This interesting request in from Alan Kelly, if you think you can help please reply through our Blarney chat forum.
ed.


My name is Alan Kelly and I am searching for relatives of my grt grt grand father Martin Kelly. Martin was born in Kilchreest Co. Galway Ireland in abt 1833..
His father was Thomas Kelly also born in Galway and all my evidence points to his mum being Mary Egan. His mum has been the focal point of Kelly searches for over 20 years and it is only recently that evidence suggests it is Mary Egan..
I need proof and the only way at the moment is via finding other relatives. Y-DNA is a possibility but Kellys in the village whom I think are related will not participate..

My research suggests that my Kellys went to live in the mountain village of Kilnadeema and in particular a village called Funschadaun abt 1836 and also suggests that Martin had at least 2 siblings...Catherine b.1837 and Elizabeth b.1838 but I can not trace Thomas and Mary and Catherine and  Elizabeth anywhere.

Martin Kelly came to live in England and joined the British Army in 1853 in Warrington. He married Eliza Bloom in Sheffield in 1858 and they had 10 children born in different parts of the world due to his army travels. Martin left the army in 1874 and settled in Salford Lancs. England and passed away in 1892 and is buried in Weaste Cemetry..I found his grave..
I have had my Y-DNA tested and it matches exactly with my American cousin Thomas Kelly but we are not part of the Ui Maine Kelly Sept which is the main Kelly sept in Galway, so I belong to another Kelly group which has not been identified yet.

Alan wants to know can anybody point him in the right direction to continue his research. Do any of you think you might be related to Alan and his line of Kellys ??

Hi fellow Kellys. My name is Alan Kelly and live in Stockport Cheshire England.I have been recommended by Joe Kelly and Mary Kelly to join this site.
I have posted a request for help and advice on the Blarney Corner on the advice of Mary Kelly.
I am searching for my Kelly roots which at present go back to Kilchreest Kilnadeema and Funschaduan near Loughrea Galway.There is a possibility that the Kellys and Egans of Derrybrien are also connected but I havent started on that aspect yet.I have travelled to these villages three times now and intend returning this year.I have met the locals and two local historians Michael Coy and Martin Forde...they have been a great help and the locals know me as a Man on a Mission..this mssion is to find my grt grt grandad Martin Kellys parents especially his mum who deserves her place in our Kelly history.
The Kelly who started this project over 20 years ago was Alfred George Kelley (his mum put an extra e in his name at birth)Alfred passed away Oct 2011 without achieving his target.H achieved a great deal in his life joining the US Navy as normal rating and rising to the rank of Captain..he also was a trained Navy Pilot and carried out covert missions over China ,Russia and Vietnam.He was also a smashing bloke.My cousin Tom Kelly in the USA and I have formed a good team to trace our family history and we are doing well and we get on very well together.
The problem I am facing at present is gaining the final proof that Mary Egan is the missing mother we seek.All my evidence including church records in Kilnadeema point to Mary being the mother.I have identified the Kilchreest Kelly family based on the evidence and also the opinions of the two local historians and I have met with most of them ,but I can not find any paperwork to prove the link beyond any doubt.I have had my y-dna tested but the Kilchreest Kellys involved are reluctant to do the same. Tom Kelly and I are exact matches and proves the paper trail.
On a personal note I am an industrial chemist by training and qualifications and have worked for some of the largest chemical companies in the world ,mainly in Sales and Marketing.I am now self employed as a Sales Consultant. I love sports and am a season ticket holder at Manchester United