Hi,
Do you think it's possible that William Patrick MCDONALD was originally MCDONNELL?
I ask because I think the above family could be your Richard and Ellen and they have a son William Patrick.
I found the births of Mary Ann and Ellie/Nellie in England, also a Catherine,
Mary Ann MCDONNELL Sep Q 1892 Portsea Island 2b 471
Ellie Margaretta MMACDONNELL Sep Q 1894 Portsea Island 2b 487
Catherine MCDONNELL Mar Q 1896 Portsea Island 2b 474
These births plus some of the other children also have entries in the 'GRO Regimental Birth Indices'
Richard C MCDONNELL 1890 Cork Ireland Vol: 1525 page: 53
Regt: R.A. (Royal Artillery)
Mary A MCDONNELL 1892 Portsmoth Vol: 1525 page: 53
Regt: R.A.
Ellie M MCDONNELL 1894 Portsmouth Vol: 1525 page: 53
Regt: R.A.
Catherine MCDONNELL 1896 Portsmouth *see below
Maria K MCDONNELL 1900 (no place of birth given) Vol: 1525 page: 53
Regt: R.A.
William P MCDONNELL 1902 (no place of birth given) Vol: 1525 page: 53
Regt: R.A.
*Richard, Mary, and Ellie all have the reference as Vol:1525 page:53 but also have the following references

Catherine does not show the Vol:1525 page:53 reference but has all the other ones
Vol: 1614 page: 43
Vol: 1606 page: 41
Vol: 1432 page: 176
In the British Army WWI Pension Records 1914-1920 I found a Richard MCDONNELL service number 50196. Amongst other info it shows the following,
Discharged: 07 June 1907
Wife: Ellen WILSON
Married: 16 February 1887, s.s. St Peter & Paul, City of cork
Children;
Richard Christopher 17.12.90
Mary Ann 27.08.92
Ellie Margaretta 07.08.94
Catherine 10.12.95
Maria Kathleen 1?.06.00
William Patrick 19.03.02
Place of Discharge: Cork
Intended Residence: Coffe? Bar, Spike Island
Pages further on say,
Wife: Ellen WILSON
235 Blarney St, Cork
Ellen WILSON
Married: 16.02.87 Cork
Witnesses: J MACNAMARA, M WILSON
Children:
William 19.03.02 Cork
Bridget Alice 20.04.04 Cork
Maria Kathleen 00 Cork
I think he re-enlisted in 1914 and has a new Army number: 278611
Attested: RGA 26.10.14
Transferred to Class "Z" (could be Y?) Reserve on demobilization
Date: 03.04.10
Place: Dover
Home address: 235 Blarney St, Cork
I've tried to give the relevant info that I could find but there are alot pages so I might have missed something. If you can't view the images at Ancestry let me know.
Do you know William Patrick's birthday? I've seen peoples year of birth change but they always seem to keep the same day and month

Sorry, another question...do you know when/where William Patrick died?
Daisy