Keveny to Cavanagh: Review of Y-DNA results

 

Y-DNA Testing 

My father, Noel Cavanagh, submitted a Y-700 DNA test to FamilyTreeDNA in July 2019.

Dad's most distant male-line ancestor is Thomas Keveny, born c1797, a native of County Sligo, Ireland.  

Thomas arrived in NSW, Australia in 1822 on the vessel "Southworth."  In 1823 his wife and child were recorded as being of the parish of Emlaghfad near Ballymote. The reference includes the detail that they were known to Rev. F. Boland and Michael McDonnough, who would have acted as referees.

Thomas had a brother Francis Keveny, born c1806, who was also recorded as being a native of Sligo.

Their names are spelled in various ways on different records - Keveny, Keveney, Kaveney, Cavanagh, Cavanaugh, Kavanagh, Cavenagh

DNA results

Dad's haplogroup result is  R-FT149229, which is a branch extending from R-M269.

To date, there are no Y-DNA matches who also have an Autosomal DNA match, and no useful or close Y-DNA matches.

There is the possibility that a non-Keveny male was involved at some point in either of these family lines. However the results available for now indicate that these families are not related.

FamilyTreeDNA projects have been joined for research purposes, including - Cavanaugh/Kavanagh, Clann Chaomananach Y-DNA  ; Ireland yDNA ; R_R1bALL Subclades ; RU106 (R1b-U106) ; North of Ireland

Possible Family Connection Investigated-

In February 2022 I had an online meeting with Erik and RoseMarie from Quebec, Canada. They are cousins and descendants of Patrick Kaveny/Kavanagh (Keaveny) and Mary McDonough (family details below.)  The family were from Cross in County Sligo, which is only 4 miles from the town of Ballymote.

The cousins had noted references to my Thomas Keveny, as I had their Patrick Kaveney, and we were keen to discuss our individual research and whether DNA testing might assist our projects.  

The family have the same Kaveny surname, including spelling variations as noted in our own family. Their ancestors were born in a similar period and lived in area close to a known location for my family.

The journal, "The Corran Herald " is published by the Ballymote Heritage Group. Edition no 53 2020/21 includes an article discussing the Quebec cousins. Their ancestors are described as -  Sarah McDonough, born c1804 Cloonah, South Sligo, married Patrick Kaveney in about 1834. He was a tenant farmer on the landed Estate of Lord Palmerston at Cross.

On 5 April 1847, 180 passengers embarked on the brig "Carrick of Whitehaven" for a voyage to North America.   117 of those passengers were from the estate of Lord Palmerston, and had walked from Cross to Sligo port to board the vessel.

The manifest of the Carrick includes passengers - Patrick Kaveney and his family of 8, from the townland of Cross in South Sligo. Accompanying Patrick were his wife, son and 5 daughters - all unnamed.

The vessel hit rocks and broke up at Cap des Rosiers, Gaspe, Quebec on 18 May 1847. Only 48 passengers survived.  Patrick, Sarah and Martin were spared, but the 5 girls drowned.

Family details -

Patrick had a brother James and sister Catherine, who remained in Sligo. Descendants have met with their distant cousins from Quebec.

Result :  During our meeting, Erik shared that he had done a DNA test with FamilyTreeDNA. He is a direct descendant of Patrick Kavanagh, on the male line. Comparison of results revealed that he has a different haplogroup result from Noel Cavanagh. No Y-DNA or Autosomal DNA matches have been found with the family from Quebec.

Although no DNA match was found, the discovery of records and elimination of a family group with a negative result is worth recording. It will save going over the same ground in future.

Research into a connected surname in an area of interest has a chance of being useful to my research.  Reading of related material has assisted in finding people with the same surname living in Ballymote and Cross and surrounding areas.

"The Corran Herald No 53 2020/21" (published by the Ballymote Heritage Group) records instances of the name in Cross -

1   Patt Kaveney - present there through August 1846, no record found of him after April 1847.

2.  August 1846, memorial listed Patt Kaveny as literate, among those needing work

3   1809 record, a Catholic Church stood on land owned by Martin Keaveney

4.  1820, Thomas Kaveny from Cross was deported to Australia

5.  1834 Tithe Applotment books - include Patt Kevaney and Martin Kevanny

6.  1857  James Caveney in Cross, farm valued at over L19

7   1864  James Kaveney, tenant on Palmerston's estate, rent L13

The article also notes that the Gaelic name for Kavanagh is O'Caomhanaigh or Caomhanach.  For Keaveney, it is O'Geibheannaigh.

Reference number 4 - could that be a reference to my Thomas Keveny/Cavanagh? I have sent a message to Ballymote Heritage Group asking if they are able to supply further details. 

http://scaledinnovation.com/gg/snpTracker.html

Prepared: 10 June 2022

Further Reading- 

REFERENCE: https://issuu.com/ballymoteheritagegroup/docs/the-corran-herald-issue-53-2020-2021/s/15357010

https://irelandxo.com/ireland-xo/history-and-genealogy/timeline/carricks-shipwrecked-en-route-canada

http://ballymoteheritage.com/corran-previous-issues/

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=22854

https://www.irishamerica.com/2019/08/the-un-quiet-ghosts-of-the-carricks/

https://lostchildrenofthecarricks.com/

https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/remains-of-shipwrecked-irish-famine-victims-found-in-canada

https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/72313/1/356579018.pdf

http://scaledinnovation.com/gg/snpTracker.html