Hello from Moynalty,
Many thanks for your query re James Mulvany. Your Gt grandfather James was born in the townland of Diralagh, Moynalty, Co Meath to Thomas Mulvany n Fanny (Frances) Lee. He had 3 brother Peter, John, and Thomas who all emigrated to USA. Thomas was the only child recorded in Moynalty Baptism register in 1842. They were small tenant farmers.
Are you aware that James' brother John was the great Irish Americian painter? Have you spoken to Anne Weber, who is researching John Mulvany and family for last 30 years plus. Her e-mail is aweber123@myfairpoint.net. She is based in Maine.
Fanny Lee married Owen O Brien. their children were Ally (Alice) 1848, Pat 1851, Laurence 1853, Mary 1855. Ally married and emigrate to New York. The other 3 O'Brien children stayed in Ireland, Pat in diralagh. Pat's daughter Ellie was the last off the family in Diralagh. She never married and died in 1977. The house and farm was willed to a neighbour. I will forward a picture of the house (semi ruined) circa 2010 in a few days when i find it. Fanny O'brien, nee Mulvany, Lee died i think 1883. I'll forward her death cert at another time.
Fanny lee came from Mullagh, Co Cavan. I think i've traced her on the 1821 mullagh parish census as a child. Verbal family history says Mulvany's came from Killeeter townland in the parish of Mullagh circa 2nd half of 1700s to the neighbouring townland of Skearke in Moynalty Co Meath . I will forward more on that at a later day also.
Anne Weber is a gt grand daughter of Ally O'Brien. When she came to Ireland first in the early 1980 to research Mulvanys, my uncle and two Mulvany cousins worked with her. They discovered 11 seperated Mulvany on the Moynalty baptism register in the 1830 and 1840, alot with big families and similar names. Emigration was rampant after the irish famine in the second half of the 1840s. When 1 emigrated , they sent back for siblings and neighbours to follow, as well as sending money home. Today, there is only one Mulvany family carrying that name in Moynalty, but loads of cousins. My granmother was a Mulvany.
Your father would have attended Cormeen National School. We know from school records the teacher was Master Patrick Rogers. John Mulvany never married. He died in New York. His papers were left with his step sister Ally, hence Anne Weber now having them.There is also photos of John. Anne can fill you in better, but as far as I recall, the other brothers Peter and Thomas were out Colorado (Selado?) and Iowa way. James was with them first and then dropped of the face of the earth according to Anne research. So she will have questions for you too.
Can you please drop an e-mail to me at cmccormack_cmf@hotmail.com. I will e-mail back certs and other stuff I have re your request . They are too large to send via this website as attachements.
Moynalty parish is about 45 miles north west of Dublin city. The main market town in the 1840s was Kells, approx 10 miles from Diralagh. Mullagh and Moynalty are villages about 3 and 5 miles respectively from Diralagh. Moynalty parish is rural. use www.google.com/maps and do a search on diralagh, meath. the webcam is very good. Moynalty village is very pretty and has won numberous Tidy towns awards. See facebook page "Moynalty photostock" and go into the photo section. Paul McCabe is the page owner and a native of Moynalty parish.
The Mulvany house was in a lane about a mile from the road, but people usually walked by short cuts through right of ways in the fields. I'll put more together on Moynalty, Kells and Meath another time. Google them and see what comes up in the mean time . Have you ever been to Ireland?
Mulvany's old burial plot is in Kelly cemetary Mullagh. I think the last burial as my gt grandfather John in 1936. The catholic cemetary opened in Moynalty in 1900. Moynalty parish records run from 1830 -1899. See www.rootireland.ie. But between Anne and myself, we can probably supply you with all civil and church records for Mulvanys by now.
I'll go for now, but please ask more question here or direct to my e-mail.
Regards
Catherine McCormack