GRAVES OF O'HARA'S IN BUCKNA AND CARNMONEY

[king william]

I am helping a friend with her O'Hara history and her brother will be visiting Antrim in a few months time and is interested in seeing where his history comes from. A good start would be Buckna Presbyterian Church of Ballymena District, where Henry O’Hara married Jane McCurley in 1855. He was a son of a Felix O'Hara  but I have no information about him. I am guessing that Henry and Jane are also buried there.
Their children were John, David 1863, children were John, David 1863, James 1865, Mary Jane 1867, Isabella Ann 1869, Hugh 1871, and William 1873.
Felix O'Hara, the father of Henry is a mystery although I did find a record of one born in 1820 in Rasharkin who could be his father but no verification of this.

Jane McCurley was a daughter of John McCurley born in 1808 in Carnmoney. John was a son of
Bernard McCurly and Sarah Martin, both born in 1773 in Carnmoney. Their children were Robert Martin, James, Mary Jane (or Margaret Jane), William, John, Thomas, Eliza, and Sarah.

I am interested to know if anypne knows of their graves, and of course if anyone has any further knowledge of these families it would be of great interest.
I have posted this history on this site before and have received great help but am now asking if anyone can help with the grave sites.
Robin aka King William

            
      

[scotmum]

Given that the marriage was in Buckna in 1855, I assume it was at the church Jane's family attended. Assuming her father John had moved there from the Carnmoney area, did the certificate indicate Jane's townland as Ballinacaird by any chance? Which townland is noted for Henry and what occupation for his father? If the certificate has not yet been purchased, it should be available online soon, at reasonable cost, when the new GRONI system goes live.


Also, a John McCurley with his wife and 8 children lived in Ballinacaird townland in the 1850s at least, as did a son in law of his Robert Gilliland.

By 1861, at least, Henry O'Hara with wife and 3 children were also living in Ballinacaird.

Certainly, there is a Henry O'Hara plot noted in the grounds of Buckna Presbyterian Church old graveyard, albeit no dates or other names recorded. There is also a McCurley plot in the graveyard, with various names and dates recorded for John of Ballinacaird and family. You can read the information at http://www.thebraid.com/genealogy.aspx .

[scotmum]

Not sure if you already have John McCurley junior and a sister, Margaret, in 1901:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Slemish/Ballynacaird/939504/

[scotmum]

Also, for Henry O'Hara's father, have you considered the Felix O'Hara who at time of Griffiths Valuation in 1862 was listed in Broughshane Main Street, also, like Ballinacaird, in Racavan parish:

http://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/antrim/racavan.htm

[fadge36]

Robin
In the Carnmoney Churchyard, grave E138. 'McCurley. Erected by Bernard McCurley in memory of his wife Sarah who departed this life 23 June 1828 aged 54 also John McCurley who departed this life 6 May 1831 aged 23. James McCurley who departed this life 3 April 1839 aged 36 years.'
fadge

[scotmum]

A John O'Hara, born c1836, son of a Felix O'Hara, married a Margaret Eccles in 1862, At Skerry, Racavan.

A Jane O'Hara, born c1841, daughter of a Felix O'Hara, married a Samuel Davis in 1860 at Kilconriola.

[king william]

To all who replied - a big thank you.
I am in New Zealand and doing this for a friend so will not be sending for certificates. Her brother is on a Northern Hemisphere trip in a couple of months and will be in Ireland so with this information he will be able to see some family graves and also the church in Buckna where they were married.
I am curious about the name of Ballinacaird as in the few notes my friend gave me about this O'Hara/McCurley family there was a name that never made any sense as it did not exist. It was O'Hara family of "Ballenrin" or "Ballinrin" - that could well have been Ballinacaird.
The Felix O'Hara who owned property in Racavan is very likely to have been the father of Henry. I doubt that Felix would be a very common name.
I am also quite curious about another item I spotted a while ago. It was of a Felix O’Hara, died 1750, Deerfin, Antrim, a cousin of Cahill of Crebilly.
If I could only link up this Felix with the later Felix, then it would give a huge cousinhood to my friend's family. The Crebilly O'Hara's have several names in common with the ones I am researching - Henry and Hugh for a start.
Thanks to you kind people I now can give my friend some places to visit on his trip to Ireland. If anyone has any idea of the Felix of Deerfin who died in 1750 it would be much appreciated.
Robin

[rittrock]

Good day

Can anyone confirm that this Bernard McCurley is a relative (brother?) of James McCurley (1783-1874, died in Ohio)?

And link Bernard's wife Sarah Martin to the Martin family who were longtime residents in Carntall and neighbours of the McCurleys?

Rules probably forbid posting of newspaper snippets but see Belfast Commercial Chronicle 13 April 1825 for Carntall auction notice - possibly the same James?

Bernard (if the same man throughout) features in several snippets, up to at least Northern Whig 2 October 1845. I suspect "Barny M'Curly" and "Bernard Curley" and so on in the Carnmoney books are one and the same. PRONI leases confirm that Bernard held land in Carntall (near the Ballyhowne boundary) formerly held by Robert Martin, so that could be a hint for Sarah.

best wishes

[Bev711]

I have just noted the correspondence re the O'Hara McCurley family. I am descended from David O'Hara and I wondered if your friend found any further information on her visit to Ireland. I have quite a lot of information about the O'Hara's and the Harris's, if your friend would like to make contact with me.