A couple more things came to mind, Bill. First did you mean County "Meath" when you wrote "Neath" ? Also County Louth is north of Dublin, and County Meath is just west of Louth, not that far from County Monaghan. Maybe that is home territory for the Branagans! And you wrote that Andrew came over in 1850, so he must have lived through the famine. I think I have read that, although the famine was bad everywhere, the areas nearest Dublin were the least destitute(if there is such a thing, when your countrymen are starving). Anyway, one could draw the conclusion that Andrew was a person of some means. At least probably not among the peasants who were forced off the land throught the "tumblings" of cottages. Do you have the names of his parents? We know Thomas' parents' names, but not their hometown. Keep in touch. from, Carolyn