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Researching family of James O'Keefe (O'Keeffe, Keeffe), Mahoonagh Parish, Co. Limerick

Hello! I'm looking for any information on my great-grandfather James O'Keeffe, b. Oct. 1860 (?), probably in Mahoonagh Parish. I haven't found a birth or baptismal record for him, but his brother Patrick (1863-1899) was baptized there in April 1863.

Their parents were James Keeffe (1830-1878) and Ellen Reidy (1834-1905), who married in Ballingarry in November 1859.
I have very minimal information about this line going back to 18th-century ancestors John Keeffe and Ellen (Helen?) Browne, whose marriage took place on 11 February 1777 in Monagea (a variant on Mahoonagh?), and would be grateful for any info. But I'm most interested in the 19th-century relatives: those who left Ireland and those who stayed.

My great-grandfather immigrated to Montreal, Quebec, Canada around 1880 and married Johanna (Hannah) O'Connor of Co. Kerry there in 1883. They had five children, the second-eldest of whom was my grandfather, James Henry O'Keefe (1885-1950). I can possibly supply information for anyone researching the descendants of people who went to North America.

Many thanks in advance to you all!

Laura

lokeefe22@hotm…

4 replies

Dear Laura: 

Many thanks for your post to the Ireland Reaching Out message board and welcome to the site.  The parish of Mahoonagh was also known as Castlemahon.  It is located near Newcastle West, and the parish of Monagea is adjacent to it.  Records in these registers may have gaps in them which is why you may not be able to find baptism records.  I have forwarded a copy of this post to several of our Limerick volunteers who may be able to add further information. 

You might also look at the Historic Graves website which lists many headstones recorded throughout County Limerick.  Their link is below:  https://historicgraves.com/ 

You might also consider creating a profile for one of these family members on the XO Chronicles feature which is located at the top of this page.  These profiles are widely read and may attract the interest of other members who are researching the same family.  The best of luck with your research. 

Kind regards, 

Jane

jhalloranryan@…

Hello Laura, my name is Jennifer and Jane has sent me your details in order that I might find something of interest to / for you. I will be in Monague on Thursday so I will visit the cemetary there although there are three seperate areas to Monague and yours story might lie in one of the other two.

Please be patient and we will let you know how we manage

Meantime I wish you the compliments of the season

Jennifer Jean

 

Killeedy1 LimerickIrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you so much, Jane and Jennifer!  There's certainly no urgency to obtaining any information about these ancestors, and the ones in the cemeteries aren't going anywhere.  Jane, I'll take your advice and compile a profile or two for the Chronicles feature on this site.

Many thanks again,

Laura O'Keefe

 

 

lokeefe22@hotm…
I have a different query about several O’Keefe or O’Keeffe brothers who were from Ballingarry and left for America in the 19th century. Martin (b. 1811) left before 1840. Martin (b. ~1816), Cornelius Thomas (b. ~1822), and Daniel Cornelius (b. 1828) left together in 1847, sailing from Liverpool. Their nephew, Thomas J (b. 1841), and niece, Mary Agnes (b. 1837), left in 1853, and this brother and sister’s mother was either a Noonan or a Halloran. Thomas and James were popular names for children in these families, so perhaps the father of the first four was named Thomas or James. Family stories mention a red house, which may be relevant.
Chip Jones

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