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Hello Parish of Hacketstown,

My name is Peter Doyle of Melbourne Australia and I am trying to locate the birthplace of my Great Grandfather - Michael Lawrence Doyle.  There is conflicting information available to me here in Australia which has made the search very difficult and I am to visit Ireland in September and was hoping to solve some of the mysteries/missing pieces before my arrival so I could visit where he was born.  A very helpful Family History Centre here in Australia has put me on to Ireland XO so I'm hoping you can help.

What is known about Michael Lawrence Doyle:

- Born 1854;

- Documented that he was born in Country Wicklow but no parish confirmed;

I have found on Rootsireland a Baptismal Record of the birth of a Michael Doyle of Ballykeenan baptised on 23 July 1854 in the "Parish of Clonegal, County Wicklow".  The sponsors recorded were Edward Murphy and Joney Doyle.

I have tried via the Parish of Clonegall in Co. Carlow but haven't had any response. So could these County and Parish boundaries have changed since 1854?  I thought I would try Parishes within close proximity - hence contacting Hacketstown.

Other details:

- Religion: Roman Cathloic

- Parents:Michael and Mary (but I have a suspicion his father's name might have been Lawrence, not Michael)

- Siblings: Unknown

- Sent to Australia in 1864 (so about 10 years old) to live with his Grandmother (name unknown and no passenger details of when exact he went and on what ship).

- He married in Australia on 9th July 1879 to Emma Lydia Smith in Cowwarr, Victoria, Australia

- He had 9 children (all born in Australia) with the names: Grace Josephine, Owen Lawrence, Sylvester George, Christopher Francis (my Grandfather), Mary Kathleeen, Aloysius Robert, Donald Charles, Ursula Lydia and Maisie Emma

The confusion is that his Death Certificate records his father's name as Michael and I have not been able to locate a Marriage Certificate here in Australia to better confirm/deny that.  The only Michael Doyle that I've been able to find born in 1854 (in Co. Wicklow at least) are:

- the one mentioned above, but his father's name was Lawrence (which is clearly a family name that was used by my Great Grandfather for his family, hence my suspicion that maybe his father was Lawrence, not Michael?);

- one that the Wicklow Family History Centre found in the Parish of Glendalough, born 10/3/1854, Father Michael, Mother Madge, Mother's suname of Kennedy.

So, any assistance you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards,

Peter Doyle

Peter J Doyle

Sunday 17th Apr 2016, 11:03PM

Message Board Replies

  • Hi Peter

    I have just answered your earlier query

    Best wishes

    Clare Doyle

    Genealogy Support 

    Clare Doyle

    Thursday 28th Apr 2016, 12:37PM

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