Irish Family History

[Patricia Storer]

OK Many thanks Christine for the words of encouragement.
My Grandfather was Thomas Patrick Seymour Kavanagh.
I have only a marriage certificate dated 10/05/1916 Southampton aged 23.
Father of Thomas is also a Thomas, soldier deceased.
Royal Navy service record with date of death being 3/10/1918 birth place Dublin or Dublin County and here is the problem birth date is 24th September 1881.
So at marriage he is 23 and then two years later he is suddenly 37.
I tried for a birth certificate from Ireland for Thomas P.S. in 1893 and they can only come up with a Thomas born 16/06/1893 Dublin City. Too vague.
Next tried for 1881 and the Irish BDM registration came back with "we have search for TPS Kavanagh 1881/1882 Kavanagh/Cavanagh, no entry found"
An Irish friend said that his name was most unusual i.e. three forenames and that the Seymour sounded like he could be Protestant.
So can anyone suggest further avenues? I am so frustrated as all the rest of family have been a dream compared with the Irish! This by the way has been going on for 15 years!
Thanking all in anticipation
Patricia

[Harrys mum]

Could he have been hiding??? Maybe didn't want to give his true birthplace.

Although I doubt you'd give Ireland. I'm thinking out loud.

[Elizabeth Herts]

The 1911 census for Dublin is available on line - there was a link on here for it a couple of months ago, so it is probably in the Wiki.

They are adding to the 1911 census gradually. If he was in the Dublin area you might find him, I found OH's relatives really easily.

[WendyPusey]

Here's the link to Dublin 1911 census.

National Archives

[kathsgirl.48]

Hi Patricia

If your Irish ancestors from Co. Dublin/Dublin City are anything like mine...not all of them were actually registered! And...second names only appear on their Baptism Records.

I think that as long as a child was Baptised and their birth date was given and entered in the church records...then the family probably thought that was sufficient and that the church records would automatically be forwarded to the appropriate Records Office.....but we know different!

My Mum was born in Dublin City in 1916 and never had a Birth Certificate, only a Baptism Certificate. She tried to get a Birth Certificate for herself prior to her marriage..but as far as the Dublin records office was concerned..she didn't exist.

However her Baptism Certificate was deemed to be an official document and was accepted as proof of her birthdate.

I have tried to get a copy of one of her aunts birth certificates too..but no joy, even though I knew her DOB...as I had a copy of her Baptism Certificate.

I know this doesn't help you...but at least this might give you an explanation as to why you cant get the birth certificate that you want.

If you know of any close relatives that have Baptism Certificates of the same generation, then it might be worth writing to the same church and see if they can come up with a Baptism Certificate for you.

I spent a fortune back last summer and hired a researcher to check out the Parish Records where my Mum's aunt was married and Baptised...Bingo! Found lots of relatives baptism & birth date details there plus 3 of my Gt Grandfather's brother's marriage details....And I was looking for the surname of BRADY..which is as common as Kavanagh if not more so.

[Patricia Storer]

Kavanagh Thomas Patrick Seymour

Many thanks to all those that replied. I suppose in my heart I think I may have to pay an Irish Researcher who would have much better access to the records based in Ireland. I have always managed to some how do my research lond distance from Australia but this time should bite the bullet. Does anyone know of a good dinkum ( old Aussie saying) researcher? I may have some luck when the 1911 UK census are released because my ancestor just may have been in England by then. One last possiblity!
Best wishes to all
Patricia Storer

[ARickett]

I too have been stuck finding more information re my great-grandfather James Kavanagh and his wife Elizabeth Smith. All I know is that they were both born in Ireland but not which county - it was 1848/49 which is right in the middle of the famine - not a good time for record keeping. The other problem is that the Kavanagh`s were very limited in their choice of names (at least in my line) - mostly James, William, John James, Thomas - women were Elizabeth, Ellen and Mary!! I`ve gone onto FB to a Dundalk site where I think my grandmother Bridget was born - you have to keep thinking laterally!! Good luck. Angela