Library Forum

Dear all, I am intending to visit Clare in September to research my GG grandmother, Jane Mary Keane.
I’m afraid I don’t have much information about her, except that her South Australian death certificate from 1911 states she was born in Killaloe in 1837.
She arrived in Adelaide South Australia on the ship “Rodney” from Plymouth in 1855, listed as Jane Cahill a servant from Clare.
She married James Purling in 1856,(giving her surname as Keane) unfortunately before marriage certificates gave the bride and groom’s father’s names.
I know a great many Irish girls emigrated to Adelaide in 1855. I wondered if she was a famine orphan, but perhaps 1855 was too late for this.
Any help greatly appreciated.

Hi Jennifer

The Killaloe RC Baptism register is available from 1828 on microfilm in the National Library in Dublin and also in the Local Studies Centre, Harmony Row, Ennis, Co Clare. You may be lucky and find Jane Mary's baptism with her parent's names. Note that Keane may be written as Kane.

Lucille

Hi Jennifer
A quick look at http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/ turned up the following:
DEATHS.
KEANE.—Of your charity pray for the repose of the soul of Patrick
Keane (brother of Mrs. Jane Purling, Coburg Road, Port Adelaide, and the
only son of the late Mr. Michael Keane, Killaloe, County Clare, Ireland),
who died at Adelaide on September \o, 1910.
Southern Cross (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1954) Friday 28 October 1910 p 10 Family Notices

The death certificate of Patrick may be more informative esp. if his sister was the informant, and may show for instance mother's maiden name.
Have you fully explored the trove site. With some persistence it can produce gold nuggets.
Good luck
murf

Dear Lucille and Murf, thank you so much for the information, it's a great help!
Jennifer

Update. With the recent release of the parish records, I'm fairly certain that Jane and Patrick had a sister Honora Keane born 1835 Killaloe, and that they were the children of Michael Keane and Jane McKeogh of Killaloe. Perhaps someone is connected to this family.
regards, Jennifer