Although our Doody family was thought to have come from Galbally, Co. Limerick, it is possible that they may have come originally from Knocklong, Co. Limerick. According to Michael's marriage record, his residence at the time was Knocklong, half way between Knockainy (where his wife was probably from) and Galbally. Also, Michael's daughter Eliza, who never married and lived all her life in Galbally, was nevertheless buried in a Knocklong cemetery.
We know from the baptismal record of Eliza, who was Michael's eldest child, that the family lived at the time of the baptism in the townland of Bottomstown in the parish of Knockainy, and at the time of the births of the youngest children, the family was living in the townland of Ardnamoher in Galbally.
Tithe Applotment records from 1830 tell us that a James Doody occupied seven acres in Ardnamoher. However, Griffith's Valuation records (1847-1864) show no entries for anyone by the name of Doody in the parish of Galbally. The parish of Knocklong was also searched in Griffith's Valuation for Doodys but none were found there either. It is possible that James had died by the time the Griffith's Valuation was made for Ardnamoher and someone with another surname was occupying the farm before Michael took it over around the mid-1850s, assuming Michael was given or purchased the same plot of land. My gut feeling is that Michael was related to James, but how closely is impossible to say without evidence.
Unfortunately, the Tipperary Family History Research organisation was unable to locate a baptism record for Michael in the Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly, which includes Galbally and Knocklong. However, they did notice that the page from July 1820 to July 1821 was missing from the register, so if Michael was baptised between those dates, which he could have been, there is no longer a record of it.
They did find baptismal records for a John Doody and a Julia Doody from Galbally. The names John and Julia Doody appear among the sponsors of Michael's children, so it is possible that John and Julia could have been Michael's siblings. On John's and Julia's baptism records, the father's name is James which ties in with the Tithe Applotment record mentioned above. Also, James the name given to Michael's eldest son, possibly following the tradition at the time of naming the first-born son after the paternal grandfather. So it is possible that the baptism records found for John and Julia relate to Michael's siblings. Full details of John's and Julia's baptisms, along with those of two siblings, are as follows:
Father: James Doody
Mother: Catherine O'Connor
Parish: Galbally
John, baptised 14th July 1822, sponsors David O'Connor and Ellen Blackburn
Richard Doody, baptised 6th December 1825, sponsors Joseph Houlihan and Norry Sheedy
Elizabeth Doody, baptised 26th August 1827, sponsors Patrick Holway and Margaret Houlihan
Julia Doody, baptised 4th July 1830, only one sponsor, Ellen Landers
However, further evidence would be required to prove that James Doody and Catherine O'Connor were Michael's parents.
There was also a David Doody from Galbally who emigrated to the United States in States in April 1901 aged 28 (i.e., born about 1872). He was joiing a sisiter-in-law, Mrs. J. O' Neill, who lived at 147 West 29th St., New York City. However, I have not been able to establish a family connection, if any, between David and our Doody family.
Notes:
1. There is a record in the LDS Vital Records Index for the birth of a Honora Doody in Galbally on 13 June 1868. Parents were John Doody and Ellen Donohoe. Could John be the John above born in 1822?
2. The Doody surname is an anglicised form of 'O Dubhda', from 'dubh' meaning 'black'. Other anglicisations include 'O'Dowd', 'Dowd' and 'Duddy'. The O Dubhda family had for centuries prior to the Norman invasions of the 12th and 13th centuries ruled over large parts of north west Mayo and west Sligo. Some O Dubhda families migrated to Munster in the 16th century, possibly accounting for the presence of our Doody family in Co. Limerick three centuries later.