The New Catholic Parish Registers Website And Ne Temere

Unless you have been under a rock for the last two weeks, you will know all about The National Library of Ireland's brand new website for Catholic parish registers. Simply put, it's a joy to use. There has been plenty of coverage all about it so there is no need for me to rehash it all. So what can researchers in the U.S. and Canada get from the website? Well, the most obvious benefit is free, unlimited access to digitized images of the registers. That's a no brainer.

Beyond that, there are some other benefits that will be of particular use to researchers who are tracing immigrant Irish ancestors. Genealogy research is all about trying to get original records, or if that is not possible, a photocopy, picture, or digital scan of the record; it allows a researcher to see all that has been written on the document. This includes all the necessary information needed to create the document and any possible notations, later amendments or commentary that has been added by the record creator or another party. Having access to digital scans of the Catholic register microfilms allows a researcher to do this.

This ability can be very useful when we consider the possibility of Ne Temere positively impacting on our research. Ne Temere was a decree of Catholic matrimonial law in relation to marriage, with one part stipulating that all marriages must be registered in the place or places where the contracting parties were baptized.[1] With Ne Temere coming into force in 1908, conceivably, it can be expected that such register amendments will be found from about 1848 to 1890, if a person who is born in Ireland gets married in the U.S./Canada between the ages of 18 and 60.

Some examples of this are evident in the registers. The following entry is found in the baptismal registers of Kilmore Erris parish in County Mayo:

Married John Naggius [?] 27 June 1928 in St Paul's Cathedral, Pittsburgh USA

13 [February 1870] Mary Barrett [daughter of] Richard [and] Peg Murphy [from] Cross [townland]; [Sponsors] Tom Barrett [and] Ellen Do [Ditto, therefore Barrett][2]

Another example comes from Keel parish in County Kerry:

15 [Septembris 1878] Idem bapt Juliaus f. leg. Thomas Griffin et

matrimonius _____ est ___ Ioanne Hennessy ____ S. Benan ___ New York ___ 20 Julius 1910

Julia Duggan Sp Ioannes Flynn et Maria McElligott[3]

[15 September 1878; the same, baptism, legitimate daughter of Thomas Griffin

Marriage ____ of __ John Hennessy ____ S. Benan ___ New York ___ 20 July 1910
and Julia Duggan; sponsors John Flynn and Maria McElligott]

With this example, the proof of this later addition can be seen in the index for marriage records from New York City[4]

Other interesting notations that can provide possible clues about immigration to the U.S. are also evident, such as this example, also from Kilmore Erris parish:

                                    America
16 [December 1860] Wm [?] Dixon [son of] Rodger [and] Bridget Kilcar [from] Tip [? townland]; [Sponsors] Pat Dixon & Mary McDonald[5]

If you come across a relevant entry in the registers, make sure to examine closely around it and elsewhere on the page for such notations and additions.

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[1] Galles, Duane. "Roman Catholic Church Records and the Genealogist." National Genealogical Society Quarterly. No. 74 (December 1986). p 272.
[2] Kilmore Erris Parish (Mayo, Ireland), Baptisms 24 June 1860-13 May 1881, unnumbered, p.6, William Dixon, 16 December 1860; digital image, Catholic Parish Registers at the NLI  http://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000634629#page/33/mode/1up: accessed 18 July 2015.

[3] Keel Parish (Kerry, Ireland), Baptisms 1 March 1845-7 November 1880, unnumbered, p.155, Julia Griffin, 15 September 1879; digital image, Catholic Parish Registers at the NLI http://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000634275#page/155/mode/1up: accessed 18 July 2015.

[4] New York City, NYC Grooms Record Index, Grooms Database 1908-1937, John J Hennessy  and Julia A Griffin, 20 July 1910; index entry, Italian Genealogical Group  http://italiangen.org/records-search/grooms.php: accessed 18 July 2015.

[5]Kilmore Erris Parish (Mayo, Ireland), Baptisms 24 June 1860-13 May 1881, unnumbered, p.33, Mary Barrett, 13 February 1870; digital image, Catholic Parish Registers at the NLI http://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000634629#page/6/mode/1up: accessed 18 July 2015.