Keniry in Clare

[bobkanary]

Bob Kanary (Keniry) in Oklahoma City, USA

I want to thank Forum members who helped guide my brother Michael and myself in our genealogical searches, including Mariam S.(Ireland) and Sharon C. (USA), and staff at the Clare-Ennis Library. In the process we discovered two cousins here in the states with common ancestors (same great grandparents, O'Brien-Spellacy of Kilrush 1830s). Your assistance made this possible. One of these relatives did some on-the-ground searches of a couple of cemeteries in Pennsylvania. She found a gravestone near one of our family burial plots with the words "A native of Kilrush." We know we had relatives out on the peninsula or loop-head.

On another note, I did a search of FACEBOOK this week and came up with 25 users with the name Keniry. They appear for the most part to be under the age of 30. Most are from counties Clare, Cork and Waterford (in that order). I have made contact with one of these young people on FACEBOOK. I met him while visiting in Clare in Nov. 2009.

I would love to return to Clare and our native Ireland some day. Perhaps we shall! In the meantime, I follow political events in the EU and how this may affect our native country. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.

[bobkanary]

BY THE WAY...
We discovered a readable McKeniry tombstone in the Shanakiel cemetery in Kilrush, and a good traces of Keniry presence (deceased and living) in Kilbaha and Doonbeg areas. Family names in close proximity in the USA in Pennsylvania at cemeteries (where our relatives appeared to congregate in the middle 1800s), and in historical records such as obituaries were often in close proximity in Clare history and in a couple of cemeteries in Clare. The names are O'Brien, McNamara, McMahon, along with the Keniry name and its various alterations (Kinniry, Kenniry, etc...). The O'Brien connection proved to be the riches vein here in the USA.

[bobkanary]

PS. If anyone wants to comment directly, the can send posts to bobkanary@gmail.com. I do not check this account with great frequency, but will check it a bit more often for the next few weeks. We would love to hear from you.

[miriam scahill]

Hello Bob - I am delighted that you enjoyed your visit to West Clare - I saw the lovely photos put on by Michael - I sent him a message on this site but haven't heard from him. I hope I didn't put you in the wrong direction when I suggested that you visit the Kilbaha area - as there were many families of the name there. Did you look at the info on www.clarelibrary.ie - under Genealogy - Griffith Valuations of 1855 and Tithes Books of 1824 or so - lots of spelling of the name - from Keniry to Kinnery !!! We might get to meet for a cuppa when you next visit !!!. I live about 5 miles from Dublin Airport. God Bless, Miriam.

[bobkanary]

Mariam,
You were extremely helpful amid our explorations of our native homeland! Lynne and I would relish an opportunity to meet for a cuppa when we visit. We drove from Clare to Galway to Dublin on our 2009 visit, and thoroughly enjoyed Dublin.
Thanks,
Bob