Griffin & O'Sullivan Family Headstone in St. Mary's Cemetery, Abbeyfeale, Co. Limerick

Hi Eliza: 

Thank you for your post to the Ireland Reaching Out message board.  Several of our volunteers were involved with this project in County Limerick and I have copied this post to them.  They are part of the West Limerick Heritage Group and will hopefully be able to add further information to your query.  Please give them a week or two to reply. 

Kind regards, 

Jane

Hello Eliza,

My name is Jennifer Jean and I live very near to the gravesite of which you speak.

We are snowed in here as I reply to your message - however I will be in Abbeyfeale at some stage next wek and I will venture to speak with a few friends who may be able to give us some further information. Have you anything at all to help, like a date or why this may be significant to you!

I will be happy to give you any information that I can find

Regards

Jennifer Jean

Hi Jennifer

Sorry I am only seeing your reply to this message now. The reason the grave interests me is because I have an Mary O'Sullivan family in my tree from Knocknasna. She was born in January 1974 in Knocknasna, and married a man named Nicholas Griffin from Abbeyfeale around 1904, but I haven't found the marriage record (they may have been married in America).

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Limerick/Abbeyfeale/Ab…

They have a son born 1905, who dies a couple of hours after he is born, the son's name is "Unknown" in the irish civil records, their next 2 children were both born in Manhattan, New York. Then they have at least 5 more children born in Abbeyfeale, Co. Limerick. Two of these children also die young in 1917 (Nicholas)  & 1918 (Thomas). 

Since the grave in St. Mary's Cemetery says the Griffin family from Abbeyfeale West & the O' Sullivan family from Knocknasna. I was wondering if it was any of members of this family, or perhaps the parents of either Nicholas & Mary. 

Here is a list of the deaths I found for the family

• Nicholas Griffin - Husband - died 1923 in Abbeyfeale
• Mary Griffin nee O'Sullivan - Wife - died 1951 in Abbeyfeale
• 3 young boys - Unknown 1905, Nicholas 1917, Thomas 1918 in Abbeyfeale
• Timothy Griffin - Nicholas's father - died 1911 in Abbeyfeale
• Ellen Griffin - Nicholas's mother - died 1909 in Abbeyfeale
• Michael Griffin - Nicholas's brother - died 1905 in Kilconlea, Abbeyfeale
• Michael O'Sullivan - Mary's father - died 1924 in Knocknasna 
• Mary O'Sullivan - Mary's mother - died 1920 in Knocknasna
• Thomas O'Sullivan - Mary's brother - died 1956 in Knocknasna

I'm not sure how old the grave in question is, but any help or information you can find would would be greatly appreciated.

Dear Eliza:

Would you contact me directly at:  jhalloranryan@irelandxo.com?  I would like to give you some information and direct you to the volunteer who has done the research.

Kind regards,

Jane

Hello Eliza, I am burning my sausages at present but I am excited as I have found people living in Abbeyfeale who know the Griffin-O'Sullivan family so well and this William was a great friend to the family. I spent this morning with William Broderick and was fascinated to learn so much from him. Now I think what I will do - if you have no objection - is to print off all that you have given me here and take it to him for close inspection. He will confirm that it is or it isn't the correct family and we will come back to you. 

I am intrigued though as to how you found the grave marker, wre you here and if so how sad that you didn't ask then as their family home is literally around the corner to the graveyard.

Never mind, all is good news and I will come back to you in a few weeks

Jennifer Jean

Hi Eliza:

It sounds as if Jennifer Jean has found the information that you need.  I will leave it to her to handle the rest of the story for you.  Please let me know if you have any further questions.  

All the best,

Jane

Thank you Jane & Jennifer

Jennifer this is great, thank you for your help. I haven't been to the graveyard in Abbeyfeale yet, I just seen the picture on the historic graves website. I have relatives living in Limerick, the next time I call down to visit them, I will definitely stop by the graveyard :)

Thanks again for asking around about the grave, your very good. I'll look forward to hearing from you

Hello,  I am a new member seeking more information on Cornelius O'Sullivan b. 9 Jult 1854, married Mary Ann Giffin in Sept 1879 (her birth on 15 Aug 1862) and those 3 events in Limerick, Ireland.  I do know if that was the city Limerick or County Limerick.  They immigrated to America in 1882 or 1883 and lived in Kane, McKean County, Pennsylvania where Mary Ann d. 8 Mar. 1911. Cornelius went on to live in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio till his death on 9 May 1932.  I found some records showing Cornelius's father to John O'Sullivan b. about 1827 and mother Mary McCafferty b. about 1836 but that is I have found on this couple.  Mary Ann's father was James Griffin, Sr. b about 1840 and mother Catherine Prior born in Ireland.  Again that is all I can find on that couple.  I would be great to find out more about these couples - any additional information would help me.  Thank you for any help you can offer me.

Linda Law Freeland for my husband, Dennis M Freeland