Welcome to this Kiernan Family website.
This site is dedicated to my Father, Lorcan Kiernan, who instilled in me a sense of family and of history.
I am indebted to my grand uncle Patrick (Patsy) Kiernan, Letrim Dring, Co Longford, who brought our family Bible during his sojourn in America and began keeping family records. My Father continued his work and my interest was sparked when I first read those entries. This Bible is now in the care of my brother, Lorcan.
As the ‘original spark’ of this site I will introduce myself. My name is Tadhg MacTighearnán*, the anglicised version being, Timothy (Timmy) Kiernan, son of Lorcan, grandson of Peter. In 1982 I was also given the spiritual name, Shaunaka Rishi Das, upon my initiation as. Vaishnava priest. Born in Wexford in 1961, I presently live in Oxford, England.
My Daddy – or Daa, as Wexfordians may say – was born in Dublin on the 2nd of May 1928. His Father, Peter Kiernan moved to Enniscorthy shortly after his birth (my daddy’s birth, obviously), where he became Assistant manager of Bolger’s Department Store (my granddad, obviously).
My personal inspirations for developing this site are:
* To fulfil my Father’s wish to trace our family history
* To provide a record of immediate and extended family for younger Kiernans
* To begin an archive of facts, stories, and memories of people mentioned in our records
* To find pictures, audio recordings, and memorabilia of family members
My Mother – is Marin Kiernan, nee Kennedy, born in Bandon, Cork, on the 20th April 1932. She still lives in Wexford, in a house called “Loma”, a name derived from the first two letters of my Father’s and Mother’s names.
My eldest brother is Lorcan, called after my Daddy, followed by Peter, called after my paternal Granddad. I’m stuck in the middle and I’m called after my maternal Grandad. Giliosa is the girl, and Colm is the baby – even after all these years (is there no justice).I hope this website may prove helpful for present and future Kiernans, and that they feel inspired to contribute to its development.
* I have found another who shared my name, Tadhg Mág Tighearnán (anglicised Teigue McKiernan) who was chief of the McKiernan people of Tullyhunco, Co. Cavan, until his death in 1474.
Hi Tim;
I’ve been doing a bit of Kiernan history myself. My family came out of Ballivor Meath in the late 1850s; settled in Orange County NY State. Then so many of them, named Thomas, Christopher, John etc, fanned out here and there.
I take it your Kiernans stayed in Ireland. Your father must have been a fine individual – as well as a virtual twin of my own father Christopher L. Kiernan (1926-90).
If the possible ties deserve exploring further, let me know.
Otherwise, all the best.
Colin G. Kiernan
(1955-present)
Hi Tim:
I just stumbled upon this site. My Dad Chris Kiernan came to Cananda from Ballivor County Meath in 1953. He lived rurally and worked in Athboy. Maybe there is a link. My Grandfather was a Peter Kiernan of Ballivor.
Have a good day
Kind regards
Chris
Hi Tim,
I recently found one page of Kiernan geneology tracing my family back to Muckerstaff, Co. Longford, about 5 km west of Granard. As this is remarkably close to where you place your family I was wondering if you could help me make a connection.
According to the information I have Thomas Kiernan and Rose Healy would be my Great-great-great-great Grandparents. My information indicates that their oldest son, Michael (n. 1830s), married Margaret Farrell Brown(e) 2 February 1872. They had three children: Thomas, Michael and James.
Michael, the middle son born in March 1875, married Elizabeth Clarke of Cavan and had five children: James, Michael, Mary, Rose and Thomas. The oldest son, James Christopher married Annie McInerney and inherited the family land in Muckerstaff.
Michael, the second son born 2/6/10 immigrated to Boston in 1925 where he married Winifred Whelan in September 1931. Michael and Winifred had three children: Vincent, Anna Elizabeth, and Michael. This Michael, the third child born in June 1963, is my grandfather.
I live in the U.S., but I’m on exchange with a university in Dublin. While I am in Ireland, I was hoping to get a better grasp of my geneology.
If you are able to connect any of my family information with the information you have, I’d love to learn more!
Kaitlyn Kiernan
kaitlyn.kiernan@gmail.com
Dear Kaityn,
We are looking for an award for the most delayed response to a mail on the web – sorry.
I have no specific information on your family but I have found that even if a Kiernan family lived next door it did not mean that they were related. Did you come to Dublin and did you manage to find anything more, which may help you find connections. Let us know what you know.
best wishes,
Tim
Kaitlyn,
It looks like we are related by Margaret Farrell Browne.
Donna
Hi Donna, Margaret Farrell Browne was my great great Grandmother. My grandma being Mary Kiernan from Muckerstaff. Do you have any additional info you could help me with regarding other relatives. My email is butlerrudy@gmail.com. Thanks in advance.
hi can any1 help me im trying to find out if peter kittys father had any siblings if u can help pls email i would be very grateful…x
Dear Samantha,
Please read Jack Kiernan’s very good history of Peter’s family and you will know what we know. You may find your Larry there. Please let us know if you think you do find him and please let us know more about your family and we can help make the connection.
Best wishes,
Tim
Tim
Hi Timmy,
You may already be aware but just in case you’re not, the census for 1901 and 1911 are now both available on line at the following link http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/
Hope its of help.
Best of luck Timmy
Denis
Denis, Thank you for this link. Are you the Wexford Dennis Sinnott, from Hill St? Timmy
Yes I,m the Wexford Denis alright Timmy but not hill street but Corish Park. We were in the same class etc at young age. Hope all is well with you and yours. Take Care
Denis
Timmy,
you may be aware of it already but the 1901 Irish census is now on line also i.e. together with the 1911 one – see attached link
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/
Regards
Denis
Tim, apologies for unplanned phone call last Friday. The video interview was very entertaining. With my wife’s help. have plotted family tree for 6 generations to a reasonable accuracy. Drop an email and we can discuss. African greetings from Shane and family.
Dear Shane,
It was great to hear from you and I would be very interested to hear more of your research. I think it may fill in blanks for others and I hope we could share some of it on the site, if you thought it appropriate.
You mentioned Margot’s sister in Dublin as a repository of family lore. Please let me know how I may contact her for an interview. I would like to contact as many of our elders as possible before they take their histories with them to the grave.
Oxford greetings to all.
Tim
BTW my email is shaunaka@gmail.com
Dear Michael,
Thank you for this and I would be interested in your research. I don’t know if our families are directly connected in anyway but lets see.
Best wishes,
Tim
I know this is a long shot… my great grandmother is Anatasia Kiernan and is one of 1 of 12 siblings. Her father is Thomas Kiernan owned proprty at 28 Main Street, Granard Ireland Co.Longford. his wife was Bridget Kiernan(Marmion) any relation?
I’m new to this and taking a shot in the dark here. My uncle already traced the Mahoney side as far as he could but I’ve recently took an interest in my mother’s father and his history.
I’ll post what I have but Bernard Kiernan’s records are full of inconsistancies and mystery. We have very little information.
My name is James Mahoney and I’m in my 50’s : Father, Gerald Mahoney; Mother, Betty Jean(Kiernan) Mahoney.
My mother’s father was Bernard Kiernan. Here’s what we have:
Born around 1897
Served in the British military aprox 1914 to 1917.
Moved to American betwen 1919 and 1925.
Lived in the Detroit, Michigan area.
Married Alice Rhault (pernounced ‘row’) (unsure of date)
1st born: Thomas Kiernan 1927
2nd : Deloris Kiernan 1929
3rd: Betty Jean Kiernan, January of 1931.
Bernard, Thomas and Deloris were killed in an auto accident in Oct, 1931.
Here are some of the inconsistancies:
On Thomas’s birth certificate, Bernard’s birth place is listed as England.
On Betty’s birth cert, Bernard’s birth place is listed as Ireland.
On the death certificates of Bernard, Thomas and Deloris, Bernard’s birth place is listed as Scotland.
His passport to the U.S. was issued in Scotland but that was destroyed in a flood many years ago.
Some of the spellings on these documents is Keirnan and others Kiernan.
From the few stories I’ve heard when i was younger his place of birth was Ireland.
I keep poking around trying to find information but I may have hit a dead-end here. Maybe there’s a chance some of these pieces may fit in to your puzzle.
You have an interesting blog going here and Molly Hartin is a sweetheart :o)
Jim
am i allowed to reply to my own post? 🙂
during the past year i’ve learned quite a bit about my mother’s Keirnan family.
Bernard:
Born 10 aug 1899 Edinburgh
Served in the British Navy around 1917
Arrived at Ellis Island 23 Oct 1922
married: Alice Rheault in Detroit, MI
Died Oct 1931
His immediate family:
Father; Patrick Peter Keirnan 1874-1937 (2nd marriage Mary Haig McArthur)
Mother: Isabella Harrison 1878 – 1927
Brother: Thomas 1894-
Brother: Stephen Harrison Keirnan 1901-
married Mamie Kennedy
Sister: Isabella Harrison Keirnan 1905-1985
married Charles Fairbairn
married: Arthur Carter
Sister; Mary Catherine KIeirnan
Sister; Rosie Keirnan 1910-1993
married Fredrick Miller
married Robert Burt
married (unk)
Sister: Maria Patrica Keirnan 1913-1991
married Arhur C Lewis ?
Sister: Frances Connoly Keirnan 1918-
married Daniel ross Staig
Patrick Peter’s Parents:
Father; Patrick Keirnan
Mother; Mary Connolly
Patrick Keirnan’s Parents are unk … I have no information.
This is all on Ancestry.com, one of my family trees available to the public.
Hi Jim,
My Grandmother is almost certainly the Rosie Keirnan mentioned in your post. My Father Chris Burt was her youngest and he has a half bother Stevie Miller. I think she had 7 children in all and was an amazing woman. I have 3 brothers and between us have 11 children, so the tree spreads widely. Her father was Patrick and we recently found a very old photograph of him in Edinburgh. Rosie was brought up in Burnt Island Fife (I think) and spent most of her adult life in Glasgow.
I would be delighted if you had any further information on this portion of the family
Regards
Derek Burt
Hi Jim,
My granny was Rosie Kiernan, her dad, my great grand father was Patrick peter Kiernan. I have a good picture of him back in the early 1900`s, he worked as a school Janitor in Edinburgh. My granny then moved to Glasgow and as you know married a Fredrick Millar, her son Steve is still alive, he is 86 I think. Then my gran married Robert Burt. That is my grandfather who I never met as he died young. they had 3 children Chris ( my dad ) Rose(deceased) and Robert who died young. Would like to know more about my grannys father Patrick and where in Ireland he came from.
Richard Burt. Email- richardburtg76@gmail.com
Greetings!
I could not help but wonder if your family history has a branch in Dring, Co. Longford, where my dearest friends Mel & Linda Kiernan (nee Kiernan!) have long resided and raised their children Michael, Melvin & Joanne.
Mel & Linda have a fine self-built house overlooking Lough Gowna. I first met them ten years ago when on a fishing holiday and have been drawn back many times since. I know that Mel was born and raised near to Dring and he has a brother now residing in Dublin.
Best regards
Alex
Alex, My Grand-uncle Larry lived in Dring (called Leitrim Dring) but I have no record of Mel and Linda as relations, Although they may have heard of Larry who was a well known local character. Tim
Hi,
I’ve sent a mail to shaunaka@gmail.com.
Thanks in advance,
Hi Tim
I’ve been looking for my grandfather’s brother, Timothy Kennedy, who was a policman in arklow, wicklow. In the obituary for Lorcan, it mentions that his parents-in-law were timothy kennedy or arklow. Do you know anymore about his in-laws? My timothy was born abt 1899 in kerry, ireland.
I appreciate your help.
karen kennedy
Is Eliza Kiernan and relation of yours?
Cornelius TREACY m Eliza KEIRNAN
Hi there. Just wondering if any of these Kiernans are related to you http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Dublin/Arran_Quay/Phibsborough_Road/49451/
Dear Sir;
Although my discovery and subsequent reading of your blog and the ‘story’ of your family was due to my search for one ‘Jack Kiernan’, I am pleased to have found it! My grand daughter (14 yrs) and I greatly enjoyed the journey through your ancestry. i must add that this is quite a feat as at 14, unless something is “teen related”, she tends to refuse acknowledging it, nonetheless actually enjoying it! That being said I ask that you forgive the following; my intrusion and subsequent request for information.
After the death of my beloved father I acquired his huge (and ancient!) humpback trunks filled with his accumulation of those things he treasured but either wasn’t permitted;-), or simply chose not to display in our home. In my quest to keep my fathers memory alive for my grandchildren I am attempting to research the significance and/or provenance of his “treasures”, quite a task I might add.
Many of these items seem to be linked to our families involvement in the military; i.e., medals, service records, honorable discharge certificates, a plethora of photos & postcards, various letters, and more. However, also included are several books, lovingly wrapped in tissue paper and placed at the bottom of one trunk (atop, still legible. vintage newspapers, one dated 1909!!). One such book is titled ‘History Of The War In Front Pages’ and subtitled (?) ‘Complete Text Of United States San Francisco Charter And Statute Of World Court’. In the lower right hand corner of the front of this book is the name “Jack Kiernan”.
I admit I’ve only spent a brief amount of time attempting to research this book, but as yet have not found much except that there appears to be a similar book at the Stanford University here in the United States. The book measures 14″Lx11″W is apprx 1/3″ thick contains 1 blank front page (no copyright info, publisher, number of editions etc), plus 31 printed pages.
I’m merely “guessing” but possibly the name on the front is that of your “uncle”(?), one Jack Kiernan’. My assumption being based upon another assumption and that being that he appears to have written atleast one other book.??!
I could and very well “may” be looking in the wrong direction completely. However, I’m hoping you might know whether “your” uncle had something to do with creating this book, “if” this book possibly belonged to him (hence the name on front as ownership?) or “who” this other Jack Kiernan might be. My intent is only to find out the logistics of this book; who commissioned it, when, its importance, # of printed copies, etc.
Again, I apologize for having interrupted your day and for having stolen precious minutes with the verbosity I seem unable to avoid. I also thank you in advance for any and all assistance you are able (and willing!) to provide!
Most sincerely,
Kathleen Rodgers
Krodgers209@gmail.com
Hi there from New Zealand, my name Dermot Kiernan and I am tracking down Family links, my Father was Patsy/Patrick and his parents were Peter and Mary Kiernan from Streete, Westmeath.
Patrick is buried in St Mary’s in Westmeath and died on 5th March 1966…apologies in advance as that’s all the info I have, if anyone could help gather other breadcrumbs of info I would be extremely grateful
I hope the following info regarding
Your mother Marin Kiernan, née Kenndy related to my Elizabeth Kiernan, Graham (née Kenndy).
*As you can see below my great grandmother is Elizabeth Kiernan Graham (née Kenndy. She came to America in 1909 by ship landing in Nova Scotia and made her way to Seattle Washington. My father’s name is James T. Duzan son of Catherine (Kiernan) Duzan and Thomas Powling
Duzan. Catherine is one of Christopher and Elizabeth Kiernan my great grand parents.
The following information is correct and found on interment and records.
*Christopher Kiernan (b approx 1852) who married an Elizabeth Graham (nee Kennedy) (b approx 1847).We don’t know what counties they were born in.They had three children, Mary (b approx 1878 in Ireland), Catherine (b approx 1883 in England) and Christopher b 1885 in Liverpool, England.
Timmy,
Thank you for sharing this web-site.
My great-grandfather is one of 10 Kiernan children from Co Longford area & other areas which you list.
With some many Kiernans & looking for records which are no long available dna test helps you local families. I would like to know if you done dna testing.
Cecelia
Do you have a Margaret Kiernan immigration to Canada about 1850 in your family tree?
Lorcan Kiernan bears an incredible resemblance to my maternal grandfather, Joseph D Kiernan (1934-1985), son of Bernard L Kiernan (1893-1971)!! I would love to connect with my ancestral community. ♡
Hi Timmy
In a search for information on the Kiernan name, I came across your website. I am hoping you can help me find out more about my ancestor if possible…
My father recently did a YDNA test and this has placed his paternal ancestry to Ireland and linked it to the name Kiernan. We believe our ancestor, Daniel Nithsdale was born in Kilmore (or Killane) in 1752. He was said to have links on his mother’s side to the earls of Nithsdale and to John, 4th Baron Bellew of Duleek. We believe he may have been born John Nisdall, later changing his name and moving to Scotland. Until now there were no clues as to his paternity (but lots of folklore and outlandish rumours).
I wonder if you or anyone in your family has also done a YDNA test. I also wonder if you know much about whether members of your family have links to the places I have mentioned (we believe it was Kilmore Cavan, but I see there is also reference to a Kilmore in Longford on your site). Do you know much about the Kiernans in Cavan in the 1700s?
I know this is obscure and a long-shot, but any information you have that rings bells with this story would be of great interest.
Thanks and best wishes
Vicky Nithsdale