Eyeries parish office, 4 Sept 2026: the 1881 parish marriage entry names the fathers only, 'James Harrington and Myles Lyne'

Email correspondence between Luke Murphy and the Eyeries parish office, Diocese of Kerry, 14 Aug to 4 Sept 2026 · Eyeries parish, Co. Cork, Ireland · 2026-09-04

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Summary

A report, by email from the parish secretary, of what the Eyeries parish marriage register holds for Patrick Murphy and Ellen Lyne (married February 1881). She found the entry. It gives no mothers' names; "the only parents' names entered are both father's names only", and she gives them as James Harrington and Myles Lyne. The civil return of the same marriage names the groom's father as James Murphy, farmer. A Harrington in Patrick's parentage is what the Ballycrovane baptism of 7 April 1850 predicts (mother Margaret Uonhi, a Harrington) and what neither the Gort baptism of 1858 (mother a Croumhane O'Sullivan) nor the Annals of Beara (mother Mary O'Leary) predicts. This is a report of a register, not the register. How "Harrington" comes to stand where "Murphy" is expected cannot be judged until the entry is seen: it may be the mother's surname entered beside the father's forename, a slip by the priest, or a misreading of a hard page (the secretary had warned that "our records are not very clear"). The image was asked for on 4 Sept 2026. The NLI microfilm of Eyeries marriages ends in August 1880, so the 1881 entry cannot be checked there.

People

Patrick "Pat" J. Murphy (Cork-born bartender / shoemaker; d. 1912 Warm Springs MT)(as printed: Patrick)
role: subject · family confidence: 100 certain
Ellen (Lyne) Murphy (b. Ardgroom; m. Patrick Murphy 1881; d. Butte 1935)(as printed: Ellen)
role: subject · family confidence: 100 certain
Seamus Mór (Big James) Murphy — PJM's father, of Ballycrovane Beara(as printed: James Harrington)
role: father of groom as reported · family confidence: 95 certain
Luke's decision of 3 Oct 2026 shows Seamus Mor as Patrick's father. The identity figure is Claude's estimate.
Myles Lyne (c. 1791–1872; Ardgroom farmer; second husband of Margaret Shea; Ellen Lyne Murphy's stepfather, named as her father in 1881)(as printed: Myles Lyne)
role: father of bride as reported · family confidence: 95 certain
Luke D. Murphy(as printed: Luke)
role: recipient · family confidence: 100 certain

Places

Eyeries (village + parish + RC Chapel) (primary)
Ardgroom (village + RC Chapel) (subject)
County Cork (context)
Ireland (context)

Themes

Story threads

The Pat-and-Ellen Murphy household — Butte 1887 to LA 1980

Related sources

Transcription

transcription: partial · confidence high

# The Eyeries parish office on the 1881 marriage entry, 4 September 2026 *From an email thread of 14 August to 4 September 2026 between Luke Murphy and the Eyeries parish office. The two replies from the parish office are given in full, without names, addresses or signatures. Luke Murphy's own messages are summarised. Square brackets hold the editor's marks.* ## The request, 14 August 2026 (summary) Luke Murphy wrote to the parish asking whether the original parish register entry for the marriage of Patrick Murphy and Ellen Lyne names Patrick's parents, and for a scan or photograph of it. He explained that the civil entry names the father only, James Murphy, and that the family has two accounts of the mother: Mary O'Leary of Eyeries Village, or Margaret (Peig) Uonhi Harrington. ## The parish office, 25 August 2026 > Dear Luke, > > Thank you for your email. I will certainly try to look into your enquiry. Our records are not very clear but I will let you know what I can find. > > I will contact you again soon. > > Kind regards > > [signed by the Parish Secretary] ## The parish office, 4 September 2026 > Dear Luke, > > According to our parish records I can see the entry for your great-grandfather Patrick and Ellen's marriage record. Unfortunately, the only parents' names entered are both father's names only – James Harrington and Myles Lyne. No mention of mother's name. > > Do you know Patrick's date of birth? I may be able to see something on his baptismal record if he was baptised in Eyeries. > > Regards > > [signed by the Parish Secretary] ## The follow-up, 4 September 2026 (summary) Luke Murphy replied the same day. He asked whether it was odd that Patrick's father is listed as "James Harrington", and asked for the image. He gave both birth dates: April 1858, which Patrick stated in American records, and 1850, perhaps also April, which the family has reason to believe. No reply had come by 4 October 2026.

Dotted underlines mark key terms on first mention — hover or tab to one for a reference note. The wording is the source’s own.

Open questions

The image of the 1881 entry, asked for on 4 Sept 2026. "Murphy" with "Harrington" in the parents' column would close the Gort and O'Leary readings together.