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My great great grandmother Catherine Murphy was born somewhere in Ireland on 7 March, 1839 (from 1905 New Jersey census). On her marriage record (Greenock, Scotland, 1865) it lists her parents as Michael Murphy and Juliet Donohoe.

When I searched parish records for Catherine Murphy born in 1839 (and in other nearby years), there are a number of them around the Kerry/Cork border area (as opposed to other parts of Ireland), but none with the parents listed above. The names Murphy and Donohoe/Donahue are clearly both common in the area. My DNA also points to the Kerry/Cork region as the most likely origin of this branch as most of my Irish ancestors were from Ulster yet I have matches with all their ancestors in Kerry or Cork. I would love to find the parish where Catherine was born, or where either of her parents came from. Her parents were likely born before records started but perhaps someone has heard of this couple or is also descended from them. 

Thanks for your help,

Jen

Jen

Monday 1st Jun 2020, 10:01PM

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  • Jen:

    Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

    I found two baptismal records on the free site www.irishgenealogy.ie  Church Record TAB  One was for Julia Murphy in 1834 and the other Johanna Murphy in 1841. The parents names fit your information. The church is St. Finbarr's in Cork city also known as Cork South parish. The names are so common that I would consider these records as leads.Here is a link to the parish register https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0040  You may want to scan the record looking for Catherine Murphy.

    Roger McDonnell

    Area - CORK & ROSS (RC) , Parish/Church/Congregation - CORK - SOUTH PARISH

    Baptism of JULIA MURPHY of N/R on N/R July 1834

    NameJULIA MURPHYDate of BirthN/R N/R N/RAddressN/RFatherMICHAEL MURPHYMotherJULIA DONOGHUE

    Sponsor 1PATRICK CREEDON-Sponsor 2ELLEN HAYES

    Area - CORK & ROSS (RC) , Parish/Church/Congregation - CORK - SOUTH PARISH

    Baptism of JOHANNA MURPHY of N/R on 28 August 1841

    NameJOHANNA MURPHYDate of BirthN/R N/R N/RAddressN/RFatherMICHAEL MURPHYMotherJULIA DONOGHUE

    Sponsor 1WM HAYESSponsor 2MARGT TWOMY

    Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Monday 1st Jun 2020, 11:24PM
  • Thanks so much Roger! I will take a close look at the parish register for St. Finbarrs in Cork. I know that with popular surnames like these I have an uphill battle to find the right family but it's a good start.

    Jen

    Wednesday 3rd Jun 2020, 10:20AM

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