For those searching this surname in Ireland, perhaps the following record will be useful. In the parish of Kildysart the parish records begin around Oct-Nov 1829. That is when the Church of St. Michael was built. There are several Cooley families records and the following family is the earliest record John Cooley married Mary Sheehan and they had twins Mary and Thomas who were born on December 13, 1829. I have no further info on this family unit. Donna