Who is my McDermott grandfather??

[heywood]

I am sure I saw Bridget's marriage earlier, but I can't see it now. Where did she marry and is there an occupation for her father?

[brigidmac]

sorry b; reread
my comment about child support may still be relevant
 even tho I thought  Bridgett had other keegan children
once she married Married Pat Delaney  and had her own children she wouldnt have been entitled to child support
It would have been important for Thomas to use his paternal name so bridgett could pass as a widow as rather than a single mother .

[Surrey Genie]

William, as father, may have come from William her stepfather.
Presumably, she kept Thomas because she had her mother's support 

Yes, quite possible that William was her stepfather.  Hard to tell without knowing when her mother married him, or how long he had been in her life

I assume she had her mother's support, but why then was Thomas born in the workhouse?  I know workhouses sometimes doubled as hospitals  (in England anyway) but for childbirth???   The people in Ireland checked the workhouse records for me, none of the rest of her family were in the workhouse at the time.

[Surrey Genie]

sorry b; reread
my comment about child support may still be relevant
 even tho I thought  Bridgett had other keegan children
once she married Married Pat Delaney  and had her own children she wouldnt have been entitled to child support
It would have been important for Thomas to use his paternal name so bridgett could pass as a widow as rather than a single mother .

Pretending to be a widow would make sense.   

[heywood]

I just meant that she had combined her stepfather's first name with her own surname to 'invent' a father.

There is also the possibility that she made up the name 'Keegan' to have her child but then she would have married as McDermott to give status to Thomas, I suppose. It is difficult for you.

[Sinann]

I think your reading too much into the illigimate bit.
Don't judge earlier generations by later ones.
From what I can see its wasn't as bad to be a unmarried mother in 1888 as it would be in 1958, not saying it was easy but there doesn't appear to be the need to hide it at all possible costs as there was when the RC Church got its thightest ever grip on the country after 1922.

[hallmark]

The Workhouse in Ck is still the Hospital today!

[gaffy]

As previously posted, Thomas Keegan was born on 16 October 1888.  For information, just to be aware that a transcribed record for Kiltoghert RC parish shows a Thomas Keegan was baptised on 17 October 1888, the mother was given as Bridget Keegan, the father was given as Thady Keegan. Just a possibility.

[hallmark]

Gallagher   William   65   Male   Head of Family   
Gallagher   Margaret   65   Female   Wife   
Delaney   Bridget   28   Female   Step Daughter

So, IF Bridget is Step Daughter her mother must have been Margaret (above)..... Was she a Mrs Delaney first??