father 'adopted' from '54 Shelbourne Rd.', 1927, 'how to find BM?

lotuzflower · 14-01-2013 8:15pm #1

My father and his two adopted brothers and two cousins were all apparently born at '54 Shelbourne Road', Dublin between the years 1927 - 1930. Nurse Theresa Nunan was apparently present at the birth of all these children and is associated with this address in Thoms.

Nurse C Tobin is associated with the house at a later date '32/'33? According to the 1911 census the 'Bramble' family lived at this address when the census was completed.

A priest called father Lavel (Catholic) from Drogheda, Co Louth apparently arranged the 'adoptions'.

My father was registered in Donnybrook in 1927 and his birth cert show the adoptive parents names. The other births were also registered in Donnybrook.

I've tried the usual channels but was told that there was no info.

Does anyone know of a family relative born at this address?

Does anyone remember anything about Fr. Lavel and his connection with this address?

Has anyone got info on 54 Shelbourne Road, Dublin?

If you know anything you help would be appreciated.

rinsjwind · 15-01-2013 12:35am

Hi Lotuzflower

This issue has been in the papers in the last week, some doctor in Monaghan who apparently arranged dozens of thses illegal birth registrations. One paper recommended contacting the Adoption Authority (currently based in Shelbourne Rd!!) but your dads "adoption" predates them by about 20 yrs so its very doubtful they have anything.

I don't want to discourage you, but the newspaper stories point out the immense difficulties in finding any relevant records in these cases. Non marital pregnancy was already shrouded in secrecy in those days and the addition of what was a criminal offense (i.e. deliberately giving false information to the registration service) makes it even less likely any records were kept.

One last thing, the Dublin City Library on Pearse St has a free online newspaper archive and you might find something there about the address or the names you have.

Good luck

Rins

kathy finn · 15-01-2013 5:49pm

hi lotusflower,
try adopted illegally ireland they have a website might be able to help you.

lotuzflower · 16-01-2013 12:59am

Hi Rinsjwind,

Thanks for your comment and suggestions. I will look into the newspaper archive.

L

lotuzflower · 16-01-2013 1:02am

Hi Kathy,

Thanks for your suggestion. I hadn't heard of that organisaiton.
L

The_Conductor · 16-01-2013 8:25am

Sometimes you may be able to access the old voter registers on microfiche, some of the main libraries have the facilities, you may have to book in advance. If you think this may have been an old family home- you could use a mechanism such as this to try and get a start on researching a family tree.

Vis-a-vis illegal adoptions- adoption only came into being in Irish law in 1953- prior to that there was no facility in Irish law that catered for adoption. The illegal adoptions reported last weekend in the Irish Times- would have been adoptions improperly recorded post the enactment of the legislation- normally by manner of mis-registering the birth, aka so it would appear a different woman other than the birth mother gave birth to the child. Unless there is separate documentation elsewhere keeping track of these lies, which there doesn't tend to be- you pretty much immediately hit a brick wall when you start to search- as you have no-where to turn.

Best of good luck to you and your Dad.

Shane

lotuzflower · 17-01-2013 9:46am

Thanks Shane, I hadn't thought of the voter registers. I'll check that out.

father 'adopted' from '54 Shelbourne Rd.', 1927, 'how to find BM?

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