Harris/Riordan

Mary Anne:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

There are two Ardrahan townlands in Co. Kerry and they are located in side by side civil parishes-- Killahan and Kilmoyly. I think you want the Ardrahan in Killahan because the RC church for that civil parish is Abbeydorney. The other Ardrahan is part of Ardfert RC parish.

The RC church for Abbeydorney is St. Bernard's and here is a link to the parish including their newsletters.  http://www.dioceseofkerry.ie/parish/Abbeydorney/#news

Here is a link to the parish register which goes from 1835-1880 http://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0645    www.irishgenealogy.ie is a free Irish government site which has church records for Co. Kerry churches.

The 1901 census for Ardrahan shows three Harris families but no Ritchie families.

http://census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Kerry/Tubrid/Ardrahan/

Let me know what questions you have.

Roger McDonnell

There was a Catholic Chapel at Lerrig village in the townland of Ardrahan, the part in Kilmoyly civil parish. The chapel is shown on the c1840s OSI map, and listed as a chapel for the parish of 'Ardfert & Kilmoyley' but it no longer appears on the later c1900 maps. The village of 'Lerrigs' and chapel is also mentioned in Lewis' Topgraphical dictionary of 1837. It looks as though some ruins of the chapel may still be present under some undergrowth - see Google Street View

Thank you so much Roger and Shanew147,

Having the name of the churches is in-valuable.  I assume they were married in Ardfert because Catherine Riordan was from Ballinprior and the children baptised in abbeydorney because they resided in Ardrahan so having St. Bernards is great.

Since Catherine Riordan was from Ballinprior in Ardfert, would that change the church from the one in the village of Lerrigs?  Sorry I did not disclose this info sooner.

Thank you so much for your help, as you well know every little piece of info helps and the info you have already provided is fantastic.  When we were last there we were able to visit the church where my father-in-law was baptised and the area he and his mother were born. We would love to connect with his fathers side.

Mary Anne Harris

Hello Mary Anne Harris, 

I read your post and it looks like I’m going on the same journey to visit where our ancestors lived in Ardrahan Ardfert Kerry. Am I correct in thinking that Patrick Harris b.1878 father Michael Harris mother Mary Riordan are your ancestors. Would you be kind enough to let me know the correct parish and grave yard of the Harris Family in Ardrahan. There is a photo of Patrick Harris 1878 in the photo section on here did you post that picture if so it’s fantastic. My great grandfather was Michael Harris living in Ardrahan Ardfert with Mary Harris (O’Sullivan) I’m still looking for michaels birth document. There’s a possibility that he was previously married to Catherine Riordan. The children’s names have been passed down as Margaret 1867 Thomas 1869, William 1875, Patrick1878, Bridget 1882. All documents listed parents as Catherine Riordan and Michael Harris. 
Donna 🙏 
 

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Hi Donna,

My Husbands great grandfather Michael Harris was married to Catherine Riordan in the parish of Ardfert on 12FEB1861.  They lived in Ardrahan and had 8 children: Julia 1865, Margaret 1867, Thomas 1869, Mary 1871, Catherine 1873, William 1875, Patrick 1878 - my husbands grandfather and Bridget 1882.  All children were baptized in the parish of Abbeydorney.  Patrick 1878 was the only child to immigrate to the US. This information I learned from William's grandchildren, as we have been fortunate to be in touch with them through DNA match.  I do not have Michael's birth information.  I have no information of a Mary Riordan being involved with this family.  Could you possibly have the wrong family or be mistaken on the name being Mary.  Further information I was able to receive through our family in Ireland is that Michael's parents were James and Bridget Harris.  When we were in Ireland this was the only stone we were able to find with the Harris name. (Attached picture) Don't know if it was specifically attached to our family.  Hope this helps, anything I could help with, please don't hesitate to contact me.  If this is your family then Julia, Margaret, Thomas, Mary, Catherine or Bridget would have been your grandparent.  My email:  Harris5263@aol.com

Mary Anne Harris