Tobin/Kealy

I have failed on all other sites. I am looking for a marriage between Martin Tobin and Mary Kealy. These are my Great, great grandparents. I believe it to be Southern Ireland. My great Grandma Margaret Tobin was born in Kilkenny in 1872 as was her brother James born 1874, I have found the births of both children. It’s the marriage that is elusive it would have been of Roman Catholic faith. Martin died at a young age. I have is death 14th July 1874, so Mary was left with two small children to bring up on her own. I’d be grateful of any help. Thank you for reading.

Hello Karen,

It sounds like you have some wonderful information to start with on your Great grandmother Margaret! Do you know where in Kilkenny she was born? This may give you parish/church information as before 1864, all records would have been kept in the locality. This would hopefully give you an idea of where to search for Martin and Mary.

Rothe House in Kilkenny has a genealogy department that can undertake searches, there is a cost involved but this may help with your searches.

Kilkenny Library is another source of records, again give their website a try and see if it can gleam some new information.

Hopefully, some of our fellow members and industry partners may be able to help too!

Have you been over to County Kilkenny yourself?

Hi Martin,

Thanks for your reply and information about the library and Rothe House. I haven’t been over to Ireland and have significant health problems so I’m unlikely to get over there now. I did have a lady who lived in Kilkenny looking for me but she failed to find the marriage. She trailed the local cemetery and found one grave but the names didn’t mean anything to me. Sadly Margaret (Mary) Tobin and brother James (Aloysius) Tobin both died quite young in Blackburn in Lancashire, before my Mum was born. Margaret was a servant girl for Daniel Thwaites the brewer and named my Gran Elma after Daniels wife. I have found reference to Castlecomer when looking through records, and my Gran Elma Hamilton Margerison remembered visiting her grandmother in Tipperary. So maybe Mary Tobin moved to Tipperary after Martins death. I’ve had a few newspaper clippings about Martin being in trouble with the law for petty things, but I’m still missing the elusive marriage. Do you think it would be worth me paying someone to research? If they only have the same records that I have access too I may be wasting my money. Hmm 🤔 what to do for the best?

Hi Karen, 

Thanks for reaching out again and letting us know a little about your family history. 

It is really up to you, whether you want to pay someone who could provide further information. You could also try searching Civil records - Births, Marriages & Deaths in Ireland, the Parish Records or the search function on Irish Genealogy may yield fruitful results. 

Let me know if you have any more questions, and I would be glad to answer. 
Cathaoir

Thanks for your reply Cathaoir, but if these groups and websites only have the same information that I can access I would be wasting my money. I found Martins death, I found Margaret and James births on there but failed with the marriage. I may have to wait until I get to the pearly gates and ask them myself! 

Hi Karen,

We admire how far you are willing to go for the marriage information of your great great grandparents Martin and Mary! 😊 We will continue to keep our fingers crossed for you and hope that with the information shared you will eventually stumble across that elusive lead.

Our kindest regards and wishing you good health,

Vera