Here is a copy of the report I submitted to renowned Irish genealogist John Grenham to earn my Diploma in Family History, Distinction from City Colleges, Dublin.
Dear Mrs. Burr,
Thanks for the family charts from your maternal uncle. They proved to be very useful. Please find below a report detailing a family history for your maternal grandmother, Christina O’Riordan Buckley(1901-1988). This should provide you a few places to visit in 2018 on your vacation.
A standard starting point in American genealogical research is the United States Census. These records were created every decade from 1790 up through the present. Censuses are private for 72 years and the most recent census that has become public is 1940.
Christina Buckley was enumerated with her family at 44 Buchanan Place in the Bronx, Bronx County, NY on 4 Apr 1940. The household consisted of the following: Timothy Buckley, 36, his wife, Christina, 38, their children Dennis 5 and Joan 2; and his brother John Buckley, 43. The three adults were all born in Eire. This is an Irish form of Ireland and refers specifically to the current Republic of Ireland. Those alive 5 years earlier all lived in the Bronx on 1 Apr 1935. The US Census records were viewed at www.ancestry.com.
In the 1930 US Census, Timothy, 26, & Christina Buckley, 28, lived at 1985 Creston Avenue in the Bronx. They were both Irish-born as were their parents. They had no children on 9 Apr 1930. They had arrived in the USA in 1924 and 1925, respectively. Both had filed papers to become citizens. They were 25 and 27 at the time of their first marriage. This indicates they had married recently.
Checking the online New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940 at www.familysearch.org found that Timothy Buckley & Christina Riorden(sic) married 4 Jun 1929. A transcribed copy of the information revealed that their parents were Denis Buckley & Margaret Callahan and John Riorden & Nora Buckley. These names made finding Christina’s family in Ireland straight forward. Surname spelling was not always standard in the past. The use or non-use of the prefix O’ is also not a sign that two distinct families were present.
Several records regarding immigration and naturalization available on www.ancestry.com were reviewed. Checking the New York, Naturalization Records, 1882-1944 found that Christina Buckley petitioned the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, NY. Some of her husband’s details were included in her petition. The date of their marriage was also listed.
The New York, Passenger, Lists, 1820-1957 show Christina Riordan, arrived on 5 Mar 1925 aboard the SS Republic. The nearest relative in the country she emigrated from was John Riordan, 4 St Finbarr St, Cork, father.
In the New York, State and Federal Naturalization Records, 1794-1940 she declared her intent become a citizen on 5 Mar 1925 and petitioned to become a citizen on 17 Oct 1932 with Elizabeth Buckley, 40 West 93rd Street and John Gillen, as witnesses. The petition was granted on 23 Jan 1933. This petition listed her date of birth as 9 Dec 1901 and birthplace as Cork City.
Ireland also had censuses every ten years. For a variety of reasons few fragments remain from the 19th-century. The most recent public census for the entire island of Ireland was 1911. Irish census records were viewed online at www.census.nationalarchives.ie Irish census records are a major set of records for Irish genealogical research.
In the 1911 Irish Census, John & Nora Riordan and their children lived at 4 St Finbarr Street in Cork City. The children were May 15, Norah 13, Dan 12, Crisey 9, Jack 7, Den 4 and Peter 1 1/2. The couple had been married 18 years and 8 children had been born to the marriage with 7 living. John was a mason and spoke both Irish & English. This is the same address that Christina Riordan listed on her 1925 passenger list entry.
In the 1901 Irish Census John & Nora Riordan resided at 4 St Finbarrs Street, Cork City with their children: Mary Anne 8, Nora 5, Daniel 1 year 9 months and Ellie 11 months. In this census John was a mason and spoke only English. The ages are not exactly a match but the order of oldest to youngest is consistent with 1911. Ellie was apparently the lost child as she was not found in the 1911 enumeration. Denis Riordan, brother, also lived in the house along with 2 boarders and a servant.
Ireland began universal registration of births, deaths and marriages in 1864. Scanned copies of these records are online at www.irishgenealogy.ie These civil registrations of vital events are a second set of major records for Irish genealogical research.
Checking the civil birth, death and marriage registrations online at www.irishgenealogy.ie found many entries for the Riordan family. John Riordan married Nora Buckley at the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Cork City. John was a mason of 70 York Street and Norah was of 59 Dublin Street. Both of their fathers were alive as of the wedding.
This marriage produced 8 children between 1895-1909. Mary Anne and Nora Riordan were born at 18 Prosperity Square in Cork City. The six younger children were all born at 4 St. Finbarr Street.
All seven surviving Riordan children married between 1920-1950; 6 of them in Ireland.
Ellen Riordan died 3 Aug 1901 of gastro enteritis and eclampsia. Her parents died in 1945 and 1953. 4 St Finbarr Street was recorded on each registration.
The baptismal information for all eight children was obtained by e-mail through their parish St Finbarr-Dunbar Street in Cork City. The sacramental and other records of Ireland’s Christian churches are a third major set of records for Irish genealogical research.
John Riordan & Nora Buckley md. 2 Feb 1894 Catholic Cathedral Cork City Eugene Linehan and Mary E. Butler witnesses
Child Birthdate Baptismal Date Sponsor 1 Sponsor 2 Married
Mary Anne 22 Nov 1895 24 Nov 1895 Denis Riordan Hannah Buckley 2 Sep 1920
Nora 13 May 1897 16 May 1897 John Buckley Margaret Riordan 24 Nov 1925
Daniel 16 Mar 1899 16 Mar 1899 Daniel Riordan Mary Dorgan 5 Oct 1929
Ellen 19 Oct 1900 19 Oct 1900 David Crowley Bridget Buckley
Christina 9 Dec 1901 12 Dec 1901 John Mahoney Ellen Murphy 4 Jun 1929
John 28 Dec 1903 28 Dec 1903 Cornl. McCarthy Elizabeth Curtin 11 Jul 1950
Denis 2 Feb 1907 2 Mar 1907 Denis Desmond Elizabeth Curtin 27 Oct 1936
Peter 27 Jun 1909 27 Jun 1909 Tim Mullane Elizabeth Smith 14 Jun 1949
In addition to census records, city directories were helpful in Cork. These are a set of minor yet helpful records for Irish genealogical research. These precursors to telephone books provide information about residents more regularly than decade to decade; often year to year. They were found at http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/places/streetandtradedirectories/ These addresses line up exactly with the civil registration and census information above.
1897 John Riordan, 18 Prosperity Square CORK
1907 John Riordan, 4 St. Finbarr Street CORK
1910 John Riordan, 4 St. Finbarr Street CORK
1913 John Riordan, 4 St. Finbarr Street CORK
1914 John Riordan, 4 St. Finbarr Street CORK
1916 John Riordan, 4 St. Finbarr Street CORK
1921 John Riordan, 4 St. Finbarr Street CORK
1925 John Riordan, 4 St. Finbarr Street CORK
1930 John Riordan, 4 St. Finbarr Street CORK
1935 John Riordan, 4 St. Finbarr Street CORK
1940 John Riordan, 4 St. Finbarr Street CORK
1943 John Riordan, 4 St. Finbarr Street CORK
1945 John Riordan, 4 St. Finbarr Street CORK
In your uncle’s family charts were the names of both sets of Christina O’Riordan Buckley’s grandparents. He provided multiple names and relationships but no dates. The census, civil registration and sacramental events provided the information needed to add depth to the family tree. The 1894 Riordan-Buckley marriage of was found online at www.irishgenealogy.ie The record listed their fathers as Daniel Riordan and John Buckley. The family charts indicated that Mrs. Daniel Riordan was the former Mary Anne Desmond and Mrs. John Buckley was the former Nora Curtin. The Irish marriage record in this time period only recorded the name of the father of the bride and the groom. Having the wives names from your uncle was a great help to look for the earlier generation in census, civil and church records.
In the 1901 Irish Census on Mountmassy Road, Macroom, County Cork, Daniel & Mary A Riordan were enumerated. He was a mason born in Macroom that spoke both Irish & English. His wife was also born in Macroom and bilingual. They resided with two maiden daughters Mary A and Nora and a 10 year-old granddaughter, Eveleen McSweey, born Cork City.
In the 1911 Irish Census the widow Maryanne Riordan and her unmarried daughter Maryanne lived together on Mountmassy Road in Macroom. The elder Maryanne could speak both Irish & English.
Not surprisingly death created many records. One such record is the death notice in the newspaper. Newspapers are a second set of more minor yet helpful resources for Irish genealogical research. Two other death related items were found in the newspapers. An acknowledgement of thanks often ran after a death and burial submitted by the grateful survivors for the prayers and help recently offered them. Anniversary notices also ran on the anniversary of a loved one’s death. These could run for several years as was the case for your great-grandfather John O’Riordan (1870-1945) in 1947 and 1952.
There was one especially helpful death notice through www.irishnewsarchives.com . In the 23 Apr 1908 Cork Examiner, RIORDAN April 21st at Masseytown, Macroom, Daniel Riordan (mason). Funeral for Macroom Churchyard at 3 o’clock, on this day (Thursday) R.I.P
It confirmed that Daniel Riordan died 21 Apr 1908 and was buried 23 Apr 1908 at the graveyard attached to the church there. This graveyard was searched but no headstones pertaining to your family were found. There are no burial records for this graveyard.
This death registration definitely supported that we have found the right Riordan family in Macroom. Daniel Riordan, 65, a married mason, of Massytown, died 21 Apr 1908. His son, John, of 4 St Finbarr Street, Cork, was the informant. The cause of death was bronchitis 2 months certified. It clearly connected the second generation with the third as late as 1908.
I knew that Mary Anne Desmond Riordan was born circa 1838. She was counted in both the 1901 and 1911 Censuses. I had tried finding her in both Cork and Macroom SRD to no avail. I started looking at women that were younger than expected and came her fourth daughter Mary Ann Riordan, unintentionally.
It took quite a few more searches to find a likely candidate for Mary Ann Riordan’s mother. On 15 Apr 1922, a widow named Mary A. Riordan, died at Cork District Hospital. Because the death occurred at a hospital an employee was the informant and not a family member. She was late of Macroom. This was a possible death for your ancestor. The one stumbling block is that she was 90 on the certificate but your Mary Ann would have only been 83. You will have to find a headstone, burial record or death notice that definitively links this woman to your family to be certain. No other likely possibilities were discovered.
The results at www.RootsIreland.ie for Macroom were informative. These transcribed Catholic parish records showed that Daniel Riordan married Mary Anne Desmond in 1861. The baptismal records revealed ten children christened 1862-1880.
The civil birth registrations were found for the 8 children born between 1864-1877. Two infant deaths were registered in 1873 and 1875. These were found at www.irishgenealogy.ie Both sons named Jeremiah died in infancy and both had birthdays after their baptisms. The likelihood is that the actual date of birth was adjusted to avoid the late registration fee. The youngest child had a baptism in 1880 and appeared in both the 1901 and 1911 Irish Censuses but I was unable to find a birth registration for her.
Daniel Riordan & Mary Anne Desmond md. 14 Jul 1861 Macroom John and Ellen O’Keefe witnesses
Child Birth Baptism Sponsor Sponsor
Ellen pre-1864 11 Apr 1862 John Duggan Julia Desmond
Julia 28 Jan 1864 31 Jan 1864 Michael Desmond Margt Riordan
Cather. 2 Mar 1866 4 Mar 1866 William Burdon Honora Desmond
Mary 7 Apr 1868 12 Apr 1868 Barth Downing Julia Desmond
John 7 Apr 1870 10 Apr 1870 Denis Desmond Ellen Riordan
Denis 20 Feb 1872 23 Feb 1872 Patrick Desmond Bridget Desmond
Jeremiah (15 Oct 1873) 6 Apr 1873 John Sullivan Mary Riordan
Jeremiah (18 Jul 1875) 4 Jul 1875 John Sullivan Margt Riordan
Margt. 2 Jan 1877 6 Jan 1877 William Murphy Julia Creedon
Nora no civil rec 6 Jan 1880 Daniel Riordan Julia Riordan
I utilized the scanned pages of marriage and death records available at www.irishgenealogy.ie to look for potential marriages of John Riordan’s siblings.
I figured based on the appearance of Evelyn McSweeney in the 1901 census at Macroom with her Riordan grandparents that at least one daughter had married a man named McSweeney and had a daughter. If Evelyn was Daniel & Mary Anne’s granddaughter than she would have been your grandmother’s first cousin.
Evelyn’s 2 Jun 1890 birth record listed her parents as Patrick McSweeney & Ellen Riordan. The marriages showed a match for this couple in 1887 at Cork SRD. That certificate showed that Julia Riordan was the maid of honor, presumably Ellen’s sister.
I e-mailed the reference desk at Cork County Library and asked about street numbering practices. The reference librarian provided answers about Dublin Street in Cork City in the early 1900s. She also offered help if I could provide the links for the two censuses and the civil registers I had found previously.
Much to my surprise she had computerized access to some Cork City parish registers and found the church copy of the 1894 Riordan-Buckley marriage record. She later found the baptismal entry for Evelyn McSweeney and her 4 younger full siblings. Patrick McSweeney had married Ellen Riordan in 1887. They had 5 children: Evelyn in 1890, Michael in 1891, Thomas in 1892, Mary Anne in 1893 and Daniel Joseph in 1895.
In 1890 the birth certificate listed the baby as Evelyn and the baptismal register named her Abina Eileen.
Patrick McSweeney & Ellen Riordan md. 19 Feb 1887 Sts. Peter and Paul Cork City Michael McSweeney and Julia Riordan witnesses
Child Birth Baptz Date Sponsor 1 Sponsor 2
Evelyn 2 Jun 1890 3 Jun 1890 Michael Nagle Abina Swiney
Michael 3 May 1891 4 May 1891 Michael Swiney Julia Riordan
Thomas 17 Aug 1891 18 Aug 1892 David Nagle Catherine Riordan
Mary A 20 Aug 1892 22 Aug 1893 John Riordan Catherine Nagle
Daniel 20 Feb 1895 20 Feb 1895 Michl McSwiney Honora Riordan
With new names and dates I was able to find civil birth registrations for the four younger children. Since they do not appear in the 1901 Irish Census I assumed that they most likely died before that date. Michael died at 5 days old in 1891. Thomas died at 9 months old in 1893. Mary Anne died at 2 years old in 1895. I have yet to find a death record for Daniel Joseph. His father married a second time in 1904 and his first son in that marriage was also named Daniel. I assume Daniel Joseph likely died young and before his half-brother.
Checking the St. Joseph Cemetery burial register online at www.corkarchives.ie I discovered that Michael McSweeney(1891-1891) was buried in Section 1 with a headstone. His half-sister Maggie was buried there too in 1904. I found a death record for Thomas but cannot find him buried there. Cemetery records are a third set of lessor records that are beneficial to Irish genealogical research.
I had not been able to find a death registration for Ellen O’Riordan McSweeney. I knew she delivered a daughter on 2 Jun 1890. I knew that her husband married a second time in Nov 1904. I could not find her in the 1901 Irish Census. With the new names and dates of her younger children, I knew that she delivered a son on 20 Feb 1895. I started in the burial register for St. Joseph and checked its chronological list of burials starting on that date.
I was not disappointed. On 23 Apr 1895, Ellen McSweeney, 32, of 70 York Street was buried in Section 1. Now that I had a date, I tried anew to find her in the civil registry; and failed. A few months later on 11 Sep 1895 her daughter Mary Anne was buried with her. Mary Anne’s death registration took place in Macroom where the cemetery stated she last resided. Nora Riordan, aunt, was the informant.
I tried to find the pages she would most likely be listed on by searching the index at www.FamilySearch.org. I looked again at the death indexes and determined that she would appear in Cork District #2 in the second quarter of 1895 around volume 5 pages 72-77. She did not appear there. Some events were not recorded despite record keepers best efforts.
A death notice did run in the 25 Apr 1895 Cork Examiner: M’SWEENEY-On April 23, at her residence, 70 York street, Blackpool, Ellie, the dearly-beloved wife of Patrick M’Sweeney. Funeral on this day (Thursday), at 2 o’clock for St. Joseph’s Cemetery.
Your grandmother was not the only child in her family to emigrate from Ireland. He older brother Daniel moved away before 1929.
After its entry into World War II on 1 Sep 1939, the British government assumed new policies. One of them was a rationing system. The 1939 Register for England and Wales gave detailed dates of births for Riordan family members that emigrated to Britain. Daniel Riordan was registered. The 1939 Register was found online at www.findmypast.com
The entry read Daniel Riordan, M, born 16 Mar 1899, Married, Bricklayer. The date of birth matches exactly the baby boy born at 4 St Finbarr Street on his birth registration. Daniel was living at 13 St. Augustine’s Road, St. Pancras
Bringing the family tree back to a 4th generation came about from further research in the second. John O’Riordan’s sister, Mary Ann Riordan, 40,(sic) was living in Massytown in 1916 when she died. She was recorded as a spinster and the daughter of a mason. This strongly suggested that this was the fourth daughter of Daniel & Mary Anne Riordan. The informant was a woman named Julia Desmond, cousin; most probably a maternal first cousin.
Julia Desmond was the daughter of Denis Desmond & Ellen Neville. Denis & Ellen were married in 1886. His father was also named Denis Desmond according to his civil marriage record.
I made a hypothesis. Julia was a first cousin who, based on her surname, was single and the daughter of one of Mary Ann Desmond’s three known brothers: Michael(1844-), Denis(1847-) and Patrick(1851-). These three names were among her selections for godfathers for Mary Anne Desmond Riordan’s children. This strongly suggested that each of the three survived infancy and were likely close relatives to the children and their mother.
The 1911 Irish Census found a Julia Desmond, 22, living with her widowed mother and siblings. In 1901, the father was still living at Mill Lane and his name was Denis Desmond. A search of the civil marriage records found the union between Denis Desmond & Ellen Neville on 3 Oct 1886. He was a publican which fit in with a story your uncle once wrote about an ancestor owning a pub in Macroom. He would not be an ancestor but it would make a connection between a relative and a pub in Macroom.
Denis’ father, also named Denis, was deceased and a publican. This gentleman would support your uncle’s claim that your ancestor ran a pub in Macroom; he could be your great-great-great grandfather.
Denis & Ellen had 4 children: Denis, Julia, John and Mary Ann. This followed a very common naming pattern in Ireland. The first son was named for his paternal grandfather. The first daughter was named for her maternal grandmother(and here her paternal grandmother as well). The second son was named for his maternal grandfather. The second daughter was not named for her mother(Ellen), if following a pattern. Since the grandmothers’ name was already used, then someone else would be honored with a namesake.
Denis Desmond & Ellen Neville md. 3 Oct 1886 Macroom Thomas Lynch and Catherine Riordan witnesses
Child Birth Baptz Date Sponsor 1 Sponsor 2
Denis 2 Nov 1886 23 Nov 1886 Denis Desmond Mary Willoughby
Julia 14 Dec 1887 15 Dec 1887 Richard Neville Ann Riordan
John 19 Dec 1892 20 Dec 1892 Denis Riordan Julia Sheehan
Mary Ann 9 Aug 1900
I searched the records found at www.RootsIreland.ie There was only one Denis Desmond who married in Macroom between 1827-1847. He married Julia Creedon on 23 Nov 1837. The only children born to a Denis Desmond in Macroom between 1838-1868 were the children born to this couple married in 1837. They had nine children between 1838-1858.
Your great-great grandmother was born Mary Ann Desmond. She almost certainly was born to Denis Desmond & Julia Creedon in Jul 1838 based on baptismal records.
Theirs was a fruitful marriage, blessed with 9 children between 1838-1858. Their youngest daughter Julia Desmond was born just shy of civil registration of births. There are two death index citations that appear promising to be Denis and Julia Desmond dying in 1882 and 1879 respectively. Once they are part of the scanned records at www.irishgenealogy.ie it should be straight forward if they are the right people.
At a Catholic baptism a sponsor is required, with two being the norm. Often one from each parent’s family is selected. From 1862-1872, the following Desmonds were chosen to sponsor Mary Ann’s children: 1862 Julia, 1864 Michael, 1866 Honora, 1868 Julia, 1870 Denis and 1872 Patrick & Bridget. In 1877 a Julia Creedon was chosen.
Denis Desmond & Julia Creedon md. 23 Nov 1837 Macroom Patick O’Connell witness
Child Baptz Date Sponsor 1 Sponsor 2
Mary 22 Jul 1838 Thomas Taylor Mary Riordan
Margaret 2 Jul 1840 William Murphy Honora Grady
Michael 5 Jul 1844 John Coughlan Judith Keleher
Denis 18 Feb 1847 John Coughlan Ellen Keleher
Ellen 25 Mar 1849 John Keleher Mary Keleher
Patrick 13 May 1851 Cornls Donohoe Ellen Keleher
Honora 13 Jul 1853 Daniel Donohoe Honora Donohoe
Bridget 23 Jan 1856 John Buttmer Ellen Keeffe
Johanna 14 Feb 1858 Patrick Riordan Julia Creedon
When I accidentally stumbled upon the death registration for Mary Ann Riordan of Massytown, Macroom in 1916, I strongly believed that I found your great-grandfather’s sister. The age was about right and her rank, profession or occupation as daughter of a mason also led me to think that this was the daughter born in 1868.
Trying to track children that were baptized between 1840-1858 can be difficult because without sufficient information, I could have started a wild goose chase. The child may have died soon after birth and without civil death records until 1864, there might be no way to determine when the death occurred. Even with the civil records available it could require an inordinate number of searches in the records with no end in sight.
One last major collection of records helpful for Irish genealogical research was conducted to value land for tax purposes in the mid 19th-century. Griffith’s Valuation for the Parish of Macroom, County of Cork, Barony of W. Muskerry, Union of Macroom, Electoral Division of Macroom was taken in 1852. The reference to map was #20. The occupier Denis Desmond lived in a house with an office and yard valued at £4. His immediate lessor was Massy H Massy.
The revisions to these valuations continued forward in time after 1852. By 1864 Denis Desmond occupied numbers 15-17 and leased numbers 18-21 himself as immediate lessor. The townland is identified as Kilnagurteen or Mount Massy.
By 1874, Daniel Riordan(mason) leased a house and yard from Denis Desmond for £3 annually. Might this be evidence of a father-in-law leasing to his son-in-law? This property was listed as in ruins in 1890.
There is an inordinate amount of circumstantial evidence linking the Denis & Julia Desmond family to your ancestor Mary Anne Desmond O’Riordan. It would be ideal to have a headstone or will that clearly makes the connection but that is yet to be found.
Sources consulted:
Family charts created by Dennis Buckley
Baptismal information from St. Finbarr Catholic Church Dunbar Street Cork City
www.familysearch.org : New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940; United States Census 1940; United States Census 1930; New York, State Census, 1925; New York, New York City Municipal Deaths; Ireland Civil Registration Indexes, 1845-1958 (accessed 1 May 2017)
www.ancestry.com : U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014; New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957; New York State and Federal Naturalization Records(accessed 1 May 2017)
www.irishgenealogy.ie : General Register Office: Births 1864, 1866, 1868, 1870, 1872, 1873, 1875, 1877, 1890, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1895, 1895, 1897, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1903, 1907, 1909; Deaths 1873, 1875, 1901, 1916, 1945 1953; Marriages 1886, 1887, 1920, 1924, 1936, 1949 and 1950
http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/places/streetandtradedirectories/ 1897, 1907, 1910, 1913, 1914, 1916, 1921, 1925, 1930, 1935, 1940, 1943 & 1945
