Tom, et al, Let me add another little bit of information on society in old Ireland. We think almost nothing about children born to unmarried parents today, but in those days the sins of the father really were visited upon the child. The father suffered little to nothing for the indiscretion, but the child suffered all. These children became a sort of sub-strata of society. They couldn't marry a child of a legitimate marriage as that was just not done. HOWEVER, if one illegitimate child legally married in church another illegitimate child,it seems all sin was swept away and their children were free to marry anyone. They were usually of a lower class because the father had been unable to inherit anything from his natural father, so there was still some suffering and no dowries to be given. Janet