O'Brien

Hi,
I am hoping someone could possibly find anymore information on my 3rd Great Grandparents.
John Thornton O'brien & Rachel Tanache ( could be spelt differently.)
I had read that John was a horse trader and meet his wife in either Nrth Italy or Spain. (Someone's family story which were told and passed down)
John was born around 1820 County, Tyrone, Northern Ireland. He may have migrated with his daughter to Australia.
His daughter Mary Ann Elizabeth O'brien born 1843 in County Tyrone she then married William Brady in port Fairy in Victoria Australia in 1865. 
I'm hoping to get more information on John and Rachel and if there were any other children too. Also if they migrated to Australia too or did they stay in Ireland.
Any information would be so appreciated.
Thank you in advance 
Fm Candice 

Hello Candice,

It's great to hear you're diving deep into your ancestry! 

Before 1864, records were kept in the form of church and parish records. All the surviving records have been sorted into county-based genealogical centres. As such this might be a good place to start your search on John's early years. In 1864 civil registration was introduced in Ireland, which is when we start seeing the formal registration of births, marriages, adoptions and deaths. These records have been kept at the General Register Office of Ireland (GRO). Maybe a look at their website could shed some more light on whether your 3x Great Grandparents had more children for example.

Additionally, the National Archives and National Library offer free genealogy advice in person and via email. They won't do the research itself, but can guide to the best resources. 

Wishing you the best of luck on this journey already!

Alex