Now the DNA says we are related to the Baronets branch, the remaining challenge is to find the exact link in the documents.
Given how many documents I found survived in the Letitia of Tarbert branch,
there should be many documents surviving in the Baronets branch.
This is now the priority.
The Blennerhassett Challenge, offering a prize of €1000
to anyone who solved the Blennerhassett problem,
is now closed.
Nobody won the grand prize.
I paid out six interim prizes of
€100
to:
Eily Moylan,
Jackie Lindsay,
Teresa Stokes,
Emma Pinnell,
Elizabeth Humphrys and
Nicole Scannell-O'Leary.
DNA project, 2019 to 2020
DNA testing proved the Letitia of Tarbert theory is false.
Looking again at the Baronets branch
If Letitia Blennerhassett of Tarbert is not the link, who is?
By starting again and reconsidering the evidence, the obvious "plan B" is the
Blennerhassett Baronets branch.
We now pursue both documents and DNA in this branch.
Even if the Letitia theory did not work,
the DNA testing
proved much of the Cashel tree to be true.
It gave major breakthroughs in Kickham, Pigott, Gould and other lines.
It proved much of the "Black Jack" branch of the Blennerhassett tree to be true
- even if that is of no use to me.
After many DNA samples, and a new
analysis of the results,
it seems to me that DNA testing has proved the Letitia Blennerhassett of Tarbert theory is false.
This is very surprising.
It leaves a lot of
paper evidence
that demands explanation.
And we need to construct an alternative theory for how we might connect to Blennerhassett.
By 2020, I had done hundreds of
DNA one-to-one comparisons
of Cashel people with Letitia people.
And I had never got a match better than 8.4 cM.
Comparing this with
what hits are like for real cousins
shows I should have already found a load of great, strong hits.
But I got nothing.
The Letitia theory is false.
Later, after hundreds more comparisons, I got up to
9.4 cM
but that hardly changes the argument.
Letitia Blennerhassett's native Irish ancestry
Letitia Blennerhassett of Tarbert
has exotic native Irish ancestry
through Fitzgerald
and O'Brien.
In August 2019, DNA analysis finally, after over 30 years,
proved my relationship
(through George Cashel's wife Mary Kickham)
to the Fenian
Charles Joseph Kickham.
See the proof.
The link was what Pat Lavelle said it was:
Mary is 1st cousin of the Fenian.
This brings me my first known proven Protestant ancestor,
Charles Kickham
(born 1752).
Grave of
Charles Kickham
(born 1752).
My first proven Protestant ancestor.
Discovered when I was over age 50.
Robert Kirkam
of London
listed among the Cromwellian adventurers for land in Ireland in 1642 to 1646.
He is possibly the unnamed Cromwellian settler
who is ancestor of the Kickhams of Co.Tipperary
and my ancestor.
Fifth and sixth interim prizes awarded, March 2019
The fifth and sixth interim prizes of €100
are awarded to Elizabeth Humphrys and
Nicole Scannell-O'Leary
for suggesting DNA to solve the problem.
My thinking on DNA has evolved over time,
but I really needed to start doing DNA experiments in order to see what the issues are.
They are not what I thought they were.
DNA project starts, 2019
In 2019 I started a systematic project to DNA test relatives of Letitia Blennerhassett of Tarbert
and George Cashel,
in order to see if the link could be proved.
For over a decade, it seemed like Letitia Blennerhassett of Tarbert was our ancestor.
Fourth interim prize awarded, Jan 2019
The fourth €100 prize for an interim solution has been awarded to
Emma Pinnell,
for providing proof in the
Goddard letter of 1806
of the Goddard link to England.
Ullmer
- The only known descendants of any siblings of George Cashel or his wife.
William Kickham grave in Washington D.C.
Known grave for George Cashel: 0.
Known grave for his siblings: 0.
Known grave for his wife: 0.
Known grave for his wife's siblings: 1 (this one).
North Tidworth, Wiltshire.
This is
where
Capt. Thomas Goddard
grew up.
His father
Rev. Thomas Goddard
was Rector of this church 1708 to 1731.
Capt. Thomas Goddard left England for Ireland in 1736.
Tomb of Arthur Blennerhassett of Blennerville (died 1839),
Blennerville, Co.Kerry.
If Letitia the daughter of Rev. John is the one, then this Arthur
(the son of
Sir Rowland Blennerhassett, 1st Baronet)
is the likely candidate for
"A.Blennerhassett J.P."
who recommended George Cashel for the police in 1828.
After my Dad died,
I got serious about solving the Blennerhassett problem
before I died.
First interim prize awarded, June 2008
The first €100 prize for an interim solution has been awarded to
Eily Moylan
for fleshing out the family of
George Cashel
and his connection with
Kickham.
Kickham tree now online.
New details about George Cashel.
"Blennerhassett Challenge" competition launch, May 2008
In 2008, I got serious about solving the Blennerhassett problem.
I launched a competition
with a prize of €1,000
for anyone who could solve it.
The prize later rose to €2,000.
Then €1,000 again.
I also offered interim prizes of €100
for help towards a solution.
I made out computerised offline family trees in 1990-92.
Sir Rowland Blennerhassett, 1st Baronet,
in my offline
family tree, 1992.
See full image.
Letitia Blennerhassett of Tarbert
in my offline
family tree, 1992.
The start of the hunt in 1985
When I read the following Burke's entry
as a teenager in 1985,
I realised that
Blennerhassett could be my
gateway to the World family tree.
It took 35 years to prove it.
Please donate to support this site.
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Research involves travel and many expenses.
Some research "things to do"
are not done for years, because I do not have the money to do them.
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