Kearneys from Castleisland (Kilmurry)

[Amy M]

I am descended from at least 3 James Kearneys from Kilmurry in Castleisland.  I have the following information about my Kearneys (I apologize beforehand, as this is a bit lengthy.  I did try to highlight the key points):

James J. Kearney, son of James, was b. abt 1845 in Kilmurry.  He married Catherine Prendiville from Ballygree, daughter of John, b. abt. 1855 in Kileentierna.  The marriage was in Currens at the Currow RC Church.  I believe they had 5 sons, & at least 1 daughter.  I’m not sure how many children they had.

Eldest son James J. (my great-grandfather) was b. 1880 in Kilmurry.  He immigrated to New York in 1897.  There he married an acquaintance from Ireland, Mary J. O'Connor (b. 1880 in Shanaknock), and they promptly moved to Boston.  He also lived in Quincy, Massachusetts for awhile.

Daughter Mary never married.  She lived & worked in New York for awhile, then retired back to Ireland.

Son John, I was told, went to Australia, where he was a Postmaster General.  Now told that John was in the Irish Constabulary & died in Galway in 1921.  So, possibly there was another son that went to Australia.

There was another son who went to South Africa.  He was either in the army or police there, I can't remember which.

One of the sons was shot (not killed) by the British over a dispute with the family's land in Ireland.  Brother James then shot dead the one who shot his brother.  I believe this would have been in early 1897.  James then promptly left Ireland in fear for his life.

Last thing, I was also told the family owned a store (believe in Dublin).  [Correction, that apparently was the O’Connor side of the family.]   

Can anyone add to this information?  I'd be interested to know if anyone is researching this family.

[Amy M]

Slight update:

I have baptisms for the following children for James Kearney & Catherine Prendeville in Castleisland (all were born in Kilmurry):

• Mary, b. 12 Dec 1877, bapt. 14 Dec 1877
• James, b. 11 Mar 1880, bapt. 14 Mar 1880
• Margaret, b. 20 May 1882, bapt. 22 May 1882
• John, b. 4 Mar 1884, bapt. 5 Mar 1884
• Bridget, b. 31 Jan 1891, bapt. 1 Feb 1891

I believe John was the brother who was shot (not killed) by the British.  I had also been told there were 4 or 5 sons, so there are probably more children.

I have 2 different marriage dates for James & Catherine.  The civil record has 3 Jun 1876, & the church record has 30 May 1876.

Catherine was probably the daughter of John Prendeville & Mary Lyons that was baptized 3 Jun 1855 in Killeentierna.

Daughter Bridget (b. 1891) married Thomas (Mc)Sweeney in 5 Nov 1922 in New York City, where she lived in Manhattan & the Bronx.

A daughter Catherine (Kate) (b. 1886?) also lived in the US, but not sure where.

One daughter married a brother of my ancestor Mary O’Connor  (wife of James Kearney b. 1880).

There was also a son Patrick, who I believe was born in 1888.

[Kerry-jh]

Hi Amy,

I sent  a short reply to your posting re Killeentierna before I saw this message, so I apologise for repeating myself here. My mother was Kearney from Kilmurry and I have been trying to research that branch of my family. My grandfather, also James Kearney, was a first cousin of your great-grandfather, James J.There seems to have been about 9 children in their fathers' family;  Catherine, b. 1824, in Kilquane. She married Charles Donoghue of Kilmurry.
-Bridget, b.1827, in Kilquane.
-Patrick, b.1829. He possibly married a Margaret Prendiville or Lyne of -Ballygree, Killeentierna.
-Daniel,b.1832/33 approx.(my great-grandfather). He married Margaret Kelliher of Clounagh and lived in Kilmurry.
-Thomas, b.1836, in Kilmurry.
-James, your great-great-grandfather, who married Catherine Prendiville and also lived in Kilmurry.
-Mary, who married Pat Brosnan of Ballybeg, Killeentierna.
-Richard, b.1838 in Kilmurry, and
-Margaret, b.1841 in Kilmurry.
Their parents were James Kearney and Mary Keefe who got married in Castleisland in 1823.She was from Kilquane, a townland beside Kilmurry ,and it seems that they started married life there before moving to Kilmurry.According to the Tithe Applotment records of 1827 approx., James Kearney shared land worth £53 with Dan Keefe, Tim? Keefe and Denis Cullinane in Kilquane.
So it seems we are long lost cousins! I never knew your branch emigrated and am delighted to make the connection.
Kind Regards ,
Joan

[Amy M]

I knew that Kearney family had to be related somehow.  I had been trying to sort out the other Kearneys from the Castleisland area.  I was suspecting that James Kearney & Mary Keefe were the parents of my ancestor James b. in 1845.  Now I have another Keefe in my tree (my grandfather Maurice Kearney married a Keefe in the US, her family was from Co. Cork though).

The Margaret Prendeville who married Patrick Kearney, I suspect, is actually the mother-in-law of my James b. in 1845 (Margaret nee Lyne/Lyons, widow of John Prendeville).  I know Patrick & Margaret had a son Richard who lived in New Hampshire in the US.

I'm realizing I need to update the info posted on my Kearneys, so I'll have to go work on that.

Also want to point out that I have my Kearney family in a tree online at (which apparently I also need to update now) http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=SHOW&db=amich&recno=3077

[Kerry-jh]

Hi Amy,

        You said that your James was aquainted with Mary J. O Connor Shanaknock, Ballymacelligott, before they left Ireland. I believe this was because  the  Kearney family moved to Ballinknock, O Brennan, Ballymacelligott after they left Kilmurry. The 1901 Census has Catherine as a widow living in Ballinknock with  Margaret, John, Patrick and Bridget.
         I also agree with your theory that  the Margaret who married Patrick Kearney was James' mother-in-law. When registering their children she sometimes uses the surname Prendeville and sometimes Lyne. Do you know anything about the New Hampshire branch of the family?

Joan

[gracie23]

Hi Amy, Joan,
Please forgive me for jumping into your thread but I'll try to keep this as simple as I can...
My ggggrandfather is Patrick Joseph Kearney b.1839 in Ireland (Kerry or outside of Dublin
He names Denis Kearney and Mary Quinlan as his (deceased) parents on his marriage certificate (1868 in Montreal Canada). I have yet to connect these three in any other records I have searched.
The only Denis Kearney/Mary Quinlan I have come across anywhere I found in Keene, New Hampshire.
Denis & Mary have 6 more children: James, Thomas, Mary, Elizabeth, Margaret and Denis from 1853 or so on. I never knew of any relatives living in New Hampshire before this. My Patrick also moved to Boston from Montreal in 1880 to 1900, then he moved to New York City where he died in 1916. Just trying to see if we have any possible connections, especially in New Hampshire. My theory is that Denis/Mary had Patrick at a very young age and he was possibly raised by other relatives and did not have a relationship with his parents. Welcome to my Kearney brick wall. Desperate? you bet
Thank you,
Deb

[Kerry-jh]

Hi Deb,

I've had a look through my records but unfortunately I can't find anything on your branch. Sorry!

Joan

[gracie23]

Thank you much Joan for the effort. I am convinced I am the only person in the entire universe looking for this branch of the Kearneys!
Deb

[Amy M]

To Joan:

In regards to Margaret (Lyne/Lyons) Prendeville being the wife of Partrick Kearney. . . Daughter Catherine seems to be the only child of her husband John Prendeville, & he was deceased before daughter Catherine married.  Also, Catherine & her husband Jas. Kearney were the godparents of Patrick & Margaret's daughter Bridget shortly before they married.  Finally, I know there was a cousin of some sort to my Kearney family living in New Hampshire.

What I have for the NH family. . .

• Richard Patrick Kearney, son of Patrick & Margaret (Lyons), died before 1958 in Manchester, NH  (note, his DOB & age varies greatly in US records).  I believe he immigrated to Boston in Aug 1897.
  
  m. 24 Sep 1907 in Manchester, NH to
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• Bridget Therese Tangney, b. abt. 1877 in Castleisland, dau. of John & Mary (McEllicott), of Curraheen.

Children (all born in Manchester, NH):

• Margaret L., b. Sep 1908
• Mary B., b. Mar 1910
• Patrick Richard, b. 19 Mar 1912, married Catherine Eleanor Connors, b. 1913 in Portsmouth, NH
• Kathleen, b. 1914
• Anna, b. Aug 1916
• Richard Joseph, b. 12 Aug 1918, married 23 Nov 1943 in Manchester, Dora May Bernard (b. 2 Sep 1919 & d. 23 Mar 2003, both in Manchester), he d. Mar 1986 in Manchester