The earliest record of a Eustace family member in County Limerick lists John Eustace of Ballymurra, County Limerick who converted to Protestantism in 1746. His name is listed on "The Convert Rolls" edited by Eileen O'Byrne in 1981.

The Eustace name was rare in County Limerick and was concentrated  in a very small area in Limerick and died out by 1879.  Essentially, there were 3 lines in the late 1700's and early 1800's and they could all be related. 

From the 1790's until 1806 it looks as if most of the baptisms in St. Mary's Church, Limerick were for the children of Robert Eustace (Spelled frequently as UESTICE) and Nora McGrath.  This is interesting  as their first son was named "Walter."  An unusual name but both the names Robert and Walter are found in Cahermurphy, County Clare from 1815-1816 on. 

There were two distinct Eustace families in Limerick in the years preceding  Patrick Eustace's emigration.  One family appears to be from Mungret, County Limerick. They descend from a John Eustace, of Ballymurra who, according to "THE CONVERT ROLLS" edited by Eileen O'Byrne in 1981, converted to Protestantism in 1746. I am attaching an article about him as having the oldest headstone in the cemetery in Limerick and also attaching a death notice of probably one of his descendants named John Eustace from Mungret who died in 1896.

Bridget Eustace, Ballymurry, cert. and enrolled 1 November 1779 (A).

John Eustace, gent. Ballymurra, Co Limerick, cert. 13 November 1746, enrolled 17 November 1746(A). Conformity 18 May 1746 (B). (D).

The second family is definitely Catholic. According to www.familysearch.org there were three Roman Catholic marriages occurring in about the same time frame and place in Limerick. The two churches mentioned below are part of a group of 5 churches in the Limerick Diocese and they date back to the Middle Ages. The records are:

1) MARGARET EUSTACE to John Grady on Jan 25, 1834 at St. Mary's Church in Limerick City, Limerick.

2) JOHN EUSTACE to Jane Seymour on Jan 28, 1834 at St. Michael, Limerick City, Limerick.

3) BRIDGET EUSTACE to James Henderson on Feb. 28, 1841 at St. Michael, Limerick City, Limerick.

Bridget became widowed and remarried John Matson on Nov 14, 1846 at St. Michael, Limerick City, Limerick.

Bridget's father was PATRICK EUSTACE a bootmaker. Patrick Eustace would have been born abt. 1795-1815. I suspect that because two of these 3 marriages occurred at St. Michael's Church that John (married to Jane) and Bridget (m to James/John) could be siblings or somehow related.

If John was the brother of Bridget then he would be the son of PATRICK EUSTACE and if John had a son a year after his marriage (1835ish) he likely would have named him after his father, Patrick. Of course, this is all conjecture but research is needed here.

I know I have told you that the name "William" doesn't seem to fit into the Eustace lines at least on the west side Ireland. When I reread your family history, I see that Patrick who came to the US in the 1850's had 4 sons. The oldest sons were Thomas and John. William is fourth. Naming patterns usually (but definitely not always) called for the oldest son to be named after the father's father. And the second oldest son to be named after the mother's father. The remaining sons were then named after uncles, etc.

Having said that, we know that a "William Eustace" died in Limerick in 1868 at the age of 17. He would have been born in 1851 so a full generation after your ancestor Patrick.

The following are all of the Eustaces that died in Limerick between 1864-1922:

William Eustace single b. 1851 d. pauper of typhoid fever 1868 in workhouse at St. Munchins, Limerick.

Anne Eustace single b. 1822 d. pauper of dementia Nov 29, 1879 in worhouse at St. Munchins, Limerick.

John Eustace widower b. 1799 a Dyer died January 29, 1881 of bronchitis age 82 in workhouse at St. Munchins, Limerick.

John Eustace, of Mungret Street, Limerick

Limerick Chronicle 28th April 1896

Sudden Death: John Eustace, 65; a rag and bone gatherer by occupation lodging with a man named John Long was suddenly taken ill on Sunday and died in a short time. Death is attributed to heart disease. Mr J. Coffey, R.O had the internment carried out as it appeared the deceased was destitute. The coroner Mr. De Courcey was communicated with but did not consider it necessary to hold an inquest. http://www.limerickcorp.ie/media/Media,5993,en.pdf 
 

We don't know if they were Catholic or not.

There is one birth:

Catherine Cantlon b. April 13, 1866 whose mother was Catherine Eustace. This birth also occurred in the workhouse at St. Munchins, Limerick. There is also a record of a Catherine Eustace who died at sea who was from Limerick. I will try and find that and send to you. Here again, we don't know if they were Catholic.

By the way, there were three children of Patrick Eustace of Kilrush (Bernard's family) who were born in Limerick between 1905-1910. They moved to Limerick so Patrick (Bernard's family) could learn the tailoring trade. They moved back to Kilrush abt. 1911. This family is not directly related.

Here's what I think the next step should be. Maybe Stig or one of you would contact St. Michael's Church and St. Mary's Church in Limerick City on their website and see if you can get any Eustace death, baptismal, marriage records that they may have.

I will say here that I have found evidence of one other Eustace family who had children baptized at St. Senan's in County Clare in the 1830's who were from "Ballynolan" Limerick. Their names were Michael and Mollie Miniter Eustace and they had a son "Pat" baptized at St. Senan's in 1833. I have ruled them out only because Michael doesn't seem to fit and they look to be originally from the clan in County Clare. However, I believe your family originates there too.

This Robert Eustace and Nora McGrath couple look like the first recorded parents of children in Limerick in the early 1790's. 

WALTER UESTICE was baptized April 20, 1793    Parents: Rob UESTICE and Nora McGrath  St. Mary's Church, Limerick

MATT UESTICE   was baptized Mar 2, 1796       Parents: Rob UESTICE and Nora MCGrath  St. Mary's Church, Limerick

JOHN UESTICE   was baptized April 20, 1801    Parents: Rob UESTICE and Nora McGrath  St. Mary's Church, Limerick

PATRICK UESTICE    baptized December 1, 1806  Parents: Rob UESTICE and Nora McGrath  St. Mary's Church, Limerick

>MARGARET UESTICE  June 9, 1813  Parents:  Michael UESTICE and Mary Gleeson St. Mary's Church Limerick RC

>PATRICK  EUSTACE  Jan 25, 1816  Parents:  Michael EUSTACE and Mary Gleeson  St. Mary's Church, Limerick RC

>MICHAEL EUSTACE  April 24, 1821 Parents: Patrick EUSTACE and Mary Hamilton  St. Mary's Church, Limerick RC

>MICHAEL EUSTACE  October 8, 1845 Parents: Patrick EUSTACE and Mary O'Brien  St. Mary's Church, Limerick RC

>JAMES EUSTACE    Dec 04, 1810    Parents: John EUSTACE and Mary Sullivan  PATRICKSWELL, Co Limerick RC

>                                 Sponsors:  Js Sinan  Mgt Quin

>

>MICHAEL EUSTACE  Feb 7, 1818     Parents:  James Eustace and Ellen McGarry  PATRICKSWELL, Co. Limerick RC

>                                 Sponsors:  Edm McGarry and My Fitzgerald

>

>JOHN EUSTACE     May 19, 1837    Parents:  John EUSTACE and Bridget Neville  PATRICKSWELL, Co. Limerick  RC

>                                 Sponsors: Jn Dea and Han Galahoe
1757 Ellen Eustice St, Mary's RC

1808 Alexander Eustace Church of St. John CI

1806 Mary Eustace ?

1813 Joanna Eustace Patrickswell RC

1813 Mary Eustace St. Mary's RC

1815 Patrick Eustace St. Mary's RC

1817 James Eustace Patrickswell RC

1817 Maria Eustace Patrickswell RC

1824 Maria Eustace Patrickswell RC

1826 Bridget St. Mary's RC
 

The family in Patrickswell looks like it stayed in Limerick until late 1800's.

1757 Ellen Eustice to Michael Conneen Jan 11, 1757 St. Mary's Church RC 
 

1808  Alexander Eustace to Ellen Kenny Jan 25, 1808 Church of Ireland St. John's CI

Mungret Street, Crecora Cemetery, St. Michael's and St. Mary's all look very close to each other on the Google map.  John who died in 1896 may have been related.  Certainly more records would help.

There are two Eustace women in the 1901 census - one from Carlow, the other from Clare. 
 

Limerick, Ireland to Quebec, Canada http://www.immigrantships.net/v6/1800v6/amanda18410926.html 
26 September 1841  wrecked at Little Metis Point, at five o'clock, on the 26th instant  
- She had forty passengers and a crew of eighteen*. The captain, two  
seamen, and two apprentices were amongst those saved.  
 

Limerick Standard 1 November 1841 
Loss of the Barque Amanda, of Limerick

It is with deep regret that we record this day the wreck of this fine vessel, the property of our fellow citizen, George Williams, Esq., attended with the loss of Forty-one lives. 
 
She left this port on the 22d of August last with emigrants, and was driven ashore off Metis[-sur-Mer], on the 26th of September, and totally lost. The greater portion of the crew and passengers took to the boats, which soon swamped, and all were lost; the captain, some of the crew and passengers, who were left on the wreck, were saved. The following we take from the Quebec Mercury, of October 5:- 
 
Shipwreck of the Barque Amanda - Forty-one lives lost - In the Gazette of Friday last, we informed our readers that Captain Bucanan, of the ship Scotland, had seen off Metis a ship on shore, which, to all appearances was a total wreck. Yesterday morning the subjoined melancholy confirmation of that recent report was received in a letter, by Messrs. W. Price, and Co., of this city, from which we have been favoured with the following extract:- 
 
"Metis, 29th September, 1841. 
 
"I have to inform you of the loss of the barque Amanda, Captain Davis, from Limerick, which came ashore at Little Metis Point, at five o'clock, on the 26th instant - She had forty passengers and a crew of eighteen*. The captain, two seamen, and two apprentices were amongst those saved." 
 
A.C. Buchanan, Esq., Emigrant Agent, has kindly favoured us with the 
following list of passengers and crew:- 
 
List of the passengers and crew of the barque Amanda, Solomon Davis, master, bound for Quebec, cleared on the 17th August, and sailed on the 22d August, from Limerick:

  Passengers Saved.

 

1  James O'Neill, of the County of Clare;

2  Catherine O'Neill, of the County of Clare;

3  Patrick Hanlon, county Kerry;

4  Timothy Murphy, of county of Limerick;

5  Michael Hall, of county of Limerick;

6  Maurice Hall, of county of Limerick;

7  Philip Sarsfield, of county of Limerick;

8  James Nevill, of county of Limerick;

9  Margaret Molony, of county of Limerick;

10  Anne O'Neill, of the county of Cork.  
 

Total passengers saved- 10.

 

   Passengers Lost.

 

11 Stephen Rennals, county of Clare;

12 James Slattery, of Limerick;

13 Patrk. Clancy, of Limerick;

14 Anne Murray, of Limerick;

15 Mary Hall (aged 6), of Limerick;

16 J. Hinchey, of Limerick;

17 Margaret Hinchey, of Limerick;

18 Maria Hinchey, of Limerick;

19 John Hinchey, of Limerick;

20 Frederick Harden, of Limerick;

21 Daniel Carney, of Limerick;

22 Margaret Carney, of Limerick;

23 James Carney, of Limerick;

24 Mary Carney, of Limerick;

25 Daniel Carney, of Limerick;

26 Jeremiah Conners, of Limerick;

27 Catherine Eustace, of Limerick;

28 John O'Brien, county of Clare

29 Michael O'Brien, county of Clare;

30 Mary Cummins, of the county of Galway;

31 Bridget Cummins, of the county of Galway;

32 Anne Cummins, of the county of Galway;

33 Catherine Cummins, of the county of Galway;

34 Michael Cummins, of the county of Galway;

35 Julia Crawley, of Clare;

36 Patrick O'Neill, of Clare;

37 Thomas Kennedy, of Dingle. 

 

*Male adults lost 11.- Female adults lost 12.- Total Adults 23.-

Children Lost 6. Total passengers lost -29.

 

    Crew Saved.

 

1  Solomon Davis, master;

2  Edward Roundy, second mate;

3  Timothy Behane, seaman;

4  Patrick O'Brien, apprentice;

5  Charles Donnelly, apprentice.

- Total crew saved, 5.

 

     Crew lost.

 

6  Patrick Blake, 1st mate;

7  James M'Inerney, carpenter;

8  Michael Hegarty, cook;

9  John Fahy, steward;

10  David Keeffe, sea-men;

11  John Harper, sea-men;

12  John Graham, sea-men;

13  Thomas Allan, sea-men;

14  Patrick Shannon, sea-men;

15  Thomas Harte, sea-men;

16  John Hynes, sea-men;

17  James Cusack,  apprentice;

18  Francis Johnson, apprentice.

- Total crew lost, 12.  
 

Transcriber's Notes:

*  According to this list, there were 37 passengers and 18 crew.

*  These totals of passengers lost do not match with the list given. 
 

Correspondence 03/21/2004 captain Davis

I believe Solomon Davis is my ancestor. Here is a brief summary of his

descendents. 
 

Solomon Davis, Captain Amanda born in Province of Quebec

son Solomon Davis, b 1826, Quebec

Married Susan Ames from Sudbury Massachusetts

Settled in Holland VT.

Daughter Henrietta Davis, b 1850

married Albert Hall, Holland, Orleans, Vt.

Henrietta died 1887 in Vt Asylum, Burlington, Vt

son Leslie J. Hall, b Vt

married May Budd

son Leslie C Hall (My Grandfather)born 1899 NYC, moved to Sudbury,

Massachusetts 1942. died 1962 
 

Still looking for Solomon Senior's family. Will update when found.

Subito

Limerick Standard Newspaper 1 November 1841

Contributed by Nick Reddan for the  
Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild  
19 April 2003