I am looking for connections to Sissie BYRNE who was living in Bohgrell, Clonas, Co Kildare in the 1920s but was most likely born in Co Wicklow. She had a sister/ cousin/ sister-in-law, Sarah BYRNE, who was living in Killiskey, Co Wicklow in the 1920s.
Both were nieces of Sarah COLLINS/ CAWLINS nee BYRNE who married Edward COLLINS in Derrylossary Co Wicklow on October 3rd 1846.
Susan Johnstone

Hi Susan. Do you know if one of your male Byrne ancestors married a Mary Roche/Roach, c1845-50 and had a daughter Maria? He died when Maria was small. Mary remarried so I don't know his first name as I have no record of it. She left Wicklow and came to live in England.
Thanks, Trish.

Trish, I regret I know virtually nothing about my Byrne ancestors and their relatives, other than the name of my x2 great-grandmother, and (as of this week) the names of two of her neices.
If it's any help, those in Co Wicklow appear to have been Church of Ireland and lived near Killiskey, and Ballydown, near Ashford in the 1920s. My x2 great-grandparents married in Derrylossary in 1846 and at that time, Sarah Byrne lived at Sevenchurches in Glendalough.
Susan

Thanks anyway Susan. If I discover any connection I'll get back to you. Please do the same for me - I'm desperate to break down this brick wall! Good luck.
Trish.

Hi Trish,
My G.G.G.Grandparents were also Byrne's all it says on the 1871 census that they came from Dublin,I am almost sure they were Catholic.They came over to England sometime between 1865 and 1871 and at first lived in Liverpool and then seemed to have moved to Manchester.Their names were Thomas,a Tailor,b.about 1823,his wife Margaret a boot binder b.1833,and their children Bridget(my G.G.Grandmother) b.1859,Christopher b.1862 and John b.1865.
Margaret and children might have come to England first with Thomas coming after.Oh why did all the records have to be reduced to ashes,unless you have accurate information on the districts they came from, and which churches they were born and married in you are just about stuck.
Have just returned from two weeks in Ireland wanted to get a feel of the place.Apparently Byrne is the most popular name in the counties of Wicklow,Dublin and Louth.Everywhere you look there are shops,and buisneses owned by Byrnes.We went to Glendalough and went through a graveyard were there were so many Byrne graves rangeing from the 1800's to the present day.It was a Catholic graveyard.I was walking through thinking any of you could have been related to me but how would I know? Don't know if any of my Byrnes could be your Byrnes

Hi Susan,
My G.G.G.Grandparents were also Byrne's all it says on the 1871 census that they came from Dublin,I am almost sure they were Catholic.They came over to England sometime between 1865 and 1871 and at first lived in Liverpool and then seemed to have moved to Manchester.Their names were Thomas,a Tailor,b.about 1823,his wife Margaret a boot binder b.1833,and their children Bridget(my G.G.Grandmother) b.1859,Christopher b.1862 and John b.1865.
Margaret and children might have come to England first with Thomas coming after.Oh why did all the records have to be reduced to ashes,unless you have accurate information on the districts they came from, and which churches they were born and married in you are just about stuck.
Have just returned from two weeks in Ireland wanted to get a feel of the place.Apparently Byrne is the most popular name in the counties of Wicklow,Dublin and Louth.Everywhere you look there are shops,and buisneses owned by Byrnes.We went to Glendalough and went through a graveyard were there were so many Byrne graves rangeing from the 1800's to the present day.It was a Catholic graveyard.I was walking through thinking any of you could have been related to me but how would I know? Don't know if any of my Byrnes could be your Byrnes

Hi Christine.
My Mary Byrne and her daughter Maria are supposed to have been related to the Byrne family of Master Butchers from Birkenhead, (originally from Ballinderry.) As yet, without "Mr" Byrnes' Christian name, I haven't been able to connect them. The family knew that Michael Byrne, Mayor of Birkemhead in 1917/18 was either Granny's uncle or cousin. Do you know if your Byrnes from Liverpool were connected to him?
Thanks, Trish.

Christine,
My x2great-grandmother Sarah BYRNE came from Seven Churches in Glendalough. She married Edward CAWLINGS (just one of several ways that family spelled their name!) of the Carrowbawm, Killiskey COLLINS family in a Church of Ireland ceremony in Derrylossary in 1846. The COLLINS family seem to have been CoI for several generations before 1846. On their marriage certificate both are entered as Church of Ireland under "Religion". However, it's possible that she had been brought up as a Catholic, and it was a "mixed marriage" thus they could only be married in a CoI church. But that is just speculation on my part.
Some of the family came over to England and they were all very "high church" protestant. When I was young in the 40s and 50s there was little to distinguish our church ceremonies from the RC services we used to go to on holidays in France or Italy - same language (Latin), same smells, same bells...
Susan

Hi Susan,
I found your comment about how your Byrnes went from Roman Catholic to High Church Protestant very interesting. (Their services are similar, you're right.) My great grandmother was Maria Byrne, born c1856, daughter of Mary Byrne (formerly Roche/Roach) of Wicklow.
We don't know her father's name as Mary was widowed when Maria was very young. We do know that they were Catholic and also that they were related to Byrnes, master butchers of Birkenhead. Michael Byrne was Mayor of Birkenhead, near Liverpool,in 1917. I have been told that Michael became quite a prominent member of the local Anglican Church and that due to die-hard Catholicism, the family stopped talking about "that side of the family!"
As a result, I haven't been able to find out where my Byrnes connect.
Do you have any connection to the Birkenhead Byrnes?
Trish.

I, too, am looking for Byrne relatives in Kildare. I have info that my great-great grandfather was born July 5, 1855 in Tinnoran, County Kildare. His parents were James Byrne and Elizabeth Meach. He was baptized in St. Josephs RC church Baltinglass, County Wicklow July 9, 1855. I have much info on his life after marrying his wife Bridget Darcy. They immigrated to Auburn, NY,USA where they stayed and raised their 10 children ( one of whom was my great grandfather)and where the family has stayed to this day. I am looking for info on any siblings he had and more info on his parents. Any information you could provide would be much appreciated.
Lisa