Guinane sisters of Kilchreest, County Clare

Hi Bob,

Thank you very much for your message. You have done a great job on your family history! I hope that someone with information is able to fill in some gaps for you.

In the meantime, have you already looked on the Clare County Library Genealogy page? They have some great resources available there including a ?Donated Material? section. It may be worth a look to, here is the link:

http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/genealogy/genealog.htm

Kind regards,

Genealogy Support

Jeremiah Brady wrote a letter to the Latchford descendants in America. In it, he mentions The widow O'Hehir. I was able to ascertain that Hugh Brady, a notable Hedge School teacher in Ruan, who retired and died at Paradise Hill, Ballynacally, was Jerry's uncle. Hugh was a bachelor, but his brother and sister were married. His brother, Edmond or Edward Brady, was Jerry's father. Jerry had three brothers, Hugh, and the twins Patrick and Dan. Through the County Clare Library and ancestry.com, I was able to ascertain that Hugh and Edmond's sister was Ellen Brady who married James (O') Hehir. It seems that because of the influence of the Gaelic Movement (promoted by Hugh Brady of Ruan), the Hehir's changed their name to O'Hehir and are listed in the 1911 census in the Gaelic. The O'Hehir' had several notables: Hugh and Mary V were active in Irish independence, James was active in Irish sport, and his son Michael became a famous Irish sport broadcaster. Edward Hehir, another son and postmaster in Ennis, was married to Mary Anne Clancy of Killadysart. The O'Hehir family have a section at the library webpage, with some obituaries of the family that appeared in the Clare Champion. Any further enlightenment would be appreciated.

My grandparents were Hugh and Mary , my father Patrick named for one of the twins from the previous generation, still have brother and sister in Clare would appreciate any other history of my family.

you mention letters my great uncle jerry wrote , is there a reason you have them ? 

With best regards,

Jeremiah Brady ,

Knoxville,

Tennessee,

USA 

Hi! It is good to meet you. A copy of the letter came into my possession as a result of research on the Latchford family whose patriarchs emigrated from Ballynacally, Clare in the late 1830's. Stephen Latchford was an American diplomat who specialized in Aviation Law, during the first half of the "1900's" (Check him out on Wikipedia). During one of his diplomatic trips to Ireland, Stephen must have met Jerry and passed his name off to Helen Latchford of Baltimore, MD, who then wrote to Jerry, just prior to her death in the late 1950s. After her death the original was passed on to John Latchford Beck, also of Baltimore, who passed a copy onto me. In the letter, Jerry states that he has three daughters Rita, Anne, and Margaret. He also writes that their Mom, Mary Ginnane Brady died when Margaret was an infant, and that the girls were raised by his mother, Mary King Brady. He also mentions his brothers Hugh, Dan and Patrick. He does not mention that they're twins. I surmised that from the 1901 and 1911 census as well as birth registrations. He relates that Hugh was married with two children ( I think there was a third later). Dan apparently was married but no children, and Patrick was unmarried. At the County Clare Library website there are grave transcriptions at Kilchreest Cemetery in Sec. D for the Brady plot. At that site are buried Jerry and his wife, his father Edward (or Edmond) and his wife, and Patrick. Their brother Hugh is buried there, but no mention of his wife or the children. Also buried there is Hugh the National School Master of Ruan, who was Jerry's uncle.  I have been in touch with the daughter of Edward Stephen Brady, who lives in England, who is also interested in this genealogy. I think it is especially interesting the connection with the O'Hehir's, through Ellen Brady, Hugh and Edward's sister. Jerry writes about "the widow O'Hehir" who would be Edward O'Hehir's wife and their "seven children". The letter can be found at Ancestry.com @ the Latchfords of Maryland- Jeremiah Brady or Katherine Guinane. Bob Brett

Hi Bob,

Thank you for sharing the letters and information with me, please pass my email along to Uncle Eds daughter , it is obradaigh1@yahoo.com.

I have pictures of every name you mention, are we related ? Is there some specific research information you are looking for that I could help you with ?

with best regards,

Diarmad O Bradaigh

Diarmad- I use the name your great uncle, Hugh of Ruan, would have been happy to hear you called.

My direct interest in your family goes back past your great uncle Hugh, to his mother Katherine.  I assumed that the Katherine Guinane that Jerry referred to was his paternal grandmother. That is question one. Second, was the father of Edward (Jerry's Dad), Ellen and Hugh of Ruan, also named Hugh Brady?  These are important questions to John Latchford Beck and myself because they connect us to one another and also to your family through the Guinanes. I am connected through Mary Guinane (who married Francis Latchford), John through Jane Guinane (who married John D Latchford), and of course, you and your cousins through Katherine Guinane, all three, sisters. I also noted that Jerry Brady's generation were listed as Roman Catholic. Most Bradys in Clare were supposed to have been descendants of Hugh Brady, the Protestant Bishop of Meath. Are you aware of any connection? In the Latchford case, those connected to Francis pursued Catholicism, those connected to John D were Protestant. I have other questions of The Bradys, the O'Hehirs and younger generations, but without further confirmation, our only link to your family is your great Uncle Jerry's letter. Thank you for reaching out to a fourth generation Irish immigrant.

Bob Brett

Dhia ghuit Bob,

Edwards fathers name was indeed Hugh, following tradition he named his eldest after his father ! My sister also confirmed Katherine to be Edwards mother. My grandfathers mother was Mary King , my fathers mother was Mary Kennedy 

I have a copy of my great grandfathers Mass card which my grandfather had kept he will have passed 100 years ago the 9th of February , my uncle Edward named his first son Hugh I learned from my sister today, if you haven't forwarded my email yet to his sister Margaret yet please don't, my sister informs me to leave sleeping dogs lie. 

I see several relatives that converted to RC during the famine a couple denied last rights by their own cousin Rev Thomas Browne Brady such was the history of Ireland !

attached picture

Mary King Brady, my father Patrick Brady ! My great uncle Jerry with his daughters Anne and Margaret.

so I believe we are distant distant cousins , 

Oiche Maith ,

Diarmad O Bradaigh 

Diarmad: Thank you for posting the photo of Jerry, Mary King Brady, Patrick (your Dad?), Anne and Margaret. It is great to see Jerry...almost like having a conversation with him through his letter. Thank you also for the clarifications of the genealogy. Each time we seem to get closer to solving the puzzle. The Latchfords appeared to be German Palatine immigrants who worked at a homestead in Clare, and by the early 1800's they were able to afford farms (tenant farmers?) in the Ballynacally region. They married the Guinane girls who were either native Irish or well established French immigrants. Do the Brady's still keep in touch with the O'Hehir's or the Clancy's? I did know that Hugh married Mary Kennedy. Was she also buried at Kilchreest cemetery? You have been so helpful to the descendants of the Latchfords and Guinanes. Thank you for your generous spirit...like your namesake.    Bob Brett

I found some research in which part of the Clive Estates in Kilchreest and Kildysart were purchased by John Beauchamp Brady of Carlow. He was the son of Henry Brady and Sarah Pearson. John had a brother named Hugh, as well as sisters Jane and Eliza. I wonder if The lot at Paradise Hill was part of those estates bought by John, Perhaps Hugh, Edmond (Edward) and Ellen Brady were the children of that Hugh, the brother of John Beauchamp Brady, There is a Hugh Brady, esq. listed in an Ennis mid 19th century directory, pin-pointed at "Ballycree". Ballycree seems to have more significance in local Clare lore   than as a cartological site.  I presume also that knowing the religious persuasion of Henry's family would help with the answer. Anyone who could confirm or deny, it would be appreciated. Thanks Bob.

My wife and I will be visiting Ennis and Ballynacally around June of this year. We are descendants of the Latchford and Guinane family that lived at Paradise near Kilchreest up to 1839. I am particularly interested in the Guinane family, Mary and Jane, who married two Latchford cousins and Katherine, who married Hugh Brady, father of Hugh, the National School master at Ruan. We would like to visit Kilchreest Cemetery and possibly take a trip out to Horse Island if there are boats that will transport. We would like to visit the library at Ennis for info on the Guinanes, Hugh Brady and Hugh O’Hehir of Ballynacally. Any assistance in “easing” our journey would be appreciated. Bob Brett