The O’Brien’s of Kilmurry-Ibrickane
Parish, County Clare, Ireland
And their DNA Connection to other
O’Brien families in the Parish.
By Kevin J. O’Brien
The use of Y-DNA testing with
my family history search has opened doors that a few years ago I would have
never dreamed. My grandfather immigrated
through Ellis Island in 1900. His youngest
sister stayed on the ancestral farm until 1950 when she sold the farm. I was fortunate that I had a record of the
location for my ancestral home.
This information allowed me
to trace my family back to 1855 to my
second great grandfather, James O’Brien b. 1793 and d. 1845. This is documented through property records,
church records, civil birth, death and marriage records; gravestone inscription
and personal family records. Patrick’s
wife Honoria O’Brien is listed as “Occupier” in the 1855 Valuation of Tenements
in Killernan Townland, Parish of Kilmurry-Ibrickane Parish.
This is the point where many
of the records end for the Irish family researcher. There are four other O’Brien families in this
area that I have contacted that are able to do what I have done and identify
the Occupier of their O’Brien farm in 1855.
Before this time there is only speculation as to the identity of the
previous generation.
The following is a list of
the Five distinct O’Brien families that live a short distance from each
other. They were neighbors and surely
knew each other and from what the DNA tests
have shown there is a close relationship between these six O’Brien families
just a generation or two before the start of written records.
1855 Valuation of Tenements for Parish
of Kilmurry-Ibrickane, County Clare, Ireland
·
Lot 15,16,17 Honoria
O’Brien, Killernan Townland, 26 acres
·
Lot 17,18 Michael O’Brien, Killernan Townland, 20
acres
·
Lot 1,2 Michael O’Brien, Quartermire, Knockanalban
Townland, 27 acres
·
Lot
59,60,61,62 James O’Brien, Mount Scot,
Knockanalban Townland, 51 acres
·
Lot 15 Patrick O’Brien, Shanaway
West Townland, 41 acres
This information led me to three more O’Brien
families. One family is from New Zealand
that has their ancestral farm in Mt. Scot, Knockanalban, townland just down the
road from the O’Brien’s of Killernan.
The second O’Brien family presently living in County Clare have their
ancestral origins in the townland of Shanaway West just over the hill from my
farm and the third family still living in Ireland has their roots in
Quartermire, Knockanalban near the Mt. Scot O’Brien’s. After
my contact with members of these three distinctly different O’Brien’s families;
they agreed to submit a DNA sample to the O’BRIEN GROUP with Family
Tree DNA.
The samples were taken and
the Y-DNA results confirmed a close match with the three O’Brien families from
Killernan townland. Now there were five
O’Brien families in the parish that have a near perfect DNA match. This has been very satisfying to us and has
answered many questions.
There are still a few O’Brien
families in the parish that I hoping to encourage having their DNA tested and I
have thought of a few friends that could use this same approach to see if they
share a common ancestor.
Hi Kevin, I would be interested. My grandmother was Kate O'Brien, Seafield, Quilty. Brian Galvin
ReplyDeleteBrian,
DeleteThanks for the message. I would like to look at your family tree. Do you have one on line?
Would you contact me at killernanfarm@gmail.com
Slan,
Kevin J. OBrien
Buffalo, NY, USA
Brian,
DeleteI found your family tree on Ancestry and have corresponded with your cousin, Cathy C.
Do you know where the O'Brien's were from before Tromra Castle?
Kevin
Do I understand correctly that Y-DNA means we need a male descendancy line in order to qualify for this investigation? That is, as my grandmother was born an O'Brien, my DNA won't be suitable as it is not a continuous patrilineal connection?
ReplyDeleteYes, this is a "Y" DNA test. It is only for males and the results will only give you the "Y" markers from the father.
ReplyDeleteYou would need your grandmother's, brother, her father's brother's children or a male that is a descendant of an O'Brien.
Slan,
Kevin J. O'Brien
Kevin,
ReplyDeleteMy GGGrandfather is named Michael O'Brien. We are searching for his roots. He was born in Ireland but went to Wigan England where my GGrandfather Patrick O'Brien was born. We have found a possible family connection to Michael O'Brien/ Anne McInerney married Kilmurry 1830. Do you have any information on O'Brien/McInerney family. If we can't find the paper trail ... we think there is a possibility our Michael is their son... would my brothers be candidates for the DNA testing?
Thanks,
Bernadette O'Brien Thompson
Kevin,
ReplyDeleteThank you for including the Egan/O'Brien connection. My descent is apparently from O'Haren/O'Haran. Patrick O'Haran born circa 1729 married to Anne McDonnel in Kilkenny. My Y-DNA includes several matches with O'Briens of Ibrickane in West Clare, branching off from the main Thomond line after about 1400. I suspect that Patrick was born in County Wexford where there is Ballyharran of the same derivation, and that he and John O'Brien patriarch of Kilernan were closely related.
Sorry it has taken my so long to respond. I have not looked at my O'Brien blog in a long time. Please contact me at killernanfarm@gmail.com
DeleteSlan,
Kevin J O'Brien
My grandmother, Margaret Obrien, born june 7th 1895 in Cork. Left Ireland to travel the world as as governess at the age of 16. She met and married my grandfather John Flaherty in New Jersey. She almost never mentioned her family again...we do know that she had 2 sisters who joined the convent of Good Shepard, but I am tirelessly searching for her parent's info. Any thoughts? Thank you! emcreely@msn.com
ReplyDelete