Mary was probably born in 1814 in Cork in Ireland. Her parents are not known. She is Ian's 3x great grandmother.

She met Daniel Dineen (1806–1861)★ before 1838 . They had eight children:–

• Johanna baptised on 7 Dec, 1838 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Stow Hill, Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales^a1. Married Daniel Ford on 28 Jun, 1857 at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Newport^a2. Died in the Oct-Dec quarter of 1928 in the registration district of Newport in Monmouthshire, Wales at the age of ninety.
• Margaret baptised on 3 May, 1840 at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Newport^a3.
• Bridget★ baptised on 4 Jun, 1842 at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Newport. Married Patrick Bryan in 1864 at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Newport^b1,a4, Daniel Palmer in 1867 at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Newport^b2,a5, Joseph Ximenes★ in 1872 at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Newport^c1,b3,a6 and John Jones in 1889 at The Register Office in Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales^b4. Died on 1 Oct, 1898 at St. John's Infirmary in Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales^b5 at the age of fifty-six.
• Dennis baptised on 24 Feb, 1844 at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Newport^a7. Married Martha Frances Priscilla Watkins on 17 Sep, 1873 at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Newport^a8,b6. Died in the Oct-Dec quarter of 1916 in Newport at the age of seventy-two.
• John died in infancy. Born on 30 Mar, 1849 in the parish of Caerleon in Monmouthshire, Wales^a9,b7 and died there on 6 Apr, 1849^b8.
• Jeremiah baptised on 16 Nov, 1851 at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Newport^a10. Married Sarah Ann Fisher on 2 Dec, 1872 in the parish of Christchurch in Monmouthshire, Wales^b9. Died on 23 Jun, 1936 in Newport^d1 at the age of eighty-four.
• Mary Agnes baptised on 18 Dec, 1853 at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Newport^a11. Married Edward Williams Mansell on 19 Oct, 1872 in the parish of Henllys in Monmouthshire, Wales^b10,e1.
• John baptised on 24 Jan, 1858 at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Newport^a12. Married Catherine Connors on 12 Feb, 1880 at The Register Office, Newport^b11. Died before 1947.

By the time of the 1851 census she was living at Shoemaker's Row in Risca, Monmouthshire, Wales^f1 with her three children Bridget Dineen, Johanna Dineen (1838–1928) and Dennis Dineen (1844–1916) and children's father Daniel, a labourer.

In the 1861 census she was living at Ty Dan y Wal in Aberystruth, Monmouthshire, Wales^g1 with her four children Dennis Dineen, a coal miner, Jeremiah Dineen (1851–1936), Mary Agnes Dineen (1853–?) and John Dineen (1857–?) and children's father Daniel.

Mary was recorded in the 1871 census at Nailers Lane in Risca, Monmouthshire, Wales^h1 with her two children Jeremiah Dineen, a collier and John Dineen, a worker in tin works.

By the time of the 1881 census she was living at Railway Tavern in Lower Machen, Machen, Monmouthshire, Wales^k1 with her son Jeremiah Dineen, now a haulier.

In the 1891 census she was living at 3 Buck Farm in Lower Machen, Machen, Monmouthshire, Wales^m1 with her daughter Johanna Dineen.

Mary died at the age of eighty-two on 12 Oct, 1896 in the parish of Pontymister in Risca, Monmouthshire, Wales^b12. Her death was attributed to "senile decay" (death through old age, possibly including dementia)^b12.

Timeline

1814

Probably born around this time in Cork, Ireland.

1838

2 Dec

Daughter, Johanna Dineen (1838–1928), born in Caerleon, Monmouthshire, Wales.^a1

7 Dec

Recorded as residing in Caerleon.^a1

1840

25 Apr

Daughter, Margaret Dineen (1840–?), born in Caerleon.^a3

1842

22 May

Daughter, Bridget Dineen (1842–1898)★, born in Caerleon.

4 Jun

Recorded as living in Caerleon.

1844

15 Feb

Her son, Dennis Dineen (1844–1916), born in Caerleon. She was the informant.^a7,b13

29 Mar

Recorded as living in Caerleon.^b13

1849

30 Mar

Son, John Dineen (1849–1849), born in Caerleon.^a9,b7
Recorded as living in Caerleon.^b7

6 Apr

Son, John Dineen (1849–1849), died in Caerleon.^b8

1851

30 Mar

Recorded in the 1851 census living at Shoemaker's Row, Risca, Monmouthshire, Wales.^f1

2 Nov

Son, Jeremiah Dineen (1851–1936), born in Risca, Monmouthshire, Wales.^a10

1853

15 Dec

Daughter, Mary Agnes Dineen (1853–?), born in Risca.^a11

1857

25 Dec

Son, John Dineen (1857–?), born in Risca.^a13,a12

1861

7 Apr

Recorded in the 1861 census residing at Ty Dan y Wal, Aberystruth, Monmouthshire, Wales.^g1

17 Sep

Children's father, Daniel Dineen (1806–1861)★, died in Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales.^b14

1864

11 Nov

Witness to the marriage of Patrick Bryan and Bridget Dineen★ at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Stow Hill, Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales.^b1,a4

1871

2 Apr

Recorded in the 1871 census residing at Nailers Lane, Risca, Monmouthshire, Wales.^h1
Economic status recorded as Supported by Parish Relief.^h1

1881

3 Apr

Recorded in the 1881 census living at Railway Tavern, Lower Machen, Machen, Monmouthshire, Wales.^k1

1891

5 Apr

Recorded in the 1891 census residing at 3 Buck Farm, Lower Machen, Machen, Monmouthshire, Wales.^m1
Economic status recorded as Living on Means.^m1

1896

12 Oct

Died at the age of eighty-two in Pontymister, Risca, Monmouthshire, Wales. The informant was her daughter Johanna Dineen (1838–1928).^b12

Facts

Research Notes

It’s not clear whether Mary’s name was Nighan/Nihan or Lyons. On balance, though, I believe it was Nighan, pronounced “ny-an”.

Given that she was an Irish immigrant living in South Wales, it’s probably that the local administrative recorders had some trouble understanding her and her husband’s accents. With this pronunciation, it’s possible to imagine it being misheard as the more familiar Lyon if pronounced “lie-on”,

The same can be said for the name Dineen which is variously recorded as Denihan, Duneal, Deneen, Denene, Denny, Dinihan etc.

Some documentary evidence:

• Baptism of Joanna Denen on 7 Dec 1838 (born 7 Dec 1838), father Daniel, mother Mary, formerly Nihan. Godparents were Jeremiah Maddin and Elen Coleman. They were from Caerleon (St. Mary’s RC Church Newport - modern transcription)

• Baptism of Margaret Dinahen on 3 May 1840 (born 25 April 1840), father Daniel, mother Mary, formerly Nihan. Godparents were Timothy Madden and Margaret Madden. They were from Caerleon. (St. Mary’s RC Church Newport - modern transcription)

• Baptism of Bridget Dinihan on 4 June 1842 (born 22 May 1842), father Daniel, mother Mary Lyons. Godfather was Charles McCarthy. They were from Caerleon. (St. Mary’s RC Church Newport - modern transcription)

• Baptism of Dennis Denny on 24 Feb 1844 (born 15 Feb 1844), father Daniel, mother Mary formerly Nihan. Godparents were Daniel Nihan and Catherine Leary. (St. Mary’s RC Church Newport - modern transcription)

• Birth certificate of Dennis Denihan, born 29 March 1844, in Caerleon, parents Daniel Denihan and Mary Lyon (modern transcription by GRO. Note registration date was 29 April 1844 which, if he was born on 15 Feb, is outside the allowed 42 days to register a birth. It seems likely that Mary, the informant, gave a different birth date to keep within the law)

• Baptism of Catherine Deneen on 31 Mar 1849 (born 30 Mar 1849), father Daniel, mother Mary, formerly Naghan. Godparents were Timothy Collins and Anna Collins. (St. Mary’s RC Church Newport - modern transcription)

• Baptism of Jeremiah Dennane on 16 Nov 1851 (born 2 Nov 1851), father Daniel, mother Mary, formerly Nihan. Godparents were John Murray and Mary Sullivan. (St. Mary’s RC Church Newport - modern transcription)

• Baptism of Mary Dian on 18 Dec 1853 (born 15 Dec 1853), father Daniel, mother Mary Nihan. Godparents were Mathew Cochlan and Catherine Sullivan. (St. Mary’s RC Church Newport - modern transcription)

• Baptism of John Deneen on 7 Jan 1858 (born 25 Dec 1857), father Daniel, mother Mary, formerly Nihan. Godparents were William Desmond and Mary Deneen.

• Birth certificate of John Deneen, 20 Mar 1849 in Caerleon. Father Daniel, mother Mary, formerly Nighan. Informant was Timothy Collins, Occupier. (Copy of original writing)

• In the 1841 census Mary is living in Caerleon with her family and also with Daniel and Johanah Niohen. Daniel is a similar age to Mary, perhaps her brother.