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Bernard Kelly in Rossard

WexfordSt Marys Newtownbarry (Wexford)

I am beginning to plan a trip to Ireland in 2020. I intend to hike the Wicklow Way and then spend time near Bunclody visiting the Kilmyshall cemetary and hiking Black Rock mountain. My question for the group is; Arethere any genealogical sources I should visit while in Ireland, that would only be available in person, and not onliine?

The family roots which I am trying to trace are consistent with what Nick outlined on the Templeshanbo board. My great-grandfather was Bernard Kelly (b.1857) from Rossard, whose parents were Thomas Kelly and Winifred Byrne. I have since learned from genetic testing, that I am linked to a Thomas Kelly and Bridget Kelly who were very likely siblings of Bernard, whoalso emigrated to America. I can find no trace of birth records for them, but the online baptism records for Newtownbarry have a gap from 1851 to 1857, which is very likely when they were born. I have also been unable to establish a link between the Thomas Kelly (b.1803) and Bernard Kelly (b.1798) in the Kilmyshall cemetary, and my great-grandfather Bernard or his father, Thomas, although the names Thomas and Bernardare very commom in the family line.

Any suggestions or help would be appreciated.
-Joe Kelly

bigredwombat@g…

4 replies

Most of the useful records relating to family-history are now available online, many now free of charge... e.g. civil BMD records, Catholic Parish records, Griffith's valuation, Tithe applotment record etc, but as you've probably seen these often run out by the 1830s or so, especially for small farmer Catholic families. In this case both surnames are very common,  which makes the search difficult...

I'm not sure if you have already looked into the Revaluation records, aka Cancelled Land Book, at the Valuation Office in Dublin city. These are not currently available online, but cover slightly later timeframe - i.e. they continue on from Griffith's Primary Valuation using the same type of format and continue up to the 1970s - see Valuation Office Dublin - Genealogy. The books for some counties have been scanned and are available to view on computers in the office, for other counties like Co. Wexford you have to request the various volumes. There's usually a new revision book every 15-20 years, the books are based on DEDs (Electoral divisions) and for rural areas the entries in th books are organised by civil parish and townland.

Bernard was baptised in the Catholic Parish of Newtownbarry/Bunclody, which at the time covered parts of five civil parishes - Ballycarney, Kirush, Monart, St. Mary's Newtownbarry and Templeshanbo. Rossard townland is in Templeshanbo civil parish. Unfortunately there are the gaps you've seen in the baptism records for the parish during the 1850s, and the registers start about 1834. Marriage records are recorded back to 1834 - I checked for possible marriage for your Thomas and Winifred in this parish but didn't find any matches, extending the search to other parishes in the area also did not show any promising results. Likely they married in a parish that does not have records going back far enough, or their marriage was noted on a page now missing or too faded to read..

There are some details for the civil parish of Templeshanbo included in Lewis' Topographical Dictionary of Ireland 1837 which might be of interest - see Templeshanbo, Co. Wexford, and also details for the town & civil parish of Newtown-Barry/St. Mary's.

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

Elizabeth,

My great-grandfather Bernard left Ireland in 1880-1882 to sail to New York and then lived in Philadelphia,  By family history, his friends Mike Long and Charlie O'Rourke also left, although maybe not on the same boat or time. What was your ancestor's name? From Griffiths valuations and census records, I have the likely location of where the Kellys lived.  I would also appreciate the address of the Wexford county library and Templeshambo graveyard, as I will add it to my itinerary.

It is also possible Bernard had siblings named Thomas and Bridget who also went to the US,, but I don't have the year they left, but would have to be the 1870s-1880s

 

Thank you,

Joe Kelly

bigredwombat@g…

 

Hello Joe, Michael Long settled in Delaware and years later in the 1970's his daughter Veronica came to visit his homeplace which is our family farm. I am a descendent of Micheal's younger brother James. There was a family of Kelly's who lived up the lane from our farm. If that was your relations homeplace, nothing remains of the house except the gateway, but it is located a few fields from the foot of the Blackrock Mountain. I myself emigrated to the US and now live in NYC. Here is a link to the library which is located near the Cornmarket on Mallin Street in Wexford town: https://www.wexfordcoco.ie/libraries/opening-hours-and-branches/wexford…. Here is some information on Templeshambo graveyard: http://www.from-ireland.net/templeshanbo-graveyard-records-wexford/ It is located at Templeshanbo, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford. Here is a google share for Templeshanbo and the graveyard is to the left of the Church: https://goo.gl/maps/ysPUrTMRxSrS5YSe7 ;

The Bunclody area has a website maintained by a locaI man www.bunclody.net

I hope this helps, Regards, Elizabeth 

 

 

 

 

 

leinsterlady@msn.com

Elizabeth,

Thank you so much for this information. My information was also that the Kellys lived by the base of Black Rock Mountain (the red X on the attached map).  I will definitely contact you by email as I plan my trip to Ireland.  I would love if on the day I plan to hike Blackrock Mountain, I could contact someone you know who could show me the old gateway to the house.  I would love to get a picture of me standing in the gateway to share with the rest of the family and add to the family history. My email is bigredwombat@gmail.com 

Thanks again,

Joe Kelly

 

bigredwombat@g…

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