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Hello!

This has been a dream of mine to find my cousins in Ireland.  I will give you some background.

My great grandfather, John Leary, was born in Bandon around 1841.  He married Johanna Sullivan on September 7, 1862 at St. Finbar's South Chapel in Cork City. They had 5 children born in Cork (the other 3 were born in the US).  My great great aunts (Margaret, Julia, and Mary) were born in Cork, as were my great great uncles (Edward and Michael) were born in Cork and they were all baptized at St. Finbar's.  Baby John Leary was born Oct 1871 and died.  John Leary and Johanna Sullivan Leary lived from 1862 to 1871 in Lower Glasheen in Cork City, on the Bandon Road.  Where/how do I find out if John Leary had other family?  I have attached birth certificates for the family as well as any other pertinent information.  

I am trying to find out if John Leary had any brothers or sisters.  There were sponsors for his wedding (Margaret and Edward Leary) so I don't know if they are his parents and/or brother and sister.  

It appears John Leary left Ireland from Queenstown on the SS Batavia in May 1871 to Castle Garden NY - and ended up in Conshohocken, PA (suburban Philadelphia) by 1873.

I'm trying to find my Leary and/or Sullivan cousins in Ireland.  

Thank you so much.

Beth Leary

 

Beth L

Monday 29th Feb 2016, 06:49PM

Message Board Replies

  • Beth:

    Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

    I assume you found the marriage record and baptismal records on www.irishgenealogy.ie  That site also has the Bandon records. I looked for John Leary in the Bandon records and there was one record in 1837, one record in 1840 and four in 1842. I displayed the 1840 record below. I'm guessing that Michael was the oldest son of John Leary? None of these records had a Michael as the father. The wedding sponsors were more than likely brother and sister or brother and sister in law.

    You may want to consider autosomal DNA testing. Possibly you will match someone who has more info on your Leary family.

    Roger McDonnell

    Area - CORK & ROSS (RC) , Parish/Church/Congregation - BANDON

    Baptism of JOHN LEARY of N/R on 28 June 1840

    NameJOHN LEARYDate of BirthN/R N/R N/RAddressN/RFatherCON LEARYMotherNEL DONOGHOE

     

    Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Monday 29th Feb 2016, 07:56PM
  • Roger:

    I just saw this response now.  I have never heard of an ancestor, Con, or a mother Nel.  I was always told my great grandfather was John Leary born in Bandon -- around 1841.  So you think that it wasn't his parents who were the sponsors for his wedding -- but his brother and sister?  That is hopeful in that it means maybe I have bona fide family somewhere in Ireland?

    As far as the DNA testing, I am the only one who will do it and I know the female DNA is not as conclusive as the male DNA.  I did the DNA testing with ancestry, and I did locate one cousin (Leary or Sullivan side), but I'm still trying to go back to Ireland.  An Irish genealogist said to find the "townland" where the Leary's were.  How do I ever start?

    Thanks again for your help.

    Beth Leary

    Beth L

    Tuesday 26th Apr 2016, 07:55PM
  • Roger:

    Some additional information I don't know if it will help.  When John and Johanna/Annie had children, he named one Margaret and one Edward -- so those names really do run in the family.  How can I find out anything more about John Leary's brother and sister - Margaret and Edward Leary?  Would Griffith's Valuation help?  I do know that my great grandfather could not read or write, so I would assume no one else in his family could either.

    Thanks again.

    Beth

    Beth L

    Tuesday 26th Apr 2016, 07:58PM
  • Beth:

    The 1840 record may not be the correct record. I just posted the record as an example. It will take a lot of work on your part but I would search for the Margaret, John and Edward Learys in Bandon parish around 1840 and see if you can come up with records with the same parents. Unfortunately, Learys are very common in Cork.

    Roger

    Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Thursday 28th Apr 2016, 03:54PM
  • Dear Beth,

    I think there's a fair chance we're cousins.  I hope you are not too disappointed to find that my family is also not in Ireland, I found your post while looking for our family in Cork as well.  My mother's name is Mary Leary, and her father's name is Edward Leary, I also remember mention of a great great (great?) grandmother named Annie Sullivan.  Maybe Johanna?   I believe someone we're related too had an inn or a pub in the area.  

    My mom and I are going in 10 days!!! and this is my last ditch effort to find SOMEONE in Ireland we can connect with who we're related to.  Finding you seems like a great first step!  

    Nicholle Leary

    nikkijean

    Saturday 11th Jun 2016, 06:09PM
  • Cousin Nicholle:  This is positively incredible!!!!  I doesn't matter if you are not from Ireland -- you may well be family.  What is your email so I can tell you much more on what I know.  Where do you live?  I'm from the Philly area.  Getting connected on here is absolutely the first great step....Did you have a chance to read all my documents I attached -- my great grandfather, John Leary leaving from Queenstown in May 1871 and going to NYC -- and somehow making his way to Conshohocken, PA (suburban Philly), and then great grandmother, Annie coming over with the children........and the rest is history.  My email is mizbeth52@gmail.com.

    Cousin Beth !!!!

    Beth L

    Monday 13th Jun 2016, 11:33AM
  • Hello All,

    I did a search for Bandon and Leary and came upon this.  I believe that my ancestors were from near Bandon area.  I can trace my 2nd great grandfather Jeremiah Leary (O'Leary) B. 1819 to 1821 to near here.  I believe that Jeremiah was baptised at Desertserges from records that I found.  His parents were Daniel Leary and Catharine Mahony.  I have found that they had a daughter named Mary B. 1815? that was born near Bandon.  I recently found some DNA cousin matches that trace back to Mary.  Mary married John Driscoll  B.1805.

    Jeremiah made his way to the US through Canada I believe and gets married in Lowell, MA, in 1846 to Grace (Gresham) Jeffers (Jefferds?).  I can trace many relatives to them.  They come to Pittsburgh, PA, some time around 1855 to 1860.  I am originally from Pittsburgh.

    I am on Ancestry, 23andMe, MyHeritage, Family Tree DNA (both Y and autosomal), and GEDmatch.  I would love to connect with you all and see what we can find!

    Rich Sippos (should be O'Leary)

     

    Rich S

    Wednesday 10th Mar 2021, 04:32PM

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