his full name was Joseph Quinlan O'Brien (1885-1961) and he married Margaret McKean McGill (1890-1972) on 3 September 1910

Cletus died in 2003

Joseph was born in Brighton, Westport the 10th of 11 known children (6 sons) of:
* Michael Finnessy O'Brien (1836-1910) from Munster, Ireland, died Westport
* Honora 'Nora' Quinlan (1836-1930), from Ireland, died Westport

MICHAEL FINNESSY O'Brien died 26 July 1910 aged 74
HONORA O'Brien died 17 Feb 1930 of senility aged 90
- they are buried Orowaiti Cemetery, Westport

Joseph's oldest sister, Annie May O'Brien was born in Melbourne in 1866
His next sister & all other siblings were born in Westport

Joseph had a brother, Cletus Patrick O'Brien, born in Brighton, Westport in 1886 who served in WWI as Sapper 37651 with the New Zealand Engineers Tunnelling Company, 5th Reinforcements. Cletus died of a cerebral tumour in No.1 NZGH, Brockenhurst, Hampshire, England, whilst on active service

Joseph had a brother, Michael O'Brien, born in Brighton, Westport in 1876 who died in the Grey River Hospital 22 Dec 1909 aged 33

the children of JOSEPH & MARGARET:
1911 - 2001 John Joseph 'Jack' O'Brien (married & died in Sydney)
1912 - 1947 Annie Mary O'Brien (m.Maurice Raymond Madden (1909-1978)
1914 - 1994 Evelyn Jane O'Brien (born Huntly, m.Thomas William Edwards)
1921 - 2001 Kathleen Iris 'Tommie' O'Brien (born Huntly, died USA)
1932 - 2003 Cletus Arthur O'Brien (m.Audrey Holden)

thank you so much for your help. Its amazing to find all this info about people that I remember but know so little about. Many thanks. Maggie XX

Cletus had brother Daniel (Dinny) who served with him in the Tunnelling Company in France, went on to Egypt.Arrived home safely.
Annie MAY O'Brien,
Audrey HOLTON
Thomas died 4 July 2000

Many thanks for that. Now I need to track down Michael finnessy o Brien of Munster. It's a huge county. Any ideas ?

Michael was born in County Clare abt 1836/39 (fron his death cert) His father was Timothy and his mother was Ann Nancy nee Finnessy
He came to NZ abt 1861 on ship "Rhea Sylvia" He went to Australia abt 1862 ship "Oithona" and met Honora who was born abt 1840/41 County Cork, her parents Margaret and Benjamin Quinlan.
Michael and Honora were married 12 July 1864, Eucha,Melbourne, Australia.
That's as far back as I have got. Anything you find out I would love to know.

Michael had two brothers who came to NZ. Patrick Finnessy born Ballyshannon abt 1841, died 1932
Buried Auckland and Timothy Finnessy born abt 1843, County Clare. died 1921 buried Nelson.

Hi there I am Josephs great great grand daughter and Cletus's great niece. Some of the information on here you've been given doesn't relate to our family. It must be another lot of Obriens. My grandfather (Jack and ex wharfie) was Josephs son and my father , Michael O'Brien was Jacks only son. Cletus's son Gary still lives in New Zealand with his family and Shane lives in Dubai with his. I will show Gary this entry and he may get in touch with you. He will probably have all Cletus's research on Ireland. If you'd like to know more feel free to contact me (tracey Edmonds (née O'BRIEN)

Hi
I am Joseph's Grand daughter and yes all the O'Briens above are ours. When HE said go forth and multiply our O'Briens did just that

Antrim

Hi. I don't want to add any more confusion to the mix, but my great grandmother is Catherine McMahon born O'Brien. Born around 1844 in County Clare to parents Timothy O'Brien and Anne O'Brien nee Finnessy. Married Michael McMahon Jan 3 1871 in Westport. Obviously part of the family as Michael McMahon is one of the witnesses to the marriage of Patrick Finnessy O'Brien to Jane Mary O'Keefe in 1880. If anyone has any more info on this O'Brien family of on the parents Timothy O'Brien and Anne Finnessy I'd be interested.
Thanks

Hi sharkcatcher
No confusion,Thanks for another piece of the puzzle. I didnt know that there was a sister.
I had only found 3 Brothers. Have photo of Patrick and Jane. I would be interested to know more about Catherine. haven't found anything more on Ann and Timothy but still looking.
Happy to share what I have.

hi Sharkcatcher
Have found photos of McMahon graves Wellington,can't read all inscriptions. do you know them?

Can anyone get gary o'brien to make contact please? His father had most of the research. I live in Ireland and can easily verify things. But need a trail
Maggie

Have rung Gary to day and told him to get in touch

Hi Antrim.

Thanks. Sorry for the delay. Away overseas for a while.

I didn't originally know there were any brothers. Catherine's parents Timothy O'Brien and Anne Finnessey are listed on her death cert which is how I found the connection. My mother remembers as a little one visiting her great grandmother in Westport and knew she had relations but couldn't name them. The connection was nailed when I saw that Catherine's husband Michael McMahon was the witness at Patrick O'B and Jane Mary O'Keefes marriage.

Catherine and Michael McMahon had 2 kids Catherine (Kate) b Charleston 1872 and Timothy Edward (Ted) b Charleston 1874. Kate married John O'Gorman 1897 in Westport and they had 2 children Lionel b1909 who died age 15 at St Pats Wellington and Kathleen b 1899 who never married.

Ted McMahon (my great grandfather) married Mary Kiely (b Notown 1881) m Westport 1905. They had 2 children Kathleen Culleton (nee McMahon) b Westport 1905 and Maureen McMahon b Westport 1907- never married.

Buried in the RC section of Karori Cemetery are
Catherine (O'Brien) McMahon 1844-1929,
her daughter Catherine (McMahon) O'Gorman 1872-1957 and in the same plot Catherine O'Gorman's son Lionel,
her son Timothy Edward McMahon 1874-1950, and his wife Mary 1881-1961,
their daughters Kathleen Culleton 1905-1996 and (and her husband John) and Maureen Anne McMahon 1907 -1989.

My grandmother Kathleen produced 2 daughters and in true Irish fashion her daughters had a multitude of children including myself. If you (or any other related O'Briens) need any more info on living issue I'm happy to talk off line. Thanks
Tony

Antrim. Sorry. Still jetlagged. Forgotten to mention this and I don't know if it helps at all in tracking backwards.

Catherine (O'Brien) McMahon apparently was a lady of airs and graces. She was a haughty little lady who rode side saddle around Westport and my grandmother thought that she came from a family with significant knowledge of horses. Her husband Michael was a butcher but owned quite a lot of land and for a long time served on the committee at the Westport racing club. Finally the father of my great grandmother Mary Kiely was a bootmaker in Dungarvan and Catherine (her mother in law would constantly complain to the family that her son's marriage was beneath them. All of this led my grandmother to think that she had come from a reasonably well off family in Ireland.

cheers

Tony