My Father was born 1st December 1891 as Francis McAleer in St. Peter's NO: 2 Parish in Drogheda, County Louth.
When his Father died in 1896 his Mother, Mary Ann, married Francis Brien at St Peter's in April 1902.
My Father then took his Step Fathers name and became Francis Brien, which later changed to Francis O'Brien.
The family then moved to Galway City for Michael Brien to find work as a Moulder, but I don't know at what date they moved.
As a young man my Father left Galway and came to England where he was in the British Army and later in the Navy.
I am building the Family Tree and wish to know when my Father left Galway and more about his life in Drogheda and Galway.
I and my family will be in Ireland from 9th until 16th of June this year when I hope to discover more about my Fathers life.
Hoping someone can help me to fill in more details about my Fathers life in Ireland.
With many thanks and good wishes.
Thomas O'Brien
O'Brien Search
Monday 8th Apr 2013, 01:17PMMessage Board Replies
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First of all have a look on these sites here you mite get luckly.
A the national alarchiveshttp://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/The National Archives of Irelandhttp://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/introduction/ The National Library of Irelandhttp://www.nli.ie/en/family-history-introduction.aspx The National Archives UK ? genealogy search:http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/ The National Archives Scotland- family history:http://www.nas.gov.uk/familyHistory/ The next thing you could do is find the counties and places in Ireland your family names are mostprevalent. Look at the website http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/surname/ and perhapssomething will match some other clue you may have found elsewhere? If nothing turnsup ? it is advisable to try different variations of the spellings of the names. If you have a possiblefirst name you could try the Irish Census 1901, 1911 at www.census.nationalarchives.ie/ or the landvaluation record called Griffiths Valuationhttp://askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml
Connaught Ireland
Thursday 11th Apr 2013, 09:39AM -
Hi Connaught Ireland,
Thank you for the websites, I will check through them all and get back to you later.
I have my Father's birth certificate and his parents marriage certificate's from St. Peter's in Drogheda, County Louth so they should help in my search.
Best wishes
Thomas O'Brien
O'Brien Search
Monday 15th Apr 2013, 01:46PM -
Hello Thomas
Firstly have you obtained certificates of birth; marriages etc to give a timeline. Also have you checked the census of 1901 and 1911 to see where they lived then. Links are available on this site on the St Peters Parish page.
I am not familiar with the name St Peters Parish 2, there is a catholic and Church of Ireland Parish in Drogheda in the diocese of Armagh (a long way from Drogheda).
Was the McAleer family protestant (just by the name). Drogheda would have been fairly industrialised about that time and to leave for Galway to work with Dublin and Belfast so close is unusual. Drogheda had had a big linen industry and at the time had engineering works etc. Also a very busy port with a service to Liverpool including regular passenger services.
Do you know what a moulder was.
I will speak to a few people here, there are many O'Briens but it is a very common name (the first ever surname in Ireland I understand).
I have posted a number of links on the specific parish home page including http://www.jbhall.freeservers.com/
In St Marys Parish Graveyard of which I have the record book (opened 1902) there are 2 McAleer graves (of more recent vintage) 4 Brien graves and 34 O'Briens. The inclusion of the "O" in a name was a moveable feast as often it was out but in more recent times it was included but you should check under both.
I do not have the records for St Peters Graveyard but they are available in the local history section of the library here for reference only. There is an older closed graveyard called Cord Road which is also recorded as are the main Church of Ireland graves. There were also smaller graveyards.
Drogheda is a very historic town (founded in the 12th Century). I have posted some info on the St Marys Parish page and will be posting it on St Peters Parish Page in the next.
I live locally so if you can specify what you would like to know I hopefully can be of assistance and also advise you on the town.
Regards
Pat
St Peters Louth, IrelandXO Volunteer
Friday 3rd May 2013, 08:50PM -
Hello Pat,
Thank you for your reply, I did reply in full almost immediately but you don't see to have received it - I seem to be experiencing some issues with this website and access etc.
I do have birth certificates for my father, Francis (Frank), his parents (his father and mother - who I knew - and step-father).
Myself and my family (wife, son, daughter and husband) will be in Ireland to do some further investigation, as well as touring on holiday, from Sunday 9 Jun till 17 June. We start in Dublin for 3 days as my father was born in Dorgheda, then moving on to Galway, where he lived from the age of 4 year until he left for the UK as a young man (age unknown). I must say it would be good to find out what year he left; he served in both the British Army and Navy but they can confirm nothing to us. We have since found proof of his service (without years served) on ancestry.co.uk website, so this is very frustrating. Finally, I can also confirm that my father's parents (Francis McAleer & Mary-Ann Bryne) and step-father (Michael Brien) were all catholics and married in St. Peter's Catholic Church, Drogheda.
Thank you very much for your help and efforts. Maybe I will hear from you again prior to our visit next month.
Best wishes.
Tom O'Brien
O'Brien Search
Saturday 11th May 2013, 02:17PM