Kearney or Rogan in Lackan Parish - Cloonalaghan, Rathlackan, Foghill, Barnhill, Killogeary, Killala area

Nancy Kearney Rogan, James Rogan (Patrick Kearney, Bartholomew Rogan)

(family names in order of birth: Catherine, Martin, Michael, Bartholomew, Mary, Margaret (Maggie), James, Anthony, Ellen)

Hello! We are researching County Mayo Kearneys and Rogans.  We know that Nancy Rogan's obituary says she is from "near" Killala, County Mayo.  We have made some DNA matches with other Kearney descdendants from the general area of Lackan parish- but also Westport and Castlebar.  We haven't made an exact connection with a common ancestor yet.

My great-great grandmother Nancy (Kearney) Rogan was born in County Mayo. We have her obituary  from Oconomowoc, WI where she died in 1880. The document actually says "Killaloe, County Mayor." We can only assume this was a mis-transcription of Killala, County Mayo because several other documents we have about her mention County Mayo, but with no specific community. She was born on April 24, 1818, according to the obituary.

Nancy's husband, my great-great grandfather James Rogan emigrated from County Mayo, but no US records say where in Mayo. We do have reports that his father was named Bartholomew and never left County Mayo.

James was born in Mayo on January 10, 1808 and emigrated around 1840 with his wife Nancy (Kearney) Rogan - married in Mayo in 1838. As a side note, James and Nancy returned to Ireland in 1845, then turned around and went back to the US around 1847 - this brief return to Ireland seems to stand out as unusual, so I wanted to include it here. The obituary has different dates, but this is the clearest story we have of their path to Wisconsin.

In looking through the RC records for Lackan Parish for the 1850s and 1860s, there are a lot of Kearneys and Rogans who could be related. Cloonalaghan: Peggy Rogan, Mary Rogan. Thady Rogan, Anne Rogan, John Rogan, Thomas Rogan, Bridget Rogan, Thady Rogan Jr and Maria Rogan.  Owen Kearney, Martin Kearney, Charles Kearney, Catherine Kearney, Sibby Kearney, Bridget Kearney, etc..  There are some others in Rathlackan, Barnhill, Foghill, Killogeary, Caracullen, Banagher, and Flagbrook- which all seem not that far apart.  Our guess is that someone in this mix is related to our ancestors.

Nancy's father was Patrick Kearney - from the same area. We have stories here in the US that Patrick was in the "King's Guards" of the English Army, served in India, Gibraltar, and Egypt, was six foot six inches tall, had brothers who were taller, and returned to Ireland (likely Mayo) in his final years. We know that her husband, James Rogan, had a father named Bartholomew who was of Norman Lineage- dating back to William the Conqueror.  We know he and his two brothers were stonecutters.  He lived his life out in Mayo- but his brothers may have emigrated to America.

Thanks so much!

-Pete Rogan

great-great-grandson of Nancy (Kearney) Rogan