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O'Brien McKnight families

LimerickCappamore (Limerick)

I am researching for my nieces husband's O'Brien family and know that they are from Co Limerick.

I have found two baptisms for Cappamore parish dated 1845 and 1847 for two children of William O'Brien and Mary McKnight.  The townsland is stated as Portane. I haven't been able to find any other family baptisms for this parish and no mention of Wm O'Brien or any McKnights in this area in the Griffith Valuation  The eldest son James O'Brien went to Australia and appears to have been later joined by his mother.  She died in Victoria in 1863 and lists all of her children other than James as deceased.  The names declaring that she was buried in Greta show J O'Brien and W O'Brien.  I was hoping that her husband William was the W as her son William is declared as deceased.  

Perhaps there was a reason why Wm and Mary were in Portane between 1845 and 1847 - famine years of  course but perhaps someone can tell me if either of these surnames are particular to this area.

Many thanks for any clues

marianne@rmyoung.ie

2 replies

Hi Marianne, there were only 14 McKnight families in Co Limerick in Griffiths valuation www.askaboutireland.ie

One was in Doon,  O,Brien would have been a popular name in Co Limerick.

Headstone inscriptions   for St Fintand graveyard Doon, and also Towerhill Cappamore on line at www.historicgraves.ie.

Best of luck, let me know how you get on.

Christina, Volunteer.

ChristinaIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Christina

Thank you for such a prompt response to my message.  I had done a search of the GV where parishes included both the O'Brien and McKnight name and found them most likely in Askeaton but looking at the map I thought Askeaton was too far from Portane to be viable.  I searched the website you mentioned and did notice a William O'Brien from Askeaton so perhaps I need to divert my search in this direction.  I shall keep searching!

Best regards

Marianne

marianne@rmyoung.ie

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