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Hello Knockainy Parish group.

I am trying to trace my Grady family. I am a Leahy and a John Leahy married a Catherine O'Donoghue in Hospital where she was from in 1870. Her father was Thomas O'Donoghue and he married a Catherine (Cath) Grady in Knockainy and Patrickswell Parish in 1839. Present at the wedding are listed a Thomas and a James Grady. 

At the birth of Catherine Grady and Thomas O'Donoghue's daughter Catherine, the sponsors are listed as Mary Grady and William Grady, so am assuming (hopefully correctly) that they were siblings to my Catherine Grady. I have also seen Grady spelled Gready. 

I know there was a Catherine Grady born in 1809 in Elton to a William Grady (I can not make out the wife's surname) and this would tie in nicely with the "sibling" name of William. Very interestingly (or maybe coincidence), a sponsor was  a Denis Leahy which is my surname! 

From parish records I can see a potential William Grady (if this is indeed my link name) married to a Mary Grady (cousins!?) and they seem to haev children Thomas in 1811 (sp. John and Catherine Grady), Margarita in 1813 (William is listed as being a farmer), William 1815 and another William in 1819 (assuem first died young) and lastly John in 1817. 

Does anyone have any further info on these Gradys? Or is anyone DNA tested who is willing to share info? 

Many thanks to you for reading 

Jackie Leahy

Jackie Leahy

Tuesday 13th Jul 2021, 04:55PM

Message Board Replies

  • Jackie,

    You may know--and if you do, I'm sorry to be repetitive--that there are Irish naming patterns. Using this pattern might help you determine the names of the parents of Catherine and John. The first son was named after the paternal grandfather, the second after the maternal grandfather, the third after the father, the fourth after the father's eldest brother.  The first daughter was named after the paternal grandmother, second after maternal grandmother, third after the mother, fourth after mother's eldest sister (sometimes this was reversed for daughters, with first daughter name after maternal granny, etc.).

    The witnesses at a wedding were usually siblings of the couple.  So were the witnesses at baptisms, at least until the couple ran out of siblings.

    It looks like Catherine Grady had about seven siblings.  You might want to look at their names and their witnesses to help further your research.

    Patricia

    Thursday 15th Jul 2021, 06:56PM
  • Thanks Patricia. This is handy info and could potentially help, but I guess I would need to be sure of all the siblingsand their order first though in order to see who was named after whom. 

    Thank you for your reply, it really is appreciated. 

    Jackie Leahy

    Jackie Leahy

    Thursday 15th Jul 2021, 07:54PM

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