Hello,
I've posted before on the Loughrea page but didn't realize there was this Kilnadeema group as well so I am hoping someone here can help. I was just there last summer and went to midweek mass and met the priest and a wonderful local historian. Unfortunately time was limited and not all family members with me as interested in genealogy so I had to move on. This is what I know.
My 2x great grandfather, Michael Henry Donlan left Loughrea iin 1866. He was warned they'd be coming to get him in the morning because of Fennian activities he had been involved. His family gave him teh Murrays address in New York to go to, they were also from Loughrea and he ended up marrying their daughter Ann. I believe Ann Murray was from Kilnadeema, and since they were supposedly neighbors was hoping Michael was too but find no record of anything related to him there. Michael was the son of Peter Donlan and Katherine Kervick born around 1847 or 1848. Everyone tells me Kervick is not a common name and it must have been Kerwick and on emigrant savings bank record it does look like it could be, but other places it is listed it looks like Kervick. As far as we know his parents stayed in Ireland and the only sibling we know in the US was a sister Mary.
Ann Murray was the daughter of Andrew Murray (born abt 1807 from census records) and Bridget Mary O'Donnell. She was supposedly born May 26, 1846. She had a sister Catherine who said she was born July 25, 1834, and another sister Mary.
I found a record in the church in Kilnadeema for a baptism for a Margarita Murray, parents Andrew Murray and Bridget Daniel, born April 17, baptized April 21, 1844 with sponsors Peter Murray and Maria Dooley. Would Daniel be used instead of O'Donnell, and could this be the right family? The priest told us there are many Murrays in the area so I am hopeful.
I forgot to mention that Michael's son Peter married a family friend's daughter whose parents Martin Hynes and Nora Fahey were from Loughrea too, Nora actually said she was from Kileenadeema.
Sorry this is so long, thank you in advance for any help you can give me.
AIleen Coogan