Kellys of Gowran Parish, Kilkenny

My gg-grandfather, Martin Kelly (1811-1888), married Catherine Doolan (1819-1900) in Gowran Parish, County Kilkenny, on January 30, 1839.  Their first son, Patrick, was baptized in September, 1840, in Tullaherin, County Kilkenny.  Oral history says that Martin was educated in the law in Dublin at Trinity College. I visited there in 2013 but we could find no record of him, although there was a contemporary named Thomas Kelly.  Catherine came from Raheen, County Laois. shortly after their son was born, they left Ireland, landed in Quebec, and farmed a patch of land in Ontario, Canada, where they are buried in St. Columbskil Cemetery.  They raised eleven children, one of whom was my great-grandfather, Thomas, who immigrated to Michigan, USA.

During my 2013 visit, we learned that the Kellys were highly respected in Kilkenny back in the day.  We were told that there was a Kellys Crossing near Tullaherin which we also visited . . . the cemetery and the remnants of its tower.  Although we found many Kelly graves, I have no clue as to whom Martin's parents may have been.  Any help would be appreciated.