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O'Callaghan Cork or Callaghan, Clare? Help needed!

O'Callaghan Cork or Callaghan, Clare? Help needed!

Posted: 10 Nov 2004 11:51PM GMT
Classification: Query
If anyone could help with this would be very grateful. My grandmother was Julia O'Callaghan and she had a sister Anne. They both came to England but I don't know what year. Julia married my grandfather, Charles Griffiths Hembrow cir 1907/8 and they lived in Reading then Bradfield Berkshire near Reading until Julia died. She was born on 23 September, 1880 in Ireland. The IGI has a listing for a Julia Callaghan born on that date in county Clare to a Thomas Callaghan and Margaret Minogue. Although a birthplace other than Clare was not mentioned, in looking for other children on the IGI, I found Mary born to Thomas and Margaret Minogue in 1878 in Knockbaha (parish of Feakle) close to Scariff. Another entry shows James born 1876. The 1901 census of Knockbaha shows a Thomas Callagan 50, wife Mary (possibly Margaret's other name or Thomas remarried?) 47, son James aged 24, John 17, Anne 15, Denis 13, Patrick 10, Thomas 8, Elena 3. No mention of Mary or Julia in the census - they had probably left home in search of work.

My problem is that we had assumed that the family was a Cork family as Anne named her house in England Montenotte (a district of Cork town - so I believe). Also there were a lot of O'Callaghans in Cork. Can anyone tell me if it was common to drop the 'O' and put it back in again. Records in UK definitely show Julia as O'Callaghan so am I barking up the wrong tree in thinking that I have found my grandmother's family in Knockbeha with the name Callaghan instead of 'O' Callaghan? Unfortunately, my great aunt Anne and my parents died some years ago so there is no-one in the family to ask! Any suggestions would be most welcome as I could spend many long hours researching the wrong family.
Many thanks!

Re: O'Callaghan Cork or Callaghan, Clare? Help needed!

Posted: 10 Dec 2004 9:11AM GMT
Classification: Query
Lesley: Yes it is very common for the O to be dropped and picked back up again. The O'Callaghan name is very common in cork, but others have branched out. My grandfather was an O'Callaghan. His brothers name was changed to Callahan and their Uncle's name changed to Callaghan. So it can complicate your search. Believe me it drives me nuts. But sounds like you have had some success. Don't give up

Margaret

Re: O'Callaghan Cork or Callaghan, Clare? Help needed!

Lesley Jane Wolsey-Neech (View posts)
Posted: 13 Dec 2004 11:59AM GMT
Classification: Query
Dear Margaret,
Thank you for your reply and words of encouragement! Since posting the message, have found a photograph of Julia's sister Anne which was taken on her 72nd birthday - and giving the date. So I now have a date of birth for Anne as well - 29 July, 1877 which does not fit with the Anne in the family I mentioned above, so back (almost!)to square one. I can find no record of Anne's birth in the IGI either under O'Callaghan or Callaghan. As this stage I do not know whether the Julia born to Thomas and Margaret in Clare is my grandmother or whether the same birthdate/name is merely coincidental. If I was able to find out that Anne was also the daughter of Thomas and Margaret then it would narrow the search considerably. I still have a very strong hunch that my grandmother's family either moved to Cork, moved back to Cork and their roots, or were Cork born O'Callaghans - based on the 'Montenotte' connection. Would welcome any suggestions on how to proceed, based on your experiences!
Best Wishes
Lesley

Re: O'Callaghan Cork or Callaghan, Clare? Help needed!

Margaret McGrath (View posts)
Posted: 16 Dec 2004 9:18AM GMT
Classification: Query
Lesley:( Well just because you can find Anne being connected doesn't mean she's not. I can tell you the IGI is not a complete list. I have found many family members there with parents listed, however not the entire family. In some cases only a few children are listed. I suppose it depends on the particular film that was published. So don't give up.

Also be aware, or at least my experience on more than one occassion has been my family doesn't always use there first names. I have many that have used there middle name and found out later to my surprise.

Suggest putting message on the board for Ireland and than Cork and even Clare.

Margaret

Re: O'Callaghan Cork or Callaghan, Clare? Help needed!

Posted: 17 Feb 2005 10:34PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 22 Mar 2005 10:45AM GMT
I cant help with your question Lesley, but I just wanted to say I am having the same trouble with the O'Callaghan name. I was born to Margaret Mary O'Callaghan in 1947 and later adopted, on papers relating to my birth it says O'Callaghan but on an electoral register for my mother at that time it gives the name Callaghan, so I have to research both names, I do believe they dropped or added the "O"at will.
Wendy

Re: O'Callaghan Cork or Callaghan, Clare? Help needed!

Posted: 4 Jan 2014 6:49AM GMT
Classification: Query
Like yourself I am not sure but I had a grandmother her name was Mary Minogue from feakle area she was born around the 20s died in 94 she married my grandfather Edward Hayes which her family disowned her for as they were land owners if not farmers my grandfather hadn't much going on at the time lol !
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