McHugh and Connelly Ancestors

 

The Kate

Interest in Killererin

My particular interest in Killererin parish is that both sides of my family were living there before they emigrated to New South Wales in 1840.

McHugh Ancestors

My McHugh ancestors* came from Barnaderg.  According to their emigration records, the two men in Killererin who provided references for the McHugh family were Henry Kerwin Esq. and Patrick Cummins of Dangan.

Henry Kerwin rented the townland of Barnaderg South from John A. Kerwin while Patrick Cummins rented the townland of Barnaderg North from Hugh Henry.

McHugh family emigrate to Australia

The McHugh family came here aboard the *Albatross* in 1840.  A McHugh daughter named  Bridget baptised on 28 January 1829  is unknown in online sources but I found her name in the Abbeyknockmoy Parish Record.  Her baptism sponsors were *Arthur Potter* and Bridget Kelly. She must have died in Ireland as she did not make the voyage to New South Wales.  My great great great grandfather Timothy (Thady) McHugh married Sarah Ryan on 26 February 1828 while his brother John McHugh married Margaret Shaughnessy 19 November 1832.  I located Arthur Potter at Cloondahamper.

Connelly Ancestors

My Connelly ancestors *had their Baptism records certified by Fr. John McLoughlin, Parish Priest for Killererin (1839-1849).

Patrick Connelly (Head of Family)

The head of the family Patrick Connelly was baptised on 5th March 1801, and the emigration record states that his good character was affirmed by David Commins and “a great many others of equal respectability”.  Patrick was married to Julia Donoghue from Monivea.

Peter Connelly

The adult son *Peter had his own emigration entry and was recommended by *Thomas McGrath of Cahernagy Townland (rented from David Rutledge) and David Commins of Barna.

Denis McGrath (A Connelly cousin)

Denis McGrath, a Connelly cousin by marriage to the Commins family, arrived in NSW on the *Kate* in 1850. He was a coachman aged 30, sailing with his wife Julia aged 25, their son Michael and a female born on board.  They were from Killererin. They lived at 3 Stanley Street, Hyde Park (now Darlinghurst) in Sydney Town, (see link below). Julia died in 1889 and Denis in 1898.

Dennis’s parents

Dennis’s parents were Thomas and Honora McGrath from Killererin.  Julia’s parents were Michael and Mary Brown. The younger Dennis McGrath with his wife Margaret or Julia? and two children* gave as a referee his uncle Pat Connelly of Queanbeyan, NSW., my great, great, great grandfather on my mother’s side. *

This is the abovementioned Pat Connelly,  the head of the family who came out here aboard the Elphinstone in 1841. Another Dennis McGrath from Killererin  was also the depositor for my McHugh/ McCue ancestors who emigrated aboard the “*Albatross*” in 1841.  A small world indeed!  Dennis was a sponsor of Barna emigrants based in Sydney at the time.

Quest for information

My husband and I are near the end of my fourth visit!! to Galway in June this year and want to follow up on details of our research for self-published non commercial family history books to be shared with family and other interested parties.

We very much look forward to sharing our stories of the Barnaderg ancestors who came to NSW to make new lives for their families. I have 300+ pages of information on McHughs and 150+ pages on the Connellys starting in Barnaderg and ending in 2000s with privacy issues respected.  I would love to hear from anyone who has any further information.

https://maps.google.com/?q=3+ Stanley+Street&entry=gmail& source=g>,