29/07/2019 - Lahy family origins

I have recently completed an intensive research project on my Lahy family (that includes Tobin and Bowen descendants). It was very successful research because it enabled me to identify the parents of my 4G-grandmother, Mary Lahy (1793- ) and her brother Patrick Lahy (1788-1861?): Martin Lahy and Bridget Kain of Johnswell, Kilkenny, Ireland.

While a number of researchers had previously identified Mary's parents as James Lahy and Mary Gadlin, I have discounted that option. Their daughter Mary Lahy was born in Tipperary while my 4G-grandmother has only ever been associated with Kilkenny. There is no evidence that this James Lahy and Mary Gadlin had any other children, let alone a son called Patrick.

Having found Martin Lahy and Bridget Kain, I was then able to add three other children to their brood: John, Sarah and Michael. I found that John Lahy later married Mary Dowling and they had four children: Mary, Bridget, Martin and Michael. Three of these children emigrated from Ireland to NSW between 1852 and 1859.

There was a large extended Lahy family centred on the small hamlet of Johnswell in Kilkenny at the turn of the nineteenth century. In addition to the descendants of Martin Lahy and Bridget Kain, there were families of Darby Lahy (children born 1779-1785); Edmund Lahy (including a son Pierce Lahy and several grandchildren); and James Lahy (who had a son named Michael; and was probably also the father of James and Pierce Lahy). It is likely that Darby, Edmund and James Lahy were either bothers or cousins of Martin Lahy.

I would like to thank my fellow-researchers Julie King and Heather Noakes for providing me with the information that started me off on this research project.

You can read my research report Lahy family origins by clicking here. Now that this research is finalised, watch this space for an update to my detailed biographies of members of this family - coming soon!