Searching for Carney/Kearney
My paternal grandfather's family came from Ireland; they were Catholics. He was born in 1901 in Parnell, Iowa, one of ten children. The details of the family's immigration are sketchy. My favorite aunt prepared a family tree and my mother gave me a copy. Here's what I know:
My grandfather's mother (J. Boyle) was born in 1871 in Holbrook, Iowa. Her father (T. Boyle) was born in Cooley Shore, Carlingford, Ireland, County Louth in 1830 and died in 1901 in Iowa - he may have immigrated in 1834. His father (P. Boyle) was born in 1783 in Carlingford, Ireland and died in Iowa in 1876. His wife (R. McGee) was born in Carlingford, Ireland in 1796 and died in Iowa in 1857. Her (J. Boyle) mother was A. Carney born in 1835 in Black Ditches, Wicklow County Ireland and died in 1906 in Iowa. She (A. Carney) happens to be sisters with my great grandfather's mother (M. Carney).
My grandfather's father (A.E. Carney) was born in Parnell, Iowa in 1865 and died there in 1940. A.E. Carney's father (E.A. Carney) was born in 1820 in Headford, Galway, Ireland and died in 1902 in Parnell. A.E. Carney's mother is M. Carney (sisters with A. Carney) born 1831 in Black Ditches, Wicklow County, Ireland and died in 1912 in Parnell, Iowa. M. Carney had 22 children - most died in infancy.
Nothing exists of Black Ditches (south of Dublin) today.
The nickname of Parnell, Iowa, is "Little Ireland" (pop. 2010 = 193). Parnell, Iowa was established in 1885 with the help of the Milwaukee Railroad and is named after the famous Irish Land Reformer, Charles Stuart Parnell, (1846-1891) who, in 1877 became the leader of the new Home Rule Party. Parnell was born in Wicklow County, of Protestant parents, visited the United States in 1879-1880 to raise money for famine relief and secure support for home rule. His charismatic personality had many calling him the uncrowned King of Ireland. Just when it seemed that Home Rule was going to be a fact of life, a huge scandal erupted. Captain William O'Shea was married to Katherine "Kittie" O'Shea - even though the marriage was long over and it was fairly well known to other politicians that Parnell was her lover, O'Shea did not divorce her because she stood to inherit large sums of money. Finally in 1890, O'Shea got tired of waiting and filed for divorce and named Parnell as a respondent. Parnell, his health weakened from a 1881-1882 stint in Kilmainham Gaol, never recovered from the scandal and he died in October 1891. Home Rule died as well.
My grandfather's mother (J. Boyle) was born in 1871 in Holbrook, Iowa. Her father (T. Boyle) was born in Cooley Shore, Carlingford, Ireland, County Louth in 1830 and died in 1901 in Iowa - he may have immigrated in 1834. His father (P. Boyle) was born in 1783 in Carlingford, Ireland and died in Iowa in 1876. His wife (R. McGee) was born in Carlingford, Ireland in 1796 and died in Iowa in 1857. Her (J. Boyle) mother was A. Carney born in 1835 in Black Ditches, Wicklow County Ireland and died in 1906 in Iowa. She (A. Carney) happens to be sisters with my great grandfather's mother (M. Carney).
My grandfather's father (A.E. Carney) was born in Parnell, Iowa in 1865 and died there in 1940. A.E. Carney's father (E.A. Carney) was born in 1820 in Headford, Galway, Ireland and died in 1902 in Parnell. A.E. Carney's mother is M. Carney (sisters with A. Carney) born 1831 in Black Ditches, Wicklow County, Ireland and died in 1912 in Parnell, Iowa. M. Carney had 22 children - most died in infancy.
Nothing exists of Black Ditches (south of Dublin) today.
The nickname of Parnell, Iowa, is "Little Ireland" (pop. 2010 = 193). Parnell, Iowa was established in 1885 with the help of the Milwaukee Railroad and is named after the famous Irish Land Reformer, Charles Stuart Parnell, (1846-1891) who, in 1877 became the leader of the new Home Rule Party. Parnell was born in Wicklow County, of Protestant parents, visited the United States in 1879-1880 to raise money for famine relief and secure support for home rule. His charismatic personality had many calling him the uncrowned King of Ireland. Just when it seemed that Home Rule was going to be a fact of life, a huge scandal erupted. Captain William O'Shea was married to Katherine "Kittie" O'Shea - even though the marriage was long over and it was fairly well known to other politicians that Parnell was her lover, O'Shea did not divorce her because she stood to inherit large sums of money. Finally in 1890, O'Shea got tired of waiting and filed for divorce and named Parnell as a respondent. Parnell, his health weakened from a 1881-1882 stint in Kilmainham Gaol, never recovered from the scandal and he died in October 1891. Home Rule died as well.
Unexpectedly discovering the Russells
I doggedly searched for tombstones, something to show that the Carney's had made their mark in Ireland. I did not see the name Carney (or variation Kearney) often - just on the Titanic Manifest.
Barry Moloney, our guide, went out of his way to show me Headford and Carlingford; in fact, we were able to stop the bus so I could get out and take the photos of Headford. He stated that the reason that the Irish are so friendly, is that we might be all related. I found that to be true!
In my search for my Irish roots, I discovered my father's side of the family, the Russells -- lots of them. Gaelic spelling: Ruiseil or Ruiseal. The Russells are the descendants of Normans who came to Ireland in the conquest of the 12th century. "Russell" means "red haired". The name also arrived from England and Scotland with the "settlers" of the Plantation of Ulster in the 17th century. Almost half of the Russells in Ireland reside in Ulster. The name is very common in Counties Clare, Cork and Dublin.
A famous Russell, Lord Arthur Charles Russell, was a barrister who successfully defended Charles Stuart Parnell when he was accused of sanctioning/participating in the 1882 murder of the Irish Secretary and participating in criminal activity associated with the Irish Republican Brotherhood. Lord Russell's skillful cross examination revealed that the prime piece of evidence against Parnell was a shameless forgery.
So, we are all related -- in a very round about way!
Barry Moloney, our guide, went out of his way to show me Headford and Carlingford; in fact, we were able to stop the bus so I could get out and take the photos of Headford. He stated that the reason that the Irish are so friendly, is that we might be all related. I found that to be true!
In my search for my Irish roots, I discovered my father's side of the family, the Russells -- lots of them. Gaelic spelling: Ruiseil or Ruiseal. The Russells are the descendants of Normans who came to Ireland in the conquest of the 12th century. "Russell" means "red haired". The name also arrived from England and Scotland with the "settlers" of the Plantation of Ulster in the 17th century. Almost half of the Russells in Ireland reside in Ulster. The name is very common in Counties Clare, Cork and Dublin.
A famous Russell, Lord Arthur Charles Russell, was a barrister who successfully defended Charles Stuart Parnell when he was accused of sanctioning/participating in the 1882 murder of the Irish Secretary and participating in criminal activity associated with the Irish Republican Brotherhood. Lord Russell's skillful cross examination revealed that the prime piece of evidence against Parnell was a shameless forgery.
So, we are all related -- in a very round about way!