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Ahern Family - Newmarket, Clare, Ireland. Mid 1800s.

Hi all,

Thanks to a lovely lady Maeve, I have been directed to this website & am hoping someone maybe able to assist find some more information about my Irish ancestors.

My G Grandfather is Denis (Dinny) Ahern who was born in Newmarket, Clare, Ireland and migrated to 1st - Queensland, Australia & then to Western Australia where he died 28 April, 1945 aged 79, possibly born 1865 or 1866. His parents are listed as James or William Ahern (Farmer) and Mary Keough. On his burial record his birthplace is noted as Tarbert and in an obituary it says he was a native of Dublin .In 1884 a Denis Ahern, aged 20 arrived on the Duke of Westminster ship to Queensland, Australia as a remtttance passenger along with a James Ahern, aged 26. We haven't been able to confirm this was our Denis but when he died it was said he had been 60yrs in Australia,

My father has had a DNA test and through shared matches on Ancestry we think Denis is brother to Patrick (Patt) Ahern, also born in Newmarket, Clare, Ireland abt 1855. His parents are listed as James Ahern (Farmer) and Mary Keough. He possibly arrived in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, in 1876 and died there 14 March 1935.

If anyone has any information of this family, I would be most grateful.

I have attached a couple of certificates from which information was gathered.

Thanks so much and stay safe.

Vicki White

Vicki White

5 replies

Hi Vicky,

Griffith Land Valuations have a James Ahern in the townland of Rathleen North, Civil parish of Tomfinlough, Barony of Bunratty Lower, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co. Clare -1850's- www.askaboutireland.ie - free site. The parish church is in Newmarket-on-Fergus village

This is part of the O'Brien (Dromoland Estate) and employees would have come there from many parts in times past. The  family name "Keough" (Keogh) is known locally. 

I will see if I can get more detail and get back to you.

Regards,

McCoy

Hi Vicky,

Further to previous post, I have checked a number of records for the marriage of James Ahern and Mary Keogh, but I have not found anything. The on-line site  catholicrecords@nli.ie  for Newmarket-on-Fergus are: Baptism: April 1829 to March 1866 - Marriages: 1828 to August 1865. 

The name "Keogh" is in many parts of Co. Clare and if the marriage took place in the bride's parish it may not be recorded in the 1840/1850's.

In Newmarket-on -Fergus there is a baptism on March 5th 1855 for a Patrick Ahern. Father: Patt Ahern and Mother: Mary. Surname area blobbed! Sponsors: James Ahern and Bridget. No address shown.

The common name for Rathlaheen is "Ralahine" where James is shown in other records and also "Lislea" an adjoining townland.

If I come across any other relevant information I will post it to you.

Regards,

McCoy

Hi Vicky,

Google "Ralahine a failed experiment". It may account for how the family of Ahern arrived in that location?

I am having difficulty in locating a "Denis Ahern" in the Newmarket-on-Fergus area. The name "Denis Keogh" is quite common in the adjoining parish of Sixmilebridge.

Regards,

 

McCoy

Hi McCoy,

I love you!!

 Thankyou for taking the time to look into Aherns in Newmarket. Very confusing in Ireland at that time with all the different counties,townlets, parishes etc & all very close to each other. Here in Australia towns are further apart.

I will see what I can find in the websites you have mentioned.

I very much enjoyed reading about Ralahine as I was unaware of such shared communities. So sad that the main man got envolved in gambling, just as the farm was making real progress.

From shared DNA matches on Ancestry, we have connections with the surnames Halpin, Coffey, Allen, Slattery and Daly (all in USA) that have Newmarket on Fergus but cannot seem to find the connection.

Could you tell me if County Clare is near Kings County?

It seems that the Ahern children (or Patt & Dinny anyway) had had a good education as both could read, write & had successful lives in Aust.

Thankyou once again.

Vicki  

Vicki White

Hi Vicky,

Kings County is now - County Offaly. The Diocese of Killaloe covers part of that County - Birr and Roscrea.  Nenagh in County Tipperary also shares this Diocese. The Diocese was drawn up in the 10th century. They are on the East side of the river Shannon.

I recommend that you check out the local County Clare Library  - www.clarelibrary.ie ; - It has many articles in relation to the various families who lived there in 18th and 19th century. 

There was hoard of ancient gold pieces found close to Ralahine c1870, when workman were preparing the railway line from Limerick to Ennis. It is known as the "Mooghaun Gold find". Some of the find, but not all, is on view in Kildare Street, Dublin. A man from the nearby village of Quin imigrated to Australia in the 19th century where he was involved a major gold find and became very rich!

From my inquiries, I have learned that there are no branches of those "Ahern's" now living in the Newmarket-on-Fergus parish. Newmarket-on-Fergus Roman Catholic parish was comprised of seven ancient parishes until the Roman Catholic parish of Shannon Town was created in recent years. When checking townland addresses it creates confusion. Newmarket-on-Fergus village is "Parish of Tomfinlough". The tourist townland of Bunratty was a parish, but is now in the parish of New-market-onFergus!

Best Wishes,

McCoy

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