Discoveries in the Irish Old Age Pension Records
In 1909 Old Age Pensions was enacted in Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland for persons who were 70 years old, “of good character”, with an income of less than £21 a year. In Ireland this benefited many because of prevalent poverty. The pension was weekly stipend of 5 shillings for a single person or 7 shillings for a married couple. The applicant needed to prove their age. Civil registration of births did not begin in Ireland until 1864. The government declared searches of the 1841 and 1851 census would be acceptable as proof of age. The applicant had to provide parent names in many cases this included mother’s maiden name, residence at time of the census, and applicant’s age. The forms were sent to the Public Records Office to process. The National Archives of Ireland has the Old Age Pension application records digitized, free of charge, online at:
http://censussearchforms.nationalarchives.ie/search/cs/home.jsp. They are indexed by name of the applicant, parents or parish. Another free site for these records is Family Search at familysearch.org - Ireland Census Search Forms, 1841 and 1851. Their index is every name which includes parents and siblings.
Searches were undertaken for the various “Our Mayo Family” surnames. Less than 50 persons in the Kilfian Parish applied for the Old Age Pension. PEACE and MAHADY were the only names found of interest.
Margaret PEACE in 1917 of Thos. CLARKE, County Clare applied. Her parents Daniel PEACE and Margret DIAMOND, residence 1851-Mayo, Tirawley, Kilfian, Belladoon. The family was found in this census in Belladoon. Daniel PEACE and Margaret DIAMOND, with children Mary 14, Jude 12, Honora 10, Margt 4, Catherine 1.
Margaret PEACE was born ca 1847 in County Mayo. Her father Daniel PEACE was the brother of Mary PEACE, the wife of Martin WALSH. 27 January 1870 Margaret married Thomas CLARKE in Kilfine. Her mother Margaret died 5 November 1891 and Daniel her father died 10 December 1868 both in Kilfine. Margaret and Thomas CLARKE were the parents of 7 - Daniel, John, Patrick, Francis, Michael, Ann, and Thomas. They were living in Belladoan, Mayo in the 1901 and 1911 census. Thomas CLARKE died there in 1904. When Margaret applied for the Old Age Pension in 1917 she was living in County Clare with her son Thomas CLARKE. Margaret PEACE CLARKE died 5 October 1923 in Ballyduane, Mayo.
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| familysearch.org |
MAHADY - The relationship to the following Mahady is unknown. There are few of this surname in Mayo.
Michael MAHADY applied in 1917, residence-Mayo, Ballycastle, Kilbride, parents John MAHADY and Mary LAVELLE, residence in 1851-Mayo, Tieawley, Lackan, Knockroe. The family was found in Knockroe - John and Mary Mahady married 1840 with children Mary 9, John 7, Martin 5, Michl 3, Kitty 1 in Knockroe, Mayo.
Michael MAHADY born ca1848, married Margaret KEANE in 1892 in Ballycastle, Mayo. In the 1901 and 1911 census they are in Mayo, Lackan North, Kilbride with their family of 6 - Patrick, John, Martin, Patrick, Kate, Sarah.
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| familysearch.org |
The Irish census for 1821, 1831, 1841, and 1851 were destroyed 30 June 1922 in a fire at the Public Record Office in Dublin at the beginning of the Irish Civil War.
