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Kelly's of Reanagishagh

ClareKilmaley (Clare)

I'm trying to trace the ancestors of Winifred Meehan (nee Kelly) born around 1837. I believe she came from Reanagishagh as her first child Michael Meehan was born there and was baptised in the Kilmaly Church on 26 August 1852.

She was married to a Michael Meehan from Cloontabonniv and had at least three more children in ireland, Daniel circa 1858, John and Mary (twins) baptised 14 July 1860. I believe Winifred's parents were Michael Kelly and Mary Carney/Kearney. Both Meehan and Carney/Kearney families are well represened in the Kilmaley Parish but Meehans from Cloontabonniv are a much smaller group but I have not been able to find much linking Winifred.

It would appear her husband and child, John, died before she and the rest of the family migrated to Townsville, Australia in 1876. She may have been accompanied by two nieces Bridget Kelly aged 17 and Margaret Kelly aged 18.

Any information would be appreciated.

mick.obrien@tr…

5 replies

Hi Mick, we have contacted a local volunteer whom we hope is of assistance, 

Kind regards

Denise, IrelandXO

IrelandXO Mode…IrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Mick,
I am interested in Winifred Meehan and the mention of her Kelly nieces. Do you know if any of the Meehans settled in Bowen Queensland Aust?

Deirdre Mulcair

Winifred and her children settled in the Townsville area, mainly to the south and west. I don't believe they, or any of their descendents, went as far south as Bowen. In those days there was a fair bit of contact between Bowen and Townsville as they were the major settlements in North Queensland. 

mick.obrien@tr…

Thanks for your reply, I am interested in Joseph Valentine Meehan (Father Thomas Mother Ellen) and family who had ties to North Queensland....Townsville Charters Towers Mareeba. I am trying to establish a Meehan/Kelly connection in my family tree. Thinking its not through Winifred but not totally convinced.

Deirdre Mulcair

Deirdre, with the last name Meehan and links to the Townsville, Charters Towers or Mareeba areas in North Queensland there is every chance that there is some connection. But I don'y have one at the moment. What I do have is the following: -

  • I believe that Michael Meehan (Winifred Kelly's husband) had a brother Thomas (Circa 1823 - 1898) who was living in Cloontabonniv, Co Calre, when he died. But I only have two sons for Thomas, Thomas (1858 - ?) and Michael (1862 - 1933) and I have Thomas' (the father) wife as Mary Griffy. I don't have any further information on his son Thomas.
  • A Joseph Meehan, aged 21, migrated to Australia on the Mount Lebanon arriving in Brisbane on 23 August 1884 after leaving Glasgow on 26 June 1884. He appeared to be travelling alone. From the immigrants that I follow, most of the Irish who immigrated to Australia generally stayed reasonably close to where they landed (within a few hundred kilometres anyway). I don't know whether this Joseph was Irish or Scottish.

I don't have any records of a Joseph Valentine Meehan. I only have records for two Joseph Meehans, Joseph Francis Meehan (1910-1989) Australia and a Joseph ? Meehan (?-2021) UK and Ireland.

But the link is worth pursuing.

Mick

mick.obrien@tr…

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