MArgaret came to Australia in 1850 as part of the EArl Grey Orphan Scheme on board the Thomas Arbuthnot. (There is a very good account of their journey and arrival in Australia and subsequently to Yass and Tumut in NSW in 'A Decent Set of Girls').Emigration records have her aged at 15yrs, parents as MAry and Michael (both deceased) and coming from Scarriff. BAsed on this I have estimated her birth date about 1835. Up to now I have assumed she came from the workhouse at Scarriff (being an orphan and part of the Scheme) but her death certificate reports her as coming from Killarney, Ireland. I understand Killarney is in County Kerry. Apparently there is also a place called Killeany (in the barony of Clare, Galway COunty). Is it possible that family here have confused Killarney and Killeany? I have checked the Griffiths Valuation and there is a Michael McNamara listed in Killeany but no McNamara's in Killarney. Is it possible that this could be her father despite emigration records listing him as deceased by 1850? WOuld parents have put their children down as orphans in order to have them admitted to a workhouse?
Are there any connections here at all? Can some places be eliminated as not likely? I realise that transcription errors probably play a big part here, but I am stuck and don't know which direction to go.
![Confused :?](./images/smilies/icon_confused.gif)
Many thanks
Vicki