Keary family genealogy
Of Fore, County Westmeath
Arms: Az. a lion pass. guard. or. Crest: An arm in armour embowed, holding a spear, point downwards, shaft couped all ppr.
THIS family is believed to be a branch of the "Cahill" family of Connaught, which derived its name from Cathal, who is No. 102 on the "Cahill" of Connaught pedigree; and was in Irish known as O'Ciardha ("ciar:" Irish, a dark-grey colour), anglicised O'Cearry, O'Carry, O'Carrie, Carry, Carey, and Keary.
Thomas O'Ciardha, brother of Dermod O'Ciardha of Offaley, called Thomas Baintreabhachd (or Thomas "the Widower"), was the ancestor of "Keary," of Fore, county Meath. This Thomas lived on the Hill commanding a view of the famous Abbey founded at Fore by St. Fechin; and was killed at the burning of the Abbey by the Cromwellians, A.D. 1654. Commencing with said Thomas, the following is the pedigree of this family:
1. Thomas had three sons, Thomas, Patrick, and James, the three of whom sought refuge, and found it, with Hugh O'Byrne, of Dublin, one of the Confederate Catholics; Patrick and James d. unm., but the eldest son:
2. Thomas m. Mary O'Byrne, niece of the above-named Hugh, and had three sons:
I. Thomas;
II. Patrick; III. Hugh, both of whom went to Spain, where the latter died in 1700. Patrick entered the Spanish service.
3. Hugh m. Margaret, dau. of Dermot O'Brien, of Naas, and had issue: Dermot, Thomas, Patrick, John, and Mary.
4. John m. in 1745, Mary, dau. of Owen M'Kewen of Clontarf and Swords, and had one son, Thomas (b. 1747), and a daughter, Ellen (b. 1749), who m. in 1780 Hugh O'Moore, of the O'Moores of Longford.
5. Thomas m. Julia, dau. of Roderick Murphy of Castledermot, and had issue: Thomas, John, Patrick, and Michael.
6. Thomas m. in 1815, Mary, dau. of John Keogh of Castlepollard; he was the first of the family to omit the prefix O' from the family name then O'Cary, and assumed the name, Keary.[1] This Thomas d. in Dublin in 1836, and was interred in the church-yard of Artane, where his tomb can be seen; leaving issue:
I. Patrick, of whom presently.
II. John;
III. Michael, who d. in Liverpool in 1870.
I. Bridget;
II. Mary.
7. Patrick Keary: son of Thomas; m. Anne, youngest dau. of James Butler of Fairview, Ballybough, Dublin, and d. in 1884, leaving issue:
I. Thomas.
II. Francis.
III. Michael.
IV. James.
V. John.
VI. Peter.
VII. Joseph.
VIII. Matthew.
IX. Patrick, of whom presently.
I. Mary-Anne.
8. Patrick J. Keary (Cahill): son of Patrick (7); of 22 Colville Terrace, Ballybough Road, and of Wellington Quay, Dublin; m. in 1875, Elizabeth, only daughter of Patrick Cahill, and has living in 1887:
I. William-Laurence Cahill Keary, b. 1877.
II. John-Francis, b. 1887.
I. Mary-E.
II. Christina.
Notes
[1] Keary: Daniel O'Ciardha (or O'Cary), a nephew of this Thomas, having conformed to the Protestant religion, Thomas (m. 1815), above mentioned, called together the remnant of his family; and, in order to distinguish themselves from the said Daniel, they solemnly pledged to assume thereafter the name Keary, and to abandon the prefix O', and the "Carey" form of spelling the name.