G2G: Question of the Week: Do you have Irish roots?

Question

Do you have Irish ancestors? 

Tell us about them with an answer below or answer on Facebook. You can also use the question image to share your answer with friends and family on social media.

You might also be interested in this week's Irish Connection Checkers game and our community's very active Ireland Project. (Jen asks, "Is 2025 your year to join the Ireland Project?")

Comments

Yes...Coffey, Fitzgerald to be sure but possibly other surnames as well

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I have a few, all difficult to authenticate: Doyle (in Australia people insist on the local spelling, Dyell), Brickley, Thomson, McCormick and a few others mostly Presbyterians/Church of Ireland from the North. Several centuries-worth of McCormicks doing military training with the British Army at Enniscorthy.

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I have a few of these too, connected to Australia and USA.

Answer 1

Yes more than 25% of mine tree

Answer 2

I have Irish roots on both my paternal and maternal sides of the family. Most immigrated to Canada before the famine. I have been able to find the county these ancestors came from but not the specific location.

Answer 3

25% Irish on maternal-maternal side (verified with stories, records & DNA). Great-Grandparents came from County Monaghan immigrated to Brooklyn, New York where they met and married. They returned to Ireland for their honeymoon then returned and moved to the south side of Chicago.

Answer 4

According to Ancestry DNA, I have only 7%; however, my second great grandmother Jane (Walker) McCullough was born in Galway. She and her sister left Ireland during the potato famine when they were in their teens. 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Walker-25653

Comments

My 2x great-grandmother is also the only Irish line I have in my tree (my mtDNA line), and I also show as about 7% Irish, though that has varied on occasion.

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Susan, I guess that would work out about right—since we have 16 second great grandparents. Also we are 7th cousins 4 times removed through the Marvins.

Answer 5

Yes, on my mom's side! But probably on my Dad's side as well!   

Answer 6

Yes, My great great grandparents Simon and Mary Ann (McMullen) McKeever were reportedly both born in Ireland, and emigrated to the USA in the 1850s. There seems to be adequate information on the family since their, but none that I could find regarding who the parents of Simon are. A distant cousin is also diligently searching for Simon's parents. Ant help will be greatly appreciated.

Answer 7

My Irish ancestor is also one of my brick walls.

James Henry was born in Ireland in 1859. I have not been able to narrow down his place of birth, but his parents are listed on several documents as Charles Henry and Henrietta Wilson. He emigrated to the United States around 1878. He was a blacksmith, but he was also a jockey and raced horses. He divorced my GGgrandmother around 1895, remarried in 1896 and moved to Clinton, Iowa where he died in 1935.

Answer 8

My 5th great-grandfather William Dunlap and my 6th great-grandfather Samuel Gamble both show to be from Ireland.

When I was young, my grandma told me she was Irish because her grandmother was a Kelley.  Once I got hooked on genealogy, I found out that Kelley was actually a married name.  My 2nd great-grandmother was actually a Hamilton and married 1st a man named Jones (my 2nd great-grandfather), 2nd a man named Brindley and finally 3rd a man named Kelley.  

Answer 9

My GGGrandmother Mary Jane Wilson came to Iowa from County Down in Ireland by 1870.  Her husband, William John Robinson came from Ireland as well.  They were married in 1867 in County Antrim.  The family story is that she had a child that died on the way to the United States.

They had 5 children that were born in Iowa between 1870 and 1880.  William would die in Iowa in 1888.  Mary lived until the age of 88 raising her children in Monroe County, Iowa.

I haven't done any research on them yet but hope to soon.  There is so much I'd like to know :)

Mary Jane Wilson's biography is at https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Wilson-120508

Answer 10

If the Ulster Scots count, then a big yes!

Comments

Of course they do !

Answer 11

Yes I have Irish on both my parents side.  Samuel Alexander Montgomery (1797-1884) who came from Ulster, District of Cloger, Tyrone, Ireland.  Sailed to Canada May 1824. Ended up in Upper Canada (Mono Twp.) Ontario.  Married Elizabeth (Eliz) Day (1810-1892)  from Pennsylvania in 1827 in Philadelphia.  They were my 3rd great grandparents on my maternal side. Also another name Glassford.  On my paternal side all Irish, Hillock, Dodds, Faulkner all ended up in Peel County, Ontario Canada.  I have never been able to confirm my 4th g grandparents on the Montgomery side.  Only what was recorded in family history, supposedly a James Montgomery & Jane Appleton of County Tyrone.  Also Elizabeth (Liza) Day's parents.  Which was recorded as a Capt. Day & Mrs. Day, Pennsylvania-Dutch-German descendent.

Dianne Van Wyck/Semmens

Answer 12

Yes, I do. I'm better than 50% Irish! My Mother Doris Helena Cranney Hilton (2/16/1910-5/18/1969) was 100% Irish! While my Father's Mother,, my Paternal Gg'mother Mary Anne Doolan, the Daughter of John Edward Doolan & Mary Catherine McLauglin! Her Parents were also from Co. Cork, Ireland! Be Well, Jack MacDonald-Hilton.

Answer 13

Yes I have Irish Roots, Stephens and Neal

Answer 14

According to WikiTree my 54th great grandfather is Mogha Lamha (Lughaid-1) mac Lugaid Allathach born about the year 0050.

I will not even try to say that name.

       

Comments

What a great long line!  Pronounce this name please:

Feradach Finnfechtnach Fearadhach (abt.0007-abt.0036) 

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Thank you for finding my 55th great grandfather Fearadhach-1.

I will not even try to pronounce Feradach Finnfechtnach Fearadhach.

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Happy to contribute in a small way cousin. He is my 49GGF.

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I wouldn't even attempt that name!    He is my 51st ggf.

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I do very much appreciate WikiTree for making these kindsof connections possible.

Answer 15

My husband was 3/4 Irish.  We have been to his father's side "Courtney" homestead in Glanworth, County Cork but am having to luck finding his mother's side Collins & Nugent who married in Chicago, Cook, IL

Answer 16

Tá! My maternal 2nd great-grandfather, William Martin, was born in Dublin in 1846. Three years later he came to America with his parents and three siblings on the Ship Guy Mannering. (There is some debate about whether one of the sisters was born at sea.) They settled in New Boston, Illinois. William later moved to Kanas, where he eventually established his own farm near Parsons in Labette County. There he and his wife Nettie would raised nine children.

Answer 17

Yes. Mine kept swapping between Scotland and Ireland, with marriages and births in Ireland then the odd birth and most deaths in Scotland.

I've confirmed most of them, but the Irish side has me tearing my hair out!

Elayine

Answer 18

Yes, my 44th Great Grandfather was Niall of the Nine Hostages.

Answer 19

My grandmother was Irish. Her parents  were from  Caherconlish, Limerick County. I have traced her family back to  her parents, as well as her paternal grandparents. Her parents were born (father) in 1845 and (mother) 1850.

My grandmother

My grandmother's father

My grandmother's mother

Answer 20

Yes, mainly on my paternal side, and mainly from Munster area where there is a concentrated cluster according to DNA results. Although I do have a cluster in Belfast also (Northern Ireland). It seems that a lot of my Irish ancestors migrated to Scotland (1800's) so there may have been some sort of event (was this the potato famine?) that forced them to migrate 'across the ditch'.

Irish ancestor surnames include:

Kellion

Sheehan

Galbraith (Belfast)

Ralston/Rolston (Belfast)

Frawley

Halliday

Keegan

Murry

Ramsay (Scottish Parents)

Farrell (maternal)

Fox (Maternal)

Holmes (maternal)

Watson (maternal)

Headon (maternal)

Penrose (maternal)

Clibborn (maternal)

Crum (maternal - although originally from Scotland pre 1700's)

Girachty (maternal)