 20/11/2010
I thought I would follow-up on the progress of my family tree and send a
note to William Scott of Leeds, who posted below on 12/8/2008 about his
Hickey family from Lyreacrompane.
William, I've been working on my Hickey tree for the past year and I
actually have you listed in my family tree. We are second cousins twice
removed. Your grandfather, Thomas is my mother's first cousin. I have
some information on other Hickey family lines if you are interested, and
I have information and a photo of one of your grandfather's brothers who
came here to the USA.
If you see this note and are interested, please contact me at
Schwindfamily@gmail.com.
Regards,
Joanne Flood Schwind
14/09/2010
Hi,
wonder if you might be able to help.
I lived in St Helier, Jersey, Channel Is in the early 1980s, and there
were a big group of us socialising out & about, some of whom I am still
in touch with. One friend was from Lyreacrompane: Martin Sheehy,
known by all as "Tom".
I was talking with a friend from those days recently, and we wondered if
he had returned to Ireland.
-It would be great to hear any news of him.
Kind regards
Sheena Cunnington
[sheenacunnington@gmail.com]
06/07/2010
Hi,
Some time ago I contacted you looking for information on Ellie Sweeney
from Gortcloghane.
Ellen Sweeney was born in Gortaclochane in 1868. When she was about 18
years old Ellie and her sister Catherine emigrated to Brisbane,
Australia. They sailed from England about 1886 and both got married in
Australia. Ellie married a Norwegian named Johan Hartvig Detre Jacobsen.
In December 1896 the Jacobsens left Australia and returned to live in
Norway. However in or about 1905 they left Norway again and went to live
in Kimberley, South Africa. They had five children whose names were
Elizabeth Marie, Ellen Josephine, John, Otélia and Jacob. Sadly Ellie
died in Kimberley in January 1914 at the early age of 46. My mother,
Nancy Hellet (nee Hicks), was the daughter of Elizabeth Hicks (nee
Jacobsen). So Ellen Jacobsen (nee Sweeney) from Gortaclohane was my
great grandmother. See photo below.
By spending many hours trawling through the Sweeney name on the
excellent Kerry genealogy website and with the help of some new found
friends and relations of the Sweeney family I managed to trace Ellen
Sweeney's parents to Gortaclochane. Her parents were Daniel Sweeney and
Ellen Dillane. It appears she had five other brothers and sisters -
Thomas (1859), Julia (1862), Catherine (1864), John (1869) and Timothy
(1871).
I’m now trying to trace the families of both Daniel Sweeney and Ellen
Dillane prior to their marriage in May 1859. It appears they came from
the Lixnaw parish and lived in Gortaclohane. I hope to visit some of the
churches and graveyards in the parish in July this year.
If anyone can help me with my research I would be delighted to hear from
you. My e-mail address is noellebparr@gmail.com. I received one amazing
contact recently. A Daniel Sweeney living in Spain contacted me having
seen my Parr Family Tree on the website. It transpires that he is the
great grandson of Thomas Sweeney who was one of Ellen's brothers.
So now the search intensifies. I look forward to further surprises as I
continue my search into my Kerry roots.
Regards
Noelle Parr
noelleparr@gmail.com
29/06/2010
Did you hear the one about the two ladies who died and went to heaven , they became friends.
Mary asked Bridget how did you get here?
Bridget replied, I got frozen to death, and what about you Mary, how did
you get here?
Well, I had the feeling that my husband was having an affair, so I
decided to leave work early and surprise him.
I rushed in the door to find him by himself on the lounge watching TV, I
ran into the kitchen, then I ran upstairs checked out all the bedrooms
but there was nobody there. Then I went back downstairs and collapsed
and died from exhaustion.
Then Bridget replies, What a pity you didn't look in the freezer, we
would both be alive today.
Take care
Helen
Brisbane
04/05/2010
Hi all,
Our father (RIP) often spoke of living in Lyreacrompane in the late
1940s, approximately 1945 to late 1948. His name was Denis
Casey and he was an engineer on the bog. His wife was Elizabeth (Lil).
He was originally from Waterville and was delighted to be back working
in Kerry.
He told stories of fetching barrels of beer or stout from Tralee I think
for one of the local houses which was an impromptu pub. They had a
little house in the village, specially built for Bord na Mona workers I
believe.
My eldest sister was born during that time in the Bon Secours in Tralee
and our father told a story of how my second sister was born in the back
of a Bord na Mona lorry in Ballyackey, having not made Tralee in time!
We would be very grateful if someone could direct us as to where to find
any information about Lyre in those days??
Many thanks and looking forward to a reply
Best wishes
Denise Casey
ogdencasey@btinternet.com
10/04/2010
Good afternoon!
We are trying to trace some record of a relative of ours from the
Lyracrompane/Rahee/Glebe area.
Father Pat Moore suggested I contact you via your website to see if you
could point us in some direction regarding local parish records, what's
available and where we might look to find a record of Ellie McSweeney..
Ellie McSweeney - born 13th May 1871 in Glebe (we think). We believe she
became a nun but left the convent & went to Australia where she got
married. She & her husband left Australia and went to South Africa where
she died in 1914.
Where would we find parish records to see if her birth is registered
there (in Lyrecrompane, or Rahee or Glebe!) ! We believe her fathers
name was Daniel McSweeney.
The following is another connection we were informed about.
A Mrs Halpin (nee McSweeney) died in a tragic housefire in the parish of
Rahee about 1960. Her father we believe was a brother of Ellie who we
are trying to trace. Perhaps someone will recall this event.
We would love to hear from you if you have any parish records or could
point us in the direction of where to look. I look forward to hearing
from you.
Regards,
Tony
tony.parr@exxonmobil.com
09/04/2010
Hello Lyre,
I have tried
unsuccessfully to respond to an enquiry from Australia about the Doody
family - posted rather a long time ago I'm afraid, but only just
noticed by me. Perhaps the person is no longer at that email address,
so would you be so kind as to post my response (which is below), as it
may be of some help.
With thanks,
From: bernadette.kirby@hotmail.co.uk
To: carley@yahoo.com.au
Subject: Doody family
This may be a long shot
- because your message on the Lyreacrompane web site was posted a long
time ago, but on browsing (for the first time) I noticed that you have
written twice to ask for information about a Catherine Doody and
wondered if I could be of any help. By now your questions and enquiries
may have already been answered, but I wanted to let you know what I know
about a Catherine Doody - who may, or may not be connected to you.
Anyway, Catherine Doody was a cousin of my father (William Kirby - from
the parish of Duagh). He was born in 1917 so I don't know if the age
would tie in. Catherine Doody was always known to me and my sisters and
brother as Aunty Doto (?). She married a man with a French sounding
name called something like Bouchier and they had (at least) one child
who was also Catherine and known as Kitty. Kitty is/was my godmother
and as far as I know still lives Durham (England). She did however, go
to Australia (as a nurse) a round the early 1960s and I now wonder if
she had relatives to visit - may be that's what took her there!
It isn't much I know, but it could be a start. Good luck ... .
Bernadette Kirby
07/04/2010
Hi
I would just like to say how much I enjoy your website and the games.
Thank you
from Conor Moore.
19/03/2010
Hi
all,
I previously left a posting on 30/12
regarding the Lyons family asking for help with my research. At the
time I didn't know my great great grandmothers name but now I have more
information. Her name was Mary Dillane and she was married to John
Lyons. They had children Hannah born 1844, John born 1848, Ellen born
1850, Patrick (my great grandfather) born 1856, Denis born 1860, Johanna
born 1863. They were all born in Duagh parish. I think son John
married Catherine Donoghue in 1876. Patrick was a policeman and I
believe Denis may have been too. I think the surname Lyons was quite
common in Co. Kerry. If anyone recognises the family can you please
contact me.
Regards.
Janice Young nee Lyons.
janice.young3@ntlworld.com
17/03/2010
Hi there.
Firstly I would like to say you are doing a great job. It is a
great site .
Secondly I was wondering if anybody out there remembered my granddad. He
was the post man in Lyreacrompane for many years. He always did
his deliveries on his push bike right up to just before he died.
His name was MICHAEL SHEEHY. He died in 1987. I look forward
to hearing from anyone who could give me some more information on him. I
haven't been back there since 1993. A well over due visit is
needed. Look forward to hearing from you.
Kelly Sheehy
e-mail
kellyandlee1@virginmedia.com
18/02/2010
Hello Lyreacrompane,
My earlier message about Connells in Lyre has been a success, as I have
heard from a local, Billy O'Connell of Glashnanoon. I eagerly replied to
Billy, but did not hear back. Then he sent a message again and I have
replied, but I fear my posts are landing in his junk mail. Wonder if
anyone could give him a shout to check for my mail, either in bulk or
junk mail. Thanks a million. I am coming to Kerry in early May, and hope
I get a chance to see Lyreacrompane.
Best to you.
t stafford
02/02/2010
Hi we just discovered your website and wondered whether you could post
this on your "Your page"?
Hi, We are currently looking at purchasing a house and some land in
Glashnacree, Lyreacrompane and wondered whether you can advise us what
the land is like generally and what it's possible to grow locally i.e.
edible crops and plants/shrubs. Also any advice on localised weather and
rain fall would be great. We are Irish/English gardeners coming from
England but neither of us know the area well.
Your website is great and we would love to hear more.
Kind Regards,
J Murphy and M Cobbing
fable@postmaster.co.uk
25/01/2010
Hi to all my ex neighbours, I hope you are all well.
May be you can help me, I'm trying to trace information from the 1911
census, in particular Thomas Hickey married to Winnie who were 38 and 39
in 1911 and had children James aged 3, Jeremiah 2 and Cornelius aged 8,
just wondering if they were any relation to Thomas and Mary Hickey nee
Stack late of Knockaunbrack.
Any feed back would be much appreciated.
Kind regards to all that may still remember me.
Ray Beer Ray
raybeer@eircom.net
09/01/2010
Hello,
Love your site and will be back often to look. On looking thru your
messages, have found a few to comment on. Reidy/Dillon- I don't know if
Knocknagoshel is near my Connell's from Lyre, Patrick and Julia Dillane
Connell, married 1822 Lixnaw. Some of their children went to a small
area in Connecticut, Jeremiah b. 1840, and John b. 1839. first lived in
Washington, DC before moving to Norfolk, CT. I was there this last
summer there are many grave inscriptions siting the parish they came
from. I recall many Dillons and some Reidy's as i believe there is a
connection to my O'Connells. A nearby town Winsted has William, Maurice,
and Joseph Reidy plus others i am sure.
A Daniel Reidy was pallbearer at Lizzie O'Connell funeral 1908,Winsted
Father William Reidy of South Manchester, Connecticut was celebrant of
Jeremiah O'Connell funeral 1930, Winsted, also Edward, and Daniel Reidy
were pallbears of same funeral.
David D. Reidy, residing in Winsted had a son named Dillon.
On looking around for Julia Dillane, I have found a Baptismal record for
julia Dillane Nov. 22, 1806. Parents David and Ellen Finucane. I noted
some one else here looking for a Dillane/Finucane connection.
thanks for the great site.
T Stafford
tcobb@ptsi.net
30/12/2009
Hi, I'm researching my family
history which is Kerry based and I was wondering if any descendents of
my family who might live in Kerry would be able to help with my
research.
My great-grand father was Patrick
Lyons who was born in 1856 in , I believe, Duagh. His father was
John Lyons, a farmer, and I am not sure of his mother's name.
Patrick joined the Royal Irish Constabulary in 1876 and was recommended
by an inspector at Listowel Barracks. He retired as Head Constable
in 1903 to Tullamore, Co Offaly which was one of the counties he served
in and where his wife Mary Anne came from. He died in 1945.
He may have had a brother called Denis.
Any information would be gratefully
received.
Janice Young (nee Lyons)
Essex, England
janice.young3@ntlworld.com
20/12/2009
Hello, all.
I'm seeking information on Dillanes & O'Learys of Listowel/Duagh with
connections to Duagh Finucanes. If anyone recognizes these lines,
please do contact me.
My great, great grandparents were David Dillane, born about 1805-1810 in
Listowel/Duagh, and Mary O'Leary, also Listowel/Duagh born, also born
about 1805-1810.
The earliest Listowel baptismal records on line for any David Dillane
date to 1807 and 1808:
1] David, son of John & Bridget Brown, sponsors Prenderville,
Hogan[1807]; 2] David, son of Mathew & Bridget [1808]
I don't think that either of those is my David Dillane. At a guess, from
naming patterns of their sons, David's father was probably an
Edward/Edmund, or a Patrick or a Michael, in that order of likelihood.
And David's grandfather was probably a David Dillane. Other family given
names include Timothy.
Most of the baptismal records for their children are missing from the
on-line database. The ones that I've located are:
1] Patrick, bapt. 3/30/1830, Duagh;
2] Michael, bapt. 10/28/1832 , Duagh
3]Catherine, bapt. 1/7/1843, Dromin, Listowel
Sponsors of these children had surnames Finuscane, Lyons, Dillane
(Michael). There seems to have been several lines of Dillanes who
carried the given name David in this period in both Listowel/Dromin and
Duagh. I presume that my David's grandfather was a David Dillane and all
these lines with fathers named David whose children were baptized during
the 1820s and 1830s were closely related.
This family immigrated to Pittsburgh PA, 1848, and settled temporarily
in a neighborhood with Finuscanes who remained in Pittsburgh. The
Dillanes went on to Iowa, where various Lyons served as sponsors in
baptism to several grandchildren.
My great great grandfather's children spoke of themselves as being from
Listowel.
Karen e-mail
kdalvarez@aol.com
28/11/2009
Hello all,
I have been researching my
family history for the past year and just found this wonderful website,
so I thought I would post my Lyreacrompane connection.
I don’t know much about my
Hickey family, but I do know they are from Lyreacrompane. My mother, a
Hickey, was born in Duagh Parish, and grew up in Kerry, adjacent to
Abbeyfeale. Her Hickeys came from Lyreacrompane. My grandfather was
Jeremiah Hickey (1888-1957), the son of James Hickey and Ellen (Ellie)
Lyne (Lyons) of Lyreacrompane, Knockaunbrack, Trienearagh, and County
Kerry, Ireland. Jeremiah married Bridget Dower in 1921. My
great-grandparents James and Ellen had, I believe, 10 children, all from
Lyreacrompane: Cornelius (1868; wife Mary Cronin), Margaret (1869;
Husband Michael Ahern), Thomas (1872; wife Minnie), Michael (1874; wife
Elizabeth Ahern), Denis (1876), James (1879), Mary (1883), Patrick
(1886), Jeremiah (1888), and Ellen (year unknown).
We are also related to Dower
(Dore) and Connor or O’Connor from that general area, and the O’Briens
from Purt.
Would love to make
connections and get additional information about family.
All the best,
Joanne Flood Schwind
New York, USA
Schwindfamily@gmail.com
27/11/2009
Please register me on this site I'm searching for ancestors:
GEIGER - Veach - Allen - Barnett - CARROLL - GEARIN - KANE - SMITH -
MOYLAN - DONAHUE - BURNS - Fowler - Fahey - UHLE - MANTZ - PSCHYBYLSKI -
GRIGOLEIT - BUSCHMANN - MONTING - ODONNELL
Lorri Buschmann
phillylorri@comcast.net
(Perhaps Lori will send in a little more info
on her Kerry connection)
12/11/2009
Hello, I am looking for my grandmothers family, My great grand mother
was from Duagh, her name was Lucy Scanlon she was married to Ezebius
Somers, they had several children, their names were Michael, Edward,
John, Samuel, Lilian and Marcella. Marcella was my grandmother she
married Joseph Taaffe, If anyone has any information I would welcome it,
I live in the US, I am doing family research and need to put my family
together, looking forward to hearing from
anyone who could help me, great site, just found it.
Betty Chapman USA
eelliott3@hotmail.com
06/11/2009
Dear all,
We are the couple from Devon that joined in the Dan Paddy Andy festival
this year and graced you with our presence on the Bog walk (you lucky
people). May we say that it was a most memorable occasion and if you
needed an example of real Irish comradeship and friendliness then you
could look no further. We thoroughly enjoyed the weekend and would like
to share some of the moments with you in the form of a CD containing
photos and videos of the occasion. (It would take forever to E-Mail
these to you and would probably cause your website to crash most
spectacularly)
so would it be possible for you to send us a mailing address and we will
post the CD to you. Good luck for next year and may the rain hold off.
Best wishes Jim and Sue.
PS I feel a poem coming on ..........
When we got back to Devon they asked where have you 'bin,
We replied "A pretty village they care to call Kilflynn",
The wind it blew and rained it did and sometimes there was fog,
But we're the happiest people in the whole of Devon 'cos we dug
ourselves some Bog.
29/7/2009
I wish you all the best over the holiday weekend, hope the weather will
keep up for you. Many years ago I used to attend open air mass when the
Irish army were stationed at Dan Paddy Andy's with my late mother, who
was a neighbour of Dan's. Some years later when I was a teenager, I used
go to Dan's dance hall during Lent. Jack Buckley Billy, my brother
Mickey Joe and myself would walk from Doran's Cross. They were the good
old days. Again wishing you all the best.
John Costello Kent England.
28/7/2009
Best wishes for a successful and enjoyable festival remembering our
famous Dan Paddy Andy. I hope the weather cooperates.
In my youth I delivered the post when I filled in for the late Moss
Nolan while he was on vacation. (also Jack Donoghue on the other route)
I had the distinct pleasure of delivering to the O'Sullivan home and
speaking to "Dan Paddy" on my route. I am sure family and relatives of
mine will be attending , Murphy's, O'Connell's, O'Connor's, McMahon's,
Ahern's and Dillon's. I hope some day too to be visiting home at
festival time.
Ironically on the evening I immigrated to the U.S. over forty four
years ago, on my flight to N.Y. was a neighbor of Dan Paddy's, Michael
McMahon who along with his first cousin who were traveling on to
Chicago.
Again, all the best to all.
Willie Murphy from a fairly hot New Jersey.
29/7/2009
To: Joe &The Dan Paddy Andy Festival Committee,
Best of luck with the Festival. Hope the rain stops. I have sent you
some sunshine, hope it arrives in time.
Cheers
Helen
01/07/2009
I
have just returned from a short visit to the Duagh and Abbeyfeale area.
Thanks to Father Pat Moore and Liz and Andy Keane of Shanbally, I have
now traced many relatives and made some wonderful new friends. I
enjoyed every minute of my stay, the friendliness and hospitality of
Kerry people is outstanding and I am proud to have ancestors from 'the
Kingdom'
Paul
07/2009
Would like to wish
Molly Dillane many happy returns. Hope there are many more birthdays to
come. Looking great.
Best Wishes
From Helen (Nellie Harrington ) and Family in Australia
10/05/2009
My grandfather came from Lyreacrompane, but I cant find any information
about any Foleys there. I would really appreciate if anyone had
any information about them.
cion@live.co.uk
This message came is while we were in Australia
so its a bit out of date now - but it's the thought that counts.
Good Evening to all around the Hills and Glens of Lyreacrompane.
Wishing all a Blessed and safe Easter, will be with you in memory.
William Murphy
08/03/2009
Hi what a wonderful website
I live in new Zealand its difficult to trace ancestry from new Zealand.
I'm very interested in finding any information on Mary Aherne who
married Cornelius McAuliffe at Castleisland, Kerry, Ireland 20/2/1865.
Mary's father was Michael Aherne.
I realise that there is a earlier post for this also trying to reach
Karen in America.
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated
best regards
Patrina New Zealand.
blubird73@hotmail.com
06/03/09
Hi Mom and Dad
Its your Son Pat Enright here in sunny Dublin. Its been great
looking at all the pictures and what everyone has written on here.
Have been showing the web page to my friends at work and they have
been impressed with everyone's efforts.
Mom Happy Mothers Day! Dad Happy Birthday - both
early I know!
Also happy birthday to my brother Tom!
Mom and Dad see you at home in Kerry in a few weeks!
Lots of Love! xxx
Pat Enright
29/01/09
Hello All in Lyreacrompane~
I bring greetings to all from the Dunne Family (Knockanebrack), now
spread out across the Globe as follows:
Brendan & Kathleen (London)
Con (Melbourne, Australia) – married, 2 kids
Breda (Olita, Spain) – married, 3 kids
Jacqui (London) – married
Brendan (Hong Kong) – still trying to find someone to marry him
And myself, married in New York.
The site looks great, I love to stop by and check out the latest
pictures.
Best,
Cora (now Creed)
28/01/2009
Hello Kay and Joe,
Just a note to thank you for that great production and presentation of
the DVD , "The latest Songs and Scenes of North Kerry and the "Lyre
Journal" that we received at Christmas, complements of my cousin Billy
and Ita O'Connell. It has made for some interesting viewing, listing and
reading. Great work as usual.
Made contact recently with John Costello via email and reminisced about
the past in Lyreacrompane, was in school with his brother Bertie and
cousin Ned Murphy and many more from the area. Two other classmates very
active there with you, Chriss Quinn (O'Connell ) in my day and Michael
Mangan.
Many thanks again, continue the good work, and have a great 2009.
Willie Murphy.
20/01/2009
Hi Joe and Kay,
Just came across your website, what a great job you are doing for the
people.
Like many other parish's in Ireland in the '60 and '70 a lot of
young people left Lyrecrompane for foreign lands. I left Ireland many
years ago. My hearth is still in Ireland, Been all that many years
ago. I have noticed the Nashes in Australia do keep in touch, distance
cousins to me. Also Wille Murphy a little younger than me. May I
tell you about the good times we had in our teens. A game of football
down in Hallorans Inch. The late Tom Naughton who was a foreman in Bord
Na Mona put a team together and we played in the North Kerry league for
a number of years. The star of our team in those days was the late Jack
Buckley.
Ballybunion was a moons distance away in those days lucky
if you got there twice a year as people had not any bikes, and of course
very few people had cars. Well again giving you a little past
history of Lyrecrompane.
Regards John Costelloe
My email address is
monkey2006@sanfranmail.com
23/12/2008
Hi,
Just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I hope you
are healthy, happy and warm.
Have also attached Haiku poem I wrote in anticipation of May trip back
to Lyreacrompane.
Return to Lyreacrompane
Lyreacrompane beckons
Cold nights, burning peat, hot tea
Strong hands, warm smiles, kin
Warm regards,
Bob Ahern
21/12/2008
To Kay, Joe and all around Lyreacrompane, Wishing all a blessed
Christmas and a healthy New Year.
I recall great memories from fifty years ago, all the excitement leading
up to Christmas. Picking the holly and laurel, helping mother in
decorating the windows with the paper "chains" and "bells", setting the
candles in the jars with sand, placing one in each window (in our case)
in the front of the house. Could not wait for the lighting as it got
dark, we would be saying "are we going to light them yet". Saying "they
are on across the the Hill" (Knocknaglough) at Joseph's, at Con Hickeys,
the top of the hill, Connells, "Birdies", "Mickeen Toms" and now at
Quills and Fitzs . So we would each get a turn to light one, under the
strict supervision of our father, with words like "watch the curtains".
I recall walking to mid-night mass at Lyracrompane church on some clear
and cold nights. I am sure there will be some readers who will remember
on of those nights when word came at the end of mass that there was a
fire up at Maloneys (not sure if it was James or John) and many of us
responding there. The fire was in the cow barn and we were
attempting to free the cows. A starlit frosty night, many winters ago.
Don't recall the year.
Looking forward to reading the new edition of "The Lyre Journal" soon.
Thanks again for the great site, from mild Maryland.
Willie Murphy
12/11/2008
Kay,
Hello to my Sheehy Cousins in Lyre!
My grandmother “Margaret “Maggie” Sheehy (born circa 1889)” was from
Lyreacrompane.
Grandma married Michael Sweeney and they raised 13 children down the
road in Broughane.
I would love to hear from my Sheehy cousins in Lyreacrompane. We are
tracing our ancestors so our boys will know their Irish lineage. We
appreciate the response and any help you can provide on my Sheehy and/or
Sweeney ancestry.
Maurice may be my uncle “Moss”. My grandparents (see attached 1911
Brougháne census) also had Denis (my Dad), Patrick, Michael, Kathleen
"Kit", Elizabeth, Mary, Peggy, James, Edward, Timothy (Pete), Martin and
Ann. When we asked my Dad (who is 90 and failing) where his Mom “Maggie”
Sheehy was from, he said what sounded like Lyracrumpane. We have emailed
John Joe (Jr.) Sheehy and the following is his reply:
“My father, John Joe Sheehy was born an only child in 1925 in
Lyreacrompane. His parents were Hannah & Michael Sheehy.
My mother's mother (was born around same time as your granmother) was
Nora Barry nee Sheehy from Raenagóun near Brougháne. She came from a big
family. Some of her siblings were, Kit, Molly, and Martin. I can't think
of any other names now but there was a connection with another sister in
New York. I will show your email to my Uncle Tom in the near future and
he may be able to help.”
There are striking similarities in that my grandmother “Maggie” named
two of her children Martin and “Kit”. Also, my father had an “Auntie” in
Brooklyn, New York who put everyone up as they emigrated to the states.
We believe my Dad’s “Auntie” to be: Mary McAleer (?) a 62 year old widow
who emigrated to the states in 1888, according to the 1930 census
recorded in New York (see attached). One of Mary’s recorded roomers was
a John Roach aged 36 (Roach’s Pub near Brougháne?).
Nora of Raenagóun (Reanagowan) - Maggie’s sister? Or Michael of
Lyracrumpane – Maggie’s brother? Was “Auntie” Mary a Sheehy sister?
We would be grateful if you could circulate this email.
Kathleen (nee Sweeney) Rice
New York City
parice@ptd.net
01/10/2008
Greetings from Port an Dúnáin, Co. Ard Mhacha. We
heard that Bill Molyneaux was buried on Monday. May he rest in peace.
Bill was my wife’s, Josephine’s, cousin and a rare ‘character’. Isn’t
everybody in Lyre?
Bill’s mother Birdie and Josephine’s mother Josephine
(both sadly departed and greatly missed) were sisters (Hayes)
We had great times in Lyre and the stories ...Indeed
Bill was a great lyre (man). After the funeral of Bill’s sister Margaret
White, someone in the family was relating the fame of the great John B.;
Bill took a sip of his ‘soft’ drink; and retorted that he started John
B. On the road to fame after a pub crawl that didn’t cost them a penny!
The only difference between them – Bill didn’t get around to writing the
stories down! St. Peter is in for a hard time. Sadly, we didn’t know
more about Bill and his antics, being from Co. Ard Mhacha – ye know,
across the border from the men with beards, in red and white: is it true
that Kerry have cancelled Christmas?
Bill is deserving of a place and an article on your
website.
May God grant Bill eternal rest and we pray for all
our cousins in Kerry and beyond.
Beannacht Dia
God Bless
Pat & Josephine
26/08/2008
Hi,
I'm hopefully going to be visiting
Listowel next month as I am tracing some family history.
I am specifically after some
information about what happened to my grandfather (Jack Ahern, who was a
tailor in the village) - both of my grandparents lived in Listowel pre
1940. My grandmother was called Hanora Kellergher and they had 2
daughters - Noreen and Mary-Catherine. My grandmother died and we think
my grandfather went to England in the 1940's, maybe to the Midlands or
Birmingham areas.
I was hoping someone might
recognise the names and be able to pass on any information, or have some
recommendations about where I could go (either during my visit) or
elsewhere.
Thank you and I'm looking forward
to visiting the area.
Nora
ndmase@gmail.com
12/08/2008
Hi Kay & Joe,
Glad to see ye had another great Dan Paddy Andy Festival. The pictures
are great. Was at my first Dan Paddy Andy festival last year and I
really enjoyed it as they say the craic was mighty. Hope to see ye at
the next one pg. Our regards to all. Keep up the great work this web
site is a pleasure to go on and catch up with the news from lyre.
All the best
Maggie, Bernie & Katie O' Connell
12/08/2008
I've just read about your
website in the 30th July edition of the Kerryman, kindly brought back to
me by a friend who recently holidayed in Cork. My shopping list to him
had one item on it, the said newspaper.
What an excellent website ! I so regret not having visited before !
My mum hails from Knockanebrack, one of 6 children born to Thomas and
Mary Hickey (nee Stack). Immediate next door neighbours were Paddy
Hickey and Joan (nee Stack, sister to Mary). Can you imagine the thrill
I've just had reading her name in an entry on 'my page' (21/12/06).
Where can I see the photograph mentioned ?
I have very vivid memories of coming over to Ireland when I was 5,
unfortunately because of the death of my Grandfather Thomas, but
obviously to a child of 5, used to the busy inner-city buzz of
Nottingham, it was just the most wonderful time of my life.
I rode horses bareback, used
- or tried to - a very large scythe to cut down stuff that was way
taller
than me, walked down through the fields with Paddy to the river to fish
and explore, spent time with their two collies (one was called Rose I
think...), spent Christmas there (Paddy dressed as Santa - I think :-),
I milked cows, chased the chickens, sat in front of very large open
fireplaces with very black looking kettles hanging over the embers....,
spent lots of time with my Granny, who was obviously grieving - as was
my mum - yet who had lots and lots of time for the 4 grandchildren who'd
landed from England ...... brilliant brilliant memories.
I've been back since of
course. I was back over in '72 when I was 13, traveled alone on an plane
for the first time and spent a lot of time just exploring by myself. My
uncle, John McGuire (who so sadly passed away just 3 weeks ago, Rest In
Peace John) bought me a radio from a store in Listowel (my choice was a
radio or an accordion, and I regret chickening out on what I thought was
going to be too hard work practicing), and it was while down by the
river that I heard over the radio of the terrorist attack at the Munich
Olympics... the things we remember....
As soon as I started working
I was over as often as I could, and enjoyed some excellent times in
Listowel, Tralee and Castleisland, and I vaguely remember good times at
the Wounded Knee (while run by my uncle and auntie, Thomas and Maureen
Hickey). Some occasions were sad ones of course, the passing of my
granny in 1979 being one in particular.
I was last in Kerry 3 years
ago. The Hickey family had a reunion in Castleisland, and we all came
from Leeds, Nottingham, London, Dundalk, Cavan, Longford, and had a
fantastic weekend. A trip out to Knockanebrack was an absolute must,
and we spent some time retreading those steps of years back...... If my
3 girls came away with any kind of memories of Ireland like I did when I
was 5, I'll be a very happy man....
Whoever started up this
website, well done !! I shall visit often to see what is being written,
and to those of you who can find the time to visit the County in person,
I guarantee you will love it......
William Scott, Leeds
28/07/2008
Hi all, great website!
Just returned from a holiday back to Listowel and surrounding area and
to find some family info. Unfortunately my great grand parents cottage
has finally been flattened (four walls with a tree in the middle 16
years ago) which was 50 yards in on the right of the Lyreacrompane
turning off the Listowel to Duagh road. Great grandparents were
Catherine (Kate) nee Murphy and William (Bill) Clifford who are both
buried in Duagh. I think both my grandmother (Mary Hickey) and
grandfather (John (Jack?) Joseph Clifford was born in Lyreacrompane
before marrying and moving to Woodford, Listwowel.
If anyone has Cliffords, Hickeys or Murphy's in their family from the
area let me know! Trying to find Mary Hickeys mother (Courtney - surname
or forname???) - wife to Thomas Francis Hickey.
Thanks, Claire
clairerjwilliams@gmail.com
12/07/2008
FROM ST. LOUIS TO RENAGOWAN
As a young man growing up in a very Irish section
of New York City, I always dreamed of visiting Ireland someday. After
all, I was named for Brian Boru! After retiring from a teaching
career, for the past few years I have been researching my Irish
roots. I had always known that all of my grandparents had immigrated
to the United States from Ireland but as a young boy, and later as a
young man, sadly I was too busy with my own affairs to ask questions
of them about their early lives. Questions such as “what it was like
growing up in Ireland?”, “what relatives still remain there?”, “what
it was like to leave the county of your birth knowing that quite
probably you’ll never see it again?” - and not one of them did,
although my mother’s mother Hannah McEntee ( nee O’Connor) came
close. Hannah, at age 75, with her younger sister Nellie, sailed from
New York City in 1958 on an ocean liner bound for England and then
Ireland. The sisters had planned on spending a week or so in Ireland
visiting relatives in Lyreacrompane and Renagowan but Hannah fell ill
in England and had to be flown back to New York, never to set foot
again on her native soil.
Unfortunately for me, both my grandparents and my
parents had passed away by the time I had gotten interested in
learning more about my ancestry, so I was limited in getting answers
to my questions. I attended several genealogy conferences, did
research on-line, corresponded with several relatives still living
and shared what family data we had. One day, my wife tried
“Lyreacrompane, Ireland” on the internet to see what might come up.
What came up was the wonderful “Lyreacrompane.com” site, with
beautiful pictures of the countryside, news of the Dan Paddy Andy
Festival, correspondences from residents and former residents of the
area, etc. I used the site to make e-mail communication with Joe
Harrington and Kay O’Leary and from them learned that an O’Connor (
Frances McCarthy nee O’Connor) was still in residence at the O’Connor
family homestead at Renagowan Crossroads. I couldn’t believe my
luck! I now had a family member with whom I could made contact with
in Ireland itself.
In October of 2007, I wrote to several genealogy
centers in Ireland itself, giving them what information I had found
in my research, and asking them (for several Euros, of course) to do
further research. The Louth Genealogy Centre told me that my
great-grandparents John Hickey and Rose Hall were married in
Clogherhead, County Louth, and that my grandfather Thomas Hickey was
baptized there as well. I e-mailed St. Michael’s Church in
Clogherhead asking for photocopies of the wedding and baptismal
entries from the parochial records. The pastor, Father Paul
Clayton-Lea, and I corresponded a bit via e-mail and he sent me the
photocopies I had asked for. In his last e-mail in January 2008, he
wrote that “if you or your family are ever find yourselves in this
part of the world, I hope you will call and I can show you the
originals.” When my wife saw that, she said “it’s a message from
God! We’re going to Ireland!”
And that was that. I wrote to Frances McCarthy
telling her we’d be in Kerry in the latter part of May and off we
flew to Ireland, arriving at Dublin airport on Thursday morning, May
15th. Our visit in Ireland had to be limited to two weeks
due to other family commitments.
We planned on mixing sightseeing and genealogy on
our visit. So we spend a few days visiting Clogherhead and talking
with Father Paul, then three days visiting several McEntee familes in
Kingscourt, County Cavan, where my maternal grandfather John McEntee
was born. John and his family came to New York City in 1892; there
he met Hannah O’Connor, married her in 1913 and the couple had three
children, their first child being my mother Ann. We next traveled
west to Achonry in County Sligo where my paternal grandmother Mary
Bridget McGuinn was born. We were able to find the McGuinn family
home and the forge where my great-grandfather Charles McGuinn worked
as a blacksmith.
We then traveled down the west side of the island,
touring Connemara, Galway, the Burren, the Cliffs of Moher, then
through Limerick and onto to Kerry. My heart started beating rapidly
when I saw the signpost “Ladhar an Chrompain, Lyreacrompane, 10 km”
We arrived in Lyreacrompane on the afternoon of Saturday, May 24th,
stopped at the Post Office/Nolan’s for directions and soon found
ourselves knocking on the front door of John and Frances McCarthy’s
home in Renagowan. Frances was very surprised to see us; she wasn’t
expecting us till the end of the month. Now our original travel
plans had called for us to visit Dublin for four days, then going off
on our tour of the island. On the flight over we decided we wanted
to see more of the “real” Ireland, outside the cities, and so put the
tour of Dublin off to the last. But we had failed to update Frances
on that fact, and we arrived about four days ahead of when she was
expecting us. But that made little difference. We were welcomed
like kings. We met husband John, daughter Tracey and son John and
then spent several hours chatting about our families and trying to
figure out exactly how Frances and I were related.
James and Ellen O’Connor of Renagowan had ten
children: Dan, Norah, John, Bridget, Mike, Margaret, Kate, James,
Hannah, and Nellie. I’m not sure of the birth order of the children
but I do know that my grandmother Hannah and her sister Nellie were
the two youngest. The O’Connor children emigrated to the United
States with the exceptions of daughter Kate and son John. In the 1911
English Census I found James and Ellen, both 74, living in Renagowan
with daughter Kate (Catherine). Son John has married a Julia, lives
nearby his parents, and has children Ellie, Mary (Molly) and James;
son Dan is born later. John’s son James marries a Catherine Reidy
and the couple have eight children with Frances and her brother Peter
being the two youngest. So Frances and I compared family notes and
concluded that we are second cousins, that James and
Ellen O’Connor were our common great-grandparents. My genealogy
pursuits had paid off in ways I had never expected: a heart-warming
trip to Ireland and the meeting of a cousin I didn’t know existed!
The next day, Sunday, we all piled into John’s
car, went to Mass at Immaculate Conception Church in Cloger, visited
the graves of Frances’s Mom and Dad, then off to a delicious family
dinner at Fitzgerald’s in Abbeyfeale. Frances later took us to see
the grave of her grandfather (and my grand uncle) John O’Connor,
buried in Knocknagashel. We spent several more hours that afternoon
trading stories about our lives and families. After a brief tour of
the Dingle peninsula, we returned to the McCarthy home on Monday
evening for a treat that few tourists enjoy: a home-cooked Irish
meal. My grandmother Hannah O’Connor was a wonderful cook; her Irish
soda bread was one of the joys of my younger days. And the meal that
Frances provided us that night would make my grandmother proud.
Later, we were joined by Frances’s brother Peter O’Connor, his wife
Marie, son Danny, and daughter Siobhan. Kate O’Leary stopped by to
photograph the scene for the Lyraecrompane.com web site. Our meal
and family story-telling lasted far into the night. Frances insisted
that we stay over the night but we said we had leave and at least get
a start on the trip to Dublin. Our planned four day tour of the
capital city had now shrunk to a day and a half visit but what a
fantastic tradeoff. We had tasted the warm hospitality of an Irish
family and could bring back to the States no finer memory.
Kay O’Leary had given us several back issues of The
Lyreacrompane Journal and, back home in St. Louis, Missouri,
on reading them I learned that Jimmy O’Sullivan, son of Dan Paddy
Andy, owns a pub in Rockaway (an area of New York City). The pub is
called the Kerry Hills Pub (Dan Paddy Andy's) and is located on
Rockaway Beach Boulevard at 115th Street. What a
small world! In the 1940’s , ‘50’s, and ‘60’s, my grandmother
Hannah O’Connor McEntee ran a rooming house on 115th
Street, a few hundred yards from where Jimmy, years later, would open
his pub. Hannah’s older sister Norah, who married a NYC cop, Frank
Curtin, also owned and operated a rooming house on the same street
while Hannah’s younger sister Nellie owned and operated her rooming
house two blocks away on 113th Street. (One can see why
for many years this part of New York City was known as “Irishtown”).
And to think that the O’Connor and O’Sullivan families lived but a
stone’s throw from each other in Renagowan! Small world, indeed.
My wife Phyllis and I brought back to St. Louis
marvelous memories of our journey to Ireland. Our many photos do an
inadequate job of capturing the lush greens and scenic beauty of the
land. And there are very few vistas anywhere in the world as
breath-taking as the Cliffs of Moher or the Conor Pass in Dingle
Peninsula - but what we remember most was the warmth and delight of
the people we met. We were treated as family the moment we arrived
in Ireland. And in no place were we more warmly cared for than in
Kerry. Our thanks to Frances and John McCarthy and their family.
You given us something more valuable than photos; you have given us
part of yourselves and we shall treasure that gift for always.
Best wishes to all!
One last note: With her sister Nellie, Hannah came to the States in
1907. She first worked as a maid and then as a "live-in girl" for a
wealthy family in New York City. She later went into real estate,
managing a brownstone apartment building for an
absentee owner. Eventually, she bought her own apartment building,
did very well, and at one time owned three different properties in
New York City. She was quite a businesswoman! As my story
indicates, she owned a rooming house in Rockaway Beach, just down
the street from where, years later, the O'Sullivans would open their
pub. Hannah's rooming house, 175 Beach 115th Street, still stands
although many of the houses on the street have
been torn down for urban renewal.
Brian John Hickey
Missouri
USA
Dear Joe
On behalf of our Diocesan
Justice, Peace and Creation Committee I wish to thank you for the
very compressive understanding you gave us of bog life in every
aspect in Lyre – both yesterday and today. It was a very
wholesome, thought provoking experience. Your own authentic
experience of bog life was evident. I enjoyed every moment of the
experience. Those who were with us who were never ‘in the bog’
before also found it very thought provoking.
Sr Ita McCarthy.
08/05/2008
EUREKA
From the
Greek heurēka I have found; from the exclamation attributed
to Archimedes on discovering a method for determining the purity of
gold; akin to Old Irish fo-fúair he found. So too, I have
found my Paternal Ancestral roots in Knocknaglough, Lyreacrompane , Listowel, County Kerry! Please
bear with me as I share my breakthrough!
Although, long for a
posting, I believe it is very important to thank all from this site
who have responded with suggestions and assistance during my
search. Even more importantly, I want to encourage all who might
be interested in their own heritage to keep looking for your
ancestral roots!
Several
years ago, I commenced a search not knowing where it would lead. I
had limited information but received encouragement, from my friend,
“Patsy in Redwood City, CA”. Keep looking!
My
initial resources, for this particular search, included:
The LDS site, Familysearch.org;
Social Security Death Index; Ancestry.com;
Ellisislandrecords.org; and
rootsweb.ancestry.com.
These
expanded with my search to include:
County Kerry Genealogy (http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~irlker/);
Griffiths Valuation 1848-1864 (http://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths.php);
Kerry Library Tralee (http://www.kerrycolib.ie/local.asp);
The Ahern Family (http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~aherns/).
San
Francisco and California resources included:
San Francisco Genealogy (www.sfgenealogy.com)
And in
Ireland: The Irish Rambling House (www.irishramblinghouse.com).
In July and
August, 2007, my wife and I vacationed in Ireland, for the very
first time. We looked for records in Listowel relating to my
Grandfather, Patrick Brown Ahern, but were unsuccessful. We
were looking in Listowel not knowing Lyreacrompane was
approximately 12 miles to the south. Prior to arriving my knowledge
about my Grandfather was limited, to the following:
PATRICK (BROWN) AHERN,
born 1879, Knocknaglaugh, Daugh, Listowel, Kerry, Ireland, and
ANDREW (BROWN) AHERN,
born 1886, Knocknaglaugh, Daugh, Listowel, Kerry, Ireland
A third brother, name
unknown, remained in Listowel, to tend the family farm near “Knocknaglaugh”.
That brother purportedly had a son who in turn had five children.
Two of those children were Esther Ahern (who married Conner
last name unknown and may have moved to England) and Mary Ahern
Stark (a nurse),
We were
looking for “Knocknaglaugh” but nobody knew where it was located.
The librarian in Listowel could not find the name among old
townlands. Later we met a wonderful lady, near Moyvane. She
translated it to mean “Hill of the Ducks”. Still later we would
learn a more correct translation was “Hill of the Rocks”.
I purchased
a book in Moyvane, “Logainmneacha”, Place names of North
Kerry, including Tralee and Ballymacelligot, by Dan Keane, also of
Moyvane. His translation was “Hill of the Rocks”. We had to
continue on our trip and were not able to closely examine the
contents of his book until arriving home.
The book,
on page 43, under the heading LYREACROMPANE, lists
“Knocknaglough” (which has a one letter difference in the
spelling we had). In the book it is translated as “The hill of the
stones”. With this new information I went back on the computer
after returning home and refined my search.
I then
began to post on several Genealogy sites, hoping someone might
provide assistance. “Kate from Chicago” read my posts and contacted
me offering her assistance. Her knowledge and expertise led to Kate
becoming my guru, mentor, and my friend! Her fundamental advice was
as follows:
1. Acquire all US
documentation available; death certificates/obituaries
2. Let the documents
point the way
3. Don't get hung up
on dates of birth -- only glance at them for about a 10 year
range
4. Don't get hung up
on spellings/middle initials/"reported" middle names, etc.
5. Work from the 1930
census backwards
6. Post, Post, Post!
7. Subscribe to
lists!
8. SHARE your research!
9. Ask/don't tell a
researcher what you need; include dates/places!
10. **Be open
minded**
11. Put things aside and
come back to them a few months later -- you may find new posts.
12. DON'T spend time on
research someone has already done.
13. Be open to all
distinctive names/similar given names
14. There are Gen pages
for all US counties - start at usgenweb.com and click down
15. Take family lore
with a grain of salt
A response,
from IRL-Kerry@rootsweb.com, led
to the Archivist, at the Kerry County Library, in Tralee, who in
late January, 2008, provided the following critical, but condensed,
information:
I have taken Knocknaglough as a starting point to search our
available records. This is limited to the 1901 and 1911 census
returns. "Ahern" was a pretty common surname in the townland (3
out of 6 family returns in the town land are Ahern’s in 1901 & 3
from 7 in 1911), but there are some distinctions to be drawn.
1901:
FAMILY 1:
Johanna, aged 60, Widow & Head of Family.
Ellie, aged 30, her daughter.
Michael, aged 24, her son.
Andrew, aged 18, her son.
Mary O'Brien, aged 6, a visitor.
1911:
FAMILY 1:
Michael P Ahern, aged 35 & Head of Family.
Mary, aged 28, his wife.
Johanna, aged 71, his mother & a widow.
Ellie, aged 37, his sister.
Patrick, aged 2, his son.
James, aged 1, his son.
Joseph, aged 1 month, his son.
Family 1 seems to be the closest fit to your one. The presence of
an Andrew in 1901 (even with a somewhat wrong age) would be a
strong indicator of this. Michael would be the "third brother"
that you refer to in your message. The addition of "P" to
Michael's 1911 census entry would also indicate that his own father
had the initial "P", which would tally with Patrick being his
father's name. It was standard practice to use the father's
initial to differentiate between landholders of the same name in a
townland. Meeting 3 Michael Ahern’s in the same place would be a
bit of a nightmare otherwise!
As for church records, our notes here indicate that Knocknaglough
would have been part of Kilshenane Civil Parish. This became a
part of the greater Listowel Catholic Parish area, and records (if
they survive for that portion of the parish) will be there.
About this same time, we
discovered a concurrent computer search, on
Familysearch.org,
which indicated someone else had been submitting data on family
siblings, a full 10 years older than my grandfather, Patrick Brown
Ahern, and all derived from Patrick Ahern and Johanna Brown,
Lyreacrompane, Duagh, Listowel, Kerry, Ireland.
Those new names were:
Honora Ahern, 5 Jan 1867; Johanna Ahern, 22 Jan 1869; Catherine
Ahern, 14 March 1872; and Patrick Ahern, 2 Jan 1879. Clearly there
was another person researching this same family. But there was a
problem! The “submitter” contact information was outdated. It
became quite frustrating to see the “family data” on
Familysearch.org
and yet not be able to find who had submitted it. Never give up! We
did a Google search for the name of the submitter. This information
would ultimately lead to newly discovered family connections in New
Hampshire, Florida and Massachusetts and mail from a newly
discovered US cousin, indicating:
“My Grandmother, Mary Josephine 'Minny' Ahern’s birth was recorded
in St. Bridget’s Chapel at Duagh, Kerry (a stones throw from
Listowel) on 4-Dec-1880. (Baptized 12-April-1880) She was the 11th
of 13 children of Patrick Ahern and Johanna Brown. She had an older
brother Patrick and a younger brother Andrew. Her father Patrick
was born in 1829 to John Ahern and Honora Broder. Patrick and
Johanna 'Ma' Brown were married 30-Jan-1866 their 13 children were
- Honora, Elizabeth, Johanna, John, Catherine, Ellen, James,
Michael*, Catherine, Patrick, Mary, Andrew, and Margaret.
*(Michaels grandson Dan still lives on the farm at Lyreacontane
townland earlier records have it as Knocknaglogh )
Family 'lore' has it that Mary immigrated to help care for
her older brother’s children when he was widowed.”
Next, out
of the blue, I received mail, from Lyreacrompane, in response to a
posting I had made on IRL-Kerry@rootsweb.com:
A Chara,
I'm enclosing copies of articles that mention both the surname
Browne and Ahern. I copied them from 'Lyreacrompane & District'
Journals. I hope they are of some help to you. There are a couple
of Ahern Families living in Lyreacrompane. Lyreacrompane has a web
site
www.lyreacrompane.com
you might find it interesting. Lyreacrompane & Duagh are one
parish with the same Parish Priest, Fr. Pat Moore, who resides at
the Duagh Presbytery.”
Slán,
Kay O'Leary
Kay O’Leary, God bless her,
provided the definitive information I had
been trying to find. “Dan James & Pat Ahern are brothers and
reside in Knocknaglough”. I believed they were
my second cousins. Kay then verified, “They are related to
you!” “Pat said his grandmother’s name was Browne. He remembers
hearing about a granduncle/great granduncle going to California but
he thought that he never married”. Their sister Mary Ahern Stack
resides in Daugh. EUREKA!
Lyreacrompane is pronounced
“Lyre a crum pawn” and lies
between the towns of Tralee, Listowel, Castleisland and Abbeyfeale. There
is one Post Office/Shop (Nolan's), one pub (Roche's) and a Catholic
Church, each of the buildings about a mile apart. The population
is approximately 300. Lyreacrompane claims to hold Ireland's real
rural Festival. They pitch a marquee next to the pub for a
weekend. The “Dan Paddy Andy Festival” takes place
during the first weekend in August each year.
Now it is
time for me to make the long journey home and pay my respects to my
newly found family. I am the first male Ahern descendant to return
home, to Lyreacrompane. And, to make this journey even more
memorable, I will meet my new cousins for
the very first time! On top of that, I have been invited to
officially open the “Dan Paddy Andy Festival.
To all who responded to my
many postings, go raibh mile maith agat!
To Patsy, Kate, and Kay, each of you are dluthchara!
Thanks to all who have made
this search successful!
go mbeannai Dia thu,
Bob Ahern
San Jose, CA, USA
Graeagle5@aol.com
Hi Kay and Joe,
I was just wondering would it be possible to put this poem on the
net. Bridie and I think it's superb and if you think it can
be put on we would appreciate it. Hope you are keeping well.
Joe Quille
03/04/2008
Greetings, and
congratulations to all concerned. This is a wonderful website -
just teeming with life and energy, and so
informative. Thank you Anne Fleishmann
23/02/2008
I came across the web site of lyracrompane.com while
doing a genealogy search for my Irish forebears.
My grandmother, Hannah O'Connor, lived in Lyracrompane near the
Renagowan Crossroads.
She was the daughter of James and Ellen O'Connor. James and Ellen had, I
believe, 10 children: sons John, Mike, Dan, and James; daughters Nora,
Bridget, Margaret, Kate, Hanah, and Ellie (Nellie).
I have found the family in the 1901 Census in the townland of Renagowan.
Father James is in his sixties, Mother Ellen in her late fifties. Still
at home are John, James, Kate (Kasie), Hannah, and Ellie.
In the 1911 census Father James and Mother Ellen are retired, now in
their seventies. Son John lives nearby with wife Julia, daughters
Ellie(age 3), Mary(age 1) ,and son James, infant.
I know that most of the O'Connor children emigrated to New York City; I
have records of Hannah and Nellie entering the port of New York in 1907.
Hannah marries John McEntee (of County Cavan) in 1913; my mother Ann is
born in 1914. Ann marries a Worcester, Ma. Irishman, Thomas Hickey, in
1937 and the couple has 3 sons: Thomas, Brian (me born 1940), James, and
daughter Joan. I grew up in New York City till I met a Missouri girl,
married, and moved to St. Louis in the 1970's.
My wife and I will be making our first trip ever to Ireland this coming
May. I would love to visit any O'Connor relatives still living in the
area.
I would appreciate it if you could let me know if any of this O'Connor
family are still in the area or if you could pass my request on to
someone who might know the O'Connors.
I thank you so much for your time. And I beg your pardon for imposing on
you like this but your Lyracrompane site just pushed me to take a
gamble.
And once again, thank you for your time.
Brian John Hickey
Missouri
USA
( If anybody has family info for Brian please
contact:
lyre@lyreacrompane.com )
09/02/2008
Hi Kay and
Joe,
Saw the lovely photos of the snow on the internet. It'll hardly last
till we get home in May!!
Lil (Roche), Sin Ann, Aidan and Ciara Cheah in sweltering Singapore
22/01/2008
20/12/07
Hi Joe & Kay.
Thank you for keeping us up to date with what is going on in
Lyreacrompane.
It is like I never left,
Keep up the good work.
Hope to catch up with you in the New Year .
HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL
Mary & Seamus Orr
(Nash)
30/11/07
Dear Kay and Joe,
Just a brief note to say on my trip home Oct. 24 to Nov. 11. With my
brother Tom took a ride to the "Glen" hoping to say "hello" , a man who
was doing some work, said you were not around. This was Friday Nov.9.
What a grand home you have and what a view, lots of luck, sorry I missed
you.
I enjoy the website check it out regularly.
Bill (Willie)
Willie Murphy (centre) with brother Tom and his son William at a
wedding while at home on a visit from New York recently.
20/11/07
I hope to connect to anyone who might know this family!
Ellen Stack born May 1874 to Edmond Stack and Julia Kirby of
Banemore.
Ellen had a brother Martin Stack also
Ellen and Martin ended up in the States.
Thank you for any help in tracing possible relatives of Ellen Stack.
(1874) and her brother Martin Stack
e.mail me at
cbcoburn@telus.net
26/9/07
Just a few thoughts on the name Lyreacrompane/Ladhar an Chrompáin…
LADHAR = space between toes or fingers……the cleft in a hoof…… the
fingered portion of a hand / a handful / a handgrip……….a natural fork or
promontory / the land between 2 converging rivers or hills………..(hollow).
‘’an ladhar mhór’’ = the big toe
‘’ ladhar mine’’ = a handful of meal
‘’ladhar bóithre’’ = a road-fork / bifourchement
‘’ladhar leacha’’ = melting fork / one who intervenes with unfortunate
results / a malaprop
LADHAR NA GAOITHE = windy hollow-------a placename in Cork
CROMPÁN = a twisted knotty beam of wood……a tree trunk…..a stump or root
of bog timber…a block of wood………..a dry lump in a bog or marsh….a small
holm…..an eyot….a high river bank……an inlet of a river / a creek…….
* **TAKE YOUR PICK………..WHAT A PITY WE LEFT D’OUL’ LANGUAGE GO.. …
. . Ladhar a’ Chrompáin …………(The) Ladhar of the Crompán……..Ladhar an
Chrompáin…
…..A MUSICAL NAME ….A SONG……AND WE AREN’T SURE OF THE WORDS…
.. TAKE YOUR PICK .. .. DO ROGHA FÉIN..
Brian Caball Tralee
31/05/07
Hi all,
The recent election reminded me of the following joke.
The election campaign had become fairly bitter and when the two
opponents met at a social gathering it was a chance to make a pact to
stop insulting each other. "Let's make a clean fight of it,” said the Fianna Fail man "I promise to stop telling LIES about you." "That's
fair, "said the Fine Gael man, "and I will stop telling the TRUTH about
you."
And finally…. The old gentleman came to the doctor with the exciting
news that he was going to marry a 20--year -old bride. ”Well, I think at
your age you should take things easy, in fact I think you should take in
a lodger,” said the doctor. A year later he bumped into the old man and
asked how was married life. "The wife's pregnant 1 am happy to say,"
said the old man, and with a wink and a nudge he added,” thanks for that
advice about taking in a lodger. She's pregnant too."
Joe Quille, Limerick
25/03/07
Does anyone have any information about my paternal grandmother,
Catherine Sullivan Kelly of Lyreacrompane?
Eileen Cocke, Spring Branch, Texas
ekellycocke@hotmail.com
27/02/2007
Hi all,
I came across the
following ballad recently. It mentions the TD's salary as being
£3,000 so that must date it back in the '50s. With elections on
the way I thought it might give people a laugh. Wonder who wrote it?
Jack Edgeward, Birmingham
WHY I WON'T BE A TD.
I'm no budding politician, though all in Clon are wishing,
To place me up in Dublin in the Dail,
In a seat so soft and cosy, with the future prospects rosy,
Three thousand pounds a year my own to call.
Though I love my country dearly, such a lob of money yearly,
Would never coax me to accept that seat,
Without the gift of "spouting" and too refined for shouting
The other side would have me at their feet.
Then I'd have to dress as swanky as the richest touring Yankee,
Wear a collar stiff and neat, the whole year round,
Every morning I'd be "tearing", in a rage most awful swearing
As the elusive stud could not be found.
My shoes we'd have to polish and like the oath abolish
All” foreign substance" on them too, you see
Made in Eire too, I'd style them, my finger nails I'd file them,
To make myself a spick and span T.D.
Of course I'd have to chatter about the things that matter
For the country's good, in calm and forceful voice,
Till the people all who voted No 1 for me, had noted
How really wise and pleasing was their choice.
I should speak about inflation and its danger to the Nation,
Although at school a dunder head was I,
The advantages of tilling, growing wheat for Irish milling,
The market for our livestock bye and bye.
In my youthful days when schooling, teacher slapped me once for fooling,
And said 'twas "awful rude" to answer back,
How could I now when preaching, throw aside her learned teaching
With the memory still upon me, of each smack.
Now you see why fame I'm shunning and away from fortune running,
A politician's life is full of strife
Though the nation's call is binding, I'll serve it better minding
The little tasks I meet in daily life.
13/01/2007
Hello all.
I'm researching the Walsh family from Castleisland and/or
Ballymacelligot who are related to the BOYLE-BLENNERHASSETT marriage
combination. James W. Boyle married Elizabeth BH about 1880-1886
(he from Castleisland, she from Ballymacelligott). I had always heard
that the Walshes were cousins to the Boyle chidren, but could never make
the
connection. Other BOYLES involved were Thomas, Jane, and Sarah,
James's siblings (born 1843-1852). Any help in making these
connections would be greatly appreciated. I've not been able to find
the relationship. I'm assuming one of the children from the siblings
married a Walsh, but no luck yet finding out who. No luck yet
finding out if the cousins were from the Blennerhassett side either.
Elizabeth was one of 13 children of Arthur BH of Ballymacelligot.
Maureen Gamble [mgamble524@comcast.net]
Seeking info on (BOYLE, BLENNERHASSETT, WALSH, POFF, GROVE, TEER) all of
Kerry
21/12/06
Hi Guy's,
Just checking out the photo from Mick Sheehy. The woman in dark clothes
third row on the extreme right, looks like our next door neighbour in
Knockanebrack , Paddy Hickey's wife Joan (nee Stack). Front row right
looks like my sister Catherine, but then others looked like that too
back then. Anyway, hope you publish all when you identify them.
Wishing you and all around Lyreacrompane a wonderful and safe Christmas
season and the best in 2007.
Regular viewer of the site,
Willie Murphy.
21/12/06
Is there anyone who lives in or near Listowel and who might be able to
help me to research a part of my Barrett family line ? First of all, I'm
interested in knowing where my great great grandparents( Edmond Barrett
and Mary Corridan) might be interred ? All of their children, including
my great grandmother Catherine( June 10, 1866) were baptized at St.
Mary's in Listowel. I wonder if there might be a cemetery associated
with that Church where Edmond and Mary might be interred?
Secondly, my great great grandmother, Mary Corridan was not originally
from St. Mary's. To date, I don't know what parish Mary might have known
as her home parish and as a result, I can't find a marriage certificate
nor the names of Edmond or Mary's parents.
However, I've recently found a connection here in Massachusetts between
the Barrett family and a Seward family, both having emigrated to
Holyoke, MA. I believe that I've found a family connection between the
two families in the person of Catherine Barrett who was married to Simon
Seward also from Listowel. I'm hoping that a marriage certificate may be
found at St. Mary's for that marriage which would have occurred most
probably between 1855 and 1865 by my estimate. Any ideas as to how I
might find proof of that marriage ?
Any suggestions would be helpful...
Thanks in advance; Merry Christmas and Happy and productive 2007 !!
Ed O'Connor
Hudson,MA e-mail;
edoc@prodigy.net
18/11/06
The following obituary is taken from the Chicago Tribune May 20, 1923
DANIEL HOWARD
Daniel Howard, beloved husband of Bernice, nee Golden , father of
John and Edward; brother of John, Mrs. Edward Brennan, Mrs Michael
Brennan, Edward, Thomas, and Mrs. Dennis Hickey.
Native of RATHEA, LISTOWEL, County Kerry, Ireland. at residence 5135
Lowe Aven.
Does anyone have info on HOWARDS from Rathea Listowel?
Nan e-mail;
nan.brennan@mindspring.com
27/10/06
Hello Joe,
Just to say how much i enjoy reading your web page. keep up the good
work. from your friend Sean Griffin, Limerick.
p/s we seldom see you these days. Why ?
(Haven't gone away you know!!! Good to hear
from you, Sean. Hope to get back to the market before Christmas).
27/10/06
Hi Kay and Joe,
Just returned after our trip home, had a great time. Stopped in to
Lyreacrompane Church, viewed the photos from the opening in 1956.
You guy's have a great trip to England
Bill (Willie) Murphy.
(Should have given us a call Bill. Don't
forget next time.
We are looking forward to the Irish Rambling House trip to England.
Wonder if we would go down well in America?)
14/10/06
Hi,
Here are some Limericks I put together. Would anyone else like to
try?
Liam in Leeds
A silly young man from Muingwee
Was certain that he was a bee
Said his doctor don't fuss
Just give us a buzz
When ever you’ve saved up my fee.
The cowboy was let out on bail
After telling the Judge this weird tale
For he swore it was true
That the hammer he drew
Was only for hitting the trail
The diner in anger had made
A complaint "bout the egg as he paid
Said the waiter "Not me”
For it's plain to see
‘Twas only the table I layed"
The Eskimos igloo is neat
Designed, the cold wind for to beat
But when roads are ice bound
They still get around
By just simply gritting their teeth.
‘Twas difficult for to ignore
The thief as he boasted once more
That his little son Jake
His first steps did take -
From the shed of the painter next door.
We humans have awful bad luck
To find ourselves firmly stuck
Since the day of our birth
On a place known as earth
Named after a substance like muck.
A silly young robber named Grant
Stole a shrub from a gardener named Trant
When ‘twas found in his place
Young Grant based his case
On a claim that the find was a plant
The old father's head was so bare
His young son could not help but stare
And wonder why so
Dad continued to grow
Till his head grew right up through his hair.
A dwarf is supposed to have said
That a joke book which he had just read
About those who are small
Didn't offend at all
For it all just went over his head.
There once was a man called Ted
Who had little hair on his head
On his scull it is true
Many rabbits he drew
Hoping each one would like a hair (hare).
A foreman decided to trick
A young man from Kerry called Mick
In a corner he laid
A shovel and a spade
And told him to go take his pick.
A little giraffe they named Pete
Grew a neck that was long as a street
Then he told his mates why
His head was so high
Cause he can't stand the smell of his feet.
A school child from Bonn, Susan Keller
Is hopeless at maths so they tell her
But from school she won't mitch
And they say she's a witch
For she’s top of the class as a speller.
(If you have composed a Limerick and it's
printable!!! send it to us at
lyre@lyreacrompane.com )
13/10/06
Wouldn’t this old world be better
If the folk we met would say
“I know something good about you”,
And treat us that way.
Wouldn’t it be fine and dandy
If each handclasp warm and true
Carried with it an assurance…
“I know something good about you
Wouldn’t life be lots more happy
If we praised the good we see
For there is such a lot of goodness
In the worst of you and me.
Wouldn’t it be nice to practice
That fine way of thinking too
“You know something good about me”
“I know something good about you”
Bridie Quille, Limerick and Lyre
8/10/06
Thank you for the wonderful photos covering the 50th anniversary of
Sacred Heart Church. I wish I could have been there to celebrate with
you ... I remember 'footing' turf after school to raise money for the
new Church. I really enjoyed 'visiting' this holy ground by means of
this web site.
Thank you.
Sister Eileen Enright ( Eilymay)
(Glad to hear that the website helps to keep you in touch Sr Eileen.
There was a special mention at the ceremony for those who raised money
for the building of the church 50 years ago.)
5/10/06
Hi,
I enjoyed all the pictures and games especially red square. Thank you.
We are going to use it in our school tomorrow.
Thank you from Conor
Hi
Thank you for the games. They are really good. We enjoyed them here in
England. I got 15 in Red Square.
(Glad to see that the games are of interest.
Anyone do better than 15?)
3/10/06
Hi Kay,
Great coverage of photos of the anniversary of Lyre Church, would like
to have been there. Remember well when it was opened, we used
to have mass at the old N.S. during the construction.
Am I correct, are those in one of the photo is my cousins wife and her
daughter Kathleen and Joanne O'Connell with the bishop, my namesake.
Will be arriving home on Saturday morning for a couple of week to
visit with family in Kerry and Limerick and the "Passing out" of a niece
at the Garda College Templemore.
All the best, Bill Murphy
(Thanks Bill for drawing our attention to the
error. It is indeed Kathleen and Joanne O'Connell. We have made
the correction. Hope you enjoy your trip home)
8/9/06
Hi Rosemary,
I've just found your request. Whilst I don't have any information on
Jeremiah Buckley, I would be interested in knowing if he was related to
the owners of a shop that used to be called Buckley's Drapery in William
Street , Listowel.
Sincerely Hanoria e-mail;
hanoria.merritt@virgin.net
(This refers to an earlier message down the
page. Hope rosemary is still looking in)
3/9/06
Hi everyone
Some good ones I heard lately...
No Change
The census taker told the mayor of the small town that he was puzzled
about the town's population . For the past five years he had been on the
job the population was the same, 1,503. "Must be something wrong.", he
claimed. "No", said the mayor. "It's always been 1,503." "But don't you
have babies?" "Yep", said the mayor, "and every time we do some bloke
has to leave town."
The chances
Johnny had been a big time gambler and all his racing friends had
assembled in the small church for his funeral. With heads bowed they
heard the priest solemnly intone. "Our friend Johnny is not dead , he
merely sleeps”. when a voice from the back of the church said. "I've got
a hundred to say he won't wake up."
Double
Two gamblers from Lyre Bill and Pat were on holidays in Italy and
visited the Vatican. They were the last to leave the Cistine Chapel and
happened to see a white robed figure fall down some stairs. They
recognised him as the Pope and he was stone dead.
The first Vatican authority on the scene begged them not to-say anything
for 24 hours. There were world-wide implications. The gamblers from Lyre
agreed. After all, they were flying home that night. On the plane one of
them had a brilliant idea. "As soon as we land I am going straight to
Paddy Powers and getting great odds on the life of the Pope."
"Sounds like a great idea,” said Pat his mate.
It was two days before the Pope's death was announced and the first
gambler Bill made a fortune. "And what about you Pat ,” he asked.
"Nothing at all,” admitted Pat "I took the Pope in a double with the
Bishop of Kerry.
Joe Quille (Limerick)
13/8/06
My great grandmother was Catherine Barrett, daughter of Edward(Edmond?)
Barrett and Mary Corriden(sp?). Catherine was one of ten children and
she was baptized on or about June 10, 1866 at St. Mary's Church in
Listowel. The other siblings were Margaret, Joanna, Mary, Johanna,
Ellen, Bridget, John, Thomas and Honora. All of the children were born
and baptized within a range of 1860-1880.
Catherine and at least two of her siblings( Margaret and Johanna)
emigrated to Holyoke, MA (my birthplace) but I know nothing of the other
siblings nor the parents.
Is there anyone researching families from Listowel who might know
whether St. Mary's had its own cemetery? Does anyone have access to the
1901 census for Listowel who might be able to check regarding
Edward (Edmond) Barrett and his family?
Thanks in advance for any possible help.
Ed O'Connor e-mail; edoc@prodigy.net
6/8/06
Hi,
My name is Karen and I live in New Zealand.
I have recently begun searching for the origins of my G/G/Grandmother's
Family. Her name was Elizabeth McAuliffe and she was born in 1862 at
Castleisland, County Kerry. Her Parents were Cornelius McAuliffe and
Mary Ahearne. I am finding Irish research extremely difficult from
NZ. Any tips or information would be wonderful. Elizabeth came to NZ in
1885. I believe that Cornelius's Father was John McAuliffe and that
Mary's father was Michael Aherne. They were married on 20/2/1865 at the
catholic cathedral Castleisland Co Kerry. There residence was listed as
" Woodview" and it was registered at Tralee. Does Woodview mean anything
to anyone? Thank you for taking the time to read my inquiry.
Kind regards Karen in NZ e-mail;
rgandkj@clear.net.nz
5/8/06
Wishing the committee of the big "Dan Paddy Andy" festival the best
of luck, I am sure many of my relatives will spend some time there.
Wish we could be there, but we have plans to visit in October. Enjoy
checking and reading the Lyreacrompane site, keep up the good work.
I see two of my classmates are among your committee , Chris and
Michael. Again all the best to you Kay and Joe from a very hot
Maryland USA.
Willie Murphy.
29/7/06
Dear Joe
I was thinking that the next time you are
updating "Your Page" you might retire "Getting it Wrong the Mother
Superior joke and if you want to do that, you can take your pick from
any of the following, and if I don’t see you in the meantime ,the very
best of luck to you and Kay and the committee of the upcoming Dan Paddy
festival.
Best wishes from myself, Bridie and Tommy.
(Thanks Joe - see under
Humour on the left of the page)
8/7/06
Hi again from Helen in Brisbane. This is my cousin Mary Orr (Nash) and
her husband Seamus who called to see me recently. Mary lives in
Melbourne about a thousand miles from me. Australia is certainly a
big country!!! Hi to all Mary's brothers and sisters in Lyreacrompane,
Kerry and further afield.
22/6/06
Does anyone know how to get an official Baptismal certificate
from a Parish? I have from the Extract of Baptism at Duagh
Parish Church information on my great-grandmother which
includes date of baptism, name of child, name of parents, and
page number of reference. What is the procedure for getting
an official certficate written up?
Thank you for any info!
Laura from Massachusetts. e-mail: lfitzmaurice@rcn.com
22/6/06
Hi all
This is a photo of a group with Lyre connections who visited us here in
Brisbane recently. They include Hanna Mai Collins and daughters, Noreen
Sheehy and Loretto Sheehy. We really enjoyed their visit and all
the gossip from home.
Helen
18/4/06
I am trying to find the death date of Jeremiah Buckley in Listowel. At
one
time he was the assistant registrar for Listowel and signed many
documents. He
also ran a draper's shop in Listowel. He is in the 1901 census in
Listowel
with his wife, Frances Flaherty, and some of his children. I could not
find
him in 1911 but did not have much time to search. He was born in late
1835 and
was the son of Daniel and Mary Collins Buckley of Coolkeragh. He was my
gguncle.
Thanks for any help.
Rosemary. Replys to
lyre@lyreacrompane.com
18/4/06
What's worse than a pub with no beer...?
Living in Grand Rapids Michigan and having to shovel snow 189 days a
year!!!
Anyway...just wanted to say "HI!" and "Slante" to everyone back there in
civilization!!
Up Kerry!
Tom Lane
(and my son Conor) < he is outside shovelling snow!!
kkl22@comcast.net
18/4/06
When my grandmother Julia Howard (later Mrs. Edw.Brennan) arrived in
Chicago in 1907 her passenger manifest (Ellis Island) states she
was going to her "Cousin Nora Ahern" who was living at 1343 Watson
Ave. Chicago.
Travelling with grandma from Listowel was Catherine Dillon.
Catherine Dillon also stated her destination was "Cousin Nora Ahern"
of the same Watson Ave address in Chicago.
Catherine Dillon listed her father as Thomas Dillon of Listowel.
Does anyone have either this CATHERINE DILLON or NORA AHERN in their
families?
Nan e.mail;
nan.brennan@mindspring.com
15/4/06
Hi all,
Just thought you'd like to see that I am keeping Bertie up to
speed with national and international matters!!!
Tommy Quille
Limerick and Lyreacrompane
29/2/2006
Am looking for the family of Edmond Scanlon who was born about 1854 in
County Kerry. Came to the US through Boston in 1875, joined the Army and
served as an Indian fighter and later as a tailor in Wyoming and
Nebraska. He settled in Leavenworth Co., KS by 1900 and died there in
1906.
Any evidence of where in County Kerry he might have come from would be
appreciated.
Peg Stainer e-mail
PegStainer@aol.com
22/2/2006
Kay and Joe,
Great job on the Lyreacrompane Web Site ...
love the photos, etc. Best wishes to all!
Sr. Eileen Enright (Eilymay) Sacramento Ca
28/1/2006
Can any one help with William SHEEHY, a labourer and a widower (son of
Patrick SHEEHY) married Eliza/Elizabeth McCARTHY,a servant, at Brosna,
Tralee, on 22 Dec 1863, both "living at Kilmanahan". He was listed in
Griffiths Valuation living at West Kilmanahan/Kilmanaheen. Who was his
1st wife? Did they have any children? What was his mother's name? Did
William have any brothers or sisters?
William and Eliza moved to London and in the Census it was stated they
were born at Kilmanahan. Would appreciate any help with this family.
Many thanks
Cynthia (NZ) e-mail; cynted@actrix.co.nz
28/1/2006
Hi
I am working on a Kilmanihan West family (Mortimer SHEEHAN &
Ellen Whyte/White; their children Mary 1874, Daniel 1876 & Mortimer abt
1878.)
I'm unable to figure out where their local Catholic parish was. They
weren't in Knocknagaschal or Brosna. Any ideas where else to
look?
Thanks
Molly e-mail: mollyesp@yahoo.com
18/1/2006
Hello,
Can anyone connect to the following:
John Leen b1861 lived in Ballymacelligott area.
Father - Edmond Leen
Mother-Bridget McElligott.
Angela. uk e-mail
angbriggs@hotmail.com
Click here for
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Question!!!
What structure is being proposed for Lyreacrompane
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