Hi Deb, There are a couple of sites that cover first names. One is run by Ray Hennessey and started with mainly Scottish names, but is branching out. It's at _www.whatsinaname.net_ (http://www.whatsinaname.net) There is also _http://www.behindthename.com/_ (http://www.behindthename.com/) which is much more comprehensive in that it covers many more languages. You can search under a particular language, but the searched name may or may not be there. Anastasia, for instance, is not under Irish names, not a big surprise when I think about it. Though like you I know the Irish have used it, and I believe you're right that Auty and Antsy are derived from it. But I was surprised how many derivatives, or "related names" in their terms, can come from one single first name, many of the derivatives miles and miles from the original. Jack Langton

Funny that the topic of names came up on the list. My local (Philadelphia area) Irish genealogy group just had a session last week devoted to first names and nicknames. We copied all the names that we discussed, and I will make a list (hopefully) this week. We had a couple Honora/Nora's in the list, as Tom notes, but I had never heard of those variations of Ann/Anna. We were also trying to list abbreviations that were found on Irish baptismal entries e.g., Jno for John. Would be interested in any from this list to add to my group's list. I have found a number of Anty/Antsy in Castlecomer baptisms that I believe are for Anastasia? Thanks, Deb Deborah Large Fox Help! The Faerie Folk Hid My Ancestors! http://irishfamilyresearch.blogspot.com Journey to Recite the Kaddish in Uzlyany http://uzlyanykaddish.blogspot.com/

Hi Tom This is interesting to me as we have something similar. On marriage certificates sons said their mother was Johannah. All three first born girls (her granddaughters in Australia) were called Julia presumably after her. But a grandson in Australia reported on his mother's death certificate that her mother (his grandmother) was Nora. We are left wondering. Someone tells me that in Ireland Judy is a short name for Julia! Here is Australia I have not heard it used that way. On 6/03/2011 1:20 AM, Thomas Draper wrote: > Had been searching for my grandmother's origins for years. Received a copy of her birth certificate today and learned that my Nora had been "Honora" in Ireland, and her sister Annie had been baptized as "Johana".Each of the ladies lived more than 70 years in the USA and never used the Irish names on any document, birth certificate, marriage license, Will etc or correspondance. How wonderful it is when these "surprises" are uncovered in the continuing adventure of Family Searching. Tom Draper > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to IRL-KIL-CASTLECOMER-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

If any Brennan's in Castlecomer are listening (reading) and they are related to John Butler married Mary Lawless on 11/1/1857 with 13 kids some named Michael, Margaret (mine - my great grandmother), Johanna, Dennis, Bridget, Tobias, James, Thomas, Mary, Catherine (my great-grandmother's American (later) sister), Elizabeth, John, and one un-named 1868 baby died young apparently. We known Brennan's were relatives or friends of our people as well as those names, Whelan, Phelan, Brophy and Fogarty. Please let me know if these mean anything to you. Regards David Miles Gold Coast Australia ----- Original Message ----- From: <irl-kil-castlecomer-request@rootsweb.com> To: <irl-kil-castlecomer@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, March 05, 2011 6:00 PM Subject: IRL-KIL-CASTLECOMER Digest, Vol 6, Issue 16 > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Death Notice, Mrs. Gretta Brennan, Aughamuckey, Castlecomer > (JackLangton@aol.com) > 2. Ceili in Moneenroe (JackLangton@aol.com) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2011 14:31:48 EST > From: JackLangton@aol.com > Subject: [IRL-KIL-CASTLECOMER] Death Notice, Mrs. Gretta Brennan, > Aughamuckey, Castlecomer > To: Irl-Kil-Castlecomer@rootsweb.com > Message-ID: <17e.11d055cf.3aa29824@aol.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" > > > MRS. G. BRENNAN. > >>From the Castlecomer Forum: > > Aughamuckey has lost one of its more senior and respected citizens with > the death of Gretta Brennan at St. Lukes Hospital, Kilkenny. Of a quiet, > kind > and gentle disposition she had not enjoyed the best of health of late. > One > of the old stock her home was her castle where she made everyone so > welcome with her renowned hospitality. She worked in the retail sector > locally at > both Delaneys, Coolbawn and Kellys, Barrack Street and in between she > spent some time in the USA. She was laid to rest in Crosshill Cemetery > after > Requiem Mass celebrated in the Church of the Immaculate Conception by > Msgr. > Michael Ryan P.P. Castlecomer assisted by Fr. Tom Corcoran C.C. > Castlecomer. > She is survived by her sons Andrew, Patsy ; daughters Eleanor, Bernie, > Veronica ; grandchildren ; other relatives and a host of friends. Date > of > this item added : 2011-03-03 > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2011 14:37:02 EST > From: JackLangton@aol.com > Subject: [IRL-KIL-CASTLECOMER] Ceili in Moneenroe > To: Irl-Kil-Castlecomer@rootsweb.com > Message-ID: <605.689ca7f9.3aa2995e@aol.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" > >>From the Castlecomer Forum: > > Saturday night in Moneenroe was the place to be. The newly > refurbished hall was heaven for ceili dancers as they came from the four > corners > of Ireland, I spoke to people who drove all the way from Kerry. The ceili > was organized by John Ryan and such was the success that dancers are > already > asking when is the next one. The Annaly Ceili Band from Longford played > and they didn?t disappoint sending the dancers home sweating but very > happy. > High on the list for commendation was the way everything was organized > including the car parking, food and of course the friendly welcome > everyone > received on arrival. The local miners contributed towards the building of > the > hall and such was the atmosphere one could hear them dancing in heaven. > Donal, Michael & Co take a bow. PS Roll on the next ceili. Date of this > item > added : 2011-03-03 > > > ------------------------------ > > To contact the IRL-KIL-CASTLECOMER list administrator, send an email to > IRL-KIL-CASTLECOMER-admin@rootsweb.com. > > To post a message to the IRL-KIL-CASTLECOMER mailing list, send an email > to IRL-KIL-CASTLECOMER@rootsweb.com. > > __________________________________________________________ > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > IRL-KIL-CASTLECOMER-request@rootsweb.com > with the word "unsubscribe" without the quotes in the subject and the body > of the > email with no additional text. > > > End of IRL-KIL-CASTLECOMER Digest, Vol 6, Issue 16 > ************************************************** > > >

In a message dated 3/5/2011 9:20:28 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, tfdrpr100@pol.net writes: Had been searching for my grandmother's origins for years. Received a copy of her birth certificate today and learned that my Nora had been "Honora" in Ireland, and her sister Annie had been baptized as "Johana".Each of the ladies lived more than 70 years in the USA and never used the Irish names on any document, birth certificate, marriage license, Will etc or correspondance. How wonderful it is when these "surprises" are uncovered in the continuing adventure of Family Searching. Tom Draper Reply: Tom, Since the two ladies obviously came here very young maybe they never knew their "legal" first names. I know in my case I was baptized John at the age of two weeks, but have been called Jack ever since. And of course the Irish are also well known for using middle names in place of first names. Jack Langton

Had been searching for my grandmother's origins for years. Received a copy of her birth certificate today and learned that my Nora had been "Honora" in Ireland, and her sister Annie had been baptized as "Johana".Each of the ladies lived more than 70 years in the USA and never used the Irish names on any document, birth certificate, marriage license, Will etc or correspondance. How wonderful it is when these "surprises" are uncovered in the continuing adventure of Family Searching. Tom Draper

>From the Castlecomer Forum: Saturday night in Moneenroe was the place to be. The newly refurbished hall was heaven for ceili dancers as they came from the four corners of Ireland, I spoke to people who drove all the way from Kerry. The ceili was organized by John Ryan and such was the success that dancers are already asking when is the next one. The Annaly Ceili Band from Longford played and they didn’t disappoint sending the dancers home sweating but very happy. High on the list for commendation was the way everything was organized including the car parking, food and of course the friendly welcome everyone received on arrival. The local miners contributed towards the building of the hall and such was the atmosphere one could hear them dancing in heaven. Donal, Michael & Co take a bow. PS Roll on the next ceili. Date of this item added : 2011-03-03

MRS. G. BRENNAN. >From the Castlecomer Forum: Aughamuckey has lost one of its more senior and respected citizens with the death of Gretta Brennan at St. Lukes Hospital, Kilkenny. Of a quiet, kind and gentle disposition she had not enjoyed the best of health of late. One of the old stock her home was her castle where she made everyone so welcome with her renowned hospitality. She worked in the retail sector locally at both Delaneys, Coolbawn and Kellys, Barrack Street and in between she spent some time in the USA. She was laid to rest in Crosshill Cemetery after Requiem Mass celebrated in the Church of the Immaculate Conception by Msgr. Michael Ryan P.P. Castlecomer assisted by Fr. Tom Corcoran C.C. Castlecomer. She is survived by her sons Andrew, Patsy ; daughters Eleanor, Bernie, Veronica ; grandchildren ; other relatives and a host of friends. Date of this item added : 2011-03-03

Thank you so much Elaine for this website. By searching this site, I have been able to find one of my missing families that supposedly (and now proven) came to Australia in the 1800s. They came in to South Australia, and now I have been able to access BDMs to get down several generations and then on to white pages and have actually found living relatives, all within a week. I am deeply in your debt. (That is just one of many important pieces of info I have found on this site so far.) Thank you Gary -----Original Message----- Just to say that you will also find a lot of old Australian newspapers now online at the National Library of Australia site. Trove at http://trove.nla.gov.au/ is a cross-database search that will turn up your ancestors from various resources. For newspapers just search at http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper The newspaper transcription process is interesting in itself as you can correct the text version of the image of newspapers. It is a huge co-operative effort that has received wide support. I found quite a lot about my Crennans - involved with horses,and horse racing, theft, drunkenness, religion,divorce and such goings-on. But they have provided a Monsignor and a priest to the colonies! Elaine H On 19/02/2011 1:37 PM, JackLangton@aol.com wrote: > I'm glad you found it useful, Deb. I hope you clicked on the two links at > the bottom and got the PAPERS PAST New Zealand newspaper site. I've since > been noodling with it and have been surprised to see how many articles and > how much news they printed about Ireland in the various NZ newspapers. Of > course I imagine the settlers were starved for news from home. I found the > search engine to be very fast and comprehensive. > > Rock on. > > Jack Langton > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to IRL-KIL-CASTLECOMER-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to IRL-KIL-CASTLECOMER-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

_PURCELL : Death_ (http://www.announcement.ie/8444438) Published in the Irish Independent on 25th February 2011 (Distributed in Republic of Ireland) This notice has had 19 visitors. PURCELL (nee McDonald) (Coolcullen via Carlow, Co. Kilkenny) Feb. 24, 2011, at St. Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny, Annie; deeply regretted by her loving sisters Margaret, Katie and Elizabeth, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends. R.I.P. Funeral Prayers at 6.15 o'c. this (Friday) evening at Moran's Funer al Home, Castlecomer, followed by Removal to St. Brigid's Church, Coon. Requiem Mass tomorrow (Saturday) morning at 11 o'c. Interment afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.

_McGRATH William : Death_ (http://www.announcement.ie/8375641) Published in the Sunday Independent on 20th February 2011 (Distributed in Republic of Ireland) This notice has had 28 visitors and has _one message_ (http://www.announcement.ie/8375641?_fstatus=contribs_filter;item_type=comments) and _one token of respect_ (http://www.announcement.ie/8375641?_fstatus=contribs_filter;item_type=tokens) . 18th February 2011 McGRATH , William (Willie) (Chatsworth, Clogh, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny) Feb. 18, 2011 (peacefully), at Droimnin Nursing Home Stradbally, Co. Laois; deeply regretted by his loving brother Michael, sister Mary, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends. R.I.P. Funeral Prayers at his residence today (Sunday) at 6.30 o'c. followed by Removal to St. Patrick's Church, Clogh arriving at 7.30 o'c. Requiem Mass tomorrow (Monday) at 11 o'c. followed by Burial in adjoining cemetery.

Just to say that you will also find a lot of old Australian newspapers now online at the National Library of Australia site. Trove at http://trove.nla.gov.au/ is a cross-database search that will turn up your ancestors from various resources. For newspapers just search at http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper The newspaper transcription process is interesting in itself as you can correct the text version of the image of newspapers. It is a huge co-operative effort that has received wide support. I found quite a lot about my Crennans - involved with horses,and horse racing, theft, drunkenness, religion,divorce and such goings-on. But they have provided a Monsignor and a priest to the colonies! Elaine H On 19/02/2011 1:37 PM, JackLangton@aol.com wrote: > I'm glad you found it useful, Deb. I hope you clicked on the two links at > the bottom and got the PAPERS PAST New Zealand newspaper site. I've since > been noodling with it and have been surprised to see how many articles and > how much news they printed about Ireland in the various NZ newspapers. Of > course I imagine the settlers were starved for news from home. I found the > search engine to be very fast and comprehensive. > > Rock on. > > Jack Langton > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to IRL-KIL-CASTLECOMER-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

Elaine, Thanks for reminding me of the TROVE site. I had used it a few times, put it on my Favorites list, and forgotten all about it, as I do with so many sites. Jack Langton

Mealy's Fine Art of Chatsworth St., Castlecomer are having auctions in February, April and May. I used to think this was a small operation but the diversity of their items, and the prices realized, have changed my mind. Go to _www.mealys.com_ (http://www.mealys.com/) to see some of the unusual curios offered, including Countess Markievicz's own .32 calibre Smith & Wesson revolver. Jack Langton

I'm glad you found it useful, Deb. I hope you clicked on the two links at the bottom and got the PAPERS PAST New Zealand newspaper site. I've since been noodling with it and have been surprised to see how many articles and how much news they printed about Ireland in the various NZ newspapers. Of course I imagine the settlers were starved for news from home. I found the search engine to be very fast and comprehensive. Rock on. Jack Langton

Thanks once again, Jack! The long-lived Peggy McGurk you posted about might have had a connection to my Co. Tyrone people. Her ancestors were possibly neighbors to mine when the McGurks bought Cobane land in Innishatieve. I am checking to see if hers is that very family. An off-Castlecomer subject tidbit: I found a couple of years ago I was related to the late rocker Kurt Cobain through these same aforementioned Tyrone people. That connection is what got some of the younger set interested in genealogy! Finally, some respect from the younger generation for our work! Deborah Large Fox Help! The Faerie Folk Hid My Ancestors! http://irishfamilyresearch.blogspot.com

Who said Castlecomer was dull? From the Castlecomer Forum 18 Feb 2011: “Eco Art to Heal your Heart” by Franc Micklem, is an exhibition of watercolour paintings on display in Castlecomer Library until February 26. This series of paintings explores body language, and innocent expressions of love between people families and animals. Franc lives in Baurnafea where she lives in a sacred geometry house built by leading eco architect Michael Rice. She is a qualified Social Worker, but is best known for her healing work. She travels the country doing home healings, and clearing geopathic stress.

I saw this on another list, as posted by Brian Magaoidh. In the 1901 census of Castlecomer there was a 114 year old woman listed, and I was always skeptical. Now i'm beginning to wonder. See below: IRISH NEWS 4 April 1910 A CENTURY AND TEN WONDERFUL OLD ULSTER WOMAN PASSES AWAY Peggy M’Gurk, the Carrickmore, County Tyrone, centenarian, who was reputed to be the oldest person in the Three Kingdoms, was on Saturday found dead in her bed. Up till that day she was in her accustomed health. That evening she took a weak turn, and was attended by Dr. Hunter, the local dispensary medical officer, for whom she was in the habit each week of cleaning out the dispensary surgery. As evening advanced she became better, but on Saturday morning some neighbours, noticing she was not up, knocked at her mud cabin door. Getting no response, they forced an entrance, and found Peggy, who last month celebrated her 110th birthday, taking her last sleep. In November last the old lady was the recipient of a postal order for £2 (accompanied by a congratulatory telegram) from King Edwards’ private purse. A remarkable woman in many ways, she was an expert spinning wheel manipulator, and had a marvellous memory. Since the passing of the Old Age Pensions Bill, the old woman was in receipt of 5s weekly. She had lived practically all her life in the village of Carrickmore, having been born in the locality. Some time ago, an Irish News representative interviewed the old lady, and she gave a very vivid picture of the trials of the people in the early part of the last century and of the horrors of the famines. Notwithstanding her advanced years, Peggy’s up to the last was a strenuous life. She was up every morning before six o’clock, and until recently was in charge of the local dispensary. She was a great hand at the spinning-wheel, and nothing delighted her more than to give exhibitions of how it was worked to the many visitors who came to have a chat with her. She took a particular pride in having her photograph taken, always insisting on securing a promise of a snap if it was a good one. She was a devout Catholic, being up to the last a regular attendant at Mass and the missions that were held in the parish. Her death, in a district which is remarkable for the longevity of its inhabitants, removes one of the last links with the Ireland of a century ago. May she rest in peace. (*** The attached links to old newspaper articles, also refer to Peggy M’ Gurk. http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=OW19080701.2.168&l =mi&e=-------10--1----0-- http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=OSWCC19100614.2.7 )

>From the Castlecomer Forum MS. PHYLLIS FOGARTY. The death has taken place in Dublin of Phyllis Fogarty. Formerly of Chatsworth Street, she was the last surviving member of the family. Born and reared in the town she moved to Dublin to work where she was to spend the majority of her life. Comer was always dear to her heart and she maintained a close connection with life on Deenside all her life. She was laid to rest in the Parish Cemetery after Requiem Mass celebrated in the Church of the Immaculate Conception by Fr. Tom Corcoran C.C. Castlecomer assisted by Fr. Liam Shore P.E. Castlecomer. She is survived by her nieces Miriam, Patricia ; other relatives and many friends. Date of this item added : 2011-02-15

MRS. MARGARET RAIN. >From the Castlecomer Forum: The death has occurred at the District Hospital of Margaret Rain (Nee Agar), Donaguile and formerly of Coon East. Of a quiet, kind and inoffensive disposition she was a regular at the local bingo which she enjoyed very much. She was laid to rest in Coon Cemetery after Requiem Mass celebrated in St. Brigids Church by Fr. John Delaney C.C. Coon assisted by Fr. Larry Wallace P.P. Muckalee. She is survived by her daughter Patricia (England) ; brother Jim ; other relatives and a wide circle of friends. Date of this item added : 2011-02