Michael Gorman

Getting desperate re where Gorman families might have come from when the records are so patchy. Here is a family from Co. Meath, some distance from Kilkenny, but Ireland is not a big place, so who knows!

It also turns out that Mary Gorman (Hardy), was from Mullingar so perhaps there is a stronger family connection there than I could have imagined. There is no evidence that this Michael was a brother to Mary Gorman (Hardy).

BIRTH & BAPTISM Possible? First name(s) Michael Last name Gorman Birth year - Baptism year 1768 Baptism date ? May 1768 Parish Mullingar Alternative parish names Gaynstown, Mullingar, Walshestown and Gaynstown, Walshestown Diocese Meath County Westmeath Country Ireland Father's first name(s) Michl Father's last name Gorman Mother's first name(s) Dorothy Mother's last name Kelly

                                          --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mullingar, Co. Meath baptisms 1764 to 1780, from a NLI microfilm.

7 march 1771: Patt Gorman, son of Thos Gorman & Rose Fagan 26 Jan 1772: Mary Gorman, daughter of James Gorman & Bridget McCoy Feb 1775: Bernard Gorman, son of William Gorman & Bridget Cologan

Aug 1765: Ellinor Gorman daughter of John Gorman & Ellinor Smith. May 1768: Mary Gorman, daughter of John Gorman & Elizabeth Smith [Ellinor and Eliz might be the same person with the priest getting it mixed or a transcription error]

March 1764: Patk. Gorman, son of Michael Gorman & Dorothy Kelly July 1765: Thomas Gorman, son of Michael Gorman & Dorothy Kelly Oct 1766: Mary Gorman daughter of Michael Gorman & Dorothy Kelly May 1768: Ann Gorman, daughter of Michael Gorman & Dorothy Kelly May 1768: Michael Gorman, son of Michael Gorman & Dorothy Kelly

This appears to be 4 brothers, Thomas, Michael, William and John Gorman in early to mid marriage, over a 16 year period, roughly the fertile period for couples. Michael and Dorothy have 5 children baptised between 1768 and 1768, including twins in 1768. If more births are recorded somewhere it might suggest they were stayers, but William and Patrick may just have moved or migrated.

Perhaps Irish people were more mobile than I have assumed. Certainly the Goresbridge people seem to have roamed quite a distance to markets, fairs, etc if the newspapers are anything to go by. Mainly up and down the R Barrow on the Carlow bank as well as the Kilkenny side.

More useful is to know that most traffic was waterborn both people and goods, and that parish priests got free rides on boats and barges to baptise and marry along the waterways. Mullingar was on the Royal Canal which connected to the R Barrow at Athy and so joined all the Barrow towns and villages to Dublin in one direction and Limerick on the west coast via Mullingar. It is not at all unlikely for the family to have relocated from Mullingar - or Co Westmeath where there are several Gorman families.

There are two centres of Gorman families in Co Laois/Queens County.

Always possible this is an accident of record survival.