O'Brien and Mungavan Family

I noted that I found my O'Brien family here in Kilmurry Ibrickan.  Thomas O'Brien married Mary Mungavan and they had 4 children: Elizabeth, b. Feb 1840 in Finnor Beg; Margaret, b. May 1843 and d. before Oct 1844 in Tromra West; Margaret b. Nov 1844 in Tromra West; and my great grandfather, James, b. Aug 1847 in Troma West.  As Giffth's Evaluation was conducted in Clare around 1854, I would expect to find Thomas there.  However, he is not listed.  Is it possible he had no property and worked as a laborer on a neighbor's or family farm? Could this have been a cause of James to leave Ireland before 1877?  Am also trying to determine what happened to his sister's and parents as I found nothing further on them.

Dennis

Hello Dennis, and parish connections,

Glad you found your family in the records. I just wanted to say hello as an O'Brien of very near to yours.  We had always heard ours came from Quilty. The only church recor that we could find for any of ours is a baptism of the youngest child of James and Ellen Murrihy O'Brien , residence Tromora East. Sponsors were John and Mary McKnight of Tromora - did you find any of that McKnight name as sponsor to your group?   Michael O'Brien was baptised 28 July, 1841 in Kilmurry Ibricken.   I thought it was interesting the given name James as well since they named for father's father - maybe yours and mine were cousins?  I don't know any NJ connection.   Ours went first to Connecticut. 

Do you have or did you help with - your family group on the O'Brien blog by Kevin O'Brien - http://obrienkilmurryibricakne.blogspot.com/2016/06/thomas-obrien-and-mary-mungava-of_23.html

Also I am wondering, have you ever done any DNA testing? I am on FTDNA/23and me or - gedmatch kit T429341 

all best, Catherine

Hi Catherine,

    I've done the whole gambit of options.  I have taken my DNA with Family Tree.  Also just took it with Ancestry (waiting results).  I post my results on GEDmatch.  Just tried a one-to-one comparison between our kits but came up empty.  My kit number is T788076.  I provided the information that Kevin posted on his website.  Unfortunately, I have no living O'Brien relatives.  My direct line died out with my only male uncle.  I hope eventually someone will be able to connect, either directly with Thomas or his wife, Mary Mungavan.

Dennis

(updated)

Thank you Dennis , for the note and  for your  kit #.   At gedmatch, I  did one-to-one comparison,  changing the default 7 to "3" and it did come up with some 3s and one 4.5 cM that match with yours.   (It would suggest, a long ago cousin, at least). At least that I know of -  I do think a "4" is considered at least something of a relative.  

But, better than all this, I remembered to compare yours with my mother's kit # (O'Brien descendant.) Her kit # is T474478 gedmatch and she does match with you, without any changing to smaller segments hers shows up with you in regular comparison.   So that's great.

 I don't have any male O'Brien either - Kevin had asked me about that.  Our family group that we know of, just the one son Michael, who became a doctor, and married but did not have any children. So I havent anyone to ask to do the O'Brien Y DNA, either.  I am very glad to know an O'Brien from Tromroe though even if mine are "east" and yours "west" -   Am wondering if you heard any family stories on the why left Ireland?  Or any other memories?

all best, Catherine