Charlie, By 1826, it would no longer have been unsafe for a priest to be found with sacramental records; those aspects of the Penal Laws had been eased or in some cases eliminated by the mid-18th century, leaving only the political and economic sanctions in force. (There was a spectacular lack of logic in this, although Catholics in Ireland were glad that it had become somewhat easier to practice their religion without fear of grave consequences: the ostensible reason for the Penal Laws was the Catholics' religion, so removing that stricture and leaving the rest of the Acts in force showed just how hypocritical that justification really was.) 1826 was, however, before Catholic Emancipation in 1829, which repealed all remaining provisions of the Penal Laws. Officially, before the latter date, there was no hierarchy anywhere in the British Isles, so recordkeeping had fallen into disuse with no ecclesiastical superiors to insist on it. There was also a grave shortage of priests, since Ireland was still dependent on Irish priests trained abroad, and it was technically illegal to seek such preparation through most of the 18th century. My g-g-g-g-g-uncle, William O'Higgins was the first Biashop of Ardagh after Catholic Emanciptation, and a study of his surviving papers shows just what a concern the shortage of priests was clear into the mid-1830s. The lack of church facilities and lack of clerical discipline among priests unaccustomed to superivison were also serious preoccupations. Recordkeeping accordingly took a back seat. Nancy -------------- Original message from "David A. Myers" <davidamyers@mindspring.com>: -------------- > Charlie, > Once again, 1826 is a long time before I was born, but: "P.P." means > Parish Priest, which means John O'Reily was the pastor and not an > assistant (not a "curate," C.P.). My understanding is that the > registry followed the priest and did not stay in the church > building/office. John O'Reily could have served several communities > ("churches") within the "Parish" of Killoe. > I am speculating that the origin of this custom was in 1) hiding > records from the English who would persecute or kill a Catholic, and > 2) providing a physically safe location for the records. I remember > the interesting story that someone posted about the successor priest > asking for the registry from his predecessor and the older man > demanding payment. > David > > At 07:28 AM 3/19/2008, you wrote: > >My gg grandfather and grandmother were married by John O'Reily who > >apparently was the parish priest for the Catholic parish in which > >they were married. > >The cover page for the registry that holds my gg grandparent's 1835 > >marriage record reads: > >"Registry Book of Marriages and Baptisms for Killoe commenci??, > >1826, John O'Reily P.P." > > > >I am interpreting this registry to be from the Catholic Parish of > >Killoe beginning in 1826, but from a church within the 'Parish of Killoe'. > > > >Question: Am I correct that this be the registry for a church > >within the parish of Killoe or would it be from a church in the town of Killoe? > > > >Thanks for the help, > >Charlie King > >gg grandson of James Hughes > >and Bridget Kelagher > >_____________________________________________________________ > >Click for top financial advice. Reduce debt & save for retirement. > >http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2111/fc/Ioyw6iifSDi8uRtCzOLOV536MKkbvCtyUmS > 4qEiY3mPQwmYURqqYXq/ > > > > > > > >********************************** > >Longford Genealogy Website: http://www.rootsweb.com/~irllog/ > > > >------------------------------- > >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > >IRL-LONGFORD-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > >without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > ********************************** > Longford Genealogy Website: http://www.rootsweb.com/~irllog/ > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > IRL-LONGFORD-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message