IRELAND AND THE EARLY ROONEY FAMILIES
While little information is known about the Rooney families prior to their settling in Canada in the early to mid 1800's, two items are certain: the Rooneys moved from Ireland to Canada; and the oldest known of the Minnesota Rooney ancestors are Michael (Daddy Mick) Rooney, born about 1772, and his wife, Catherine (Mammy Kitty) Caulfield, born about 1775. Michael Rooney and Catherine Caulfield were the parents of nine children (listed below with their spouses):
1. Bridget Rooney and Thomas Kilroe
2. Patrick Rooney and Elenor Tracy
3. Michael (Mickey) Rooney and Marie Tracy
4. Thomas Rooney and Ellen Ward (1) and Bridget Brown (2)
5. Ann Rooney and Michael Tracy
6. John Rooney and Mary McCool
7. Mary Rooney and Michael Colahan
8. Catherine Rooney and Patrick Killeen
9. Hugh Rooney and Ann Morris
NOTE: The first names of the nine children of Michael Rooney and Catherine Caulfield have been italicized to differentiate them from others with the same names.
IRELAND - FAMILY ORIGIN
The exact origin in Ireland of Michael (Daddy Mick) Rooney, Catherine (Mammy Kitty) Caulfield and their nine children, is presently unknown. The following clues point toward several counties in Ireland where they may have once lived:
One family report is that Thomas Rooney, son of Daddy Mick, was born in or near Athlone, County Roscommon and that his first wife, Ellen Ward, is buried in the Civil Parish of Clonfert, Parish Moore, Kilbegley Cemetery, County Roscommon.
The marriage record of John Rooney and Mary McCool, states that John’s parents were from County Galway.
A biography of Michael Killeen, grandson of Daddy Mick, states that his parents, Patrick and Catherine (Rooney) Killeen were natives of County Clare.
So far, research of civil, church or family records in Minnesota, Canada and Ireland have not been able to substantiate the precise location in Ireland.
The counties of Roscommon, Galway and Clare are in the western part of Ireland and can be found on the left-hand side of the map below...
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