Kearney family genealogy

Of Cashel

Arms: Ar. a chev. betw. three buglehorns stringed. Crest: A swan’s head and neck erased, in the bill an annulet.

The family of Kearney or O’Cearnaigh held extensive possessions in the county Tipperary long before the English invasion. “Kearney Castle,” Cashel, erected in 1199 (one of the towers of which is still in good preservation, and occupied as a residence), together with a large part of the city of Cashel, and extensive estates in the neighbourhood, belonged to the family, and were confiscated at various periods by the English in Ireland.

The O’Cearnaigh family were “Hereditary Keepers[1] of St. Patrick’s Crozier,” which was also called Kearney Cruse, and passing over the collateral branches of the family, and remote periods, we find still existing in the northern transept of the Cathedral forming part of the magnificent ruins of the “Rock of Cashel,” a remarkable tomb of the Kearney family, the beautiful carvings of which represent the struggle of the Powers of good and evil; and in the Nave, the Tomb of Nicholas O’Kearney, who was the owner of vast estates in the neighbourhood, and who died 3rd September, 1460. Aongus, brother of Eochaidh Ball-dearg, who (see p. 155, Vol. I.) is No. 94 on the “O’Brien” (Kings of Thomond) pedigree, was the ancestor of O’Cearnaigh (Chaisil); anglicised Kearney, Kearny, O’Kearney, Carney, Kerny, O’Carney, and Carnie.

94. Aongus: son of Carthann Fionn.

95. Ronan: his son.

96. Dioma: his son.

97. Ainleach: his son.

98. Cearnach (“cearnach;” Irish, victorious): his son; a quo O’Cearnaigh (chaisill).

99. Torpa: his son.

100. Domhnall Na Catha ar Fhoch: his son.

101. Cathal: his son.

102. Donchadh: his son.

103. Donchadh: his son.

104. Cu-ar-phairc: his son.

105. Murchadh: his son.

106. Bran: his son.

107. Seaan: his son.

108. Bran: his son.

109. Conchobhar: his son.

110. Bran: his son.

111. Conchobhar: his son.

112. Seaan: his son.

113. Donchadh: his son.

114. Uilliam: his son.

115. Donchadh: his son.

116. Giolla Padraic Mór: his son.

117. Domhnall: his son.

118. Donchadh:[2] his son; had a younger brother Murios (Morrish or Maurice), who mar. Margaret, dau. of William Hennis, of Garristodowney, and had:

119. Bryan Kearney, of Knockanglass (the green little hill), near Cashel, who mar. Eleanor, dau. of William Butler (FitzThomas), of Ballywadley (grandson of Sir Edward Butler, Lord Dunboyne), and dying 2nd January, 1623, left issue:

1. David Kearney (b. 1568, d. 1625), who inherited large estates, and was consecrated Archbishop of Cashel; and who, “besides other magnificent acts of charity, provided for the support of a large number of Irish Ecclesiastics in foreign Colleges.” Letters of his still extant show that he was in Paris in 1602.
2. Patrick, of whom presently.

120. Patrick Kearney, of Knocanglass: son of Bryan; m. Eleanor, dau. of Teige, son of Connor Corraile; d. 22nd April, 1641; had issue.

121. Bryan, of Knockanglass: son of Patrick; mar. and had four sons and one daughter:

1. Michael, of whom presently.
2. James, of Paris, who mar. and had issue.
3. Rev. John, a Doctor of Divinity.
4. Nicholas, who was a Friar of the Order of St Augustine.
1. Giles, m. Edmond, second son of Richard Butler, of Clonbrogane, co. Tipperary.

122. Michael Kearney (b. 30th Sept., 1588): eldest son of Bryan; was “Chieftain and Sovereign of Fethard;” m. Jane, dau. of Henry Fitzgerald of Lisfunchion, county Limerick, and had eight sons and two daughters:

1. Philip (d. 21st Sept., 1657) who was Clerk of the Supreme Council of the Confederated Catholics, mar. Eleanor, dau. of John (FitzThomas) Butler, and had issue.
2. David, who was the ancestor of Kearney, of Blanchville Park, co. Kilkenny, now known as Butler-Kearney.
3. Richard, of whom presently.
4. Daniel (d. 1691), mar. Miss Everard, and left issue.
5. Bryan, of Coolmore (b. 2nd Sept., 1622), m. Miss Keatinge.
6. Maurice, of Fethard (b. 7th March, 1623), who purchased the estate of Cappaghmore; m. Ellis, dau. of Henry O’Shea, of Clonshea, and was ancestor of Kearney of Cappamore.
7. James, of Rathcoole, near Fethard (b. 24th July, 1625); m. Eleanor, dau. of John Magrath, of Monaquil, and had:
   1. John, who was Secretary of State to King James II., whom he accompanied to France. He m. Anne, dau. of Andrew Blake, of Galway, and had James de Knight of St. Louis, whose son Martin[3] (created “Count de Kearney”) m. in 1741 the Lady Elizabeth Hamilton, dau. of James, the 6th Earl of Abercorn.
8. Andrew Kearney, d.s.p.
1. Jane, m. to Sir Richard Nagle.
2. Anne, m. to Pierce Nagle, brother of Sir Richard.

123. Richard Kearney (born 25th Oct., 1617): third son of Michael; was Captain of Foot at the siege of Arras; mar. in 1640 Anne, dau. of John Byrne, of Ballenclough, sister of Lady Bingham, of Castlebar, and settled at Ballinvilla, near that town. He was in 1643 killed at the battle of Kilbruish, and left an only child, to whom his uncle, Sir Henry Bingham, was guardian.

124. Bryan Kearney, of Ballinvilla: mentioned in the “Grants,” only child of Richard; m. Mary, dau. of Dominick Browne, Esq., of Breaffy (brother of Sir George Browne, Bart., of the Neale, county Mayo, and of John, an ancestor of the Marquis of Sligo), granddaughter of Sir Henry Talbot, and grandniece of the Earl of Tyrconnell, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland temp. James II. He left a son and a daughter:

1. Robert, of whom presently.
1. Elizabeth, who mar. Eneas Gilker, of Ballivary, and died 1740.

125. Robert Kearney: son of Bryan; mar. Mary, dau. of Colonel Robert Barrett, and had:

126. William Kearney, of Ballinvilla (d. 1763), who mar. Hannah, dau. of the Rev. Edward Cunnass, of Headford, co. Galway, and left two sons:

1. Robert, of Ballinvilla, who m. dau. of James Gildea, of the Port Royal family, and died without surviving issue.
2. William, of whom presently.

127. William Kearney, of Ballinvilla (d. 1782): son of William; m. Mary, only child of Edward Clayton, of Gort, and had several children.

128. Robert Kearney, of Ballinvilla (d. 1815): son of William; a J.P. for the county Mayo; m. Mary, dau. of Simon Swayle, and granddaughter of Alexander MacDonnell, of Breandrum (now Wyndsor), by Rose O’Ferrall, his wife, niece of Richard the 9th Viscount Dillon. This Robert Kearney sold part of his estate to Lord Lucan in 1790, and to Sir Samuel O’Malley in 1805 and 1813; and had issue.

129. Robert Kearney, of Ballinvilla, J.P. (d. 1834): eldest son of Robert; mar. Isabella, only dau. of Francis Kelly,[4] D.L., of Liskelly, co. Galway (by his first wife, Margaret, granddaughter of Francis Butler, of Cregg, by his wife, dau. of Walter Lambert, of Cregg-Clare, now known as Waterdale). This Robert left surviving issue, four sons and three daughters:

1. William, of Ballinvilla, J.P., who mar. Mary, dau. of John Morse, of Downton, and d. in 1860, leaving issue:
   1. Robert, deceased.
   2. Leonard.
2. Arthur, of Melbourne, Australia, who was twice mar.: 1st, to Jane Lancaster, widow of John Campbell; and, 2ndly, to Gertrude, dau. of John Stringer Gill, of Melbourne, Australia; and has issue.
3. Robert-Cecil, Count Cecil Kearney, for whom was (by Letters Patent, bearing date November, 1868,) revived the title of Count of Rome; and of whom presently.
4. Henry, who mar. Miss Porter, and d. in 1880, leaving issue.
5. Mary, who mar. Samuel Evans Bradshaw, of Allean, county Tipperary, and d. 1881.
6. Rose, who mar. the Rev Edward Morse, B.A., and has issue: 1. Digby; 2. Sydney; 3. Isabella.
7. Lizzie, who married Louis O’Donel, of Castlebar, who died in 1862, and has issue:
   1. Manus-Lewis, late 66th Foot.
   2. Charles-Maximilian, late 58th Regiment.

130. Count Cecil Kearney (Robert-Cecil-Joseph-Patrick), of Ballinvilla, co. Mayo (Residence, 1 Montpelier Villas, Brighton), late 97th Regiment, and a J.P. for co. Mayo; a Roman Count: third son of Robert; b. 1832; married in 1855, Alice-Florence, eldest dau. of Colonel William Perceval, C.B., Rifle Brigade, of Knightsbridge (of a branch of the Egmont family), by Charlotte-Alice, his wife, eldest dau. of Sir William Palmer, Bart., of Palmerstown and Kenure Park, and has issue an only daughter.

131. Alice-Katharine-Irma-Percival Kearney; living in 1888.

The Armorial Bearings of “Kearney,” of Ballinvilla are:

Arms—Quarterly: 1st and 4th, Kearney, Arg. three lions ramp. gu., on a chief az. between two pheons or, a gauntleted hand in fesse of the last, holding a dagger of the first, pommel and hilt gold; 2nd and 3rd, Kelly, gu. on a mount vert, two lions ramp. combatant arg. chained or, supporting a tower triple-towered of the third. On an escutcheon of pretence, Perceval, arg. on a chief indented gu. three crosses pattée of the field. Crests: 1st, a gauntleted hand in fesse holding a dagger; 2nd, a ruined castle in flames. Motto: Sustine et abstine.

Notes

[1] Keepers: The following curious memorial of this fact exists on The Records, in Dublin, found written on a paper covering “The last Will and Testament of one Philip English, taken from the Registry of Cashel and signed by the Chapter Clerk:”

Then at the end of a long list of the “Tythes,” is the following:

The following is the inscription on the part of St. Patrick’s Crozier, which is now incorporated in the Crozier of His Grace, the Most Rev. Dr. Croke, Archbishop of Cashel, as successor to the illustrious Archbishop Slattery, whose name is mentioned in the inscription:

[2] Donchadh: This Donchadh (or Donough) had Pilip (or Philip), who hadRisteard (or Richard), who had John. This Pilip (or “Philip”) Kearney, of Ballyduagh, was transplanted to Connaught by Cromwell, A.D. 1653-1654.—See p. 346 of our Irish Landed Gentry when Cromwell came to Ireland.

In page 393, ibid., we find, among the names of the “Forty-Nine Officers,” those of James, John, Patrick, Paul, Thomas, and William Kearney, and of James, Nicholas, Paul, and William Kearny. In p. 361, ibid., under the heading “Connaught Certificates,” we find the name of Bryan O’Kearney, who, we are of opinion, is the Bryan O’Kearny mentioned in p. 464, ibid., among the “Names of Persons in the Grants.”

St. Patrick is believed to have three croziers: one it is supposed was given to St. Bridget; the chief one was burned by the English in Dublin in 1533; and the third (the “Kearney Cruse”), is that which is incorporated in Archbishop Croke’s crozier.

[3] Martin: This Martin Count de Kearney had two brothers; 1. Richard, who was a Knight of St. Louis; and 2. Ambrose, who was killed at Fontenoy.

[4] Kelly: Mr. Kelly mar. secondly Letitia, sister of John, first Lord Clanmorris.