THE CONLEY'S OF CORK COUNTY,IRELAND

PATRICK CONLEY
Before we get to the Conley family in Cork County, Ireland we are going to have to start with Patrick Conley. Patrick Conley was born circa 1720 and his father was David Connolly and mother is unknown at this time. The reason I believe David Connolly is Patrick's father is that a David Connolly witnessed Patrick's first marriage plus Patrick had two sons he named David. There were 3 other Conley men in Wexford that may have been Patrick's brothers and they were James, John and Phillip.  He married Mary Cody and they had these issues:

1. Michael Conley 9-28-1737
2. Patrick Conley 4-15-1740
3. Mary Conley 10-14-1742

At Mary Conley's baptism her father, Patrick Conley was the only parent recorded. Her mother, Mary, must to have died either during childbirth or just afterwards.  He then sometimes after this he married Catherine Murphy (a marriage record has not been found yet). Catherine Murphy was born July 22, 1721 in St John's, Waterford city, Waterford, Ireland. Her parents were Michael Murphy and Ellena Walsh.  Waterford County, Ireland is a neighboring county to Wexford County, Ireland. And Wexford County, Ireland is about 96 miles from Cork County, Ireland. Patrick and Catherine had this issue:

1. David Conley b. 4-16-1744

On this baptism record the Patrini or otherwise the Sponsers are Mun Cody and Mary Cody (Mun Cody and Mary Herring was married in Wexford, Ireland on April 1740.) Sometimes between 1744 and 1748 Catherine died. Then on June 23, 1748 there is a baptism record for Mary Connolly, with parents as Patrick Connolly and Mary Cody (This is the same Mary Cody and her maiden name was Herring and she was married to Mun Cody.) So Patrick Connolly married his second wife Mary Cody whose maiden name was Herring. They had these issues
1. Mary Connolly June 23, 1748
2. David Connolly Nov. 1751

 
 


DAVID CONLEY
David Conley was born November 1751 in Wexford, Ireland. His parents were Patrick Conley and Mary Herring. He was married to Joanna Donahoe and she was born December 13, 1651 in St Mary's, Cork city, Cork, Ireland . Joanna's parent were Hugh Donahoe and Catherina Sexton. The name Conley in Catholic Ireland Records was spelled in various ways such as, Connelly, Connolly, Connely and even O'Connelly. In this family tree I will keep it spelled the way Conleys spelled it in South Georgia. This is where my grandmother Rosa "Conley" Douglas Hill lived. David Conley and Joanna Donahoe had this issue: 

1. John Conley 12-24-1767 

JOHN CONLEY
John Conley, son of David Conley and Joanna Donahoe, was born January 24, 1767 in St Mary's, Cork City, Cork, Ireland. John married Margaret Eliza Mahony, daughter of Daniel Mahony and Catherine Ahern. And they had these issues:
 
1. Michael Conley 10-?-1790 - 1848
2. John Conley 1794 - ?
3. Eliza Conely 1796 - ?

MICHAEL CONLEY
Michael Conley was born October 1790 in St Finbarr's (South), Cork city, Cork, Ireland. His parents were John Conley and Margaret Eliza Mahony. Michael Conley married married Bridget Keeffe, also called "Biddy" daughter of John Keeffe and Catherine Nowland. All of Michael's and Bridget's children were born in Cloyne Parish, Cork County, Ireland. They had these issues:

1. Frances "Fannie" Conley 10-09-1813 - ?
2. John B. Conley 10-22-1815 - before 1870
3. William Conley 1-24-1818 - ?
4. Eliza Conley 1819 - ?
5. Mary Conley 3-8-1821 - ?
6. Michael Conley 12-23-1827 - ?
7. Thomas Conley 7-30 - 1830 - ?

Michael and Bridget Conley owned and operated a Pub and a Grocery Store according to a Cloyne, Cork County, Ireland Directory. Evidently he fell upon hard times. He was sent to what was called "Gaol Prison", which is in Cork City, Cork County, Ireland. He was committed on September 18, 1848 and died in the Gaol Prison Hospital a month later on October 18, 1848. His record said he was in Jail as a "Debtor", probably because of bank loans. During the years between 1845 and 1854 was Ireland's Potato Famine, which was devastating times for everyone in Ireland. There is also a Cork County Newspaper article that states Rev. John Russell and Bridget Conley were "executors of Michael Conley." Michael is buried in the Coleman's Cathedral Cemetery in Cloyne Parish, Cork County, Ireland. There is a grave marker there that says "The burial place for Michael Connelly and family". It is dated July 1, 1870. This is not the date of death for Michael Conley. This is the date that the grave marker was erected. And this is because Bridget Conley died March 9, 1870 and the marker was place there a little while after her death to mark the Conley Family plot.
In the next chapter of the Conley Family story I will talk about the Immigrant, John B. Conley, Michael and Bridget Conley's oldest son. Go to Conley Family in Georgia, USA.