Dominick (1776-1886) & Lucinda (Lucy) Kelly (1782-1846) were my paternal gr.gr.grandparents - they came out to South Australia around 1837-1845.

Their daughter Isabella (1812-1878) married Hugh Kenihan (born 1802 in Clochantanagh Kings County, Ireland - died 1893 at O'Halloran Hill).

They married around 1835 & arrived in South Australia aboard the Navarina in 1837 with one child.

Isabella & Hugh went on to have another eight children - one of whom was my gr.grandmother Catherine Magdalene Kenihan 1848-1906, born at Morphett Vale, South Australia.

Her siblings were - Margaret Ellen 1837-1913, John Thomas 1838-1862, Martin 1839-1864, Michael Joseph 1842-1913, Maryanne 1845 -?, Lucy Isabella 1847-?, James John 1849-1891 & Hubert John Kenihan 1854-1884.

Margaret married James Fitzpatrick - 3 children.
John married Catherine Daley (nee Connelly) - 2 children.
Martin married Catherine Ragen - 5 children.
Michael married Elizabeth Pearson - 10 children.
Mary Anne married Elisha Manuel - 12 children.
Lucy married Philip Tear - 4 children.
Hubert John married Elizabeth Clarke - 1 child.
Catherine married John Gillies - 9 children, 4 survived - Isabella 1868-1931, James Andrew 1870-?, Annie 1876-1915 & Rose May 1878-1929 (my grandmother).


in 1908 Rose May Gillies married William O'Neil (1861-1922. They had five children - Catherine Rose 1910-2006, William John Daniel 1913-1974, Lucy Agnes 1915-2006, Vincent James Patrick 1917-2004 (my father) & Victor Michael 1921-1959.

My father & his siblings had a sad & difficult childhood. William their father - died in 1922 - they were placed in orphanages for the next 4 years until they were returned to their mother's care. Shortly after - she died in a railway accident. Catherine Rose now aged 19 years, was able to care for her younger siblings & kept them together from that time on.

Unfortunately they grew up with little knowledge of the large extended family of Kenihans.

Please contact me if you can make any connections with this family.