In a message dated 4/27/01 8:01:15 AM, tricia.j@aardvark.net.au writes: << anybody care to comment on the prospect that an Irishman/woman could be legally descended from a catholic priest? - was the priest married first - had a family. wife died, and then joined the priesthood?>> That is very possible. Widowed men could be ordained to the priesthood. Of course, then they could not remarry. Of course, it is also possible to be descended from a priest who left the priesthood and was released from his vows and married. (He would have not been allowed to continue to function as a priest.) This would have been pretty rare until fairly recently. Third possibility, the priest fathered a child while a priest. He would not have been married (at least not in the eyes of the RC church) and the child would have been illegitimate. <<Anybody know whether an ordained priest of the Church of Ireland would likely be married and have children? >> Yes. In fact, it was more common than not. Janet C-S