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My mother called her Auntie Kate but wasn't sure how the relation went.  I have tracked Auntie Kate fairly well here in the States, but find little in Cork.  Auntie Kate also gave different dates on the United Sates census for her birthdate and when she immigrated.  I do know for sure that she died in New York City onSeptember 21, 1941.

So, Katherine was possibly born in 1867 in County Cork though it could be as early as 1862.  She immigrated in maybe 1882  or 1883 to New York.  Married Michael Sweeney, (1865 - 1916) in Brooklyn on October 14, 1888.  I believe Kate's parents were Daniel McSweeney and Catherine Hurley.  Michael and Kate had no children.  I think Michael's sibling was John Sweeney (1848-1908) who was my great grandfather. John Sweeney's son was my grandfather, Bartholomew Sweeney (1890-1967).  After living in America for a number of years, Michael Sweeney changed his last name to McSweeney and my Grandpa Barth changed his last name also to McSweeney.

I have been in touch with a cousin in Knockdrislaugh, Dromahane, Mallow who advised me that if Kate and Michael came from her area, they would most likely had attended Mass at Saint Columba's Church in Bweeng or Saint Pater's Church in Dromahane.  My grandparents came from that area so that may be true.    

If Michael's sibling was John Sweeney, then I have my family connection but, try as I might, I am not sure of this. I can not prove it.   Auntie Kate was always spoken of with great fondness by my mother.  To me, she is a face in an old picture and quite the mystery.  

Thank you,  -Kathleen Logue

 

 

Mcauley73

Monday 9th Apr 2018, 01:23AM

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  • Kathleen:

    Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

    I located the record below on Roots Ireland. This Catherine had the following siblings: Mary 1854 Ellen 1856 Jude 1858 Owen 1862 Patrick 1866. Do you think the record pertains to your Aunt Kate? Glountane/Glantane is southwest of Mallow parish. is 

    Roger McDonnell

    Name:Catherine SweeneyDate of Birth:
    Date of Baptism:09-Sep-1860Address:
    Parish/District:GLANTANEGender:FemaleCountyCo. Cork
    Denomination:Roman Catholic
    Father:Daniel SweeneyMother:Catherine HurleyOccupation:
    Sponsor 1 /
    Informant 1:Patrick Hurley Sponsor 2 /
    Informant 2:Catherine Sweeney 

    Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Monday 9th Apr 2018, 05:00PM
  • Thank you, Roger.  I have an older cousin who remembers Auntie Kate.  I intend to ask her many questions and  get at least a few answers.  I never heard my mother speak of siblings for Auntie Kate.  So right now, I simply don't know.  Still, I keep trying.  

    Mcauley73

    Tuesday 10th Apr 2018, 01:02AM
  • hello Kathleen

    I seem to have mixed up the Sweeney with the crean family.I looked for the children of Michael Crean and Hannah McSweeney and only 3 appear in Glantane parish-

    Owen baptised on 24 march 1850

    John Baptised on 17/May 1855. You have this John born in 1848.No Michael appears.Is this your John?

    Julia Baptised on 8 April 1862.

    Does this prove John and Michael (1865-1916)were not brothers. Your John seems to be the 1855 one and not the 1848 one.

     Your John Married Julia O Connor   on  6th March 1890 and they had  the following baptised in Glantane Parish-

    Hannah 22 Nov.1891

    Margaret 12 March 1893

    Pat 23  april 1894

    Unfortunately computerised records ended in 1895 due to the 100 year rule so Bart.is not on my list.

    I looked up Bartholomew Mc Sweeney in civil records and found one  born on 19may 1890 in Glenogue to John and a Ellen Riordan not to Julia o Connor and was baptised on 21 May 1890. Was there another John McSweeney in Glenogue married to Ellen Riordan? They had the following baptisms in Glantane-Margaret,julia,John,Bartolomew ,Elizabeth,Daniel

    If this Bartholomew is your grandfather then your line back is through a different John Sweeney

    There does not appear to be a match in baptisms to John of 1848 this must be the John of 1855

    Have look at above and confirm your direct line back to michael Crean and Hannah McSweeney as you see it

    regards

    Donie

    Donie O Sullivan

    Thursday 19th Sep 2019, 08:38PM
  •  

    Dear Donie,

    Thank you as always for your continued interest and patience with my family tree.  Looking at your latest post, I will try to keep names and dates simple.

    Michael Crean (no dates) and Hannah née McSweeney (born 1830, no death date) are my great great grandparents.  Their son John, my great grandfather (1855-1945) married Julia O’Connor (1868-1946).  Their daughter was my grandmother, Margaret Crean (also known as Madge), 1893-1976.  Madge Crean married Bartholomew McSweeney (1890-1967) in 1916 in Brooklyn, NY.  I have records that show that in Ireland, Grandpa Barth simply used Sweeney as his last name.  The Mc was added when he immigrated.  Grandpa Barth’s parents were John Sweeney (1848-1908) and Ellen Riordan (1855-1902).  All this information I believe to be true.  The guess work is that I have John Sweeney’s parents as Jeremiah (Jere) Sweeney (no birth date, died in 1905) and Hanna (Johanna)  Lucey ( no dates at all).  I also have Jeremiah and Hanna as Michael Sweeney’s parents.  (Michael, 1865-1916). Michael was married to the elusive Auntie Kate (1860-1941).  So, I thought that I had finally had the traceable family connection to Auntie Kate.  However,  your research, and others, have me doubting that John Sweeney and Michael were brothers.  

    And so it goes.  I can provide more information if needed but honestly, I think I have told you everything already.  But then, maybe I haven’t.  Whatever the outcome, it is always a pleasure to work on this family puzzle.  Your research has been invaluable.

    Thank you,  -Kathleen

     

    Mcauley73

    Wednesday 25th Sep 2019, 12:01AM
  • Hello once again,

     

         Kathleen here still researching Auntie Kate.  Through ancestry.com, I connected with a very distant cousin who is also researching Auntie Kate's family.  He has provided me with a wealth of information but when pressed, he can not establish a blood line from Auntie Kate to me.  So it goes but that is not the main reason for my query.

     

         In doing all this research, I came across the name Jude in a baptismal record.  Could this be a boy or a girl?  Also, looking at one of the census records, I came across the expression "kept by sister".  I believe it was when people were asked their relation to the head of the household.  I have seen this expression more than once.  And I have no idea what it means.  

     

         I'm sorry that I can not be more specific but I have looked at so many records in the past week that it was only later that these two questions popped into my mind.  

     

         Again, as always, thank you for your help.  It is truly appreciated.

     

         -Kathleen Logue

          Crofton,  Maryland

    Mcauley73

    Tuesday 29th Oct 2019, 11:11PM

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