Dunkerrin Offaly

Hello Roger, I haven't heard had a reply. Marion. 

Dear Marion
My name is Dolores Whyte from Dunkerrin Reaching Out. I have been researching your request here. The Parish records in Dunkerrin Parish only started in 1820, and as you are probably aware the civil records in Ireland for the years before 1922 were destroyed during the Civil War here in Ireland in 1922. Therefore we are relying on the Church records to trace ancestry.

With regard to your query about the siblings of John Tierney and Anne Delaney, I cannot say whether they had siblings as we do not have the records. However I note that there are a number of Tierney and Delaney family who were sponsors of their children, most likely these were siblings, and/or neighbours.

I looked up Griffith's Valuation Records - these were records of the 1st full scale valuation of property in Ireland and were published between 1847 and 1864. On these records there is a Michale Tierney of Ballydonagh (in 1851) mentioned. He had a small plot of 1 acre and 5roods. His landlord was Richard Burrowes. At that time also there were a number of other acre plots in Ballydonagh, and some of the names are similar to the sponsors of the children. Most likely your family were living as tenants for Richard Burrowes and probably worked on his estate here in Ireland. While Ballydonagh was in the old Parish of Templeharry, the Parish of Cullenwaine was adjoining this. There were at that time (and also at the time of John and Anne Delaney) Tierney families living in Ballynakill (now spelt Ballinakill). Ballinakill and Ballydonagh are literally fields apart, so may have been relations of your Tierney ancestors.

I was trying to trace whether there was any plot or field named "Tierney's" in Ballydonagh and I tried to locate where they may have lived, unfortunately I have not been successful, but I will continue my search.

There are no Tierney families living in this area at the moment. Also the Egan family of Ballydonagh are now died out. These were also mentioned as sponsors. I do not know of any families with the other names as sponsors. The Ned Shea was also a tenant of Richard Burrowes. There are O'Shea (Shea) family living in Barna, which is adjoining Ballydonagh, There was an Edward Shea, called Ned Shea in this family. His is now deceased but he has descendants living in the area.

Unfortunately I am unable to help you with this query as all of your ancestors emigrated. If you can locate any further information about them from say letters etc please contact me again. I will continue my search here as well to try to locate where they lived in Ballynakill.

Best regards
Dolores Whyte
Dunkerrin Reaching Out

Thank you very much Dolores for all the trouble you have gone to, it is greatly appreciated. My married name is Whyte too. Marion.

Dear Dolores, Marion,

Is that Edward (Ned) Shea connected to the Shea family that i am looking for.

My great grandmother Mary Shea, her father's name was William Shea, whose father's name was Edward (Ned) Shea married to Catherine (Brophy) Shea?

Is it the same one?

I am trying to find out if she was buried with her family down there, she died in 1910.

Hi Marion

My gggrandparents were Matthew b1782 and Johanna Tierney b1788 born in Ireland and moved to London, England around 1815.  I am trying to locate the area in Ireland that they originated from.

I am interested that you have Johanna Tierney b1841 as your 3 x ggrandmother and from County Offaly.  I have recently had a DNA test done and it is showing several links to TIERNEY families in the Dunkerrin and Moneygall area in Cunty Offaly.  I should love to see if we have any family connection, have you had a DNA test done at all?  If so please could you let me know the kit number and which site I may be able to compare it on?  I use Gedmatch.com which is a free site, FTDNA and Ancestry and my kit number is T642536   

Many thanks 

Best regards

Sue Osborne nee Tierney

Hi Dolores, My email address is m.whyte@hotmail.com and I would be very excited to hear from Jim. Thank you, Marion.

Hi Dolores,

Thank you very much for giving Jim & Wendy my email address, I phoned Jim a couple of weeks ago & we had a lovely chat.

What part of Australia does your relation live in?

Thank you again,

Marion.