Kearneys from Castleisland (Kilmurry)

[Amy M]

To Deb:

I'm not having any luck finding anything more on your family either. 

I've found that I'm hitting dead ends with all my Irish lines by the early 1800s (sometimes even later in the century).  I understand your frustration.

[gracie23]

Thank you Amy for trying. I am still holding out hope for the latest records to be released on Irish genealogy in September. Otherwise, Denis Kearney and Mary Quinlan will become my eternal brick wall!
How I now wished I had listened to my Grandmom better when she was still alive
Deb

[Shellga]

Hi Amy
I noted in one of your posts in 2005 that you refer to a Kearney that left Ireland for South Africa. My great -grand father was a James Cecil Kearney born 14 December 1886 and he is buried  in Bronkhorstspruit South Africa. I have no history of where he came from(I only know that he left Ireland for South Africa).

 Would you or anyone else be able to shed some light on how he came to South Africa. James Cecil married an Anna Katarina Pretorius (who was the Great Grand daughter of the Voortrekker leader Piet Retief and Martinus Wessel Pretorius) and had one son James Henning Pretorius Kearney who in turn had one son James Henning Pretorius Donavan Kearney who had one dauhgter which is me. I am so interested to track the Irish side of the family.

Thank you
Shelley

[Amy M]

Unfortunately, I have been unable to get any information about the Kearney that went to South Africa.  I don't even know his name.   Your ancestor is about the correct age, but has the wrong name.  My ancestor was named James, so I know his brother that went to South Africa wasn't a James.

Now, this a bit of speculation on my part, but. . . Was your James Protestant?  The name Cecil sounds like an English/Protestant name, which makes me think Northern Ireland.  Also, I noticed the name Henning, which is a surname, & probably a family name.  Using surnames as part of a given name is also a Protestant tradition.  Finally, if I do a search to see where there were both Hennings & Kearneys in Ireland, I come up with the counties of Antrim, Armagh, Down & Belfast City--all in Northern Ireland (see http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/surname/). 

I'm not familiar with researching these counties.  I know there are some records online for these counties at http://www.rootsireland.ie/, but you do have to pay to see them.  Possibly there are some free records online somewhere too.

[Kerry-jh]

Hi Shelley,
I also had a look at my extended Kearney tree and can't find a James born in 1886. I agree with Amy that the Cecil seems to indicate a Protestant background. Or perhaps his mother's maiden name was Cecil? I did however find a record of a James Kearney b. Oct.-Dec.1886 in Kinsale. No other details were given. If this is your James he could have come from a very well to do branch of the Kearneys-details on ; http://www.landedestates.ie, but one where they had to change their name from Cuthbert to Kearney to inherit land from a James Kearney who died without heirs!

[Amy M]

Keep in mind, where James Cecil Kearney was born in December, he may have been registered in the next quarter (Jan-Mar 1887), which adds several more possibilities.   Coincidentally, there was a James registered in Co. Armagh for that quarter.  (There's also one in Dublin-South, Kells, Omagh, Ballycastle, & Navan).

I usually recommend to look for his marriage & death record to see if his mother's name is listed.  If you could find out that, it would be a good start.  The records possibly could list where he was from as well. 

[nick.vdlinde]

Hi Shelley,
Please PM if you get this. I am also a descendant of Anna Catherina Pretorius from one of her previous husbands.
Your help and info will be valuable.
thanks and Regards
Nick