Kieran Burke South Tipperary

I have been trying to track down my Great-Great-Grandfather who emigrated to the U.S. during the Great Famine. He has been a very elusive character. 

His name was Kieran Burke (or Kearnan and Kernan in some U.S. census records - I could be wrong, but I believe that the spelling Kernan is an Americanized version of the Irish name Kieran or Kyran). I'm sure he was Catholic & almost certainly a poor farmer or laborer. He emigrated to New Orleans, Louisiana in 1849-50 and made his way to Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.A. and lived in that area until his death in 1911.  His death certificate lists his age as 93, so this would make his date of birth about 1818.  However his age varies on several U.S. Census forms.

Kierans father's name is not mentioned in any U.S. document I have found.  His mother's name was Mary (Flanagan). The name Daniel Bernard Burke repeats throughout our family tree, so I suppose that is a good possible first name for Kierans father. The other male first names that show up often in our family tree are: Patrick, William, Joseph, John, & Dennis. 

Kieran's death certificate lists his mother's maiden name (Flanagan) from Offaly. I recently found a baptism record from RootsIreland.ie that shows a Mary Flanagan in Kilcullen, Co. Kildare. Date of baptism 09-Jul-1797. Fathers name: Richard Flanagan  Mothers name Alice Kavanagh.  I have no other confirmation that this is indeed Kierans mother, but the age would be about right.

All U.S. records show that Kieran lived in County Offaly, but that may have just been the last place he lived before leaving Ireland. I have searched Offaly records online using several different web sites & even wrote to the Head Research Officer at the Offaly Historical Society.  She tried to research his origins in Offaly on my behalf, but came up with nothing.  She suggested that he and his mother may have moved to Offaly before emigrating to the U.S.

Since I have not been able to find any birth or marriage records for a Kieran Burke in County Offaly, County Tipperary is another possibility.  I found a marriage record on the web site of the Irish Family History Foundation that showed a marriage between a Kieran Burke & Joanna Pendergast in Ballylooby Parish 22-Feb-1838.  Maybe they moved from Ballylooby to County Offaly before emigrating to the U.S.   I also recently found a record on FamilySearch.org of a Kieran Burke 1815-1902. He could be an uncle of my G-G-Grandfather who stayed in Ireland. This Kieran was from the village of Clogheen in County Tipperary. Clogheen is just south of Ballylooby.

 Kieran's wife was named Anna in U.S. records (no maiden name given), and burial records show that she originated from County Laois. If the Ballylooby Kieran's wife was named Joanna, maybe she shortened her name to Anna when she arrived in the U.S.  I have several other Burkes in my family named Joanna or Anna.

Since Irish families often name children after other family members, I've been looking for any Burke with the first name of Kieran. I found a 1911 Census record of a Kieran Burke who lived in New Graigue, Tullaghorton, Tipperary, 86 years old.  I also found a 1911 census record of a William Burke in Bohernagore West, Tullaghorton, Tipperary who had a son named Kieran who was 19 years old.  I found both of these places on the map to be just north of the Knockmealdown mountains southeast of Ballylooby.  It is my hope that these Kierans were relatives of my g-g-grandfather.

I have tried to search to find a list of people who emigrated from County Tipperary but have not been able to find one online.

I had hoped to visit Ireland this year for "The Gathering", but I'm beginning to lose hope.  So I thought I'd take a chance and reach out to you. Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

Tim Burke
Louisville, Ky.
U.S.A.