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Looking for info on & to connect with Kelly family

WexfordFerns (Wexford)

Hello!

I am looking for information about my grandfather and his parents who apparently lived in Ferns. I am hoping that I will find some family still in this area and / or information about them that will lead me further in my search.

Here is what I know:

My Grandfather was Patrick Michael Kelly of Ferns Co. Wexford, married Catherine O'Donnell of Tallow Co. Waterford 1905. I believe he must have died in about 1932 or thereabouts and was a sergeant in the RIC stationed in Waterford City, Waterford in 1920 when my father Thomas Bernard Kelly was born. My father had 4 siblings all of whom left Ireland and with whom all contact was lost.

My Grandfather, Patrick Michael Kelly's parents were Michael and Mary Kelly of Ferns Co. Wexford.

I would really appreciate any assistance or insights anyone can provide on this to help me track down more information on past history specifics of my family and perhaps even be able to connect with family still there.

Thank you!

JCC

11 replies

Hi Jackie

There is a record of the marriage of Michael & Catherine on www.rootsireland.ie/ (subscription site)

http://Date of Marriage: 05-Sep-1905 Parish / District: Trinity Without County: Co. Waterford Husband Wife Name: Patrick M Kelly Catherine O'Donnell Address: Ferns,co. Wexford Tallow,co. Waterford Denomination: Roman Catholic Roman Catholic Occupation: Age: Status: Husband's Father Wife's Father Name: Michael Michael Address: Denomination: Occupation: Husband's Mother Wife's Mother Name: Mary Kelly Mary O'Donnell Address: Denomination: Occupation: Witness 1 Witness 2 Name: Nicholas Collins Nora O'Donnell

The 1911 Irish Census (free site) has a Michael Kelly in Ferns - 13 Milltown Road - aged 30:

http://Kelly Bridget 72 Female Head of Family Roman Catholic Kelly Dorah 39 Female Daughter Roman Catholic Kelly Mary 38 Female Daughter Roman Catholic Kelly Bridget 32 Female Daughter Roman Catholic Kelly Michael 30 Male Son Roman Catholic Kelly Patrick 36 Male Son Roman Catholic Kelly Bridget 8 Female Grand Daughter Roman Catholic Kelly Mary Kate 5 Female Grand Daughter Roman Catholic

The Irish phone book (eircom has 13 Kellys in Wexford or nearby - you might want to drop them a line if you don't get responses as we have had success with posters doing this.

Col

ColCaffIrelandXO Volunteer

You should be able to get a copy of Patrick Kelly?s RIC record if you are interested in it. There?s a copy of all RIC records in the National Archives, Dublin, the originals are in the National Archives, Kew London and there's a copy in PRONI in Belfast. If you are not able to access those, the PSNI museum in Belfast will look it up for you (for a fee). See:

 

http://www.psni.police.uk/index/about-us/police_museum/museum_genealogy…

Ahoghill AntrimIrelandXO Volunteer

Are you certain your Kellys were from Ferns or could your Patrick have just lived there at the time of his marriage ?

Reason I ask is that there's an RIC constable with the initials P.M. K. listed in Ferns Barrack in 1901, but he's shown as a farmer's son born Co. Cork ?

See : R.I.C. Barracks Ferns, Co. Wexford

Many of the barracks returns just record initials, and it appears that this one havs the surname and firstnames switched - the Sergeant is shown on the Building return as Bernard Kelly, yet has entered his B under the surname column of initials. As far I know RIC men have to serve a minimum of abt 7 (?) years before they could officially marry - so would expect your Patrick to be serving somewhere in 1901. Since they could not serve in their 'home' county, the Co. Cork place of birth makes sense, and parts of Co. Cork are very close to Tallow in Co. Waterford, mentioned as Catherine's resisdence

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you again Col!

This is more helpful information and a lot more to follow up with.  I will also do as you suggest and begin contacting those Kelly's in the phone book.

I really appreciate your help!  It finally feels as if I'm getting somewhere with this.

best wishes

Jackie

JCC

Thank you for this information.  I had looked previously for RIC records but had absolutely no success.  However this now gives me a new avenue to pursue!  Thanks again!

JCC

Thank you for these insights!

I am not sure of anything much at all except that Patrick Michael Kelly and his parents appear to have been in Ferns at the time of his marriage - so I guess it's altogether possible that they may have originally been from elsewhere.

What's interesting is that this is the first instance of the name 'Bernard' that I've seen - Bernard was my father's second name so it may well be very relevant.  Bernard doesn't seem to be a very used name in the Kelly records I've seen so far and neither does his first name 'Thomas' so this is an interesting line to follow.

I will certaininly check this out. 

I am not sure how much people moved around from area to area at this time?

Once again, thank you!  I very much appreciate this information.

JCC

If that's the correct P.M. K. shown on the census, then I dont think that Patrick's parents would have been in Ferns, as that was just where your Patrick happened to be posted at the time, and given as his residence at the time of marriage, also the Bernard Kelly is his Sergeant, and was born King's Co. (Offaly), so I'd say not related to your Kelly family

 

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Jackie I am researching the Kelly's from Waterford for a friend and note your Grandfather Thomas born 1920, barrack St, from next week I should have all this family for now I have a John born 1908, Mary Gabriel, 1910, Patrick c, 1917, and your Thomas 1920, I have to get James, Michael, and Maureen, their father as you say was a in The RIC, Mother Catherine a national School teacher. Jim

IrelandXO member

Hello Jim

thank you very much, that's great news.

I was not aware of a John or a Mary Gabriel at all.  Though oddly, my second name is Gabrielle, so perhaps that's why... I always wondered.

Any information you can tell me at all would be wonderful as I seem to have hit a block and am confused as to where the family came from originally - I think it may not be Waterford seeing as RIC personnel were usually stationed away from their home area.  But I have not found any clues as to where they might be from, though, from previous posts in this thread, it may be Cork.  However I have no leads regarding that at all.

I'd be most grateful for any more information at all.

I do remember hearing that they moved to England after my grandfather died and I estimate that to have been in 1932/33 as my father was apparently 12 when he died.

I wonder if there are any cousins or other relatives still in Ireland?

I look forward to hearing your progress!

best wishes

Jackie

JCC

Obviously I am a little late joing this conversation, but your comment about Bernard Kelly caught my eye.  I have nothing but Bernards and Thomases in my Kelly family line.  I am trying to trace a Bernard Kelly (b, 1859) out of Rossard, who left Ireland in 1880. Possibly had a father named Thomas. Definitely not the one you are looking for, but I wonder if the family lines cross at some point.

 

 

bigredwombat@g…

Bigredwombat, That could be possible, although I have not come across any Bernards in the direct line so far.  My father's name seems to be very different to anyone else I've seen in the family, so I am not sure whether we may be connected way back.  However, I have wondered if the Bernard Kelly who was in charge of the barracks where the census was taken, was a great friend of Patrick Michael and if perhaps my father was named for him.  He was the 6th child - maybe they had run out of parents / grandparents to name him after.

JCC

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