Irish Heraldry: Reillys of Guilka

Reilly Family of Guilka, Menlough, Co Galway

My grandmother was Mary Reilly-Bellew. The Reilly family came from Guilka in the modern parish of Skehana near Menlough, Mountbellew, Co Galway. My great great grandfather Michael Reilly married in 1854 to Mary Fahy of Sunhill near Menlough. Michael appears to be the only child of James Reilly and Winifred Mitchell from Windfield. he died in 1894 aged 60.

Michael and Mary had ten children, only two who remained in Ireland and eight went to U.S.A. The two who remained in Ireland were John Reilly who married Mary Finnerty and Mary Reilly who married Sean Costello. The marriages of these ten children are summarised in the following list as well as the families of John Reilly and Mary Costello

Michael Reilly (c. 1834-94) died in 1894 aged 60

Michael Reilly m. in 1854 Mary Fahy

Summary of the ten children of Michael Reilly and Mary Fahy, and the families of their two children remaining in Ireland [1] John m. Mary Finnerty [2] Mary m. Sean Cosello

We take the ten children in turn starting with those eight who went to the U.S.A.
[6] above should read as Michael Reilly and Anna Tiver, correct below!

[3] Thomas Reilly married Cecilia Boyle [1], [2] follow below ...

Thomas Reilly was born c. 1832 and his wife, Cecilia Boyle was from Co Mayo and the 1910 Bayonne New Jersey census states he arrived in 1883 and that he was a widower by 1910, it gives the family as:

[a] Michael Reilly a. 22 (b. c. 1888)

[b] Mary Reilly a. 20 (b. 1889)

[c] John Reilly a. 18, b. 1891 d. 28 May 1937

m. Mary Carberry (1892-1933)

Their daughter Mary Kathleen Reilly married Francis Egbert. Mary died in

1964 and is buried in Ocean View Cemetery on Staten Island. Their

sons: Carl Egbert, John Egbert, William Egbert and Thomas Egbert.

[d] Thomas Reilly                        a. 16, b. Feb. 1893

[e] Catherine Reilly                      a. 15, b. June 1894 m. William Mahoney

[f] Winifred Reilly                       a. 12, b. May 1897 m. George Koystom

[g] James Reilly                            a. 10, b. June 1902

[h] Francis Reilly                          a. 8, b. Jan 1902

[i] Sicilia (Cecilia?) Reilly          a. 5, b. 1905
Genevieve Reilly in the 1915 Census, m. Harry Huber

1910 Cenus showing the family of Thomas Reilly (Click on the image to enlarge)

One of the sons, John Patrick Reilly (1891-1936) married Mary Carberry (1892-1933).
They are the great grandparents of John Reilly with whom we have been in touch.

[4] James Riley (Reilly) married Mary Tiver

James Riley (Reilly) was born in 1853 (according to headstone). His wife Mary Tiver was born on 17 July 1863 at Moorestown, New Jersey. They were married in 1881. One of their sons, James Riley born in 1895 married Honor Flannery from Beltra, Co Mayo. This James had 13 siblings. James died in 1966 a. 71 in New Jersey.

The gravestone of James & Mary Riley and some of their children

At Mount Carmel Cemetery, Moorestown, Burlington County

1905 Census, Burlington New Jersey showing James Riley as a Farmer

1915 Census, James Riley, Mount Laurel, Burlington

[a] Michael 1882 -1959 m. Dorothy Krattenmaker

[b] Katherine 1883 -1961 not married

[c] Mary 1885 1962 m. Michael Ryan from Co Galway

[d] John J Riley 1888 –1973 m. Anna Stretz, no children

[e] William 1890 -1952 m. Nora Gibony

[f] Martin 1892 -1968 m. Anna Altzheimer

[g] James P Riley 1895 1966 m. Honor Flannery from Co Mayo

[h] Jacob 1897 -1928 not married, a twin to Winifred

[i] Winifred 1897 -1942, not married

[j] Margaret 1902 -1973 not married

[k] Helen(Nellie) 1907 - 1978 m. Walter Brickley

[l] Elizabeth 1900-06

(Thanks to my cousin, Katherine Riley for the help here)

[5] Winifred Reilly married John Egan

Winifred a sister, married John Egan.

Parents John Egan (b. 1864) and Winifred Reilly (b. 1867)

[a] Michael b. 1890 d. 1893 (s)

[b] John b. Dec. 1891 d. 1964 M. Eva Carey

[c] James b. 23 Feb. 1893 d. 1956 m. Anna Jetter

[d] Thomas b. 31 Aug 1894 d. 1964 m. Ruth Cheeseman

[e] Mary b. May 1896 d. 1979 m. Fred Hamilton

[f] Julia b. Feb. 1897 d. 1926 m. Thomas O'Leary

[g] Winifred Egan-Hutchinson b. June 1899 d. 1982 m. George Hutchinson

[h] Margaret b. Sept 1900 d. 1965 m. Leo Baptiste

[i] Martin b. May 1902 d. 1955 m. Anna Cooper

[j] Catherine b. July 1903 d. 1981 m. John Baptiste

[k] Joseph b. Dec 1904 d. 1929 (s)

[l] Patrick b. 1907 d. 1907 (s)

(I'm grateful to my cousin Carolyn for all the help here)

In 1900 Census Return, they lived in Mount Laurel Township, Burlington.

[6] Michael Riley (Reilly) married Anna Tiver

Michael Reilly, son of Michael Reilly and Mary Fahy, married Anna Tiver.
This was a case of two brothers marrying two sisters, as James had married Mary as mentioned above. Mary and Anna were daughters of Jacob Tiver and Catherine Mannion.

The gravestone of Michael & Anna Riley and some of their children

All three gravestones at Mount Carmel Cemetery, Moorestown, Burlington County

Michael Riley (1855-1945) and Anna Tiver (1868-1966), their children:

Mary A, Riley (1894-1995) aged 101.

John J. Riley (May 1899-1976)

Thomas Riley (1904-1906)

[Mary and John did not marry and Thomas died young]

Michael Riley born Sept 1896

William Riley born Sept 1907

James Riley born Nov 1888

Katherine Riley born Feb 1891 died 1992 aged 101. She married Michael Cunningham.

Anna Riley born Oct 1902 she married Harry Bowman, they did not have family

Elizabeth Riley born Aug 1911 married (Siehl) and had family.

(I.m grateful to my cousin Eileen Cunningham for the help here)

[7] Kate (Catherine) Reilly married in 1895 Edward O'Brien

Marriage of Catherine Reilly and Edward O'Brien in 1895

The gravestone of Catherine (Kate) Reilly & Edward O'Brien
At Mount Carmel Cemetery, Moorestown, Burlington County

1915 census return

Edward J. O'Brien (1872-1935) m. 1895 Catherine (Kate) Reilly O'Brien (1871-1954)

children:

[a] James Thomas O'Brien (1908-1989) m. 1st Frances O'Donnell (d. 1938)

they had one son

James m. 2nd Elizabeth Kynett Van Tine (d. 2008), James died in California.

Sisters of James named on the gravestone:

[b] Kathryn R. O'Brien (1910-1931)

[c] Mary E. O'Brien (1897-1987)

[d] Alice O'Brien (1906-1990)

[e] Susan O'Brien (1898-1968)

[f] Agnes O'Brien Richman (1904-1993) m. Horace Richman (1904-1979)

[g] (Edward) Joseph O'Brien (b. 1900) m. Mary Ferry, not sure if this is correct

[h] Margaret O'Brien born in 1902 (died January 1983) and married Ernest Burch d.1954

[i] John O'Brien born in 1912. Not sure if the John O'Brien b. 9 April 1912 N.J, died 1973, last place of Residence Gloucester, N.J. State - Pennsylvania?

[8] Bridget Reilly married John Stafford

Bridget Reilly Stafford (1867-1943) married to John Stafford (1867-1929). Their Headstone at Mount Carmel Cemetery, Mooretown does not list any of their children.

Mount Carmel, Mooretown, New Jersey

Bridget (Biddy) Reilly born 1867

Births of some of the family members.

1910 Census

1910 Census, Chester, Burlington

1915 Census

The children of Bridget Reilly Stafford (1867-1943) & John Stafford (1867-1929).

[a] Joseph P. Stafford b. Dec 1903 died 1969 married to Grace (d. 1996)

Gravestone at Laurel Hill Cemetery, Burlington

[b] Thomas V. Stafford (1905-1967) m. Helen Gormley (d. 1991)

Gravestone at Holy Cross Cemetery, Mays Landing, Atlantic City

[c] Anna B. Stafford b. 26 June 1897 d. Feb. 1976

[d] Kate Stafford b. 16 June 1893 d. 19 March 1972

[e] Mary Stafford b. 28 Oct. 1892 d. 1973 m. 1935 William Edward Murphy (1879-1958), gravestone in Philadelphia.

[f] William Stafford b. Nov 1910 d. May 12 1998, m. c. 1937 Mary Sack, lived in Philadelphia? son Patrick aged 2 in 1940

[g] Winifred Stafford b. 1900 not married in 1940

[h] John M. Stafford b. Sept 1901 d. 1954 buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Colorado Springs, m. Alice Daugherty, Alice married secondly she died Alice Downs in 1967.

[i] Margaret Stafford b. 1897 [29 Nov.] married Harold Edward Potts

[j] Agnes Stafford b. Dec 1906, m. Joseph Downs in Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, Moorestown in 1931

[9] Martin Reilly ?

[10] Margaret Reilly married Patrick Burns

Margaret married Patrick Burns in 1898. He was Patrick Byrne from Ballagh, Co Galway near Guilka. My grand aunt noted this marriage in her notes (c. 1983) and she explained that the Reillys and Byrnes were related in three different ways. The other two ways are clear and this being the third.

Margaret Reilly (Mooretown) m. 15 Oct 1898 Patrick Burns (Bayonne)

Record courtesy of Brian Murphy.

Patrick Burns was son of Laurence Byrne and Catherine Connelly in Co Galway.

1910 Census Information

The children of Margaret (d. 21 June 1965) and Patrick (d. 1916) were:

[a] Mary Burns (b. 3 Oct 1899, Bayonne), She married Edward Collins

[b] Mrs Florence Zehnbauer
[c] Mrs Catherine Drivet
[d] Winifred Burns m. William Spirko

William Spirko born 1930

Peggy (Margaret) Mulkern

Joan Donovan
[e] John Burns m. Viola Zitlofsky, we located a cousin in June 2019.

[2] Mary Reilly married in 1882 Sean Costello

We are still considering the original ten Reilly children of Michael Reilly and Mary Fahy. Mary was the only daughter to remain in Ireland

Marriage cert 1882 of Mary Reilly and John Costello

We consider their twelve children as listed above at the beginning of this piece about the Reillys:

[a] James Costello married Mary Naughton

Costello's Pub in Skehana, now closed.

[b] Bridget Costello married Francis Cawley

[c] Ellen Costello married Thomas Clancy

Their daughter Mollie died earlier this year aged 101 years (R.I.P..

[d] Mary Costello married Thomas Kelly

[e] Michael Costello married Mary Ellen Melody

[f] Patrick Costello (unmarried) Garbally, he lived abroad but returned home and lived with is sister, Mrs Clancy.

[g] John Costello (Australia)

[h] Margaret Costello married James Ruane in the USA, one child

[i] Catherine Costello married Nicholas Daly (Dereen)

[j] Walter Costello married Eileen Walsh (Cloncurreen)

[k] Anne Costello married Thomas Doyle (Kiltulla)

[l]Winifred Costello married Thomas Mahoney (no children)

[1] John Reilly married in 1890 Mary Finnerty

John Reilly m. 1890 Mary Finnerty, dau of Patrick Finnerty & Mary Laheen

The final of the tenth children of Michael Reilly & Mary Fahy. John the only son to remain in Ireland, who farmed at Guilka.

Marriage 1890 cert of John Reilly and Mary Finnerty (Finerty)

Gravestone of John Reilly and of Mary Finnerty his wife at Killascobe.

Their eight children were:

[a] James Reilly d. 1987 m. Bridget Grady dau. Michael Grady & Kate Rohan
[b] Kate Reilly d. 1968 m. Pake Ruane, Pake was involved in the War of Independence and was a strong Fianna Failer.
[c] Bridget Reilly d. 1985 m. Martin Mellody, Guilka
[d] Margaret (Maggie) Reilly d. 1986 aged 90 m. Andrew Noone, Ballinahattina
[e] Mary Reilly d. 1974, m. aged 18 Patrick Bellew Banouges, she was a widow for more than fifty years.
[f] Patrick Reilly m. Mary Geraghty, was in USA and bought a farm at Timree, Moylough
[g] Michael Reilly
[h] John Reilly

for Laheen information see:
https://irishheraldry.blogspot.com/2017/07/laheen-ballagh-grallagh.html

for Finnerty information see:
https://irishheraldry.blogspot.com/2019/05/finnerty-finerty-cloncurreen.html

for Bellew information see:
https://irishheraldry.blogspot.com/2018/09/bellew-tree.html