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Need research advice on limited Kearney family of Westport information

Mayo

My goal is to find where my mother's Kearney family came from in or near Westport, Co Mayo. All I have is a family description of James and Mary Kearney with children James, Thomas, Peter and Mary. Peter (1861- 1927 ) and Mary (1857-1935) immigrated to Scranton, PA. Mary's obituary in 1935 mentions a brother Thomas still living in Ireland. Julia is sometimes mentioned as another child who came to Scranton.

Is there a data source where I can search based on the description of family members around 1850-80. I would very much like to narrow the location beyond the broad description of Westport.

Paul Lowry

NYCPaull

6 replies

Paul:

Welcome back to Ireland Reaching Out! 

I believe I located the correct baptismal record for Peter Carney in 1858 In Islandeady RC church northeast of Westport. No maiden names is shown for Mary but other baptismal records show McEntire. I located records for the following siblings to Peter. Bridget 1846 Mary 1851 Judith 1854 James 1856 Thomas 1862 Anne 1866. Civil registration of births began in 1864 so I searched the free site www.irishgenealogy.ie and found the record for Anne. https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1866/03516/2293112.pdf 

The family was living in Letter townland in Islandeady civil parish.

In the 1901 census, Thomas was living with his family in Letter. I presume the parents had died.

Let me know what questions you have.

Roger McDonnell

Name:Peter CarneyDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:28-Nov-1858Address:
Parish/District:Islandeady RC parishGender:MaleCountyCo. Mayo
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:James CarneyMother:Mary N. L.Occupation:
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:John Jennings Sponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Judith Jennings 

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Roger,

I just made a contribution to IrelandXO for the overnight miracle you performed in finding my mother's Irish roots.  Your wonderful group performed their same magic a year or so ago when they found the same type information for my Lowry family in the Ballydoolough townland.  Having mother and father Irish DNA within 30k makes me a proud 100% Connacht Irishman.

While I didn't mention it in my original email, you confirmed family stories about Mary Keaney's maiden name being McEntire and that my grandfather Peter came to the U.S. with a cousin J. Jennings.  Aside from finding family there is no better feeling than having the facts of a mystery combine into a proof.

Thank you for performing your magic for me.  I now look forward to a family pilgrimage from Ballydoolough to Westport with a greater degree of certitude.

Paul Lowry 

NYCPaull

Paul:

Thanks for the donation!

Sometimes we get lucky with messages where the poster is trying to locate the origins of their family. We are at the mercy of available church records and many parishes have records which start much later in the 19th century.

Let us know if you have other questions.

Roger

 

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Thanks again Roger. 

I've been doing a virtual Google Maps driver around Letter townland after looking up the Valuation records.  You finally gave me a specific part of Ireland to investigate and I so appreciate it.

Paul

NYCPaull

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