Obama is from Offaly and now it turns out some of Bruce Springsteen’s ancestors hail from Co. Kildare. Megan Smolenyak, genealogist, has made the connection.
Sources: Article in the Independent and an interview with Megan on RTE
You might like to take a look at this article by Megan Smolenyak which outlines her research and mentions that she used our records that are available via subscription on the rootsireland.ie database to locate the records of Ann and her family. http://irishamerica.com/2015/10/on-the-prowl-for-springsteens-irish-roots/
Our Kildare genealogist, Karel Kiely, did some some follow up research and located five children of Christy or Christopher Geraty and his wife Catherine Kelly in Rathangan:
James, of Christy Geraty and Catherine Kelly, baptised on 25th February 1828.
Address: Mount Prospect
Baptismal Sponsors: Andrew Flood and Ally Kelly
John, of Christopher Geraty and Catherine Kelly, baptised on 10th May 1830.
Address: Mount Prospect
Baptismal Sponsors: John Colgan and Ann Kelly.
Michael, of Christy Geraty and Catherine Kelly, baptised on 13th January 1833
Address: Mount Prospect
Baptismal Sponsors: Patrick Murray and Betty Kelly
Ann, of Christopher Geraty and Catherine Kelly, baptised on 2nd December 1838
Address: Kiltagham
Baptismal Sponsors: Catherine Neil
Elizabeth, of Christy Geraty and Catherine Kelly, baptised on 12th January 1843
Address: Mount Prospect
Baptismal Sponsors: James Halligan and Mary Kelly
Thomas, of Christopher Geraty and Catherine Kelly, baptised on 25 December 1847.
Address: Rathangan
Baptismal Sponsors: James Mitchel and Ann Dawson
At around the same time in the townlands of Kiltagham there was:
James Geraty and Margaret Cullen had Brigid (1844) and Patrick (1847)
James Geraty and Ann Jacobs had John (1861)Peter Geraty and Hanna Jacob had Maria (1848), Patrick (1851), Ann (1854) and Mary (1857).
Pat Geraty and Mary Kelly had Anne (1850) and Teresa (1851) – Address was Rathangan
Tom Geraty and Betty Keegan had Mary (1829) – Address was Rathangan
There are also a number of Geraty marriages in the parish.
There are Kellys at Kiltagham in the early 1800s as shown by this Tithe Applotment book page for the townland where a Thomas Kelly and a James Kelly are listed.
We were not able to find any Geratys in the area in the later 1800s or in the 1901 Census to date.
There are Kellys at Kiltagham South at the time of the 1901 Census:
Maria Kelly, a widow aged 72 years old, from Queen’s Co. and her children who were all born in Co. Kildare:
John aged 30
Rose aged 32
Patrick Joseph aged 38
Elizabeth Alice aged 41
Mary aged 44
They were children of Patrick Kelly and his wife Maria Dunne – on the baptismal records of their children (between 1852 and 1865) the address is recorded as either Kiltagham or Mount Prospect. Patrick and Maria were married in Mountmellick in 1846 – the register pages are very difficult to read and no other information is known.
