Hi I am looking for the parents of Martin Kelly born in Kilchreest abt 1832-35. I have been nto Kilchreest twice now and am planning another trip this year.I have developed some really good friendships with some of the villagers and on my last visit was affectionaltely known as the Man on a Mission.
Martin Kelly joined the Cheshire Regiment of the British Army in 1853 and married Eliza Bloom born in Sheffield.They had 9 children and I am descended from the eldest son William Kelly.
Two of my friends in Kilchreest are also local historians Michael Coy and Martin Forde and they think the Kelly family moved fron Kilchreest to the mountain village of Kilneedeema...I estimate abt 1836.....this family of Kellys had about 6 Martin Kellys over the years to present times and Martin is not a common name in the village of Kilchreest.
I have been to the village and been through the church books with Father Joe and came across a very interesting possibility for Martin Kellys parents...they could be Thomas Kelly and Mary Egan.I know from Martins marriage to Eliza Bloom that his father is called Thomas from Galway ,so this was the only Thomas Kelly I could find in that time zone in Kilneedeema..also Thomas and Mary had two daughters Catherine b,1837 and Elizabeth b.1838 ,and Catherines sponsor was a Martin Kelly who married Bridget Coy and Bridget is listed in the 1901 cencus...so I know the whole family unit to present day.
All indications are that Thomas Kelly and Mary Egan are the proud parents of Martin Kelly 1835.. I would love to find Martins mums name as she deserves her place in our Kelly family history ,and of course it would also open up more relatives and more reasons to keep coming back to Ireland. This search for Martins mum has been going on in my Kelly family for over 20 years...one of my American cousins has passed over without knowing the lady's name.
I know thw answer is somewhere in the two villages but it is just trying to find it...Has anybody any information connecting Martin Kelly b1835 to Thomas Kelly and Mary Egan ?? or Mary Egans family ?? and any information on Catherine and Elizabeth Kelly and where they went to around the potato famine time.
I am prepared to take part in any dna tests being carried out... I know the y-dna is done to identify males only and I have two potential cousins in Luoghrea Michael and Thomas Kelly..two great lads but they wont take part in the dna exercise which is a pity but I respect their decision.I am prepared to write an article for ROI project if you could help me find this missing link..
Regards.
Alan Kelly
alan_doc
Saturday 31st Mar 2012, 05:23PMMessage Board Replies
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Hi Alan,
Could you please post your message here: http://www.irelandxo.com/group/kilchreest-castledaly-galway and here: http://www.irelandxo.com/group/killeenadeema-aille-leitrim-galway and here: http://www.irelandxo.com/group/loughrea-galway
It sounds as though you have done a very thorough job of researching all your possible connections here. Speaking to members of the local community is as good as you can get! The Roman Catholic church records only start from 1855 for Kilchreest. Have you tried checking the records (albeit limited) for the 1908 Pensions Act. Green Forms were filled in by pensioners at that time. Unfortunately, the 1841 and 1851 census records only survive in fragments, but these pension forms can help us fill in the gaps. Applicants for the pension filled in the forms and put in the age they thought they were at that time (1841/1851).
Try this website for information: http://www.ireland-genealogy.com/
You could also try checking the land records called the Tithe Applotment Books (1823-38) or the later Griffth's Valuation (1848-64). Griffith's is freely available here: www.askaboutireland.com or here: www.failteromhat.com Failte Romhat has lots of other useful links you could try looking at.
Please make sure you link anyone else in your family who is interested in their Irish heritage to our site - and indeed anyone else you know of Irish heritage.
Kind regards,
Sinead Cooney
Genealogist (Ireland XO)
Wednesday 4th Apr 2012, 11:09AM