Patrick Holcroft

The Griffith Evaluation of 1854 places a Patrick Holeroft in Ballinlough, Louth. This is the same townland as George Holdcroft and with George's eldest son being called Patrick, there is a strong chance that Patrick was in fact George's father (and therefore, Joseph's also).

Following further investigations, it seems likely that Patrick was originally based outside of knockbridge, possibly married in the Louth village area and possibly married two or even three times. The only other Patrick Holdcroft for whom a birth certificate exists is was born in 1799 - if this is the same Patrick, then he would have fathered George, my grandfather at 68 years of age. More proof of this connection is required.

June 2010: further inquiries in relation to Patrick have not furnished either his place of birth or his parents - though it seems highly likely that Patrick was related to the Holdcrofts in Richardstown in Dromin (who have a window dedicated to them in Dromin Parish church). This claim is made on the basis that my grand-uncle Patrick/Paddy Holdcroft from Knockbridge is known to have visited his relatives in Dromin from time to time and an photograph of a US-based Merhling-Holdcraft was discovered in my grandmother's (Margaret Holdcroft) house. Mehrling-Holdcrafts are confirmed as being related to the Richardstown Holdcrofts and my grandmother was aware of her distant US cousins. Taking this evidence into consideration, it is reasonable to conclude that there is in family relationship between the Holdcrofts of Knockbridge and the Holdcrofts from Richardstown - but there remains a missing link in that we don't know at this time who Patrick's parents were.

Further information places Patrick in Knockbridge; notably: Patrick is referred to in the Knockbridge RC records as follows:

1. Page 19 in the marriage certificate register contains a reference to Pat

2. On 3rd March 1883, Patrick Holdcroft and Alice (Lennon?) were witnesses to the baptism of Mary Greene from Kilcroney Upper (whose parents were Owen Greene and Mary Russell).