Lenahan/Linehan/Lenahan and Mary Regan

Hi Kathleen,

   I'm not sure if you're indicating that you don't know where Ballybeg or Buttevant is located. From what I have found on a very old map (attached), Ballybeg is just south of Buttevant. There is an old priory located there along the banks of the Awbeg river.

  Based on the marriage date of 1848 and assuming that William could have been about 20-25 years old at the time (big assumption), he could well have been a sibling or close cousin of Edward Linehan (my 2x g-grandfather). When I had researched baptism records via rootsireland.ie I don't recall coming across a child of Cornelius\Mary Linehan with the name William. It may very well exist, I just didn't find it. These are the siblings that I "think" are the family of Cornelius\Mary(Kearney) Linehan:

Michael (1818-1899) Emigrated to New York\USA 1844

Johanna (b:1823)

John (b:1825)

Catherine(b:1828)

Mary(b:1831)

Edward(1833-1913) Emigrated to NY/USA Nov 1851

I indicate "think" because the only evidence that I have for the origin of this family is a letter written by Cornelius (in 1867) vouching for Michael as being born in Grange\Buttevant in 1818 and a death cert for Michael that lists Cornelius Linehan as his father and Mary as his mother (but no maiden name). I found these records via rootsireland.ie and these were the only records I found which contained the parents names, town of Grange\Buttevant, and expected childs name (Edward).

I will also mention that there was an Edward Linehan who was a contemporary of Cornelius', also from Buttevant and who was married to Mary Egan. One of their children (Catherine Linehan, married Cornelius Relihan) also emigrated to NY\USA and lived very close to my gg-gf Edward and his family in New York (Edward was married to Cornelius Relihan's sister, Ellen).

The Relihan's were from the Churchtown\Ballinguile area, just north of Buttevant.

So, it's possible that William Linehan could have been a child of EdwardLinehan\Mary Egan.

Lots to ponder.

Regards,

Chris Ivory

Thank you Chris! Especially for the map! So far, I have not found a Coenelius in my line. My 2x gg mother was definitely Mary Regan married to William Lenahan senior (US spelling) and I found her birth to be around 1820. It very well could be that Edward is his brother. I have taken Ancestry DNA and have a tree with my Lenahan's in it. Do you? I am hoping I have relatives in Ireland who can help fill in blanks. 

Hi Kathleen,

     I have taken the Ancestry DNA test and have also uploaded my results to FamilyDNA, My Heritage, and GEDMatch (the last two are no charge to upload raw DNA results from Ancestry).  My Ancestry ID is cjrivory. Cornelius Linehan is as far back as I was able to go with some certainty. As of yet, I have not located any relative still living in Ireland in the Linehan tree.

One thing to mention (if you don't already know this): It is possible to have a familial connection and yet not show a DNA match. As an example: my sister and I both did the DNA test. A fourth cousin, that we know we're related too, shows up in my results but not in hers. She also shows some Great Britain traces whereas I don't have any...go figure.

I am planning on going to Ireland in the fall and Buttevant specifically. I probably won't spend more than a few hours there. I'm curious if there are relatives planted in the grave yard at St. Mary's church.

Regards,

Chris

Hello Kathleen,

Re: Lenihan name, I see was posted a year ago.

My maternal grandparents, John and Honorah (McDonald) O’Connor were from the Buttevant/Balleybeg area. I have found most of their records and have visited Buttevant, St Mary’s Church and also the Catholic Churches in Doneraile and Kildorrey. The Lenihan name shows up often in the Connors family Church records as baptismal and marriage sponsors. For instance, the Feb 5, 1854 Baptismal entry in Ballybeg for infant Jeremiah Connors lists C Lenihan as the sponsor (Godfather). I’m guessing that the Lenihans and the Connors were perhaps neighbors? I have not found that they intermarried. I would be interested to know if have any additional information.  

A Taylor 

 Hi Kathleen

My family was from Doneraile, the town next to Buttevant. I have no record of any of them living in Buttevant. My records show       

them in Doneraile from the late 1790's till about 1850. Sorry I couldn't be of any help. I grew up in a town close to Elizabeth,NJ

and I went to High school there.                                                                                                                                                        

Regards,

Bob Roche