Burkes & Keavenys

Hello Bridget!

We do not have a parish liaison for Athenry. The Athenry records do not start until August 1858. Were Thomas, Nellie and John born before that date?

Roger

 http://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0103

Hi Roger,

Thanks so much for your reply.

From U.S. census and marriage records their birthdates are as follows:

Thomas - ca 1860

John - ca Dec 1867 or 68

Nellie - ca 1880

I just noticed in my original inquiry that I mistakenly referenced Mary Keaveny, rather than Bridget Keaveny. Sorry about that if it confuses anyone. Her name was Bridget NOT Mary.

By the way, I recently located a marriage record that may be our family's Martin Burke and Bridget Keaveny. It is from 1858 in Lackagh, Galway. Bridget is listed in this record with the surname Keavey, though it could be Keaveny.

About this record, I'm wondering:

1) is it reasonable to think they married in Lackagh and that their children were baptized in Athenry. From my initial research on proximity, it doesn't seem all that unreasable that they may have relocated.

2) Is there a surname of Keavey - my initial research shows maybe, maybe not. I guess I'm trying to judge the likelihood that this marriage record should be pursued further or if it does actually report the marriage of a Martin Burke and Bridget KEAVEY that are not related to my family.

Any insights?

Thanks again!

Bridget

Thank you also, Roger, for the link. I'm sure it will prove useful!

Bridget:

I must be doing something wrong. I'm searching on Roots Ireland from 1855-1875 for baptismal/birth records for Burke children with a father Martin and mother Bridget and I get NO RECORD. Both Athenry and Lackagh records are included in Galway West. Where did you find the baptismal records? Roots or combing through the parish register?

Roger

This is troubling news, Roger.

I obtained my information from familysearch.org and ancestry.com - these are index only records, and with most of them, ancestry.com cites familysearch.org as the source of the information.

I just reviewed actual parish records, looking for the entries noted in the familysearch.org index entries, and you're right, they are not there!

Here is one example from familysearch. It is the listing that I believed was Delia Burke Hanley, my great-grandmother:

Name:    Bridget
Gender:    Female
Christening Date:    
Christening Place:    418, ATHENRY, GAL, IRE
Birth Date:    27 May 1867
Birthplace:    Athenry, Gal, Ire
Death Date:    
Name Note:    
Race:    
Father's Name:    Martin Burke
Father's Birthplace:    
Father's Age:    
Mother's Name:    Bridget Keaveny
Mother's Birthplace:    
Mother's Age:    
Indexing Project (Batch) Number:    C70131-9
System Origin:    Ireland-VR
GS Film number:    101148
Reference ID:    2:10FR7P3

Citing this Record:
"Ireland Births and Baptisms, 1620-1881," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FPY2-QYH : accessed 19 February 2016), Bridget, 27 May 1867; citing Athenry, Gal, Ire, reference 2:10FR7P3; FHL microfilm 101,148.

I will be contacting the Family Search help desk regarding all of this and see if they have additional information that could potentially explain the discrepencies. Perhaps these birth and baptismal dates, names, etc. are correct but were listed with incorrect parishes and townlands somehow. 

I'll be sure to let you know what sort of response I receive, in case it might help others in the future!

Thanks!

Bridget

Ok, so I just got done chatting with familysearch.org and they believe their indexed records from the Athenry parish are correct and that there must be additional parish registers that are not yet digitized by the National Library of Ireland and not yet indexed by Roots Ireland. The ascertion is that these records that are not yet available online on either of those websites will match the indexed entires on the familysearch.org and ancestry.com websites.

I suppose this means my next step is to try to contact the Archdiocese of Taum, or would it be the St. Mary’s, Church St., Athenry, Co. Galway parish office? Would they be able to confirm information for me about whether the familysearch.org index is correct?

Family Search indicated that their information came directly from the parish and is therefore accurate. Without being able to match the information to the parish registers that are digitized however, I can't confirm this. I'm at a loss as to where to go next.

Bridget

Bridget:

I would contact St. Marys and see if they find a May 27th 1867 record for Martin Burke..

I went thru the actual register and 1867 is there as you indicated. It does seem that the number of records is less than I would have expected for a fairly large town. I picked out a couple records and they do show up on Roots for Athenry. You may want to select a few records and se eif they show up on Family Search. One possibility is that there were two churches in Athenry but the register only has one church,

Roger