Ireland XO
Back to Message Board

Cleary soldier in canada

MayoBallinrobe (Mayo)

hello, I wonder if anyone has any information on a Michael Cleary, born about 1830, who enlisted in the British Army in 1847, served in the Crimea War and eventually posted to British North America.   He was in the 17th Foot regiment.  I have plenty of information on him and his descendants in Canada where he settled but  little about him before that.   I know he married an Ellen Burke in Ballyovey, Mayo in August 1850, the same day and place my great-grandmother Mary Burke married a William Connell who was also in the 17th Foot.   So, I am not directly related to Michael Cleary, but rather, I suspect his wife Ellen was the sister of my grandmother Mary. 

In terms of Reaching Out, I can supply info re what happned to Michael Cleary.  And, hopefully, some info may surfce re his bride and her family.

regards

john

 in Canada

ps  I hope to get visit Kilmallock this month, it sounds like a very interesting town.

 

Johnny Canuck

10 replies

sorry re previous message, new to this

my message was directed at Kilmallock, Co.Limerick, although Ballinrobe is also relevant, as the marriage in 1850 took place in Ballyovey, which I believe is associated with Ballinrobe at different times.

John

Johnny Canuck

John:

Unfortunately, the records for the Kilmallock RC parish do not start until October 1837.

Roger McDonnell

Kilmallock Baptisms Oct. 22, 1837 - Dec. 19, 1880 P.2427
Marriages Nov. 2, 1837 - Nov. 24, 1880
____________________________________________________________________

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you Roger for that information, which, while not what one wants to hear, is still useful.

Do you have, by any chance,  similar information about Ballyovey/Partry/Ballinrobe parish records?

regards

John

 

Johnny Canuck

Hi John & Roger
The mattiage record is on rootsireland but of course doesn't give the parents' names!

Date of Marriage: 08-Aug-1850
Parish / District: Ballyovey RC parish County: Co. Mayo
Husband Wife
Name: Michael Cleary Ellen Burke
Address:
Denomination: Roman Catholic Roman Catholic
Occupation: 17TH REG. FOOT
Age:
Status: Bachelor (Previously unmarried) Spinster (Previously unmarried)
Husband's Father Wife's Father
Name: Not Recorded Cleary Not Recorded Burke
Address:
Denomination:
Occupation:
Husband's Mother Wife's Mother
Name:
Address:
Denomination:
Occupation:
Witness 1 Witness 2
Name: William Connell Mary Burke

Here's a couple of possible birth records - they are from the same Mayo parish:

Name: Michael Cleary Date of Birth:
Date of Baptism: 04-Feb-1827
Address: Parish/District: Crossboyne & Tagheen RC parish
Gender: Male County Co. Mayo
Denomination: Roman Catholic
Father: Martin Cleary Mother: Mary Hughes
Occupation:
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1: William Hughes Sponsor 2 /
Informant 2: Hilary Hanlon

Name: Ellen Burke Date of Birth: 30-Mar-1829
Date of Baptism: 1-Jan-0
Address: Parish/District: Crossboyne & Tagheen RC parish
Gender: Female County Co. Mayo
Denomination: Roman Catholic
Father: Michael Burke Mother: Catherine Burke
Occupation:
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1: Michael Manus Sponsor 2 /
Informant 2: Ellen Burke

If you check a parish map of Mayo www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/fuses/civilparish/index) you'll see that Ballyovey, Crossboyne & Tagheen are close together so maybe...?

Col

ColCaffIrelandXO Volunteer

John:

See below:

Roger

Ballinrobe (& Partry) Baptisms Aug. 20, 1843 - Dec. 20, 1851 P.4215 (Some marriages are included) Baptisms Nov. 7, 1850 - Apr. 17, 1856 Jan. 18, 1861 - June 15, 1871 

Ballinrobe (& Partry) Marriages Oct. 24, 1850 - Apr. 30, 1856 Jan. 14, 1861 - Nov. 7, 1880 Baptisms June 19, 1871 - Dec. 29, 1880 

Partry Baptisms Oct. 23, 1869 - July 15, 1878 P.4216 Marriages Jan. 7, 1870 - July 11, 1878 

 

 

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

How very kind of you Roger.  Thanks for this critical information.    

John

Johnny Canuck

Thanks Col for all that info.    I was aware of that marriage record but did not have the actual record.   You can see the witnesses were Willam Connell and Mary Burke.   Michael Cleary and Bridget Henahan were witnesses same day to marriage of William Connell and Mary Burke, which makes me think the Burkes were sisters, marrying two soldiers, probably buddies.   They both later went to the Crimea and Canada with the 17th Foot.    However, I'm fairly sure Michael Cleary was from Kilmallock, Limerick, and William Connell for sure from Co.Kilkenny.     The birth year of Ellen Burke is very appropriate.   Would it be possible for you to check if Ellen Burke had a sister born a year or two before or after Ellen?    or lead me down the road where I might do some research.   Much obliged for the info you have already sent me.

John

ps this is all wonderful.  I hope that I shall be able to contribute some info at some point that will be useful for someone else.  

Johnny Canuck

Hi John
Here are the (possible) siblings from rootsireland:

James Bourke Date of Birth:
Date of Baptism: 15-Jul-1832
Address: Parish/District: Crossboyne & Tagheen RC parish
Gender: Male County Co. Mayo
Denomination: Roman Catholic
Father: Michael Bourke Mother: Catherine Nally
Occupation:
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1: John Morris Sponsor 2 /
Informant 2: Mary Wolfe

Name: Elizabeth Burke Date of Birth:
Date of Baptism: 16-Mar-1826
Address: Parish/District: Crossboyne & Tagheen RC parish
Gender: Female County Co. Mayo
Denomination: Roman Catholic
Father: Michael Burke Mother: Catherine Nally
Occupation:
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1: Patrick Finne Sponsor 2 /
Informant 2: Ellen Griffin

Name: Patrick Burke Date of Birth:
Date of Baptism: 03-Mar-1839
Address: Parish/District: Crossboyne & Tagheen RC parish
Gender: Male County Co. Mayo
Denomination: Roman Catholic
Father: Michael Burke Mother: Catherine Nally
Occupation:
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1: Patrick Bourke Sponsor 2 /
Informant 2: Catherine Finn

No Mary I'm afraid.

There are 12 birth/baptism records for Michael Cl;eary in Limerick 1829 + - 10 years but none is from Kilmallock.

I had a look for Clearys in Kilmallock in the Tithe Applotments, Irish Censuses 1821, 41 & 51, & Griffiths Valuation (all free online) but no luck!

Col

ColCaffIrelandXO Volunteer

Thanks once again Col.  I had done some fruitless searching and there are a lot of Burkes in Mayo, but elsewhere, the only sibling Burkes named Mary and Ellen that I could find were in Inchigeelagh, Co.Cork.   I haven't ruled them out, but if it is them, I don't know why they would get married in Ballyovey.  

 

John

Johnny Canuck

Hi Johnny, 

I am researching our Irish Burke family, and there appears to be a Cleary connection going on somewhere, so wonder if this could be connected to your search?

Have you DNA tested, perhaps we could compare?

Regards, 

Dave

getr83@gmail.com

davethomas

Reply

Reply
One image file up to 2 MB.