I'm just back from the 2013 Dublin Research Trip and I'd like to share with you some of the successes from the participants. This week, Lorraine Walsh discusses her search for information on Edmund/Edward Walsh. Thanks, Lorraine for sharing this information.
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This research trip was with Donna Moughty, her expertise in the Irish records was well above my expectations.
On this excursion, I was seeking the history of the Walsh family. Many had emigrated from Ireland to Connecticut, during the time period 1890 to 1910
I had known that Edmund/Edward Walsh, Great-Uncle of my husband, Thomas Francis Walsh¹, had applied for a passport in 1916 to return to Ireland to settle the estate of his bachelor brother, John Walsh. I believe there were no other siblings, nor family, still residing in Ireland. With the assistance of Donna and Helen Kelly, a professional genealogist and former president of the Association of Professional Genealogists in Ireland who assisted during the week, I now have copies of the property records that were rented and the purchase of the farm land, starting with James Walsh5, to Thomas Walsh4, then to Mary Fitzgerald Walsh4, lastly to John Walsh, Great Uncle of Thomas Francis Walsh1.
I found this treasure on 16 Oct 2013. John Walsh died 16 Oct 1916, 97 years to the day. [See below for the information on this death record]
I had submitted a request for the death record of John Walsh at the General Register Office in Dublin. With the information in the death record stating the cause of his death was accidental, I searched for the coroner’s report at the National Archive in Dublin and did not find any such report. I inquired with Aideen Ireland the resident archivist, she stated that at that time, early 1900’s, it was not mandatory that the coroner’s report be filed with any repository or with any agency.
My next step was to locate the information in the newspapers. Back to the National Library, I go. With the help again from Donna, we narrowed down the possible selection, reflected for the correct place and time frame. The newspapers are on microfilm, thus, very tedious and eye-straining venture. As time was running out before the library would close for the day, I had set my limit to one month after the date of death, and fortunately this was a weekly newspaper.
The following is what I found:
National Library Ireland 18 Oct 2013
October 28, 1916 Saturday
Waterford Star
"Fatal Accident"
John Walsh, of Shean, Ballyduff, who was employed as a ranger on the Sir Richard Musgrave estate there was found dead, underneath his donkey and cart on Tuesday [16 Oct 1916] . He was a very quiet and popular man, of about 50 years of age. [He was 43 years old]
Information on this death record:
Year: 1916, Page Number 387: Superintendent Registrar’s District: Lismore; Registrar’s District: Ballyduff
DEATHS Registered in the District of Ballyduff in the Union of Lismore in the County of Waterford.
1 No. 288
2 Date and Place of Death: 1916 Sixteenth October Tubber [Tober]
3 Name and Surname: John Walsh
4 Sex: Male
5 Condition: Bachelor
6 Age last birthday: 43 yrs
7 Rank, Profession, or occupation: Farmer
8 Certified Cause of Death: Fracture of the cervical vertebrae caused by a fall
Duration of Illness
9 Signature, Qualifications and Certificate: received from M F Maloney Coroner
Residence of Informant for West Waterford Inquest held October 17 1916
10 When Registered: Twenty-fourth October 1916
11 Signature of Registrar: Michael Higgins Assistant Registrar
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