Harhen Relatives from Letterkelly Clare

Hello,  This is Mike Haran in Eastport, NY USA. My grandparents both came from Letterkelly to Brooklyn, NY as did most of their siblings. In my grandfather's generation, I've noticed that our surname seemed to be indiscriminately spelled Haran, Haren and Harhen. I assume this was due to the relative literacy of the civil servants registering the births. My grandfather's name is Michael Joseph Haran, born 22 July 1881 to Patrick Haran and Honora Donohue Haran. My grandmother's name is Eileen O'Connor Haran.  She was born in 1890. They married in Holy Cross Parish, Flatbush, Brooklyn, NY USA in April 1915. One of Michael's brothers, Patrick, married Marie O'Connor as well. My grandfather's brother Thomas stayed on the farm in Letterkelly and still owns the property. Noone lives there. His son and grandson, both named Michael now live in Spanish Point and are daairy farmers. They do use the Letterkelly property for summer grazin and have their own little cattle drive twice yearly. I've never been able to get back past my grandfather's birth record. I'm pretty sure we must be cousins. Another bit of information I can dd is that a TJ Haran operated a monument business in Brooklyn across the street for Holy Cross cemetery. This passed to his son Patrick and was sold to a cousin, Walter Haran, in the 1920's or early 30s. It ceased operation in the late 1950's.

Hello Mike,

I think we have communicated before via the Harhen Roots web chat. We certainly must be cousins if our Haren/Harhen/Haran relatives all came from Letterkelly as it is such a small place.

I would be interested in knowing more about the Harans living at Spanish Point, do you have contact address/email for them?  

I have not been able to locate my 'Michael Harhen' birth but it was around 1872, he died in Australia in 1898. I know he had a brother James, who also came to Australia and we here when Michael died. I have found James' birth date.

I have also made contact with another group of Harens who came to Australia in 1880s from Letterkelly their parents were Timothy Haren & Mary Hehir, the oldest son Patrick (who came here with his brothers Terence, Michael & James) was born in 1856 we think. I have yet to find the link between my group and theirs, but there must be given the location and the christian names used.

If you would like to communciate directly my email address is 'michaelandwendy@bigpond.com'. It was great to hear from you.

Regards

Michael Barker

HI Michael,

It was good to hear from you. We seem to all be hitting the same mid-nineteenth century wall with regards to records. I'm hopeful that somewhere, someone has a bible or some other record as there just aren't any civil records prior to 1865.

The Haran's in Spanish Point are dairy farmers. I last saw them in 2003. There was a father (age 84) and a son, both named Michael. The elder Michael's wife was an O'Halloran. I'm sorry but her first name escapes me right now. The younger Michael's wife was Mary. They had two young children, Patrick and Lucy. They seem to know less about the family than I did. We did go out to their farm in Letterkelly and found nothing except for the birth certificate for  Thomas Haran (the elder Michael's father) confirming that Thomas was my grandfather's brother, probably the only sibling that didn't emmigrate. Noone lives there now, but they use the land for summer grazing.

Their address is:  Michael Haran. Spanish Point, Miltown Malbay, County Clare, Ireland.

Good luck and keep in touch.

Mike

Hi Michaels' both,

I am the parish liaison for the Kilfarboy parish and feel that the parish records for Letterkelly would be in Miltown Malbay. I am currently trying to digitise these records and will let you know when complete. In the meantime i will keep my eyes open or any records pertaining to you. Wishing you both well. Contact is Kilfarboy@irelandxo.com

PS Mrs Michael Haran's wife is Lucy O Halloran.

Regards

Brid

Hello Brid,

Thank you very much for your response.  Early last year I wrote to the Miltown Malbay parish thinking that might have been the right location and received this reply:-

"I have checked our records and cannot find your Ancestor in this parish.  I would have expected them to be registered in the parish of Inagh.  The Priest there is Fr. Se?n Sexton P.P. and his address is Kilnamona, Co. Clare. Unfortunately I don't have an e-mail address for him."  This message from Teresa in the Parish Office at Miltown Malbay.

Given the close proximity of LetterKelly and Miltown Malbay (and that some family records name both towns), I had imagined that might be some relevant records held there, so am very pleased that you digitising these records.

I am not sure of the actual location of Kilfarboy parish in relation to Inagh and Miltown Malbay but you may be able to also help in providing an email address for the Inagh parish office which would make communication easier. If you could help that would be great, my email address is 'michaelandwendy@bigpond.com'.

Once again thank you for your help.

Kind Regards

Michael

Hi Michael,

Teresa is correct. I just checked today and they are not listed. They would be officially in the Inagh parish. The parish of Kilfarboy contains the town Miltown Malbay which was the shopping town for all the townlands in the parish and also for many as far as Inagh crossroads. (contains one shop and two pubs). Marriages and births for Letterkelly would be registered in Inagh or at the half parish of Cloonanaha church which is part of Inagh parish. Letterkelly townland is only about a half mile away from this church. I have sent an email to your email address.

Regards

Brid

Hi Michael,

Can you let me know if you got 2 emails to the address provided above.

Regards

Brid

Hello to whom ever can help me, June 6, 2016

2016 I know these boards are old, but I am trying to find any information on the Haran clan. My mother is now 89 yrs old and has asked me to find out any info. I can. I have hit a block as to the parents of Patrick Michael Haran, Thomas Joseph Haran, Winifred Haran, etc. Patrick Sarsfield Haran, the son of P.M Haran, is my Grandfather. I never met him, he died when my mother was young. They all were involved in TJ monument works in Brooklyn. P.S. Haran went on to become a Dr. P.M. Haran she tells me went on to own a Pub or something in Brooklyn. On a 1901 census it says a Ellen M Murray was the mother, this is where it gets confusing. Murray, Haran???? Did she remarry in Ireland? My mother said she came here for a few days didn't like it and went back to Ireland. She remembers her as Gma Black??? When did the father die, & what was his name? My mother says that they usually named the first born after the father, so I'm guessing that is was Patrick? Winifred, she says was brought to America because this Black husband was trying to kill her?? She helped raise Patrick S because his mother died shortly after his birth.

thank you for any help

geri dangel ( mcduffee,haran)

Hello Geri,

Sorry to take so long to reply, I have been away travelling and could not reply until I returned home and remembered ny password!  

I have heard about this Monumental mason group of Harans in the past, as you can see in an earlier post by Mike Haran (23rd February 2013) he seems to know about that group.  

I live in Australia and have had a lot of difficulty going back beyond my Michael Harhen's birth in 1860.  The National Libary of Ireland's release of Roman Catholic Parish records in July 2015 has helped answer some questions for me. Sadly you need a subsrciption to Ancestry to be able to search this database easily, unless you want to read through the images page by page.  

There is a Facebook Group of Harhen/Haren/Haran researchers, only about 50 people, if you are on Facebook that would be a very good group to put your questions to as I'm sure there are some American researchers who would know more about this Brooklyn family.  Let me know if you are on Facebook (or join) and I will be able to send you an invitation to join the group.

In the meantime I will have a look through the Facebook group's postings to see what if anything has been said about this Brooklyn family.

Please stay in touch, if you would like to contact me directly my email address in 'michaelandwendy@bigpond.com.'

Kind regards

Michael Barker

Hello Geri again,

I have just checked FB Haren group and realise that you have already joined (I should have checked that before writing my earlier post) 

All the best

Michael

Hello again

Since this last post I have been busy finding lots on info on my Haran clan. With the help of wonderful people on the FB groups I joined. Haran/Haren/Harhen and Clare County Ireland.

I have found baptism records on 7 of the 10 children they had, all in Letterkelly

I still haven't been able to find the siblings of Michael P Haran, the father of the kids and husband of Ellen Kelly (Haran, Murray) Ellen remarried in 1876 to a John Murray. What happened to Michael P Haran???

Ellen Murray came to Brooklyn in 1906 with a nephew Patrick Kelly on the ship Umbria. Ellen Murray I found, never returned to Ireland as my mother was told, She died in Brooklyn in 1916 and is burried in Holy Cross Cemetery.

On the baptism of Patrick Michael Haran (son) it listed a JP Haren, Nancy Kean. Dec 1856 as sponsors. I can only assume that this Haren is a brother or relative.

I have an Ancestry DNA test being done on my mother now.

I would love to be able to find the siblings or parents of my gg grandfather if possible.

So I have been busy finding info..... still pieces of the puzzle missing.....

Geri

Hello Mike

As far as TJ Monument Works, My ggrandfather Patrick Michael Haran came first from Ireland & started the business, the rest of the Haran brothers, Thomas J & James and all joined in the business. Sisters came too. I also think the named changed to TJ Monument Works at a later date. The original name was Steam Granite and Marble Works.

I believe from what my Mother has told me that her father Patrick S Haran sold the business to his cousin Walter. Patrick S became a Dr and died at a young age in 1944. Patrick M Haran I was told opened a pub or restaurant of some kind. So how the business really transferred who knows.

So we must be related some how...but I too can't find the siblings of their father, Michael Patrick Haran or when or where he was born and died.

I do figure all the Harans, that came to Brooklyn that were stone cutters have to be related....somehow.... :)