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Downey family of Rathkyle

KilkennyKilmacar (Kilkenny)

I am looking ot ocnnect wiht descendants of the Downey family of Rathkyle. I know some migrated to Australia and other to New Foundland, Canada and some remained in Ireland. My great great grand father, John Downey (so of James) was born in Rathkyle in 1839 and migrated ot the USA in about 1850. He died in Wallingford, Ct in 1920. He was a miner for 20 years and then took up farming. I suspect he worked at the Anthracite minesin Castlecomer. He had two brothers, Nicholas and Michael (Michael moved across the valley to C'Noc Aun (Little Hills)) and a sister Catherine.

IrelandXO member

2 replies

Dear Phil

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

Do you know if Nicholas emigrated? His name and family might be easier to track given that it is a less common first name than say John or Patrick.

If John was born in 1839 his brother could be a few years either side thus putting this 1901 Census entry in the correct age bracket or thereabouts - the only Nicholas in Kilkenny in 1901, aged 54 years giving him a year of birth of 1847. It is an entry in the townland of Conahy in the parish of Grangemaccomb. It is a bit of a distance from Rathkyle and of no importance to your search if Nicolas did emigrate - see attached map

Let me know what you think

Best wishes

Clare Doyle

Genealogy Support 

 

 

IrelandXO member

Nicholas was my great grandfather. He moved from Wallingford to Waterbury and had six children. He and his oldest son, also Nicholas, passed in the Spanish Flu epidemic in 1918. His son Joseph is my grandfather and lived in Watertown, Ct until he passed in 1981.

Ed D

eddowney58@gmail.com

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