The Kinsella Family
The Kinsella family are descended from
one of the larger and better known Irish clans said to be descended from an early Irish
King. The kingdom, called Hy Kinsella lies in the southeastern portion of Ireland. . A
Kinsella clan reunion is held regularly in Ireland.
The area of Hy Kinsella was composed of numerous smaller states, called "tuaths", each of which had their own chieftain. The king of Hy Kinsella governed over all these minor chieftains. The families eligible for kingship of Hy Kinsella were the MacMurroughs, Kavanaughs, and Kinsellas (families that branched off from Dermot MacMurrough on the family tree). The ruler of Hy Kinsella, if he were powerful enough, could become ruler of the province of Leinster. The ruler of Leinster, in turn, could become King of all Ireland, called "Ard Ri". This was achieved by Dermot mac Maelnam Bo, great great grandfather of Eanna Kinsella.
Origin of the name Kinsella
According to ancient Irish manuscripts, the name Cinnsealach (later anglicized to Kinsella) first came into being in the year 365 AD. The occasion was a battle between the King of Tara, Eochaidh Muighmheadhon, and Eanna, King of Leinster {one of the 4 provinces of Ireland}.
The battle was fought at a place called Croghan Hill and was decisively won by King Eanna. Near the end of the battle, Eochaidh Muighmheadhon's druid, Ceadnathach, was taken prisoner and brought to Eanna who was standing on the Hill amidst the dissipating battle. Upon seeing Eanna, the druid said, "Thou wouldst never conquer from this hill on which I am, if I were to live." Upon this Eanna transfixed him with his spear; and, as the spear pierced his body, a laugh broke forth from Eanna. "Alas," said the druid, "that is a foul laugh, and it is this that will be given as a name to thy posterity after thee for ever".
Based on this account, Cinnsealach means foul laugh. Other versions exist however:
Cinn means head, point, chieftain, commander and selach means unclean, vile. So one version of Cinnsealach is unclean head.
Another version, and one you could believe the druid would have uttered, is vile chieftain.
One favored by an Irish family in Ireland is crest of a wave as the Gaelic word for sea or salt water is saile.
Finally, according to a Gaelic dictionary, Cinnsealach means authoritative. Variations on the name Kinsella include: Kincheloe, Kinchelan, Kinshalla, Kinshillah, Kinsela, Kinselagh, Kingsley, Kinsley, Tinsley
A story of a later day Kinsella who
became a folk hero,
In 1849 (during the Great Famine), Queen Victoria decided to pay a visit to Ireland.
Press accounts reported the pomp and circumstance accompanying her arrival in Cork harbor.
They described the great collection of troops and bands as she disembarked from the ship
and it was this day that William Kinsella became a local hero. A huge Union Jack was
fluttering over the dock directly above the spot where the Royal parade was to pass.
Somehow, William was able to get near the flagpole and cut the ropes so the flag dropped
on the heads of the lead marching band (he promptly emigrated to America).
Patrick Kinsella
One branch of the Kinsella family was established in McLean county Illinois through Patrick Kinsella. Patrick was born 10/18/1829 in King's County (aka Offaly County), Ireland. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1850.
Patrick married Margaret Bolan in Lexington (some sources say Kentucky, but could have been Illinois) on 5/3/1855. The two settled in Merna, Illinois in 1866.
Note family sources indicated they were married in 1865, and that Patrick emigrated in 1853, however, the 1900 census clearly lists them as having been married 44 years. Furthermore, their oldest child was born in 1857, so the 1865 date is clearly incorrect). See 1900 Census for Towanda Township, ED # 120, page 26.
Their children were:
- Anna Regina (Annie) b. Mary 1857, never married
- Mary Elizabeth
- Ellen Agnes
- John
- Jane Teresa
- Michael
- Rebecca
- William Henry
- Margaret Lucy b. April 17, 1872
- Catherine Francis (Kate), b. May 1874
- Martha Alice
Patrick Kinsella was described in a newspaper article about his daughter's wedding as, "one of the most substantial farmers of the community owning over a section of land on the home place besides other property."
A full listing of Patrick and Margaret's family is available on the Kinsella Clan web site at http://www.kinsella.org/genealogy/patk29.htm. Note, however that some of the dates on this site are contradicted by the census information cited above. Information on Patrick's ancestors in Ireland is not known at this writing.
Margaret Lucy Kinsella
Margaret was the daughter of Patrick and Margaret Bolan Kinsella and was born April 17, 1872. Margaret's baptismal sponsors were James Leary and Lucy Rodgers McAvoy. She married James Michael Larkin in 1894 (see 2nd Generation).
In addition to Margaret Lucy's marriage to James Michael, her sister Sarah married a Larkin, and her brother William Kinsella also married Michael's sister Margaret Emma. Since taking a child's middle name from the wife's maiden name is a common tradition, as is calling a child by their middle name, there are many similar names in the extended family history relating to McLean county.