgerald or Fitzpatrick but no such luck, She may have been married between 1908 and 1924 or the surname is incorrect 

Norah married a Patrick McCormack at St. Mary”s Pro Cathedral on the 12th of September 1940. Her husband Patrick was born on the 17 SEP 1912 in Tullow, Carlow, Ireland, he listed his occupation on the marriage registration as Army and abandoned his wife and two sons during WWII, he was stationed in Australia he never returned

Now Norah had a daughter born out of wedlock whom she called Linda but ended up having the name Mary Angela Behan born sometime between 1928 and 1931 in Dublin South. Her father is alleged to be from County Tyrone he is alleged to have committed suicide after losing money entrusted to him to buy cattle in the UK, gambling it away on the ship to England.and no one seems to remember his name. It is alleged that Norah’s husband Patrick was a friend of Mary Angela’s father.
Of course her birth is not available online due to the 100 year rule. She may have been born at a Mother and Baby home  or maybe not. 
Now Linda or Mary Angela is buried on the Isle of Mann with her husband William (Billy) Miller on the Headstone she is identified as Linda Miller. Her Death certificate shows her name as Mary Angela Miller passing away on the 23rd of October 1966 at the Walton Hospital, Walton Park, Liverpool North, England. The informant was her step-brother John McCormack of 25 Adare Avenue,Coolock, Dublin, Ireland.

There is very little in matching DNA for this family and none of the DNA ties into James Behan or Mary Fitspatrick/Fitzgibbon. I am getting the assumption that no-one is searching for these women. Truly 2 to 3 Brick walls

Fred Jaeger

Fred Jaeger

Wednesday 6th Nov 2024, 09:09PM

Message Board Replies

  • This is the only marriage cert for a John Behan and Catherine Dempsey that I could find. In 1891 they were living in Inchicore (a suburb in Dublin) and had a son John Joseph  ,note mother is named as Kate Josephine nee Dempsey. Although the address says Kilmainham, Tyrconnell Road is in Inchicore.  (They likely had other children)  

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    Eileen

    Wednesday 6th Nov 2024, 11:22PM
  • Another child Annie

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    Eileen

    Wednesday 6th Nov 2024, 11:27PM
  • By the way, the North Strand is on the North side of Dublin   (Dublin 3)   not the South side.  If Norah was born in a mother and baby home ie St Patrick's on the Navan Road then the details of the birth would be with Tusla Irl. Ireland has a sorry history in relation to mother and baby homes with details of births altered, changed or denied. Perhap's an application to Tusla to see if they hold a file on Norah would be the next step. Sorry I can not be of further help. As far as I know adopted people had a restricted birth cert but if Norah was not legally adopted this may not apply. Maybe you could apply to the births/marriages/deaths for a birth cert in Norah's name with the dates and details you have and see if there is a match. https://www2.hse.ie/services/births-deaths-and-marriages/  The only other recourse I can think of is to contact the programme Long Lost families and see if they can assist. https://www.longlostfamilies.com/contact-us/

    Eileen

    Thursday 7th Nov 2024, 12:16AM

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