Library Forum

The history books are, of course, full of these dreadful stories but here's another one.

A correspondent of the Limerick Chronicle, writing from Tulla, in the county Clare, states that an inquest had just been held on the bodies of one man and two women, named Boland, who had died of starvation. Five or six weeks before their death, everything that they possessed had been seized for rates, since which time they had never lain on a bed. The Bolands held over twenty acres of ground from Colonel Windham. (United Irishman - Saturday 19 February 1848).

Puts my whining about the bad weather, or yesterday's steak which was slightly underdone, into perspective.

Paddy

Paddy your post raises an issue that I have wondered about many times and that is whether Inquest records are held in a repository in Ireland. Ours are held in our Public Records Office here in Victoria and have been indexed. Are you, or any other forum members, aware of the location of inquest records for the 1800's in Ireland and whether they are indexed? I have read in older Irish newspapers references to inquests being held on Irish deceased persons, particularly during the early years of the famine, and if available, these records would be a valuable source to finding missing ancestors. Does the local Records Office in Ennis hold any of these for County Clare?

Thank you,
Bob

There are certainly some Clare coroners reports in the National Archives of Ireland in Dublin, Bob, with years covering at least the period 1916 - 1927 and bearing the code N.A.I. CC/Clare.

I do not know if the Archives have coroners reports before 1916 or after 1927 but I suspect they do.

Polycarp

bobcusack wrote:... Are you, or any other forum members, aware of the location of inquest records for the 1800's in Ireland and whether they are indexed? Bob

Because your question is of such wide general interest, Bob, I've taken the liberty of posting my answer in a new thread - Clare inquest reports - where are they archived?

Paddy

Thank you Polycarp and Paddy for the update on the availability of Inquest records. I agree Paddy, I remain the supreme optimist and eagerly look forward to the day when someone locates that missing box of records relating to my missing ancestors.
We are returning once more in September and plan to spend one week in Dublin at the National Archives. We saw inquest records there in 2014 but did not have time to search them but wondered if they were located elsewhere as well. Paddy your reply certainly answers that. They could be anywhere.

I have some details about 4 O'Hehir migrants from Clare to Ballarat, Vic in the 1850's/1860's, whose mother was a Boland, in case anyone is chasing family with this name: Margaret, Michael & James, father=James O'Hehir, m=Catherine Boland; a Patrick O'Hehir, f=Michael, m=Mary Boland.

cheers, Kerry