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O'Neill, Leydon and Mannix families, County Clare

Hello,

I have just joined this site and have not had much luck finding anything to do with my ancestors. We are O’Neills and I thought it would be easy and lots of information would pop up, but not so as yet.

I would really appreciate some help as I am just beginning to look for my Irish ancestors.

Here is what I know:

My mother, Nora O’Neill was born to Alfred Augustus and Grace Ethel O’Neill (nee Ward) in Karangi, New South Wales, Australia on August 10, 1930. Alfred Augustus, born 1 May 1891, married 11 October, 1929 and died 26 January, 1946 was the son of Patrick O’Neill, born 7 February, 1862, Albion Park, NSW, Australia who married Bridget Mannix, born 20 February 1855, Wingecarribee, NSW, Australia and died 7 July, 1938. Patrick died 12 November, 1929, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia.

Bridget Mannix’s father was John Mannix born 1815 and died 1904, married 7 March 1848 in Bridgetown, Clare to Catherine Esther Skahan born 1819, died 1903.

Patrick’s father was Michael O’Neill, born 1831 Quin, County Clare, married 30 November 1857 at St Francis Xaviers, Wollongong, NSW, Australia to Margaret Leydon, born1827, County Clare and died 29 March, 1904. Michael died 1 July, 1881 at Albion Park, NSW, Australia.

Michael’s parents were Michael O’Neill born 1810 and Anne McNamara, born 1810 and Margaret’s parents were Michael Leydon, born 1805 and Mary Leydon, also born in 1810.

I am interested in more details from their time in Ireland, why and how they came to Australia – they were not convicts, and any further ancestral lines including where they lived. Any help would be greatly appreciated. If I have not posted this on the correct page, please do let me know.

Best regards,

Betty O’Neill

Betty.ONeill@u…

2 replies

Betty:

You have done a fantastic job researching your family.

I went on the subscription site FindMyPast.ie and found a possible baptismal record for Michael O'Neill in Quin RC parish. The date was October 2 1828 Quin RC parish father Michael O'Neill mother Norry McNamara

I then went on the NLI site and found the parish register record  https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000634686#page/86/mode/1up ; and it appears to me that Norry was actually Nancy which is a variant of Anne so I'm fairly confident that this is the correct entry.

There is a annotation where the O'Neill's lived but I can't match up what the word with the townland list.

I could not locate a record for Margaret Leydon.

I believe they came to Australia for a better opportunity. They likely had relatives in Australia.

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Hello Roger,

Thank you so much for this information. I don't know how on earth you read those Parish records! I know you said you haven't been ab;e to match the place they lived with the townland list, but to get an idea of the general area, does it say the name of the church he was baptised in and where that is?

That's a good explanation of his mother's name going from Norry to Nancy as a derivative of Anne. I never would have  guessed that.

I really appreciate you replying to my query. Do you have any suggestions of where to next?

Betty.ONeill@u…

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