Catherine (Kitty) KELLY (c. 1851- )

Appears in 1901 Census of Ireland with mother, Mary Walsh, and son (head of

household) Thomas Parkes. Age given as 50 which is probably reasonably accurate even though her oldest child, Charles, Jr. was born in 1863 when Kitty would have been just 12 years old. While no record of Kitty's birth date was found, it is most unlikely she would have been born AFTER 1951. Possibly she may have overstated her age in the 1901 Census but this,too, is unlikely since the age of her son, Thomas, listed in the same Census is accurate within two years.

A search of local records revealed lots of Kelly in Castlerea and the surrounding townlands. The most likely record, however, was of a Catherine Kelly, born 8 September 1851, in nearby Ballinlough, Co. Roscommon. This Catherine Kelly's parents were John Kelly and Mary ? and, in the 1901 Census, Mary Walsh is named as Kitty Kelly's mother.

Kitty and daughter, Mary Ann Parkes, and sons, Charles, Jr, and Thomas

Parkes lived on an acre of land in Ballindrumlea, which is no more than

six miles from Cloonree, where her paramour, Charles Parks, lived. The

plot likely was given her by Richard Parkes (Charles, Sr's brother), owner of

the Cloonree lands and other property. (Undoubtedly Richard was trying to

compensate Kitty for his brother's irresponsible behavior and, at the same time, mute the terrible scandal to the family of a member impregnating such a young girl.)

Charles and Kitty did not marry. Local gossip holds that Kitty would not marry Charles because, at the time, he was Protestant and she was Roman Catholic. In later life Charles must have converted to Catholicism because he is buried, with his brothers and sisters, in St. Joseph's RC Cemetery, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon. By then, no doubt, any need or desire to legitimize the relationship with Kitty was long gone.

 

!BIRTH:Abt 1835 or after

!MARRIAGE:

!DEATH:Death Certificate, General Register Office, Lombard Street,

Dublin, Registry District of Ballinlough, Townland of Foxboro,

Castlerea Union, Co. Roscommon, Entry No. 224.

 

DOCUMENTED SOURCES:Death Certificate, General Register Office, Dublin; 1901

Irish Census, County:Roscommon, Parish:Kilkeevin, Union:Castlerea,Townland:Ballindrumlea;1901 Irish Census (same area), Public Records Office,

Dublin, Ireland.