Martin seeks Kilcullen connections

My partner Martin Hamilton is looking for information about his grandparents who came from Sunnyhill, Kilcullen, writes Sharon Philps from Maidenhead, UK.

His grandma was called Elizabeth Doyle and his grandad was Arthur Tapley. They were married in the Roman Catholic Church in Kilcullen in 1942. They had four children — two boys and two girls.

Sadly, Elizabeth died. The children were taken away and put in the Goldenbridge orphanage. The Irish state took the children from Arthur, as they said he was too old to look after them. The children were then taken to Goldenbridge, where they were split up.

My partner’s mum and her sister don’t even know their brothers’ names as they were so young. When their mum died, they were not allowed to go to the funeral and also when their dad died they were not allowed to go either.

At this time my partner’s mum was split up from her sister and she was sent to be a Magdalene girl. They both had to wear black for a year. The sisters would love to find their brothers — it would be a dream come true. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Their dad was married before, so they are their half brothers.