Mike Kelly always knew that his family originated from Galway: his great grandfather was James Kelly from Ballymacward, Co Galway and immigrated to Detroit USA in the 1800`s.
Mikes grandfather, Joseph Kelly Snr was from Cahroon, Ballymacward. Born in 1878, he immigrated to America in 1900, settling in Detroit. He married Katherine Moriarity from Glenbeigh, Kerry in Detroit in 1908. Joseph Kelly was the youngest of 12 siblings; of the 10 that survived, two stayed in Ireland and eight immigrated to the States, most ending up in Detroit. He immigrated with his brother Michael to the US where they initially stayed with their sister Bridget who was living in Boston.
Detroit was a bustling city of commerce, with lots of opportunities for work to be found, especially within the Auto, which was most likely the reason so many of Mikes Kelly's family arrived to the city. His parents James Kelly and Anne Cahill themselves worked and were married in Detroit America, came back, bought a field in Carhoon, Ballymacward and built their house there. They planted three trees around the house. The house is still standing along with one of these original trees.
John Kelly another brother of Joseph Kelly built a house across the road from the old homestead. Joseph Kelly Snr worked as a salesman, dealing with dry goods, and then he worked for the Wayne County Roads Commission. Josephﾒs son, Joseph James Kelly, Joseph Kelly Jnr (Mike's Dad) was born and lived in Detroit all his life and Mike is one of eight of his children, five living in Detroit and three out of state. His father also worked in sales, specifically retail sales, working at the department store JL Hudson for 41 years as a buyer.
After much frustration and dead ends in his research, Mike decided to contact Ireland Reaching Out, who posted his messages and info online and also in the local paper, the Connacht Tribune. The result was the very emotional homecoming that took place on the 13th of July in Ballymacward.
"I have done much research over the last three years and had a major breakthrough on the Kelly family when I contacted the Ireland Reaching Out Program. They responded to my genealogy queries. Initially, it was difficult to ascertain which Kelly I was related too as there are many Kelly families in the Ballymacward area. So Ireland XO wrote a small paragraph to the Connacht Tribune requesting information on Cooper Kelly and soon received a reply from my cousin Mary. Mary is my great aunt Anne Kelly's (my grandfather's sister) granddaughter.
It was a very emotional experience when I first called Mary. Since then, through emails and conversations, we have exchanged family information, pictures and stories which has helped me enormously in my research as well as adding a richness to the story of our families."
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