Galway Union Workhouse baptisms join RootsIreland's database

RootsIreland.ie has uploaded more than 900 baptism records of children born in Galway Union Workhouse between 1853 and 1922. They are in the Galway West database. Most of the records – all are transcriptions – are of Roman Catholic ceremonies, but some Church of Ireland entries are also included.

I looked at many from across the period of the register and didn't find any that carried the names of sponsors. However, the obsessive noting of the child's status as either 'legitimate' or 'illegitimate' continued right through to 1922. Twins were noted, as was the name of the clergyman. I found just one baptism register entry with a later note recording the child's marriage in 1947 and just one (see below) that noted a place name; I'd hazard a guess the latter is the phonetic pronunciation* of the mother's townland/parish of origin).

To access these records, go to galwaywest.rootsireland.ie and login or subscribe as required. If you have a subscription, you can access this particular database by selecting Galway West, Baptisms, and Search (in the menu strip) and typing Galway Union Workhouse into the Full Text Search.

* Annaghdown, on the Galway coast.