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Michael CLeary and Ellen Burke, perhaps also Lehy

LimerickBulgaden (Limerick)

Looking for information on Michael Cleary who joined 17th Foot Regiment in April 1847, served in Crimean War, then Canada where he settled and died in October 1899. Military attestation says he was from Kilmallock. In August 1850 in Ballyovey, Mayo, he married Ellen Burke. They had a daughter Caroline in Dublin in 1854; his other five children were born in Canada. 10 days after his marriage in Mayo, he was witness to marriage of William Connell, also in 17th Foot and Crimean war ; Willam married Mary Burke, Aug.18, 1850, again in Ballyovey, perhaps their regiment was stationed in Mayo at that time. Were Ellen and Mary sisters? Were they from Mayo, or from Limerick? perhaps nearby Galbally/Aherlow.? Willam Connell and Mary Burke settled in Newbridge, Kildare in 1870. Is this the Michael Cleary born July 1830, the son of Michael Cleary and Bridget Lehy?

John in Canada

Johnny Canuck

6 replies

Hi Johnny

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out and apologies for the long delay in getting back to you.

I have asked a volunteer to have a look at this and they should be in touch again soon

Best wishes

Clare Doyle

Genealogy Support 

IrelandXO member

Thanks for that Clare.   I could add that Michael Cleary settled in Dunnville Ontario, was very well know, was a town councillor and had many descendants.   I look forward to any and all responses.

John

 

Johnny Canuck

Hi Johnny

Haven't forgotten about you - have contacted the volunteer again

Best wishes

Clare

Genealogy Support

IrelandXO member

Re: Michael Cleary

According to the marriage  record Michael was indeed in the 17th Regiment of Foot when he married Ellen Burke on the 8th August 1850 in Ballyovey. William Connell seem to have been another soldier in the 17th Regiment of Foot, unfortunately neither Ellen Burke's marriage record nor Mary's marriage records give the name of her parents in order to establish if they were sisters and the names are to common to just asume they were sisters.

In my experience the soldiers could have been from anywhere in Ireland, they were stationed and moved from barrack to barrack in Ireland. A baptism search for a Michael Cleary born in 1830 gives 9 results, none of them in Kilmallock, I did find a baptism of a Michael Clearly who's father was also in the army (5th Regiment) this Michael was born in the barrack town if Buttevant Co. Cork, and baptised on 2nd October 1831  father Thomas Cleary mother Elizabeth Quinlan.

Good news now, the above mentioned parents Thomas Cleary and Elizabeth Quinlan had 2 more children Margaret baptised 27-Mar-1838 and Maria baptised 16-Aug-1840 , both were baptised in KILMALLOCK co Limerick.

I can see that Michael enlisted in Killaloe in co Clare age 17 in 1847 , another barrack town, also noticed he did give his birthplace as Killmallock, my conclusion is that Michaels father was also in the army and was also stationed in different places, Michael was born in Buttevant co Cork and his sisters in Kilmallock.

Parents Thomas Cleary and Elizabeth Quinlan married on the 2nd October 1830 in Banagher co. Offaly, no parents mentioned on the record

PS. I have attached a picture of old Buttevant, not the time frame from your Michael but in the background you see the army barracks housing for the soldiers that still exist right now. Soldiers with families would have lived there during their stay in Buttevant

 

 

Regards

 

Anne Marie

Mallow CorkIrelandXO Volunteer

Thanks Mallow!

All the best

Clare

Genealogy Support 

IrelandXO member

Thanks Anne Marie in Mallow for your research, and the photo.    Yes, Burke is very common in Mayo, Cork, Limerick and Kilkenny too.   Cleary from ?? and Connell from Kilkenny married the Burke girls.  Probably the lads were stationed in Ballinrobe or Castlebar.   Note that Mary Burke and William Connell were witnesses to Ellen's marriage to Michael Cleary in Ballyovey, and then  ten days later Mary marries William with Michael Cleary as a witness.    That is what made me think they might be related, close cousins if not sisters.  and probably local girls, would you agree?   

The only Burk sisters, Ellen and Mary, I can find are to John Burk and Narry Cronin in Inchigeelagh, Cork in 1829 and 1825.  But it's a long shot they would marry in Mayo, I think.

Re your Michael Cleary born in Buttevant.  That is a new one for me, but the fact the father later had children in Kilmallock area is revealing, and that he was in the army, and so the family may have been living in Killaloe Co.Clare in 1847 when Michael enrolled certainly has logic.   However none of the names Thomas, Elizabeth, Margaret or Maria ever surface later in Michael's descendants, which is a negative indication.  

Also, you didn't mention the Michael Cleary baptized July 1, 1830 in Bulgaden to Michael Cleary and Bridget Leahy.   (WWW.nli.ie).    Is Bulgaden not very close to Kilmallock?    and is this not a possibility?

I guess we're still narrowing it down, Anne Marie   If you have any additional comments or thoughts I would love to hear again from you.  Thanks Clare too for your assistance.

Johnny Canuck !!

Johnny Canuck

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