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Martin J Killeen and wife Bridget [Biddy] Kelly

GalwayWoodford Looscaun (Galway)

Killeens and Kelly Famlies of Woodford Parish - looking for anyone from these families who are still in the area. Trying to find cousins and other siblings of Martin and Bridget. I have a lot of information about their children who came to Massachusetts and settled in the western part of the state and names and godparents of children of son Peter and his wife, Ellen Roughan.

I think they were born about 1810 since their first son, Peter, was born in January 1833 [or it might have been his baptismal date] according to records in the R.C. church in Woodford, eastern area of County Galway. The last information I have for Martin is in the Griffiths Valuation. Martin must have died between 1856 and 1866 because Bridget died at Peter's home in Flesk on the 19th of March 1866, as a widow. The family originally lived in the townland of Gorteeny.

A little information on the Kelly family: there is a gravestone leaning against Thomas Killeens headstone [son of Martin and Biddy] which states Delia Kelly, daughter of Dennis and Fanny Kelly of County Galway, died 3 April 1872. This is in St. Josephs Cemetery in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Could Dennis be a cousin of Martin's children? I think it is a good possibility but am now looking for proof.

IrelandXO member

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I have some data on a Thomas Killeen who married Julia Goonan in Clonrush Parish next to Woodford. They are listed in the census of 1901 and 1911 in Ballyhinch.

scl3145

Thank you for responding mentioning your Thomas Killeen.  My Thomas, as far as I know, was not married in Ireland.  He did

marry twice in the United States.  He was the first of the family to emigrate and came in mid 1800s so would not have been

on the 1900 censuses.

IrelandXO member

Hi Eileen names repeated in Irish families and the older Thomas you know may well be related and one of the Killeens who stayed behind in Ireland or that Galway area specifically. Kelly is also a local name to Clonrush Parish in Whitegate and nearby. Sometimes to find your exact family, looking at the same name in the area of origin will help. Trace as much as you can in America on those names you have and look at the Killeen and Kelly name in the Woodford and Clonrush area. Sometimes there are places of origin on shipping records. I try to research the sponsors as well. They are often family too. I have roots in Gorteeny and both Woodford Parish and Clonrush more generally. Best of luck Suzanne

scl3145

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