McKenna of Knocknagrave townland

I see from Rose’s birth cert that in 1874 James was a labourer. Labourers often moved around a bit so you can’t be certain that Knocknagrave is where he was born. But it could be.  I would check the 1871 civil marriage cert to see where he was living then and also what his father’s name was. (Marriage registered Monaghan town 1871 Vol 3, page 322).

The 1901 census has 3 McKenna households in Knocknagrave. They might be related to your family:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Monaghan/Killylough/Kncoknagrave/

2 McKenna households in 1911 (plus one Maguire with McKenna a grandchild):

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Monaghan/Killylough/Knocknagrave/

None listed in the townland in the current Irish phone book. It’s a very common surname in the county though so that will make the search fairly challenging.

Is this Catherine and 4 children in Belfast in 1901:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Falls/Inkerman_Street/951487/

Hi Elwyn

yes it will be interesting to see the civil record.  The church transcript says Catherine Ross of Errigal Truagh parish - which I don't think is a real mistake as she is from the "Ross" McKennas.

yes I know the challenges of the common McKenna name in that neck of the woods - as you can see by the McKenna McKenna marriage.  Catherine is more of my line - she is the sister to my ancestor.

and yes that is them in the 1901 census.  As I said I have traced the three daughters emigration to the US starting with Rose in 1901 - just after that census, Mary-Ann in 1915 and finally Catherine and her family in 1920.

I hope to one day find living descendants of James and Catherine.

thank-you for your interest!

Kind regards,
Karen.

Hi news4kaz

My great-great-grandmother Margaret McGrory was born in Donagh in 1844.  Her records tell us her parents were Michale McGrory and Margaret McKenna.  A 1903 newspaper item said that Margaret McGrory was a native of Knocknagrave.  That's a little earlier than you are looking at but several of Margaret's descendants have been DNA tested if that is any help.

Craig Smith