RootsChat.Com

Could this be Agnes ? Well I suppose it could but it is a bit strange to just have the title Mrs and no Christian name on a records. I don't think I've ever seen that before.

The death for Phelim/Phelan/Pharlan in 1872 would, along with the other possibilities found by you good folk,  give a time frame of
Phelim McPartlan birth 1788,
baptism of Phelim  McPartlan and Kitty Dolan's  son - Stephen McPartlan 1837
remarriage of Phelim to Agnes
birth of Phelim McPartlan and Agnes Neillan's daughter - Mary in 1847 ( from her marriage certificate in 1871)
marriage of Phelim McPartlan & ?? son Michael McPartlan, a widower, in  1867

All of which, on paper, looks as though it could work. I've now recorded on my paper records  but wont be adding it to any on-line tree as I don't think its enough enough to confirm that they are all the people from the same family. I would love it if it was!! Would you agree or am I being just too cautious?
I've seen to many warnings on here about people who add names that are possibilities and before you know it they have a tree that is full of just that ... possibilities.
A big thank you to all who have pondered over this, made suggestions, searched for things and posted.

Hi - Wow!  more interesting documents. Thankyou gaffy for the information with marriage showing Phelan McPartlan as the father of the groom (Michael McPartland) ...and, as you say,  the priest is a McPartlan too! The year of 1867 would, if this does turn out to be the correct family, suggest that Michael is an older brother of Mary.

Shanreagh the link to the map showing the distribution of the name McPartlan was fascinating and new to me.

Can I ask which is considered to be the best site for Irish searches? I know the records are not complete but which site do you think would be the better one for this time period? (Mary's birth was 1847 - so presumably her parents were also from there and born around 20 years earlier. I  know Mary was in Scotland by 1871.

I have found with the sites I have used that I can get an initial look  but then I am asked to log in. I'm happy to pay for a site but don't know which will give best coverage.  For example, the John Grenham map site which suggested many marriages and births when I first looked at it now requires me to subscribe. I'm unsure if I do subscribe to that if it would also link to the certificates ?

I take the point raised about how accents can affect what people hear when talking about place names. The extract I attached form the 1921 is from the English census. At the top of the column it asks: 'If born outside of the UK write the name of the country'. I think the enumerator has added Ireland as only the district of Leitrim had been included on the form.
And, as well as that dodgy pen the other thing which would affect what was heard would certainly be the accent! Although Mary had lived in Scotland, I do not know for how long - so it is unclear whether her accent would be Irish of Scottish. Also this census was completed by Mary's son-in-law, he was form the North East of England and definitely and a Geordie accent . At the time Mary and son-in-law were in Yorkshire so presumably that is where the enumerator was from.
Thanks , one again all who have  offered ideas.

Here is a larger extract of the census. The faulty pen doesn't help!

Hi Aghadowey Thanks for your reply.  You are right,  my post on the Leitrim board has had some very helpful replies. I have very little knowledge of Ireland so am really grateful for all help.
I have realised though that the title of my original post didn't suggest that it was the handwriting which was my stumbling block. So, maybe those who are really experts on the Handwriting board would not have been drawn to look at the post.