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Connelly/Kerrigan in County Mayo/County Galway

I have been researching my family history for Connelly and Kerrigan. I have had DNA tests done with My Heritage, 23andMe, and Ancestry. I use Family Search, Irish Genealogy, Ancestry, My Heritage, etc. to search for my family ancestors, but I have no luck trying to distinguish between families due to common names.

According to my GG Grandmother, Julia Ann Kerrigan's obituary, she was born in County Galway on July 9, 1862. to Michael Kerrigan (d. before the 1901 Ireland census) and Bridget Lyden/Lydon (b. 1851). Julia's siblings are Anne Kerrigan (b.1865/1866;m. Patrick Connelly), Philip Kerrigan (b. April 13, 1866 Lettergersh, Clifden, County Galway, Ireland; m. Margaret Laffey), Honor(Honora/Honoria/Nora) Kerrigan (b. April 8, 1869 Lettergesg East, Clifden, County Galway, Ireland), and Catherine Kerrigan. For Catherine, I have found two, and I am unsure if they are both from the same family and one died young, or if they are from two different familes with the same names. The first Catherine Kerrigan was born February 8, 1872 in Lettergesh, Clifden, County Galway, Ireland, and the second Catherine Kerrigan was born June 25, 1873 Lettergesh, Clifden, County Galway, Ireland and married Roger Conroy. I know I am related to Anne Kerrigan and Philip Kerrigan through a DNA test done with Ancestry. Julia emigrated to America (likely the Boston, Massachussettsarea) somewhere between 1883 and 1888 and married Michael Mathias Connelly September 25, 1889 in Boston, Massachussetts. I would like to know if there were 2 Catherine's born to Michael and Bridget Lyden Kerrigan. I am also trying to find where Julia fits into this family because I have been unable to find any birth records or baptismal records for her. It's been tough trying to find records for Julia's father Michael Kerrigan and his family, birth dates, etc.

My GG Grandfather Michael Connelly is even harder to track down. According to word of mouth of family, he was born about 1865 in Ireland. He emigrated to America between 1883 and 1888. According to the marriage records, Michael was the son of Joseph Connelly and Catherine (no last name). I have seen the name spelled Connolly/Connolley so I am unsure what the original spelling was for them. I have had no leads through DNA matches, Ancestry family trees, or any of my usual sites. I don't know if he was from County Mayo or County Galway.

Michael Connelly and Julia Kerrigan moved to Johnstown, New York and had Catherine A., Anna H., Joseph D., Michael M., and Julia V.

I would truly appreciate any help from the voluteers to connect me with information and/or people that are looking for the same families.

cacowgyrl@yahoo.com

4 replies

Keri:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

From waht I can see, the RC church for the Kerrigan family was Ballynakill but records for that parish do not begin until 1869. There would be no available baptismal record for Julia. You would only find civil birth records for siblings born 1864 on and baptismal records for any sibling baptized 1869 or later.

For deaths that were civilly registerdd, we have index reocrds from 1864-1877 on the free sie www.irishgenealogy.ie and full images from 1878-1969. I found a Catherine Kerrigan death index record in 1872 for a child less than one. Without writing to Ireland for the record, I think it is very likely that this record was for the first Catherine. So there were two Catherine Kerrigans born to Michael Kerrigan and Bridget Lyden.

NameCATHERINE KERRIGANDate of Death1872Group Registration IDN/RSR District/Reg AreaClifdenDeceased Age at Death0Returns Year1872Returns Quarter3Returns Volume No14Returns Page No103

Likely Michael Connelly was from the same area and his birth was pre-1869 and records would not be available.

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you, Roger!

I know there are multiple spellings for Connelly. Since I don't know if the spelling I have is correct or if it changed when they arrived in the United States, will there be any way for me to find Michael Connelly in Ireland without knowing his birth date to track down the correct family and knowing that both those names are common? 

Ballynakill is that within County Galway or County Mayo?

cacowgyrl@yahoo.com

Keri:

Ballinakill is the RC parish just to the north of Clifden(Omey) in Co. Galway  https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/1045

You had this sentence in your first message    "Michael Connelly and Julia Kerrigan moved to Johnstown, New York and had Catherine A., Anna H., Joseph D., Michael M., and Julia V. "  From this statement, I assumed Michael and Julia emigrated together which to me meant that Michael was from the same area as Julia.

There are too many Michael Connelly/Connolly/Conneely in Galway and/or Mayo to know which one was your Michael.

Roger

 

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

That link will be so useful, Roger. Thank you again!

No, they didn't emigrate together from Ireland to the United States as far as I have been able to tell in my research, but I do know that that does not mean that they didn't know each other before emigrating and marrying in Boston. After marrying in Boston, they did move together to Johnstown. I know there was family in Boston when they came over, but again, too many Kerrigan and Connelly names were in that area to know which is a part of my lineage.

cacowgyrl@yahoo.com

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