Thread: Half famous relatives

I have to look to the Irish side of the family for this, and they're all cousins and the like, rather than immediate family....and most of you have probably never heard of them

Padraig O'Cadla (Pat Kiely) one of the founders of Ring College, Co Waterford. It's a well known Irish language college and is in a Gaeltacht Irish speaking area. He taught Irish in a tin shed back in the days when it was not exactly encouraged by the British authorities


Tom Kiely, Olympic gold medal winner


Thomas "Tom" Francis Kiely (August 25, 1869 – November 6, 1951) was an Irish athlete who competed mainly in the decathlon event.
He competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics held in St. Louis, Missouri in the decathlon which consisted of 100 y run, shot put, high jump, 880 y walk, hammer throw, pole vault, 120 y hurdles, 56 pounds weight throw, long jump and 1 mile run, where he won the Gold medal.
The outstanding Irish-born personality of the early years of the Olympic Games was Tom Kiely, who won the all-round Championship, the forerunner of the Modern Decathlon, at the Games in St. Louis in 1904.
Tom was thirty-four years old at this time. The British team had approached him with promises of his fare and expenses, and American sponsorship was also offered but, as a comitted nationalist, he decided to go on his own, representing his native country. He raised the fare partly by selling many of the prizes he had won over the years and sailed for the States at the end of May.
In America he had several more offers to join the American or British teams. But again he declined and made it clear in statements carried in all the American papers of the time that he would represent only Ireland in the Olympic Games. As Ireland was not independent in 1904 the IOC still lists him as representative of the team of Great Britain and Ireland at the 1904 Summer Olympics.
Tom Kiely hailed from Ballyneale just outside Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary and achieved his gold in 1904 becoming the first Olympic multi-event track champion for 16 centuries. Tom Kiely's win in the Decathlon, then known as the "All-Around Championship" was noteworthy as all ten events were held on the same day.

The Clancy Brothers

The Clancy Brothers from Carrick on Suir, Co Tipperary, were an Irish folk music singing group, most popular in the 1960s, who are often credited with popularizing Irish traditional music in the United States. The brothers were Patrick Clancy, Tom Clancy, Bobby Clancy and Liam Clancy. They are best known for their work with Tommy Makem, recording dozens of albums together as The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. Liam is still going strong. My mum is going to a Clancy Brothers reunion in Carrick this summer.

Aoife Clancy, daughter of Bobby, continuing the family tradition


:zehner: :zehner: :zehner: :zehner: :zehner:

One of my ancestors, John Phinney, had his house turned in to a US historical site. It was built in the mid 1600s.

A cousin, still living, was once the youngest person, Dem or Rep, ever to win an election in the US (age: 21). A popular social worker, he was voted onto his local city council and stayed in politics for two years, quitting in disgust when he finally understood what was required of him.

One of my Mum's cousins used to play football for Aberdeen.

My Grand-dad played football in the same army team as Bill Shankly and said that he was 'quite good.'

My Grand-dad's older brother played for the once-famous Third Lanark football team.

My Great-Grandad held the record (as part of a crew) for floating around in the ocean in a small boat with no food and little water for a long time after the boat they were on sailing from Australia to the UK went down somewhere in the middle of the ocean. Broken recently I believe.

First rello of any note was mentioned in despaches after the Battle of Hastings

Robert Bruce

Oliver Cromwells right hand man

Francis Drake

A rello was sentenced (on Cooks journey) to 30 lashes ...He jumped overboard instead.


Edgar Egan ..Set up first bank ,first church in the colony of NSW Became the first practicing barrister and the first Kings Council (KC)a founding member of the first Mason lodge...Attended the first Australia day dinner at the Governors residence.
releos from that side have been in Government ever since.

rello started up one of the first newspapers in oz

great grandma owned almost a whole street of terrance houses in Paddington ( kings cross) Had a prime minister living in one of them she was the landlord and the maid...A bohemian woman she ran pubs during the 20's

Dads sister is a well known race horse owner and trainer
Another is 2ic for Greenpeace.....Another was president of the logging association

Another is a very well known TV presenter Greg Evans


Another was half owner of one of the biggest advertising agencies in the world.


Another is a well known television comedian


I didn't mention the Infamous ones

Then there is Me

I walked past well known surfer-singer-songwriter Jack Johnson today on High Street. He's no relation, but nobody in my bloodline of anonymous peasants is remotely well known and I felt the need to name drop something.

Jesus built my hot-rod.

My cousin's wife's cousin is Julie Christie - is that distant enough?

Oh, and I once got pissed one night with Spike Milligan, 40 years ago!