O'Garas and Clarkes

My great-great grandmother was Catherine Harriet O'Gara.  She came over to the USA from Ireland sometime before 1876.  On 03 Feb 1876 she married Robert Thompson in Providence, RI.  Catherine's marriage and death certificate (died 25 June 1899 in Providence, RI) lists her parents names are Dominic O'Gara and Mary Clarke.  At http://ifhf.brsgenealogy.com, I found what I believe is Catherine's baptism record.  She was baptized on 16 Aug 1846 in Aghanagh, Sligo.  Her religion is Roman Catholic.  The record lists her parents' names as Dominic Gara and Mary.  Her sponsors are Jas Clarke and Ann Brehony.  The various census and BMD records have her year of birth being around 1849.

Her sister was Mary Annie O'Gara.  The various census records and BMD records have her year of birth being around 1859/1860.  Marriage (married Michael McEnany on 2 Apr 1894 in Providence, RI) and Death record (died 14 Noc 1928 in Providence, RI) lists her parents' names as Dominic and Mary O'Gara.  Death certificate lists her place of birth as Sligo, Ireland.  One wedding witness was Catherine Clarke.

Another sister is Ann O'Gara.  The various census records and BMD records have her year of birth being around 1856.

Marriage record lists her parents' names as Dominic and Mary O'Gara.  She married John McKivergan on 01 Dec 1883 in Providence, RI.  One wedding witness was Bridgitte Clarke.

Through searching through church baptism and marriage records on the above, I found the following sponsor names:

Bridgitte O'Gara

Patrick O'Gara

Maria/Mary O'Gara

Edward O'Gara

Maria Clarke

Katie/Catherine Clarke

Patrick Clarke

Catherine Clarke

I searched on Patrick and Edward O'Gara and found the following information:

Patrick O'Gara

Baptized 14 May 1949 in Aghanagh, Ireland.  Parent's names are Dominic Gara and Mary Clarke.  Sponsors: Michael Gara and Brigid Conry.  Death certificate (died 15 Sept 1905 in Providence, RI) lists parents' names as Dominick O'Gara and Mary O'Gara.  Married Ann McNally.  I haven't found their marriage record.  Maybe they got married in Ireland?

Edward O'Gara

Baptized 15 Sept 1959 in Aghanagh, Ireland.  Parents' names are Dominic O Gara and Mary Clarke.  Sponsors: Patrick O Gara and Mary.  Death certificate (died 14 Sept 1925) lists parents' names as Dominick O'Gara and Mary O'Gara.  Married Catherine Mullaney on 14 Aug 1901 in Providence, RI.

I commissioned the County Sligo Heritage and Genealogy Society to do further research on my O'Garas.  They confirmed that Catherine, Patrick, and Edward all had the same parents.  However, they believe that Catherine born in 1846 died because in 1864, Dominic and Mary had another daughter whom they named Catherine.  They did not find any record of Mary or Ann being born to Dominic and Mary.  This really threw me for a loop since all my research in the US suggests that they are all siblings.  Backed up by the sponsors of their children and the witneses at their weddings having last names of O'Gara and Clarke.

I did some more research on O'Garas in Providence and came up with another family whose parents were Edward O'Gara and Mary McDonough.  Were Edward and Dominic brothers?

I haven't been able to find any immigration records on any of the O'Garas.

If anyone has any information that they could share with me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you,

Annette Polsky