To Tim Lee re Gradys - Jim Kennedy

Hi Julie

Jim read out your letter at our monthly meeting 3^rd March, we think the family came from the border of Tipperary and Offaly near Mount St. Joseph Abbey Roscrea and are buried in St. Cronan?s Catholic Church Roscrea Co Tipperary. We are still looking into researching more detail for you as they were a few different Grady /O?Grady families in the area. We will get back to you with any info we gather on the Grady?s as soon as possible. 

Tim Lee

Chairperson - Bournea Reaching Out

Email; bourneareachingout@gmail.com

Hi Tim

Following up on your reply above.. what would be the townland that you would be referring to re the border of tipp and Offaly.. is that still near Roscrea?  Our Great Great Grandfather was born in Roscrea, but i know there is alot about soem Grady's who were an old family from Roscrea who were from the townland of Carrick or Carrick Hill.  Where is that exactly?  Is that the area you ae referring to? Woudl these be ther Grady's buried in St Cronan's?

Julie

I have examined the Parish Baptisms and the local school Records in Roscrea.  The Parish Records start only at 1864 while the School Records date from 1864 also.  The school’s earliest recording for a Grady is 1875 when a Philip Grady aged 7 years of New Road here in Roscrea was enrolled.  His father was recorded as a labourer. 

The Parish Baptisms record no Grady births at all, but do have three Gready births recorded between 1878 and 1884.  These families all lived in an area call Barnagree – which would indicate that they were farmers.  This would tie in with the mention of Mount St. Joseph Monastery (Cistercian) as the area called Barnagree lies about 1 mile out what we call the Monastery Road.   There are records of Gready family living in Kyle - near Ballaghmore - about 3 miles outside Roscrea towards Dublin.

There is a record of a James and Hanora Grady died 1793 on a headstone in the Church of Ireland Graveyard here.  There is no information on the stone as to where in the area they are from.  While the name Grady is in use here I can't find the link. 

I’m sorry to say that from what I have found for you that it’s clear that your particular family ancestor appears to have disappeared from Roscrea prior to records commencing.

You were asking about Carrick / Carrig - Tim is from Bournea Parish about three miles from Carrick.  If you look on a map of Ireland, you will find Roscrea.  To the south-east is a "mountain" range called The Devil's Bit.  Carrick Hill is the foothill of this mountain which slopes gradually from Roscrea.

I'm attaching a map of the town - which stops just short of the two areas of Barnagree and Carrick which I've arrowed on the map.  Hope this is of some use to you.