O'Donnell from Slieve West

Harry:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

I will forward this message to our parish liaison for Kilgobban. Can we assist you in any way?

Roger McDonnell

Thank you Roger.

I am also adding McDonnell and McNally to Kilgeever parish in Mayo.

A long time family historian ( very amateur) I am keen to explore all links. While I live in the UK, parents sought work post war, I am an irregular visitor to Mayo, Kerry and Kildare.

Kind regards

Harry

Hi Harry!

You indicated adding McDonnell and McNulty to Kilgeever, did you post a separate message?

Like you, I'm the unofficial family historian. Have you taken an autosomal DNA test?

Roger

I'm delaying taking any DNA tests....aotosomal, mtdna etc.

Reasons.... member of ancestry but it's a group subscription so a small problem there.

Haven't renewed my Findmypast subscription yet....after 4 years of getting a decent discount waitinga while to see if they make me an offer I can't refuse.

Other DNA testing companies seem ok but really want to link it to my tree.

Cheers

Harry

My maternal grandmother was Bridget O'Donnell from the same family. I have visted the old house site inSlieve West many times. She emigrated to Fitchburg and Leominster where many of the O'Donnell sisters went. We grew up with many of the children of those sisters. Duane, O'Malley, Enright, Riordan,and Shea. Never knew what happened to the McNally sister.

Attached Files

Hello Michael and welcome.

I'm excited to read your message. Seriously.

My two main families are O'Donnell and McNally but being mainly sisters, with names changing, it's been harder to find definite info.

Also the name pool is often limited. Several John, James and Patrick obviously but untangling cousins! Impossible. Almost.

I'm rambling.

Also, there's a few O'Donnell family groups in Slieve West, East and through the parish.

I've tried to tie things together with the 1901/11 census returns.... but now I have you! 

So my maternal gmother Margaret ( aka Maggie) , as mentioned earlier in a post went west. Among her sisters was a Julia Agnes I think.... I've an idea she died young in Massachusetts. Unsure. 

My O'Donnell line details are my weakness. If it's not 100% certain then it's wrong....I was told that but errors exist.

I'll give you details of my Ancestry file... it's a shared membership but my principal file is

McNally Carson O'Donnell ( my emphasis is Mayo, Kerry and Massachusetts)

And

Carson McNally McDonnell Finlay ( emphasis on Armagh, Mayo and Black Forest)

My gmother Margaret, after marriage in leominster, returned to Ireland in about 1918 I think. After a short stay in Slieve they traveled north to Mayo, her Husband's county. A brief stay with his mother ( Mary Ann McNally nee McDonnell was 108 when she died in 1956 making her the last survivor of The Great Hunger having been born in 1847). The McNally clan were latecomers to Mayo having been driven out after the Battle of the Diamond.... apparently. Certainly thousands fled N E Ulster and settled in Connaught.

Anyway, they got a two bed cottage, in remote Mayo, overlooking the sea and the Killary harbour, Mwealrea mountain.

All our summers were spent there. They had six kids including my mother Sarah.

That's it.

I'm Harry Carson

Retired teacher, living in rural Cornwall, outside of St.Ives UK

Three children 

Photo of Maggie and Tom McNally outside cottage in Thallabawn, County Mayo, in the early 60s

Cheers for now.

Hello Harry: Your grandmother's sister Julia Agnes O'Donnell was my biological paternal grandmother. I say biological because she moved from Slieve West to Leominster where she married Patrick O'Malley from Clare Island. (A descendant of Grainne) In 1918, at the age of 26, Patrick died of the Spanish Flu. Julia, age 24, then took her own life in despair. (R.I.P.) Leaving my 6 month old father as a orphan. He was taken in by Julia's sister Bridget O'Donnell and her husband James Duane in Fitchburg (My "grandparents"). My Dad led a wonderful life in Massachusetts surrounded by all his cousins who were the children of the O'Donnell sisters from Slieve. Anna(Shea), Ellen(Enright), Eleanor(Riordan), Josie(Glynn) all of whom are listed in the 1901/11 census. Catherine stayed behind in Ireland and married into the famous Crean family. Seems like our mutual great grandmother died young, leaving our great grandfather James O'Donnell alone with all those children in that small stone house. We'll be visiting the O'Donnell relatives in Inch this coming June. Michael. East Montpelier, Vermont USA

Hello Michael. Thank you for the update. I'm shocked. And truly saddened. I've searched for Julia Agnes for years, harbouring a fear she died young. But this. Lost for words. My gmother, Maggie, knew this. My mother too perhaps. What a dreadful desperate thing. It's strange that the tragic death of a stranger long ago can, through blood and a type of familial blood, still shock and knock us back. I'll grieve in private. The other news and details are gold dust. For so long I've trodden paths both right and wrong. Seeking blindly. No longer. Thank you. Currently we're escaping the brutal cold in Cornwall by staying in southern Spain. With our son. Next week we rent a villa and the daughters arrive. 21 degrees. Like a UK summer. I'm feeling the cold more. And every ache that accompanies retirement. Let us say we'll keep in touch if we can help each other. I shall. Meanwhile. Wishing you and your family peace and happiness this festive season and the new, better, year ahead. Harry in Spain atm!

Patrick O'Malley from Clare Island travelled over with my gfather, Tom McNally, Maggie's husband. So Patrick and Tom go to the States. They meet two sisters. Maggie and Julia Agnes. Unproven at the end there but the first bit is right. I kinda wondered why my gfather went with an O'Malley....so many near Louisburg and across on Clare. Hope you have a great time over in Inch. Very best wishes Harry Carson

Last one today....any photos....? Any time. Cheers. H

Hello Harry: Hope you are well in Spain. I do have a photo of 7 of the O'Donnell sisters in America. It must have ben taken in Leominster or Fitchburg around 1915? I believe your grandmother is in the photo. I was never quite sure who she was, and my father was unusally vague about it. It now makes sense.

If you would like, I could send it you somehow. Mail when you are back in Cornwall perhaps?

A belated happy Feast of Saint Brigid.

Michael.

Michael Duane my friend!

Returned from Spain in January but been floored again by a mystery virus. I'm getting used to it. Covid before we went away and now this. Hmm.

I mention this because it's a few weeks since I attended to my family history.... and yesterday my ancestry file was corrupted.....one couple had 24 daughters. Viruses attacking me AND my file.

Regardless.... your kind offer of a photo of the sisters c 1915!!!! I cannot think of anything better. What a gift. So please do send. Email address is:

harrycarson18@gmail.com

Very soon I can return to sorting and fixing and completing etc the Sisters/partners part of the story.

And that's special.

Inch in June? We're over in September I think...Kenmare then Camp/Annascaul, then up to Mayo....the older generation are gone now and so few remember much....a slightly different attitude is felt sometimes.

Ah well. I shall look forward to seeing the picture and until then, I wish you good health and keep warm!

Harry Carson in Cornwall 

Michael...an addendum re your name.

In Mayo our nearest neighbour was called Mikey Ryan. His children, growing up in a culture of Irish revivalism discarded the Anglicised version of their name ( Anglicised because the authorities were determined to stamp out the language, the culture, the religion) and used the correct spelling and pronunciation. Ruane.

Well done them.

Harry ( a rebel since birth).

 

Ignore the stupid post about Mikey Ryan. Ruane and Duane! 

Ffs Harry....put on your glasses.

Back to bed I think.

Please forgive the idiocy this time!

Thank you

H

Hello Nan? perhaps?. Where do you live, and what is your name if I may ask.  Best, Michael

Michael. 

H Nancledra is a habit with acquaintances of mine in UK.... I'm sorry to have confused things unnecessarily. I'm embarrassed.

Still recovering in bed so maybe I'm not as well as I hoped!

It's Harry Carson. Posting while not fit.

I tried to correct my Duane/Ruane error from the previous message and screwed up.

Sincere apologies for wasting your time and everything.

If I'm forgiven,  please send me the picture of the seven sisters when you have time.

harrycarson18@gmail.com

Harry Carson in Nancledra