Seeking info on Father William Butler, died in Thomastown 1848

Thank you so much, Emma.  Your response is a template for information gathering!  I have asked the archivist of St. Kieran's to see if there is anything in the records there.  Your specific information on possible sources is most helpful and the next step may be Rothe House.  Over the course of the year, if I can piece together more information on my "Kilkenny" ancestors, I will certainly share.  Your time and effort are much appreciated, Emma!   

Not sure if you are aware of this, but I happened across some information on the Thomastown Parish site while doing some of my own research. If not, try this:

www.thomastownparish.ie

Click on "Our Parish" towards the top, then "Memorials of the Dead", then "In Memory".

The following is what I found:

"Butler: Erected to the memory of the memory of the Rev. William Butler P.P. of Thomastown who departed this life on the 2nd day of May 1848 in the 45th year of his age...(Belfry)."

There are also memorials of other Butlers there...don't know if those are relatives of yours as well.

Happy Hunting...Chris Murtha

How kind of you to share this information with me.  You will be interested to learn that we knew about his grave and actually visited it when in Ireland last fall.  Since then, I heard from a descendent of the Killaloe Butlers who is quite sure  my great great grandfather Michael Butler is NOT  a part of Fr. William Butler's family.  Yes, there are other Butlers buried there, including Mary Joyce, wife of Michael Butler from Pleberstown.  They are actually the parents of a very famous man who went to Austrailia and became attorney general of NSW I believe.  His name was Edward Butler and you can read his colorful story online.  Fr. William Butler's brother Thomas went on a mission to Tasmania in 1837 and stayed there the rest of his life to minister to the "convict" population.

Meanwhile, my Michael came to the US in 1848 and did very well in Newport, RI where he had a florist business and did landscape gardening for the "cottages" of the wealthy.  He and his wife were the first to marry in St. Mary's church and had four children, three of whom lived to adulthood and had children of their own.  My cousin and I continue to search for Michael's origins in/around the Bennettsbridge/Thomastown area.  We are looking for the "priest who was the assistant to the Bishop of Ossory" who was Michael's uncle and gave him and his sisters money to help them through hard times.  Michael emigrated; the sisters bought a house in Thomastown and one married a Murphy whose family still runs a farm implement business in Kilkenny and Tipperary.  So we are writing our letters to see who might response and eventually will figure this out.

Thank you again for your interest and kindness in sending the information on William -- I grew fond of that family even though it probably has nothing to do with mine!