Michael "Mickaleen" Ward

James:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!  I checked the 1901 census and Michael was still alive and living in Ballynacurragh.

 http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Galway/Kilchreest/Ball…

There was also a John Ward in the townland and I'm wondering if he was the Sean that you mentioned.

Michael died in 1904 and in the 1911 census his son Thomas had married and likely took over the house.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Galway/Kilchreest/Ball…

There was also a young John Ward in the townland and I believe he was the son of the older John Ward in the 1901 census.

I can't help you with whether there are relatives currently in Ballynacurragh. I looked for Wards in the online Irish phone book but did not see any listings for that townland. http://www.eircomphonebook.ie/

You may want to look for yourself.

Roger McDonnell

Hi James

I'm a native of Ballacurra in Kilchreest. I've attached some information that may be of use. It want to discuss some more let me know.

All the best

Ronan Coy

Hello, my name is Bob Howley and all that you have mentioned of Ward names I can relate too, my mother is of the Monahan family Ballycurragh, my g/mother was a Maria Ward from Castlepollard, County Westmeath, anyways we Monahans and Wards are all related, there is Peggy Ward from Ballycurragh, she lives in Arlington Massachusetts/cousin, no telephone #or you reach Karin Joyce also Arlington Massachusetts at 17816488047, Karin is a great source of family history hope this helps,

My thanks to Roger and Ronan for the research. Bob I have been in touch with Karin Joyce and she has given me a family tree that was a glorious find!! I see several Howleys listed in the tre (no doubt your relatives). As far as I know there are very few Wards left in the area. Bob I see Maria listed on the tree as marrying Martin Manahan. Are you in Galway or the States? Pleased to meet you cousin!-James J. Ward III

Hello James, happy that the info provided helped out, I am in the states, from Boston, live in Maryland, and Karin and I are 1st cousins, yes the only one living that I know of is Peggy Ward/Cables from Ballycurragh, as mentioned she lives in Arlington Mass, yes the Howley's in the family tree are my direct family,all the Wards that immigrated went to Boston and we all lived near each other and would be at gatherings at times, the old Ward house is still standing on the road heading up from Kilchreest village more to Sonnagh, straight up the road, the last I ever met at that house was Jack Ward he was a nice man which he would be a John,anyways sadly as you find out a lot of Ward/Monahan relations have passed away, but there are a bunch of us cousins all about "a army" haha .

        your cousin bob howley------  

My grandfather, who I am named after, was an only child but he went on to have six children, who in turn each had six or more children . So there is an army of New Jersey Wards! All the New Jersey Wards are successful professional people you'd be proud to know.

Hello, I am late to this thread, and a "long shot" to boot. I used some old YDNA data and, looking through DNA for the Ward etc. project on FTDNA (my "Y111" is in the works), I found a relevant match for one user who names a Michael Ward, B1866 in this parish, as an ancestor. MY GGF Patrick Ward wed in 1863 in Warrington, Lancashire, England. At that time, his father Martin Ward, farmer, was deceased. I have no other confirmed ancestral or sibling relations for Patrick, nor any confirmation of his Irish townland or County of origin. Thus the DNA route. 

I have autosomal DNA profiles on Ancestry.com [ Lawrence_Leo_Ward_MD_MBA] , FTDNA [B275468 , Larry Ward], and Gedmatch.com [A759739 , Lawrence Leo Ward]. As I said, the Y on FTDNA is pending.

I have trees on gedmatch, ancestry, and findmypast; the 2 last I will be happy to share with anyone via email invite- they are not public- had record pilfering problems!

Patrick, wife Bridget (from Co. Mayo) & 1st son John emigrated 1866 to Jersey City, Hudson, New Jersey, USA, where I was born in 1951. My GF was John Joseph Ward B1881. I would love to work with anyone who may be able to help me in my most dogged genealogic challenge! Thanks!

Larry Ward

Please disregard previous reply. I think, as the Y STR match is not 100%, that I should just await my full Y111 result. My enthusiasm got the better of me. Thanks.

Hi... I just saw your notice and the name Ward jumped out at me. My uncle John “Jack” Kiggins was married to Winnie...I believe her name before marriage was Ward. They lived in Roxborough, Loughrea and her family had lived next to the Kiggins there. They had two sons, Fr. Tom Kiggins R.I.P. (recently) and Sean who was a teacher and still lives in Craughwell with his wife Maura. Roxborough was the estate where Lady Gregory (Perse) was born and raised but the former mansion is now in ruins there.

Forgot...interesting you mention the name Tully. My mother Dell Keane nee Kiggins, had a cousin Mary (Smyth I believe) who was married to Michael Tully and they had had 3 kids, Mary, Peggy and Michael RIP. They emigrated and lived in Astoria, Long Island, New York. Mary and Peggy entered the convent and Mary left to marry a Brother and they had one son. Her husband died and she remarried. She now live in The Villages in Florida and Peggy remains a nun somewhere on Ling Island. 

Hi...and again...my grandfather Thomas Kiggins lived in Kilcreest before moving to the Roxborough location so they must have known the Wards. They moved when the wealthy divided up and, I believe, sold their properties , ie. Roxborough sometime in the 1920s. 

Where do you live, James? I live in Los Angeles. I belong to a Facebook page Galway West and have made a lot of connections through them. 

Alice O’Neill nee Keane

Hi Alice! Fr. Tom Kiggins is a cousin and has said mass at my father’s home in New Jersey when we were in high school around 1977.  The Tully relative goes back to the 1790s and is unknown. Do you have the family tree that Karin Joyce made? It has most of the Wards and Monaghan’s (8 pgs.) They may be related. Does your mother live on the west coast? I communicated with a another cousin out there who was 2nd cousin twice removed? She was related to Thomas Ward who died along with his wife in 1916 yellow fever epidemic. Not sure where all the children ended up? Text me on my phone as it’s much easier to communicate. 540-760-4407  pleased to meet you! James J Ward III