The O’Brien’s of Miltown Malbay &
Mullagh Parish, County Clare, Ireland
And their DNA Connection to other
O’Brien families in the Parish.
By Kevin J. O’Brien
The use of Y-DNA testing with
my family history search has opened doors that a few years ago I would have
never dreamed. My grandfather immigrated
through Ellis Island in 1900. His youngest
sister stayed on the ancestral farm until 1950 when she sold the farm. I was fortunate that I had a record of the
location for my ancestral home.
This information allowed me
to trace my family back to 1855 to my second great grandfather, James O’Brien
b. 1793 and d. 1845. This is documented
through property records, church records, civil birth, death and marriage
records; gravestone inscription and personal family records. Patrick’s wife Honoria O’Brien is listed as “Occupier”
in the 1855 Valuation of Tenements in Killernan Townland, Parish of
Kilmurry-Ibrickane Parish.
This is the point where many
of the records end for the Irish family researcher. There are five other O’Brien families in this
area that I have contacted that are able to do what I have done and identify
the Occupier of their O’Brien farm in 1855.
Before this time there is only speculation as to the identity of the
previous generation.
The following is a list of
the six distinct O’Brien families that live a short distance from each
other. They were neighbors and surely
knew each other and from what the DNA tests have shown there is a close
relationship between these six O’Brien families just a generation or two before
the start of written records.
1855 Valuation of Tenements for Parish
of Kilmurry-Ibrickane, County Clare, Ireland
·
Lot 15,16,17 Honoria
O’Brien, Killernan Townland, 26 acres
·
Lot 17,18 Michael O’Brien, Killernan Townland, 20
acres
·
Lot 1,2 Michael O’Brien, Quartermire, Knockanalban
Townland, 27 acres
·
Lot
59,60,61,62 James O’Brien, Mount Scot,
Knockanalban Townland, 51 acres
·
Lot 15 Patrick O’Brien, Shanaway
West Townland, 41 acres
·
Lot 2 Michael O’Brien, Knockbrack
Townland, 34 acres
There are still more O’Brien families still
living in the area and other O’Brien families that left Miltown Malbay in the 1850’s after
the Irish Famine that probably have a common ancestor before the time of written
records.
If you would like to
participate in the O’Brien Group “Y” DNA Project with Family Tree Maker order
your test kit from: https://www.familytreedna.com/group-join.aspx?Group=Obrien
The O’Brien Group is unique
in that one of the members is a direct descendant of High King Brian Boru. Conor Myles John O'Brien, 18th Baron Inchiquin
is the holder of a hereditary peerage in the Peerage of Ireland, as well as
Chief of the Name of O'Brien and Prince of Thomond in the Gaelic Irish nobility
and the O’Brien members from the Miltown Malbay parish that have are participants
in the O’Brien Group have the closest match to the Irish nobility.
If you have any questions about the Y-DNA testing, Please contact me with your questions.
Slainte,
Kevin James O'Brien/Caoimhin Seamus O'Briain
If you have any questions about the Y-DNA testing, Please contact me with your questions.
Slainte,
Kevin James O'Brien/Caoimhin Seamus O'Briain