Bridget Tierney was born about 1848 in Galway. She married John T Burke on 4 May 1865 at Tuam. Children of the marriage were:

• Thomas Burke (1866 - ?);
• Peter Burke (1868 - ?);
• John Burke (1870 - 1956) married Delia Costello;
• Bridget Burke (1872 - ?);
• Martin Emmet Burke (1874 - 1945) married Anna Lynch

Bridget died in Brackloon, Galway in 1918.

Catherine Tierney was born about 1850 in Galway. She married John Ryan on 21 July 1870 at Tuam. Children of the marriage were:

• John Joseph Ryan (1873 - ?);
• Michael Ryan (1875 - ?);
• Mary Ryan (1876 - ?);
• Mary Ryan (1879 - 1879);
• Mary Bridget Ryan (1880 - ?);
• Dominic Ryan (1882 - ?);
• Peter Ryan (1884 - ?);
• Peter Ryan (1887 - ?);

Sarah Jane Tierney was baptised at Donaghpatrick, County Galway, on 10 February 1851. Sponsors were Michael Tierney and Bridget Flynn.

Sarah migrated to Australia sometime in the 1870s, possible shortly before her marriage to Patrick Mooney. The marriage notice for Patrick and Sarah Jane states that Sarah Jane was the third daughter of Peter Tierney. Details of her family with Patrick can found here.

Despite exhaustive searches of NSW passenger lists (assisted/unassisted), deposit journals, and newspaper archives, no definitive record has been found for the arrival of Sarah Jane Tierney prior to her marriage in July 1877. Known facts:

• Baptism: 10 February 1851, Donaghpatrick, Tuam, County Galway, Ireland
• Marriage: 7 July 1877, St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney New South Wales
• Usual residence (at time of marriage): Sydney
• Marriage by special license
• Groom: Patrick Mooney, also a native of Tuam
• Death: 14 August 1895, Goulburn NSW
• NSW residence duration: ~18 years (suggests arrival ~1877)

My working hypothesis is that Sarah most likely arrived in Sydney shortly before her marriage, possibly in early 1877. She appears to have been the only member of her family to emigrate. Circumstantial evidence suggests:

• Informal sponsorship or invitation by the Mooney family
• Possible misrecording or variant spelling in passenger lists
• Connection to a Tuam-based migration network (Patrick’s previous wives were also from Galway)
• Marriage by special license implies urgency or prearrangement

Research check list notes:

Sarah Jane died at the Cooma Hotel in Goulburn on 14 August 1895. This was located on the corner of Mundy Street and Braidwood Road. She died eight days after giving birth to her daughter Sarah. Her cause of death is given as an attack of apoplexy. She is buried at St Patrick's Cemetery with her daughter Kate and son-in-law Robert Gordon. Her death notice stated that she was the only member of her family who had migrated to Australia.

Sarah Jane Mooney (nee Tierney)

Mary Tierney was baptised at Donaghpatrick, County Galway, on 20 June 1852. Sponsors were Pat Tierney and Mary Lawless.

Nothing more is known about Mary at this time.

John Tierney was born in Galway about 1857. He married Sarah Corcoran about 1883. Children of this marriage were:

• Peter Tierney (1884 - ?);
• Maggie Tierney (1886 - ?);
• Bridget Mary Tierney (1888 - ?);
• Michael Patrick Tierney (1891 - ?);
• Norah Tierney (1891 - ?);
• Patrick Tierney )1894 - ?);
• John Joseph Tierney (1897 - 1969) married Nellie Costello