I have been searching for my Irish relatives for several years. My 2nd ggrandfathers were Michael Hanahan,James Lavelle and John Bowen (married to my 1st cousin 3x removed, Bridget Hanahan). I thought they may have come from Tourmakeady in Mayo County because there are a lot of Hanahans (Heneghens)in the area. We could not find any link to my ancestors in that part of Mayo. Michael Hanahan's obit states he was from Mayo. Recently, I received the following information from my friend and researcher from The Sheboygan County Research Center in Wisconsin: "One story about the settlement of Mitchell involves Michael Murray- of St. Michaels fame- being asked to lead a group of immigrants to a place in the U.S. where the Irish could settle peacefully. A group of about 15 families, mostly from Mayo, were found listed in the 1850 U.S. Census in Portage, Livingston County, New York, among them the Bowens and the Hanahans, the Brogans, the Devines, etc. Michael Murray was from the parish of Coneil. She couldn't find that parish, but through amazing luck she found that Parish of Coneil is also spelled Cooneal and then also known as Ballysokeery. Ballysokeery is just ouside of Ballina, North Mayo, way up near the north coast. Also found Michael Murray and Ann Coyne, his wife, in some document in Ballysokeery. Derreens is in the parish of Ballysokeery, and that's also where she found Bowens and Hanahans. So, it is possible that they all followed the same path to Wisconsin. Can anyone help me find records to trace my ancestors in these areas. I have lots of info once they came to the Town of Mitchell, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin.