Mary (Byrne) Walsh (abt. 1856 - 1938)

Wife of Michael Walsh — married 1 Feb 1880 in St Andrew's Church, Westland Row, Dublin 2, Ireland

Descendants

Died 28 Feb 1938 at about age 82 in 2 Dowling's Court, Dublin 2

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Paul Moloney [send private message]

Biography

Mary Walsh nee Byrne was born around 1856^[1] in Wicklow, married to Michael Walsh in Dublin in 1880, died 1938 in Dublin.

Mary definitely had a brother Thomas Byrne who emigrated to the US; this is verified via DNA.

Birth

Around 1856

Assuming she was not born past 1859 (she is "full age" in 1880), findmypast.ie has two possible candidates:

• https://search.findmypast.ie/record?id=ire%2fprs%2fbap%2f2664923

• 17 Mar 1858, Kilquade (Killcowade), North Wicklow to Thomas Byrne & Esther Keddy

• https://search.findmypast.ie/record?id=ire%2fprs%2fbap%2f2714643

• Place: St Patrick's Church, St Patrick's Road, Wicklow town, Co. Wicklow
• Date: Between 1-10 April, 1856
• Parents: Thomas Byrne & Esther Byrne (maiden name)
• Text: "April ? (before the 10th) - Mary of Thos Byrne and Esther Byrne - (sp) James Mallarney (sp?) and Catherine Byrne

Maiden name shown as Byrne in marriage record and chidren's birth certs.

There is a Thomas Byrne in 1859 born to Thomas and Esther Byrne in Rathdrum, plus siblings - could parents have moved from Wicklow town parish to Rathdrum parish?

https://www.findmypast.ie/transcript?id=IRE%2FPRS%2FBAP%2F2647015

Mother:

Esther would be born before 1838 and be at least 63 in the 1901 census. there are two candidates, neither certain. Esther Byrne died 1880 aged 48 in Rathdrum, reporter is Michael, unclear if Husband or not. https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/details-civil/7191a36774637

DNA Evidence:

A descendant of Mary Byrne has a strong DNA match with someone whose family tree shows a Thomas and Esther Byrnes, with a son Thomas Byrnes, born in 1861. This strongly suggests that Mary had a brother Thomas.

Marriage

1 February 1880, St Andrew's Church, Westland Row, Dublin 2 ^{[2] [3]}

Marriage of MICHAEL WALSH and MARY BYRNE on 01 February 1880 (civil record)

Marriage of MICHAEL WALSH of 14 BOYNE ST and MARY BYRNE of 22 GRATTAN COURT on 1 February 1880 (church record)

• Place: St Andrew's Church, Westland Row, Dublin 2, Ireland.
• Groom: Michael Walsh, full age, bachelor, coal porter, 14 Boyne St, Dublin 2.
• Bride: Mary Byrne, full age, spinster, no occupation, 22 Grattan Court.
• Parents: William (coal porter) & Catherine Walsh (Kingstown) and Thomas (labourer) & Esther Byrne (Rathdrum).
• Witnesses: Michael Duffy, 22 Grattan Court, & Mary Catherine Slater, Kingstown

Note: City Quay church was part of St Andrew's parish at time.

1901 Census

31 March 1901, 2 Dowling's Court, Dublin ^[4]

Residents of a house 2.1 in Dowlings Court (Trinity, Dublin)

• Mary Walsh
• 38
• Female
• Mother
• Roman Catholic
• City
• Washerwoman
• Read
• Married

Sharing house with Duffy family and Moutray family.

According to house & building return, no. 2 was solid house (stone or brick, tiled) of 4 rooms, with 4 windows at front. Walshes lives in 2 rooms. Other families had 1 each. The house had no outhouses.

1911 Census

2 April 1911, 2 Dowling's Court, Dublin ^[5]

Residents of a house 2.1 in Dowling's Court (Trinity Ward, Dublin)

• Mary Walsh
• 54 (*)
• Female
• Wife
• Roman Catholic
• Dublin City
• Read and write
• Married

(*) Based on previous sentence and age at death, this is probably incorrect.

Married 30 years. Of 10 children, 7 still alive. (As of Feb 2018, 9 are accounted for).

No. 2 classed as a tenement dwelling, Same as 1901 except now considered to have 5 windows at the front. As before, Walshes live in 2 rooms; according to 1911 electoral roll, had front parlour and top front rooms.

Death

28 February 1938', 2 Dowling's Court, Dublin ^[6]

Death of Mary Walsh in 1938

• Place: 2 Dowling's Court, Dublin 2.
• Status: Widow
• Age: 76 (*)
• Cause: Myocarditis Syncope, certified
• Informant: Notified by J. Walsh, son. 26 or 76 Cross Avenue, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin

I initially thought "J. Walsh" was Joseph Walsh. However, he died in 1927. The only other son who may match is the mysterious Michael John Walsh, who was perhaps called John, but I know little of him.

It could also be this John Walsh, whose exact relationship to the other Walshes is yet unknown. If it is this John Walsh, then his DOB is around 1880 so he could indeed be the same person as Michael John Walsh b. 1880.

Checked deaths/burial to see who this J Walsh might be:

• John Walsh - no deaths with that address 1939 to 1966
• Joseph - none
• James - none

(*) Age as 82 on gravestone.

Burial

Deansgrange Cemetery, grave number 26 B3 West ^[7]

Michael Walsh (d. 1914) and relatives grave, 26 B3 West, Deans Grange cemetery, Dublin

Inscription:

MARY WALSH

DIED 29TH FEB 1938 AGED 82

Buried with:

• Michael Walsh, husband
• Winifred Hynes nee Walsh, sister-in-law
• Catherine Walsh, mother-in-law
• Michael Walsh, son

The registered owner is Thomas Walsh 2 Dowlings Court

Research Notes

Thomas & Esther Keddy also had the following children:

Margaret (1860): https://search.findmypast.ie/record?id=ire%2fprs%2fbap%2f2665110

Thomas & Esther Byrne (possibly the same) also had a Margaret:

https://search.findmypast.ie/record?id=ire%2fprs%2fbap%2f2714389

Checked 1901 census for Esther Byrnes - nothing obvious (ie, none with husband Thomas)

-- Coincidence there is a Byrne family in Grattan Court who might be related? However, Byrne is a very common surname from Wicklow.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Dublin/South_Dock/Grattan_Court/1350746/

Sources

1. ↑ Date based on age at death. Based on 1910 census would be 1863, but this is too young; she would not have been "full age" for marriage in 1880. in 1911 she is suddenly 16 years older! Safe to say that 1901 age is incorrect.
2. ↑ Marriage of MICHAEL WALSH of 14 BOYNE ST and MARY BYRNE of 22 GRATTAN COURT on 1 February 1880, church records, irishgenealogy.ie
3. ↑ Marriage of MICHAEL WALSH and MARY BYRNE on 01 February 1880, civil records, irishgenealogy.ie
4. ↑ Residents of a house 2.1 in Dowling's Court (Trinity, Dublin), 1901 Census, National Archives
5. ↑ Residents of a house 2.1 in Dowling's Court (Trinity Ward, Dublin), 1911 Census, National Archives
6. ↑ Death of Mary Walsh in 1938, civil records, irishgenealogy.ie
7. ↑ Email from cemeteries@DLRCOCO.IE, 15 Feb 2018