I may be able to help to an extent. My great-great grandfather was Matthew O'Malley from Dromalta but the dates don't add up but I believe he would be a nephew of the Matthew O'Malley you are talking about. Matthew is not a common name and under the Irish naming convention, I believe that my Matthew would be named after his father's oldest brother. My Matthew was born in the 1840s and was the son of Patrick O'Malley based on Matthew's marriage record. There is a Matthew O'Malley on the Valuation Records in the 1840s and 1850s who may be the one you're talking about. You can see my Matthew on the 1901 census with his wife Margaret (nee Fleming) and they're exactly in the area that you're talking about.
Looking for links to family of Stephen RYAN and his wife Catherine (Kate) nee O'MALLEY, daughter of Matthew and Mary O'Malley ( (O'Mealley. Mealey) who were living in tower Hill near Cappamore when their daughter Josephine was born in 1837. Other children were Mary Anne 1840, Thomas 1843, Catherine 1844 and Anne 1846.
Stephen RYAN was dead by 1858. His wife and daughter Catherine emigrated to Australia in 1859 to join Johanna and Mary Anne who had arrived in Sydney in 1858. (The fate of Thomas and Anne is not known.)
Thier fares were paid by an uncle already in the Colony, one Dennis MEALEY. The only death for a man of that name has parents Tomas and Catherine, so Dennis seems not to be the brother of Catherine Ryan as her father was Matthew. Was he Matthew's brother?
Any help with sorting out this family greatly appreciated.
Marie in Sydney
