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I have been searching for many years for the right 'Kelly' family.  My great-grandparents originated in Queens County and I believe from somewhere in Raheen.  I now have no idea how to progress further with my search.  My great-grandmother Sarah Kelly came to England some time around 1870 and she married in Manchester in 1873.  I know definitely that her father was called Michael Kelly as his name was on her marriage certificate.  I don't know anything more for sure but I'd like to take the next step and find what Parish they lived in.  Still guessing I believe her mother's name was Esther White.

If anyone can add any further information for me I will be eternally grateful!

Marie

daisynook

Sunday 16th Oct 2022, 10:28AM

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  • Is your Sarah the one that married William Mather June 1873 ?

    If so there are two additional details on the civil marriage record that might help - Sarah gives her age as 21 s0 born c183, and her father's occupation is shown as bricklayer .. might stand from the many farmers and labourers. Sometimes the marriage witnesses can help e.g. if they are siblings or cousins etc , neither are surname Mather or Kelly for this marriage.

    Have you traced William ? I he was also from Ireland then the couple may have known each other before moving to Engl;and.. possibly from somewhere close to each other.

    Have you some record clues or family story that suggests Raheen and mother's name ?

    There are several townlands named Raheen in Queen's county/County Laois and quite a few more with Raheen as part of the name - spread across many parishes

     

    Shane Wilson, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Sunday 16th Oct 2022, 12:04PM
  • There is a Catholic parish in Queen's County called Raheen or Ballinagar, it covered parts of the civil parishes of 'Curraclone' and 'Clonenagh and Clonagheen'. The National Library of Ireland website has register images for this parish with baptisms going back to 1819.  The pages for the 1850s looks reasonably ok to read - not faded or badly damaged.

    I had a look as any Kelly baptism in this parish where the father's name was Michael - just one Sarah that I could was a  baptism in 1857 which seems a little too late to be your Sarah unless she added to it a little on her marriage.. parents for this baptism are Michael Kelly and Essy (Esther) White.

    It might be worth checking to see if there's any sign of Sarah's father on any of the English census returns - in case Sarah's family all moved together to England.

    Shane Wilson, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Sunday 16th Oct 2022, 12:37PM
  • Thanks very much Shane.  To answer your questions, what I do know is William was born in England and from the date of their marriage I have all the information, no idea how they met.  They married in Manchester and the witnesses were friends, no relatives.  Having said that I had looked into the fact that the witnesses may be family members they were William Foey and Dinah Wardle who lived at Belfort St, Salford in 1872, William and Dinah were also witnesses for William and Sarah at their wedding and I found that Dinah's mother was Catherine Kelly but found no further connection.

    I had come across Raheen in Laois, right place, a few times whilst searching and found a few possible Kelly's, like you Ester Whyte and Michael Kelly so I was following that clue but nothing definite so far.  I have looked at the English Census' but there are so many Michael Kelly's that I can't pin down if any are him!  I wonder how they met?  I can't find any clue to Ester Whyte or White.

    Thanks again for all your suggestions

    Marie

    daisynook

    Monday 17th Oct 2022, 09:57AM
  • Hello Team , I am looking ( hoping) to find any information for my Irish ancestors for my Grandchildren.

    James Kelly b c 1787 or 1795 Roscommon d unk , spouse Winifred Fallon b 1800 d c 1901 ? .

    Daughter was Mary ( Ann ) Kelly b 1822 I have a mixture of Cloonage , Kiltveevan cross roads Roscommon Ireland , she migrated to New South Wales Australia c 1842 .

    She  married William Condon b 1817 Cork 1843 in Catholic Church, Goulburn NSW .d 1878 NSW 

    Any help would be much appreciated 

    Best Regards from OZ 

    Bryan

    brianman

    Wednesday 23rd Nov 2022, 10:46PM

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