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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Dublin => Topic started by: MaggieTag on Monday 22 November 10 19:07 GMT (UK)
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Hi Dublin Rootschatters,
I have a record of a relative travelling from the states in 1958 , the manifest states that she is travelling to "Countess A O'Kelly. 50 Wellington Road. Dublin." Is this a hotel? Maybe a pub?
Can any body shed any light on what this might mean. She was a bit posh - but wouldn't have thought that she would have been so posh -to associate with a Countess!
Many thanks for any info.
Cheers Mags
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Thom's 1958 shows 50 Wellington Road as :
Count Alban O'Kelly
L. McGovern
The street is residential - I dont think it's a hotel, that would usually be mentioned in the directory.
Shane
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There's a photo of him with De Valera and some officials at this link (http://www.peatsociety.org/user_files/files/Peatlands%20International%201-2008.pdf)
It's pdf document and from the website of the International Peat Society (as in bogs)
Shane
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Blimey! That is a bit posh -reaching for me smelling salts! - wonder are there any pics of the countess!
Cheers Shane ;D
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Just wondering what is the significance of the title "Count" in Ireland during that time? Would it have been inherited?
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not sure about the significance the the Count title - the only other Irish Count I can think of is Count John McCormack the tenor. He seems to have been granted the title by a pope (Pius XI) in 1928, so maybe it's some sort of vatican title or honour ?
Shane
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Many thanks Shane
Mags
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Found a possible reference to his death in 1971, and it looks like his full name was Alban O'Kelly de Gallagh (K.M.). I think the K.M. may relate to the Knights of Malta.
One of his brothers, John Dominick is described at the time of his death in 1967 as a 'Count of the Holy Roman Empire'
Shane
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p.s. his wife's name was Dorothy
Shane
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Shane,
Many thanks - Think I have do a bit of research to do on all this.
The relative who visited in 1958 for 1 month was Agnes Margaret (Heyburn) Blair known as Peg ,(born to a working class family in Whitehouse just north of fBelfast) she was the wife of Professor Alexander Blair. Alex was born in Glasgow and went with his family in 1911 to the states and was naturalized some years later. Peg went to the states with her first husband in about 1928 and separated from him and married Alex Blair - they married in NY and settled in Connecticut.
Just a wee bit of background for you.
I have no idea what the connection could possibly be between these people. Unfortunately don't know what Prof Blair specialized in.
Mags
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FYI, there are no counts in the Irish Peerage but the wife of an Earl is a Countess. We do have Papal Counts (like McCormack). However, since all titles are just courtesy in Ireland, a count from any other peerage or organisation could still be address so.
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Count Alban O'Kelly De Gallagh and his wife Dorothy (Nee Fulton) were my Grandparents. They lived at 50 Wellington Rd Ballsbridge from the mid 1950s until his death in 1971. My grandmother came to live with us in Bray Co. wicklow until her death circa 1983. They are both buried in St Peters cemetery in Little Bay. The title came from an ancestor who served with distinction in the Austrian Hungarian Empire and is passed down through the male line of the O'Kelly De Gallagh family. The KM after his name is indeed Knights of Malta and he served as Chancellor of the Knights of Malta in Clyde rd Ballsbridge Dublin. My memory of him is of a warm and gentle man.
I can only believe that the Blairs were friends in some way of my grandmother who originally came from Belfast. Although a Presbyterian she converted to the Catholic faith on marrying my grandfather. I hope this helps your search.
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Just occured to me that my Uncle Brendan emigrated to Conneticut in the mid fifties and the Blairs may have been friends of his.
Aubrey Alban Leggett
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Aubs
I'd be really interested in speaking to you about one of your relatives, Eustace Leggett. This is in connection with his role as Secretary for the Irish Lights and the sinking of SS Isolda 1940.
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Count Alban O'Kelly De Gallagh and his wife Dorothy (Nee Fulton) were my Grandparents.
Here's their marriage at St Peter's RC Church, Drogheda on 10th December 1921. Alban living at Fitzroy Road, Belfast. Dorothy living at Church Place, Portadown.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1922/09194/5325694.pdf
Count Alban Anthony O'Kelly - FindAGrave
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/200414729/count_alban_anthony-o'kelly
Alban Anthony O'Kelly born 17th October 1896 at Gurtray, Portumna, Co Galway. MMN O'Byrne
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1896/02146/1814705.pdf
O'Kelly family - 1901 census
House 7 in Gortrea or Fairfield (Kilmalinoge, Galway).
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Galway/Kilmalinoge/Gortrea_or_Fairfield/1396186/
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Professor Blair seems to have been involved in teacher training in Connecticut, according to an article in the 'Hartford Courant' of 20 March 1949.
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Count Alban Anthony O'Kelly - FindAGrave
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/200414729/count_alban_anthony-o'kelly
Here's the death record for Count Alban O'Kelly (transcribed as Allan) - 27th March 1971 aged 74 yrs. #398
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1971/04129/4048076.pdf
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Regarding the O'Kelly boys-
Alban O'Kelly - 1911 census #219
Raphael O'Kelly #218
Attending Clongowes Wood College near Clane, Co Kildare.
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Kildare/Balraheen/Castlebrown__or_Clongowes_/539762/
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai002563948/
https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/4136076#map=14/53.2994/-6.6775
Raphael Patrick O'Kelly born 15th September 1893 at Gurtray, Portumna, Co Galway. MMN O'Byrne
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1893/02279/1855877.pdf
His death - 25th May 1979 aged 85 yrs
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/233000998/raphael-patrick-o'kelly
Dorothy O'Kelly (widow of Count Alban O'Kelly) - death in 1983.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/200414731/dorothy-o'kelly
KG
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Hello Maggie,
I just saw the posts about Count Alban O'Kelly de Gallagh of Tycooly. He was my husbands grandfather. His daughter, my mother-in-law was the Countess Finola Dorothy O'Kelly de Galagh of Tycooly, she married Major Melville Leggett.
If you would like any other information, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Kind regards
Georgina Pharaoh - Leggett