Kerry researchers can read the original text of the book The Story of Brosna, by the late Fr. Michael G. Murphy. The pages were submitted by Linda Scanlon-Hayton, and the slim volume scanned as images. Read her comments, study the surname lists, then follow the links below to the images.

Background

Scanlon-Hayton shares this about the book:

This book was first published in 1930, then published again in 1977 by the Brosna Local History Committee. Some 12 years ago I wrote to the priest of the parish in Brosna asking for help in finding my grandfather and his family. At the time I did not think that I would get anything having heard from others that often you wrote, sent money and never heard a word back. I was more than surprised when some two months later I found a letter from Fr. David Griffin, priest of the Chapel in Brosna, Co. Kerry Ireland. Not only did Fr. Griffin send me a copy of the baptismal record for my grandfather, he sent along the names of his known siblings, climbed the hill that overlooks the chapel, took pictures of this beautiful little chapel and a copy of this book.

What you will find in the book is so very interesting, not only to those who are searching for their Irish ancestors, but the history of this small village.

There are only 43 pages and they are filled with names, one of which is Downey, that of my Great-Grandmother Mary Downey. She married Joseph Scanlon sometime before 1864, when my Grandfather John Dominic Scanlon was born. However, my Scanlon name is not mentioned because, as a child, my grandfather and an uncle were found to be hiding guns in theft knapsacks. My grandfather was only 12 years old at the time and was going to be hanged if caught. My family tells the story of his escape to America with this uncle and how they hid in a coal boat for three days while trying to get on a ship.

Please read every page as you may find your Irish ancestor.

Enjoy,
Linda Scanlon-Hayton

The Pages

Click on the following links for scanned images of the book pages:

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Surnames in this book
Aherne Alworth (ref) Broderick Brown Cahill Carmondy Casey Coffey Collins Connor Corridan Cotter	Crowley Cullinane Curtin Daly Delea Denny Devlin Dillon Donoghue Doody Downey	Drumm Fitzmaurice Forde Guiney Hartnett Hickey Jones Kane Keeffe Kerin Lane	Leahy Leane Lyons MacCullum McAuliffe McCarthy Moore Moran Moriarty Morrissey Moynuhan	Murphy Nash Neligan (ref) O'Brien O'Brosnan O'Cathain O'Connell O'Daley O'Donoghue O'Flaherty O'Grady	O'Kanes O'Leahy O'Mahony O'Riordan O'Rourkes O'Sullivan Parnell (ref) Pendeville Quinlan Rahilly Revere	Roche Rossa Sheehan Smyth Stack Stanley Stephens Terry Tuohy Turpin Walsh

Names of Prominent Moonlighters
Brosnan Cahill Carroll Coakley Cotter	Cross Curtin Donoghue Downey Guiney	Harrington Hartnett Healy Hickey Hussey	Keane Kerins Lane Leahy	Long Mahony Manly McAuliffe Moran	Moriarty Morrissesey Murphy O'Connor O'Donnell	O'Neill Quinlan Riordan Sheehy Williams

This page created February, 2000.