John Brady- Clogh, Longford 1855

Fiona:

The records for the RC parish of Abbeylara start in the 1850s except for a few records around 1822. The earliest John Brady baptismal record in Abbeylara on the subscription site Roots Ireland was in 1855.

We don't know how old the John Brady was in the Griffiths from 1853 but no record is available in Abbeylara.

Roger McDonnell

Thank you for this and for looking.

 As he had a daughter born about 1846 and is working on the land my guess is that he is an adult. And, as he seems to be surrounded by Kiernans, my guess is that he came from somewhere else. Does this sound right to you? The course I am doing says to look at the surrounding counties after the Great Famine started. Roscommon, Leitrim, Cavan and Westmeath? Any suggestions about which is the most likely/where to start ? Would my best next step be to find the Baptism record for his daughter Mary? My guess is 20 April 1844 for her baptism, Cavan and Longford, Scrabby because this is the Diocese of Ardagh and that is also the diocese of Abbeylara? This would make her parents Joannis Brady and Maria Smyth? Do you think I am on the right track or am I going wrong?

Many thanks.

Fiona:

Not sure why you think John Brady came from somewhere else because he lived next to Kiernans. Can you elaborate?

The Mary Brady with parents John Brady and Mary Smith had five older siblings according to the subscription site Rootsireland.

Brigid 1833 Ann 1835 Peter 1835 another Brigid 1837 James 1839 does this information agree with your research?

Roger

Hello,

I didnt see Bradys living next door on Griffiths- did I miss them? This is what made me think he came from somewhere else. So I did a Diocese search and came up with Mary being baptised in Scrabby. Yes these are the siblings I found when I started looking at Scrabby, I found their Baptism records. I think they were originally from Scrabby but moved to Clogh- or is Scrabby the nearest church? I now think that may be it is John Brady who is my 3 x great grandfather and Maria Smyth who is my 3 x great grandmother- this marries up with 2 of my DNA matches(Kiernan and Smyth/Smith). My 2 x great grandfather was James Brady so I think Mary is his sister. Yes those are the other siblings I found. I had thought I might find a Charles Edward but I didn't but maybe he was an uncle. However there is a gap between James and Mary??? I feel like I am on the right track- my DNA matches me to Mary Keirnan but I have been looking for this for so long I wouldn't want to be fooling myself. 

If you do think I am on the right track, as a local person, do you have any thought about why he would  emmigrate to Demerara sometime before 1859. There was apparently an Owen Kernan (1790-1831) from Ireland who was a merchant/businessman in Demerara and so I wondered if that chap was a friend of the Brady family/relative and that was what gave James the idea but is that clutching at straws when there is another more obvious explanation? 

Many thanks for all your help with this,

Fiona

Fiona:

John Brady was living in Clogh along with four different Kiernan/Keirnan families.

Abbeylara civil parish in Longford borders Scrabby civil parish in Co. Cavan so having children in Scrabby and then moving to Clogh is very possible.

I'm not local. I live in the States. Where is Demerara?

Roger

Hi Roger!

Demerara is an old name for a part of Guyana which used to be a British Colony.  Thank you so much for helping!! You seemed to know so much I assumed you were living in Ireland. I don't understand why someone would go there but I have found an Owen Kernan and wondered if he was related to the Kiernans that the Bradys lived next too which is how and why James thought of going to Demerara. I believe James was in the Freemasons by 1859 so he emmigrated in his teens. This Owen Kernan had a ship with his brother and used to sail the ship between Demerara and Glasgow in Scotland. This seems to be the only link I can find. Griffiths says the Kiernans had houses and offices maybe they had a business too.   I guess it doesn matter too much why he went there as ultimately my DNA now links me to Scrabby. I will try to find some more about my 3 x great grandparents now. Thanks again for your help I will put an entry about James on the Ireland Reaching Out site now!

Fiona