Person talk:Bridget Fitzgerald (3)

Identifying Bridget's parents and birth family [20 January 2014]

There are 37 possible baptisms for Bridget/Brgt. Fitzgerald in Limerick between 1812 and 1822. She was reportedly 65 when she died on 6 May 1885 and married in January 1839 in St. Munchin's to Daniel born 1815, making the most reasonable date range 1818-21. The outside range is 1812-22, which would have made her maximum age at marriage to Daniel 27 (possibly a second marriage in that case) and her age 50 at the birth of her last child (starting to stretch probablities, but not impossible).

Based on traditional assumptions that the bride married in her baptismal parish, Bridget daughter of Patrick and Mary O'Shaughnessy is currently the best fit. However, a few others are still contenders and more evidence is needed, particularly as parental names of Patrick and Mary do not follow traditional naming convention:

Old Irish Naming Conventions
For Sons:

• The 1st son was named after the father's father.
• The 2nd son was named after the mother's father.
• The 3rd son was named after the father.
• The 4th son was named after the father's eldest brother.
• The 5th son was named after the mother's eldest brother.

For daughters:

• The 1st daughter was named after the mother's mother.
• The 2nd daughter was named after the father's mother.
• The 3rd daughter was named after the mother.
• The 4th daughter was named after the mother's eldest sister.
• The 5th daughter was named after the father's eldest sister.

Following convention (and assuming all of Bridget and Daniel's children are known), it would be expected that Daniel's father was named Jeremiah and mother Bridget (believed to be Bridget Minogue), eliminating one naming step. The possibility that Daniel's mother was named Mary and not Bridget can be considered until further evidence regarding Bridget Minogue is found. Either way, it is expected that Bridget's father was named Michael and mother Mary and this combination seems to exist only at the lower limit of the proposed date spectrum, in 1812.

However, it is worth noting that Daniel was baptized in 1815, making him at least 24 when they married in 1839 and increasing the possibility that this was a second marriage for both of them, thereby altering the probable dates of birth for Bridget.

It is also expected Bridget's eldest sister was named Hanora (or Honora), based on the children's names.

"*"Single asterisk indicates a baptismal entry under "Brgt." "**" Mother's surname not confirmed if the corresponding column is empty

Further research might benefit from identifying relationships to the witnesses and godparents of Bridget's marriage:

• Martin Fitzgerald, Gerald Timothy [space] Clancy, Patrick O'Halloran, January 1839 (witnessed marriage)
• John Kirby and Anastacia Connors, December 1839 (Mary)
• Thomas Collins and Mary Hartigan, October 1842 (Bridget)
• Thomas Hogan and Margaret Vaughan, December 1844 (Jeremiah)
• Thomas Carmody and Catherine Hogan, February 1846 (Mary)
• Martin Kennedy and Bridget Vaughan, July 1848 (Jeremiah)
• Martin Carmody and Mary Vaughan, January 1850 (Michael)
• James Stack and Bridget Stack, December 1851 (Hanora)
• Michael Shine and Johanna Carmody, September 1854 (Margaret)
• John Kenna and Bridget Ryan, June 1856 (John)
• John Dwyer and Bridget Ryan, February 1859 (Catherine)
• Michael Dwyer and Bridget Dwyer, January 1862 (Ellen)

--Artefacts 03:18, 9 January 2014 (UTC)