Finding Family in Ireland

Local Family History Feature

Written by and photos courtesy of MaryFran McKenzie Stulginsky

My husband Bill and I had been to Ireland before, but never to the village of Bonniconlon, home of my paternal grandparents. On our upcoming trip to Ireland, Bonniconlon would be our starting point. We planned on driving to County Mayo, finding the village, and then what? Wander? I hoped just getting there would be good enough. Then fate intervened.

Two months before our planned departure, Bill noticed an ad for MyIrishFamilyHeritage.com, an online service that traces your Irish heritage. We promptly submitted our inquiry, and soon, Irish genealogist extraordinaire Sean Quinn was engaged in a hunt for my dad’s Irish ancestors, the McKenzies.

There wasn’t much to go on, only two death certificates and an application for naturalization. Those documents revealed great-grandparents’ names, possible dates of birth, and a departure city. But Sean somehow discovered the existence of Thomas McKenzie, my grandfather’s only brother who had remained in Ireland. Sean also learned my ancestor’s townland (a small division of land like our township system); the graveyard where McKenzies were buried; and the location of houses where the family lived as tenant farmers in the mid-to-late 1800’s.

Sean Quinn doesn’t just research from his desktop: His organization prides itself on their local reconnaissance. Once they discover historical facts, they travel, to personally verify the authenticity of their findings. Sean’s in-depth investigation enabled him to tell me I have cousins still living in Bonniconlon.

McKenzie ancestral home in Bonniconlon, County Mayo

Following an old map and census information, Sean discovered a cluster of four abandoned stone homes, one of which once housed the McKenzie family. Not far away was a newer, occupied house. Knocking on their door brought an incredible result: The family living there knew nothing about the older buildings, but they did know that a Thomas McKenzie lived not far away! That disclosure sent Sean to yet another door. Armed with facts, Sean engaged Deirdre, the only one home at the time, in a discussion about her family roots. Deirdre got interested enough to talk about Sean’s discovery later that day, when her dad and mom, Thomas and Bernadette McKenzie, got home. Over the next few days follow-up phone calls between Sean and Thomas led to an invitation to visit.

MaryFran McKenzie Stulginsky (left) with husband Bill (standing in back), in Ireland, with newly discovered Irish cousin Thomas McKenzie and his family

Bill and I will never forget that day! We met Thomas and Bernadette, their adult daughter Deirdre, and their two grandchildren. Sean’s facts proved that Thomas and I share the same greatgrandfather. Thomas and Bernadette were as interested in us as we were in them. He knew of no family in “the States,” and I certainly knew nothing about my new-found Irish cousin and his family. We talked about the origin of our Scottish name, and shared family stories over coffee and scones. After two hours, we reluctantly parted.

MaryFran McKenzie Stulginsky and new-found Irish cousin Thomas McKenzie

We now stay in touch through “the post” and emails. Bill and I are sharing with our children information contained in the bound book Sean presented to us on our parting. It’s filled with discoveries about our family and historical information about the time they lived in Ireland. I was able to create a generational chart that traces my connection with my cousin Thomas McKenzie. We’ve discovered who our grandfathers’ brothers and sisters were, and we both better appreciate where and how they might have lived.

Bill and I have always loved Ireland for its beauty and its people. Now, we have special names and faces to love!