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Help in finding our Madigan line

LimerickShanagolden (Limerick)

Hi everyone--my name is Kim Madigan from the US, descended from Michael Madigan, baptized May 11 1828 in Shanagolden. His parents were listed as Michael Maddigan and Margaret Kennelly; sponsers John Kennelly and Catherine Walsh.  He also had a sister Maria baptized Nov 24 1826 in Shanagolden.  One of Maria's sponsers was Honora Kennelly.   Michael later emigrated to Connellsville, PA.  I have been researching our genealogy for  a few years and have even been in touch with Father Dan Madigan in Sacramento (originally from Shanagolden) who wasn't familiar with my g-great grandfather's line of Madigans but did put me in touch with a distant cousin in Minnesota who really didn't have any more info either.  I've even been to Shanagolden 4 times!  Is there anyone in Shanagolden who might still be related to this line?  I've never been able to find out too much about the Kennellys either, can anyone provide any info?  Thank you for your help!    

IrelandXO member

9 replies

Hi Kim

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

I have passed this to our Shanagolden volunteers

Best wishes

Clare Doyle

Genealogy Support 

IrelandXO member

Hi Kim,

My 2nd great grandmother was MaryAnn Madigan b cir 1824, probably near Kilcolman, Co Limerick, so I'm aware that the Madigan surname is very common in Co Limerick.

I checked a couple local history books that I have and did not find any Madigan/Kennelly connections. Other spellings you may want to consider are: Kennelleay and Kinnaley. Madigan also appears to be sometimes written "Manion" and "Mangan."

Do you own the Kim Elliott tree at Ancestry.com? I don't see any other Ancestry.com trees that have any more info than you do.

However, at FamilySearch.org, I found a Pensioner rcd for a Michael Madigan that was born in 1828 in Limerick. The rcd is available for viewing at Find My Past. I had trouble getting into that site, so I don't know what other info may be on the rcd.

Did Michael remain in Ireland? I found a death rcd for a Michael Madigan b 1828 in Limerick who died in Rathkeale in Apr-Jun 1898.

There is quite a bit of info about the Kennelley's and Madigan's in a couple local history books. One is Poverty to Promise: The Monteagle Emigrants 1838-58 by Chris O'Mahoney and Valerie Thompson; the other is a follow-up book, West Limerick Families Abroad by Kate Press and Valerie Thompson. Both of these books follow the Kennelly and Madigan families of West Limerick (the area you're searching) to Australia. Again, while there are plenty of Kennelly and Madigan families listed in these books, I could find no records that had a Madigan/Kennelly connection, at least by marriage. I did see some rcds where the mother-in-laws were one of the two surnames.

I checked the Irish phone book. There is one Madigan in Shanagolden, Mary. I did not see any Kennelly (or variant) entries.

Also, you may be aware that the Irish Catholic Church rcds are now online (and browseable - there are no indexes yet) at the Irish National Library. http://registers.nli.ie/

I will send an email to the IrelandXO team in Shanagolden and see if there might be other Madigan or Kennelly families living in the area.

If you have ohter questions, please don't hesitate to reply.

Best wishes,

Patti Hacht

Shanagolden & Kilcolman IrelandXO Parish Liaison

Shanagolden LimerickIrelandXO Volunteer

Oops! I forgot that Michael emigrated to Pennsylvania. I guess you can disregard the death info I included in my last response to you, Kim.

I sent a request to the Shanagolden Team to see if there are any Madigans or Kennelly's left. Will let you know what I hear from them.

Best wishes,

Patti Hacht

Shanagolden Parish Liaison

Shanagolden LimerickIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Patti--Yes, that is me on Ancestry, Kim Elliott.  Thank you for trying to research this for me.  I know there are Madigans in the town but none appear to be appear directly related to me.  I was indirectly in touch with Tom Madigan of the Shanid Historical Society through the secretary of the society who said he would get back to me if he had more information, but he never did.   Father Dan Madigan sent me several books including a copy of a book he wrote called the Madigans of Shanagolden, which is really  interesting and has details on many Madigan families in that area and is invaluable to anyone with ancestors in those lines.  I think you could say he is the expert on Madigans in the area!  But there are many Madigan families over the years that even he has no knowledge of.  I guess I was just hoping that maybe someone in the area maybe had siblings Margaret, Honora, and John Kennelly in their ancestry (assuming they were siblings) or an ancestor Mary or Maria Madigan born Nov 1826 Shanagolden.  I will leave my e-mail address kmsiner@hotmail.com   Thanks!   Kim 

 

IrelandXO member

Hi K Iim,

My name is Brian Bailey, and I am a desendent of Honora and John Kennelley. I live in Sydney, Australia and will help if I can

Regards,

Brian

IrelandXO member

Hi Kim my name is Kathy Madigan.  I am also looking for my ancestors from Limerick.  I am having a hard time finding any information on the Madigan's.  My  2nd great grandfather is Thomas Madigan born in Ireland (1828) he left Ireland in  approx. 1850 for Canada.  He settled in Renfrew, Ontario County in Canada and married Ellen Kennelly.  On his marriage certificate it say his father was Daniel Madigan and his mother was Margaret Downey.   Not sure if thats the Kennelly clan you may be looking for.   I am trying to find Daniel Madigan and Margaret Downey's records in Limerick but I am not having any luck. 

Kathy

 

 

 

kkirkey@hotmail.com

Hello to all Shanagolden Madigans

My G-grandmother was a Bridget Madigan born 1859, father Daniel. She emigrated to Australia, marrying in 1883.

I have located in NLI  7 registered baptism to mother Mary Daly and Daniel Madigan: 4 sons 3 daughter. The oldest was a Bridget (1859), Michael (1874) the youngest.  Of the 4 sons, at least 3 married and remained in the Shanagolden parish as they appear in 1901 and 1911 Census-UK.  I have yet to check Michael and the 2 sisters.

It is very useful to read others' research, as the sponsors listed on the parish baptisms are often other Madigan relatives, siblings or aunts and uncles. The information you have all provided in your stories will help determine (my) Daniel's siblings and parents. 

Griffiths Valuation was completed for that area of Limerick in 1852. It's a good source for knowing which Madigan occupied which Townlands within Shanagolden civil parish. I will read, absorb and try to correlate which Madigan was which, and from where.

Gone Mad-again!

Eire2Go

Hi Eire2Go

I am researching the Madigans at the moment as my Son-in-Law's Great Grandmother was Catherine/Kate McNamara (Madigan) who married James Lawrence McNamara over here in Australia.  Bridget was her older sister I believe and she died in Adelaide on 4th June 1926.

Let me know if I can help in any way.

Cheers

Syl

caru.syl@iinet.net.au

Syl

Thanks to all for putting their Madigan hands up, and providing email addresses.

It must be Madigan Month as they're coming (per DNA) in droves.

Syl's son-in-law will be a 3rd cousin, sharing Madigan-Daly as 2G-gparents.

Also, Fr. Dan Madigan who is now retired, is in the same line as Daniel Madigan, who married Daly.  DNA is shared with Fr. Dan's nephew in/near Askeaton.

The subject line " Help in finding our Madigan line"  has another important interpretation, here in South Australia.  I refer to an amazing man, a Madigan born in Renmark area, son of an orchardist and a teacher:  Cecil Thomas MADIGAN, whose achievements over 58 years are phenomenal; refer https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P000613b.htm

As Dr. CT Madigan had crossed the Simpson Desert on camel in 1939, his route is now known as "The Madigan Line", and groups of 4WD vehicles follow his line each year with much fanfare. There exist a 1939 black and white film of parts of Madigan's crossing -  I have seen it online; worth viewing.

 

 

 

Eire2Go

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