John Riordan and Bridget Quane- Ballylanders, Co Limerick

My great-grandfather Patrick Riordan was the son of John Riordan and Bridget Quane, of Ballylanders Parish in Co Limerick. He was born in the early-mid1840s, and his siblings were James, Margaret, Mary, Ellen, John and Bridget. His sister Margaret was also a great-grandmother of mine: she married Jeremiah Malone and raised her family in Ballinadrideen, a townland not far south of Charleville. His brother John also came to NZ, and in 1892 was the informant for the death registration of Patrick's wife Mary, but I don't know what happened to him after that.

I don't know anything about his father John Riordan's siblings, but it seems possible he had a sister Ellen who married a Creagh from a neighbouring farm. I don't have documents to prove this, but I have many DNA links to Creagh descendants in Australia who know they are descended from an Ellen Riordan. (Dates are too early for this Ellen to be Patrick's sister.)

Bridget Quane had a sister, Honora Quane, who married Owen O'Donnell and lived in neighbouring Glenroe parish. Two of the O'Donnell sons, James Joseph O'Donnell, and John Francis O'Donnell, became priests and emigrated to New Zealand. There was also a sister Mary. Attached is the death entry for John Francis O'Donnell that shows his parents names.

I am attaching the census extract from 1916 that James Riordan applied for, with his address given as his son Michael's, still living in Cullane South at the time. I am wondering if this James might be the father of a priest in Australia, Fr O'Riordan: “Father O'Riordan, inspector of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Goulbum, who had been on a visit to his cousin, Rev. J. F. O'Donnell, Queenstown, passed through Dunedin during the week, on his return to Australia.”

I was contacted by someone years ago in New Zealand who was descended from Quanes also connected with the O'Donnell priests, but I no longer have their contact details. I also suspect (from DNA links) that there might be a connection in Ireland with the Norris family, but whether it is in Patrick's generation, or the previous one, I don't know.

I would be interested to hear from anyone who thinks they might also be connected with this family, especially anyone descended from any of Patrick's siblings.

Margaret Riordan

New Zealand