O'Kelly Family in France

This project is completed with the publication of my book in May 2014.

This is the story of a family of musicians of Irish heritage who made their mark in 19th- and early 20th-century France, following the immigration of Joseph O'Kelly senior to Boulogne-sur-mer in about 1825. I came across this family through a short notice in W.H.G. Flood's ominous A History of Irish Music (Dublin, 1905), usually not a reliable source. The best known member of the family is Joseph O'Kelly junior (1828-1885). If any musicological source book mentions O'Kelly at all, it is he who is listed. In trying to find out out more about him I discovered some more O'Kellys in French musical life and spent some time identifying them, correcting mistakes by past researchers, and disentangling their work-lists.

While none of them has been a 'great' composer, this research was and is extremely exciting and personally rewarding whenever I can add a new piece to the puzzle. And besides, some of their music IS well worth listening to as well.

Let's start with a Genealogy. For individual biographies and work-lists use the menu on the left.

0. Joseph Michael Kelly  ∞  Marie Anne Desirée Duval

* Dublin, 7 June 1804                 * Desvres, 16 Feb. 1803

† Paris 9 (old 3rd), 28 Oct. 1856  † Paris 17, 3 Feb. 1889

     1. Joseph Toussaint O’Kelly  ∞  Rosalie Françoise Henriette Gobert

           * Boulogne-sur-mer, 29 Jan. 1828   * St Cloud, c1825

           † Paris 17, 9 Jan. 1885                   † Paris 9, 27 Dec. 1877

         1.1. Joséphine Henriette Marie O’Kelly

                   * Paris, 1 Oct. 1857

                   † Paris 9, 4 June 1881

         1.2. Joseph Pierre Henri O’Kelly  ∞  Françoise Marie Clotilde Vacher

                   * Paris, 23 June 1859                       * Paris 1?, 10 Sep. 1860

                   † Cannes, 15 March 1938                  † Paris?, after 1938

               1.2.1. Henri Jean François O’Kelly   ∞  Yvonne Marcelle Le Port de la

                              * Paris 1, 14 Feb. 1881                       Thuilerie

                              † Mériel (Val d'Oise), 26 June 1922      * ?, † after 1938

           1.3. Connor Maurice O’Kelly

                    * Paris 9, 21 June 1862

                    † Paris?, after 1913 / before 1938

       (1. Joseph Toussaint O’Kelly)  ∞  Marie Leonie Davignon

                                                        * Moscow, 11 Jan. 1846

                                                        † Paris 14, 21 Feb. 1889

            1.4. Raymond Marie Joseph O’Kelly

                    * Paris 9, 9 March 1880

                    † Paris 8, 4 March 1884

            1.5. Marie Thérèse O’Kelly

                    * Paris 9?, 1882

                    † Paris 15, 5 Dec. 1888



        2. Louis Auguste O’Kelly    ∞    Juliette Constance Patinier

            * Boulogne-sur-mer, 13 July 1829   * Paris, 18 June 1847

            † Paris 9, 16 Feb. 1900                  † Paris 18, 5 May 1874

            2.1. Gustave Ernest Jean O’Kelly ∞ Edith Jeanne Lucie O’Kelly

                    * Paris 18, 4 Oct. 1872                     * Boulogne-sur-mer, 10 Jan. 1876

                    † Paris, 27 Aug. 1937                       † Paris, 20 Nov. 1956

       (2. Louis Auguste O’Kelly)        ∞        Fanny Victoire Vincent

                                                                * Paris, 4 Oct. 1827

                                                                † Saint-Mandé, 29 Apr 1901

       3. Charles Frédéric O’Kelly   ∞   Jane (Jeanne) Gillott

            * Boulogne-sur-mer, 17 Nov. 1830   * Boulogne-sur-mer, 16 Nov. 1848

            † Boulogne-sur-mer, 18 Oct. 1897    † Paris 9, 3 Feb. 1929

            3.1. Georges Frédéric O’Kelly

                    * Boulogne-sur-mer, 11 Dec. 1868

                    † Saint-Raphaël, 10 May 1911

            3.2. Ernest Auguste O’Kelly      ∞   Virginie Emilie Vaugien

                    * Boulogne-sur-mer, 8 April 1871     * (France), c.1872

                    † Paris (?), 15 July 1938                   † (?)

            3.3. Edith Jeanne Lucie O’Kelly  ∞  Gustave Ernest Jean O’Kelly

                    * Boulogne-sur-mer, 10 Jan. 1876   * Paris 18, 4 Oct. 1872

                    † Paris, 20 Nov. 1956                      † Paris, 27 Aug. 1937

       4. George Alexandre O’Kelly  ∞  Caroline Elise Mégret

            * Boulogne-sur-mer, 12 Oct. 1831  * Boulogne-sur-mer, 10 Sep. 1820

            † Asnières-sur-Seine, 2 Sep. 1914  † Boulogne-sur-mer, 27 July 1884

          4.1. George(s) Joseph O’Kelly (abbé)

                    * Boulogne-sur-mer, 18 Jan. 1858

                    † Boulogne-sur-mer, 30 Jan. 1913

          4.2. Charles Gustave Fr. O’Kelly  ∞  Louise Hortense Eléonore Mariette

                    * Boulogne-sur-mer, 22 Sep. 1860      * Cairo, 15 Mar. 1862

                    † Levallois-Perret, 21 Oct. 1928          † Etaples, 25 Nov. 1884

                4.2.1. Charles Georges Auguste O’Kelly  ∞  Hortense Jeanne Villiger

                               * Paris 17me, 10 Mar. 1884                        * Paris 17, 22 July 1887

                               † Asnières-sur-Seine, 14 April 1913            † Suresnes (92), 7 Mar. 1975

                      4.2.1.1. Raoul Charles Georges O’Kelly  ∞   Marguerite Seignez

                                          * Levallois-Perret, 4. Sep. 1905              * Puteaux, 10 Oct. 1905

                                          † St Cloud, 11 Aug. 1967                       † ?

                            4.2.1.1.1. Gérard Patrick O’Kelly

                                                     * Suresnes?, 17 July 192?

                            4.2.1.1.2. Guy Jean Ch. O’Kelly ∞ Yolande A.E. Chardonnet
                                                    * Suresnes, 12 Feb. 1928      * Trun, 1 May 1930

                                          [etc.]

           (4.2. Charles Gust. Fr. O’Kelly)  ∞  Blanche Désirée Mercier (m. 1890, div. 1901)

                                                             * Tours, 23 Nov. 1870

                                                             † unknown

          (4.2. Charles Gust. Fr. O’Kelly)  ∞  Marcelline Anne Charlotte Vérani

                                                             * Saintes (Charentes Inférieure), 20 March 1884

                                                             † Levallois-Perret (?), after 1928

      (4. George Alexandre O’Kelly)  ∞  Reine Caroline de Bosson

                                                           * Boulogne-sur-mer, 20 Sep. 1829

                                                            † Paris 17?

       5. Gustave Alfred O’Kelly

             * Paris, 10 Sep. 1841

             † Boulogne-sur-mer, 25 Dec. 1870