Geoghegan in Kilgarriff and Clonakilty
Trying to find out more about the Geoghegan family ancestry tree before 1800. The furthestback I have been able to trace ancestors in the Clonakilty area was to 1809 when available Church records begin. Our family's 2x great-grandfather was John Joseph Geoghegan, who was living in the Clonakilty/Kilgarriff area until immigration to the USA in the 1850s. He was born about 1816. John Geoghegan's name appears in Griffith's Valuation as living in Kilgarriff/Tawnies Upper/Clonakilty/New Chapel St. He married Margaret Blake on 12 April 1845 in the Darraraparish. She was the daughter of John Blake and Peggy Fitzpatrick of Clonakilty. Three of their children were born in Clonakilty during the 1840s and early 1850s (Mary Jane, Ambrose Francis, and Margaret Anne). John's brother James Geoghegan married Mary Delahunty in the Darraraparish, too. However, when I asked the Clonakilty historical society what anyone knew about the Geoghegan family in the area, they thought the family arrived from somewhere else in the late 18th century, probably for the wool trade. Of course, all Geogheganstrace the family origin to County Westmeath - but the family had scattered throughout Ireland by the 16th through 18th centuries. I am trying to find out who were the parents of John Geoghegan, and if they actually were from the Kilgarriff - Clonakilty area after all - And if not, then from where? Macroom and Donraille also had Geoghegan families listed as residents in the early 19th century. If anyone has a clue as to the Geoghegan history in Kilgarriff & Clonakilty, I would greatly appreciate any information.